Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.

Spectra-physics Gmbh

Acuson Corporation

Mks Instruments, Inc.

Newport Corporation

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

Spectra Physics Lasers, Inc.

Alan W Petersen

James D Kafka

Paul W Mohr

Nitish Swarup

Paul G Griffiths

David W Robinson

Julio J Santos-Munne

Mark W Zimmer

Thomas Moyer

Eric L Faulring

Alexander Makhlin

Bruce M Schena

Roman L Devengenzo

Bryan E Blair

Andrey Polonsky

Thomas G Cooper

John Ryan Steger

Mina Farr

Gerard J Labonville

Hanna J Hoffman

Andrei Florean

Ching-Yuan Chien

Karl Konecny

David V Adams

Travis Petersen

David S Spence

Steve Utter

Karin Julliard

Karl Markert

Robert M Perlman

David Robinson

A method of operating an imaging system includes reducing common-mode current induced on a cable connected between an imaging system and an endoscope by utilizing a common-mode choke between the cable and a circuit within the endoscope, the common-mode choke being mounted within a body of the endoscope.

Reduction of endoscope high frequency leakage current using a common-mode choke

A variety of applications can include apparatus and/or methods that provide an axial force transducer. Two coils wound coaxially with respect to each other can be used with a magnet to determine a distance traveled based on application of an axial force to an instrument component. The two coils and magnet can be configured in a number of ways with respect to the instrument component. In various embodiments, the difference between an inductance associated with one of the two coils along with its relation to the magnet and an inductance associated with the other one of the two coils along with its relation to the magnet can be used to determine the axial force on the component of the instrument associated with the distance travelled. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Compact, differential, coaxial inductive force sensor

A medical system includes a first electrical circuit, a second electrical circuit electrically isolated from the first electrical circuit, an optical isolator circuit coupled between the first and second electrical circuits, and a common-mode choke comprising a plurality of wires wound around a core and configured to reduce a voltage transient at an input of the optical isolator circuit to a level within a tolerance of the optical isolator circuit. A first end of the wires is conductively coupled to an output of the first electrical circuit and a second end of the wires is conductively coupled to the input of the optical isolator circuit.

Medical systems that implement a common-mode choke to reduce voltage transients

An endoscope includes a body and a circuit board mounted within the body. A cable couples the circuit board to an imaging system. A common-mode choke is mounted within the body and is configured to electrically isolate the cable from the body at cautery frequencies. A method includes twisting a plurality of wires together to form a twisted set of wires. The twisted set of wires is wound around a core so that windings do not overlap, and so that a first winding and a last winding are separated from each other. Wires in the twisted set of wires are coupled to a plurality of wires in the cable. Also, these wires in the twisted set of wires are also coupled to the circuit board.

The present application discloses a cavity dumped low repetition rate infrared tunable femtosecond laser source configured to produce pulses of 200 femtoseconds or less with a peak power of four megawatts or more for use in a variety of applications including multi-photon microscopy.

Low repetition rate infrared tunable femtosecond laser source

A surgical instrument support arm of a teleoperated patient side cart may include a first arm portion including a first connector end and a second a second arm portion including a second connector end. The second arm portion may be removably connectable to the first arm portion via mating engagement of the first and second connector ends. The first and second connector ends may each include complementary mechanical connections and complementary electrical connections. At least one of the electrical connections of the first and second connector ends may include electrical shielding to protect against electrical interference in a position in which the electrical connections are matingly engaged. The electrical shielding may be configured to axially compress when the electrical connections of the first and second connector ends are matingly engaged.

Manipulator arm having connection interface, and related devices and systems

A surgical instrument includes a force sensor apparatus that is immune to noise from arcing cautery without relying on fiber optic strain gauges, and that is autoclabable. The surgical instrument includes a housing, a shaft, the force sensor apparatus, a joint, and an end component. The force sensor apparatus includes at least one strain gauge that is enclosed in a Faraday cage. The Faraday cage includes a sensor capsule that includes one or more strain gauges, a cable shield tube connected to the sensor capsule, and an electronics enclosure connected to the cable shield tube. The sensor capsule is positioned between the joint and the shaft. The cable shield tube extends through the shaft to the electronics enclosure that is within the housing.

Instrument force sensor using strain gauges in a faraday cage

The present application discloses a double-clad crystal fiber which includes a Yb-doped CALGO core region, a pump cladding region configured to have the core region positioned therein, and a second cladding region configured to have the core region and pump cladding region positioned therein.

Fiber device and method for amplifying pulses of laser light

A patient side cart for a teleoperated surgical system can include one or more wheels positioned to support the cart for wheeled motion on a ground surface, at least one manipulator portion for holding a surgical instrument, a steering interface having a grasping portion and comprising a sensor positioned to sense turning, fore, and aft forces exerted on the grasping portion to move the cart, wherein the sensor is in signal communication with a drive control system of the patient side cart, and an additional sensor operatively coupled to the drive control system. The additional sensor may be positioned between the steering interface and the wheels on a side of the cart at which the steering interface is positioned, wherein in response to a force exerted on the additional sensor during backward motion of the cart in response to an aft force exerted on the grasping portion, the sensor sends a signal to the drive control system to stop motion of the cart.

Surgical patient side cart with steering interface

A patient side cart for a teleoperated surgical system includes at least one manipulator portion for holding a surgical instrument and a steering interface. The steering interface may include at least one sensor positioned to sense turning, fore, and aft forces exerted by a user to move the cart. The steering interface may further include a coupling mechanism to removably couple the steering interface with the patient side cart. The at least one sensor may be placed in signal communication with a drive control system of the patient side cart when the steering interface is in a coupled state with the patient side cart.

Frequency conversion methods are taught wherein non-collinear phase matching configurations may be implemented in non-linear crystals used in three wave mixing processes such that the frequency conversion efficiency is enhanced through walk-off compensation while also maximizing conversion efficiency. The harmonic conversion techniques are especially applicable to sum frequency process, and in particular to third harmonic generation.

Methods and systems to enhance multiple wave mixing process

A method and apparatus are provided for in situ protection of sensitive optical materials from alternation or damage due to exposure to trace atmospheric components, during shipping, storage or operation. The sensitive optical material is disposed within an enclosure adaptable to be substantially sealed against the external atmosphere. A container, enclosing a sink material absorbing trace atmospheric components, is coupled to the enclosure by a gas permeable surface, which allows fast diffusion of the trace atmospheric component inside the enclosure to the sink material.

Method and apparatus for in situ protection of sensitive optical materials

Methods and devices for inspecting and calibrating a stereoscopic imaging device, such as a binocular endoscope. In one exemplary embodiment, the method of the present invention measures a fringe pattern from light emitted through two channels of the device. An angle of each of the fringe pattern can be measured so as to allow a diopter difference between the channels to be calculated.

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Alan W Petersen