Ungrounded master control devices and methods of use
Granted: July 2, 2024
Patent Number:
12023122
A mechanically ungrounded master control device comprises a rigid chassis for engagement with one or more fingers of a user's hand and at least one pivotable finger engagement device for controlling movement of a tool end effector. The control device also includes at least one sensor for detecting a position and orientation of the rigid chassis in a surgical environment and a switch coupled to the rigid chassis and manipulatable by a finger of the user's hand while another finger of the…
Surgical instrument sterile adapter with optical coupler
Granted: July 2, 2024
Patent Number:
12023118
A connector system is provided to connect a carriage that includes a rotatable drive member to a surgical instrument that includes a driven member, comprising. a mechanical interface that includes a drive transmission member configured to receive a rotational drive force provided by the drive member at the internal surface region and to provide a corresponding rotational drive force to the driven member at the external surface region; and a support to mount an end portion of an optical…
Passive preload and capstan drive for surgical instruments
Granted: July 2, 2024
Patent Number:
12023114
An instrument system includes a flexible shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, a backend mechanism coupled to the proximal portion of the flexible shaft, and a plurality of tendons. The backend mechanism includes a plurality of capstans. Each capstan engages a respective drive motor that rotates to cause rotation of the capstan. A first capstan of the plurality of capstans is engageable with a first respective drive motor while a second capstan of the plurality of…
Method and system for operating a teleoperated surgical instrument and a manual instrument
Granted: July 2, 2024
Patent Number:
12023113
A system comprises a teleoperated manipulator, a manually operated instrument, and a position sensor coupled to the manually operated instrument. The position sensor is configured to generate pose information for the manually operated instrument. The system further comprises a controller configured to map a pose of the manipulator to a fixed world reference frame based on three-dimensional pose information for the manipulator known internally within the system. The controller is further…
Systems and methods for dynamic trajectory control
Granted: July 2, 2024
Patent Number:
12023066
A non-transitory computer readable medium stores instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, are adapted to cause the one or more processors to: receive a command to initiate a medical procedure at a target location with a medical instrument; retrieve a predefined dynamic trajectory for the medical procedure; move the medical instrument according to the predefined dynamic trajectory to perform the medical procedure at the target location; detect a force received at a…
Stereoscopic endoscope
Granted: July 2, 2024
Patent Number:
12023006
A stereoscopic endoscope comprises a first lens train; a second lens train; a prism; and a continuous image sensor surface. The first lens train directs light along a first path through the first lens train and the prism to be incident on a first region of the continuous image sensor, and the second lens train directs light along a second path through the second lens train and the prism to be incident on a second region of the continuous image sensor.
Artificial intelligence guidance system for robotic surgery
Granted: June 25, 2024
Patent Number:
12016644
This invention is a system and method for utilizing artificial intelligence to operate a surgical robot (e.g., to perform a laminectomy), including a surgical robot, an artificial intelligence guidance system, an image recognition system, an image recognition database, and a database of past procedures with sensor data, electronic medical records, and imaging data. The image recognition system may identify the tissue type present in the patient and if it is the desired tissue type, the…
Waveband-selective imaging systems and methods
Granted: June 25, 2024
Patent Number:
12016738
An illustrative surgical system may access a plurality of images captured outside a structure within a patient; detect a difference between spectral reflectances of scenes captured in the plurality of images; and identify, based on the detected difference between the spectral reflectances of the scenes captured in the plurality of images, pixels in at least one of the plurality of images that correspond to structure tissue of the structure.
Surgical drape and systems including surgical drape and attachment sensor
Granted: June 25, 2024
Patent Number:
12016647
A surgical drape for a patient side cart of a teleoperated surgical system may comprise a body sized and shaped to cover at least a portion of an arm or main column of the patient side cart, and an attachment device feature connected to the body, the attachment device feature being configured to install the surgical drape to the arm or main column so as to cover at least a portion of the arm or main column with the surgical drape. In an installed position of the surgical drape on the arm…
Layered functionality for a user input mechanism in a computer-assisted surgical system
Granted: June 25, 2024
Patent Number:
12016646
A computer-assisted surgical system includes a function selection system configured to detect an actuation and a de-actuation of a user input mechanism associated with a user control mechanism for controlling a surgical instrument coupled to a manipulator arm of a computer-assisted surgical system, the user input mechanism configured to facilitate activation and deactivation of a clutch mode of operation in which the user control mechanism is decoupled from controlling the surgical…
Flexible surgical devices
Granted: June 25, 2024
Patent Number:
12016539
A method for operating a medical device includes measuring a configuration of a tube, receiving a desired configuration of the tube, determining an actuation input to bend the tube to the desired configuration, and transmitting the actuation input to at least one force transmission element that is actuatable to alter the tube between a flexible state and a stiffened state. Altering the tube from the flexible state to the stiffened state includes simultaneously applying first and second…
Ratcheting for master alignment of a teleoperated minimally invasive surgical instrument
Granted: June 18, 2024
Patent Number:
12011244
A teleoperated system includes a robotic arm configured to support an instrument, a grip configured to be manipulated by an operator to command motion of the instrument, and a control system communicatively coupled to the robotic arm and the grip. To align the grip with the instrument by the grip, the control system is configured to determine grip rotation values describing an orientation of the grip, determine instrument rotation values describing an orientation of the instrument,…
Computer-assisted tele-operated surgery systems and methods
Granted: June 18, 2024
Patent Number:
12011242
Systems and methods for minimally invasive computer-assisted telesurgery are described. For example, this disclosure provides surgical instruments and instrument drive systems for computer-assisted tele-operated surgery that are structured and operated to negate the effects of cable stretch within the surgical instruments.
Flexible instrument with grooved steerable tube
Granted: June 18, 2024
Patent Number:
12011241
A minimally invasive medical instrument comprises an elongate flexible body comprising a proximal portion, a distal portion, a transition portion between the proximal portion and the distal portion, and an inner sheath extending at least within the proximal portion. The inner sheath comprises a plurality of conduits extending through a wall of the inner sheath. A distal end of each conduit terminates at the transition portion. The flexible body further comprises a steerable tube…
Systems and methods for rendering alerts in a display of a teleoperational system
Granted: June 18, 2024
Patent Number:
12011236
A method comprises displaying a surgical environment image. The surgical environment image includes a field of view image obtained by a first imaging system. The method also includes receiving alert information and providing an alert indication, based upon the alert information, within the surgical environment image by altering a portion of the surgical environment image.
Systems and methods for using tracking in image-guided medical procedure
Granted: June 18, 2024
Patent Number:
12011232
A system includes a medical instrument, a teleoperation manipulator, an optical tracking sensor, and a control system. The medical instrument includes an elongated flexible body, a rigid proximal body comprising a reference portion, and a shape sensor having a reference point. The control system is configured to: track, with the optical tracking sensor, a first set of optical fiducials on a patient anatomy and a second set of optical fiducials on the reference portion; determine, using…
Surgical stapling instrument
Granted: June 18, 2024
Patent Number:
12011168
A surgical instrument includes an elongate shaft and an end effector. The end effector includes a jaw, and a coupling member configured to receive a first and second reload and to removably couple the first and second reload to the end effector. The coupling member is configured to retain the first reload in a closed position relative to the jaw such that the jaw and the first reload have a tissue gap therebetween. The coupling member is configured to retain the second reload in a closed…
System and method for variable velocity instrument
Granted: June 18, 2024
Patent Number:
12011167
A system and method of variable velocity control of an instrument by a computer-assisted device includes a computer-assisted device that includes an actuator and one or more processors. To perform an operation with an instrument coupled to the computer-assisted device, the one or more processors are configured to set a velocity set point of the actuator to an initial velocity, monitor force or torque applied by the actuator to actuate the instrument, when the applied force or torque is…
Systems and methods for holding a flexible elongate device in a pose
Granted: June 11, 2024
Patent Number:
12004710
Stiffening mechanisms or systems that assist or enable holding a pose or shape of a flexible body may be part of a steering mechanism for an end effector. The stiffening mechanisms may be separately actuated and/or may themselves also enable steering of a flexible elongate device. Further, the stiffening mechanisms may use information from sensor systems, such as a shape sensor in the form of an optical fiber, a plurality of EM sensors distributed along the length of a flexible device,…
System and method for providing feedback during manual joint positioning
Granted: June 11, 2024
Patent Number:
12004827
A system and method of providing feedback during manual joint positioning includes a computer-assisted device having an articulated structure including a joint and a control unit coupled to the articulated structure. To provide feedback to a user during manual positioning of the joint by the user, the control unit is configured to provide first haptic feedback indicating that the joint is moving in a correct direction when the joint is moving toward a first target position, provide…
