Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.

Kohler Company

Select Comfort Corporation

Power Tool Institute

Kensington Microware Limited

Toolz, Ltd.

Dwbh Ventures Ltd.

David C Shafer

David Q Larkin

David D Scott

Peter M Herzlinger

Dominique Brichard

William Robert Burnett

Eugene F Duval

Carter J Thomas

Fred Judson Heinzmann

Andrew J Paese

Steven M Tervo

Matthew Reagan Williams

Eugene P Duval

Gregory William Dachs, Ii

Andrew G Butler

Dennis C Leiner

Bruce M Schena

Ian E McDowall

Jean-Pierre Krauer

Max J Trejo

Richard Pekelney

Maarten R Pranger

Cristian A Fraenkel

Thomas G Cooper

David Joseph Rosa

Jeffrey M DiCarlo

Daniel Thomas Adams

David H Titzler

John A Barton

David J Richter-O'Connell

Anton J Kolar

Jeffrey M Dicarlo

William A Scott

Mitchell C Barham

Gregory L Richards

John Gilbert

Fred J Heinzmann

An image capture device may include an image sensor comprising a first pixel cell and a second pixel cell adjacent to the first pixel cell, a plurality of individual alternative light filters configured to filter non-visible light, one individual alternative light filter of the plurality of individual alternative light filters covering both a first set of pixels of the first pixel cell and a second set of pixels of the second pixel cell, and a plurality of individual visible light color filters covering pixels of the first and second pixel cells, the pixels of the first and second pixel cells covered by the individual visible light color filters being different from the first and second sets of pixels covered by the individual alternative light filters.

Method and system for enhanced image sensor timing

A surgical instrument is provided, including: at least one articulatable arm having a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one joint region disposed between the distal and proximal ends; an optical fiber bend sensor provided in the at least one joint region of the at least one articulatable arm; a detection system coupled to the optical fiber bend sensor, said detection system comprising a light source and a light detector for detecting light reflected by or transmitted through the optical fiber bend sensor to determine a position of at least one joint region of the at least one articulatable arm based on the detected light reflected by or transmitted through the optical fiber bend sensor; and a control system comprising a servo controller for effectuating movement of the arm.

Robotic surgery system including position sensors using fiber Bragg gratings

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.

Stereoscopic endoscope

A system and method for a teleoperational medical system is provided is provided that can include one or more processors, conductors can extend through a shaft with an interface positioned at a proximal end of the shaft and a sensor(s) positioned at a distal end of the shaft, and the conductors can electrically couple the sensor(s) to the processor via the interface. Signals can be transmitted over the conductors between the sensor(s) and the processor(s). The signals can include power and control signals transmitted in one direction over the conductors and sensor data transmitted in an opposite direction over the same conductors.

Systems and methods for communicating over a reduced number of conductors in a teleoperational system

In one embodiment of the invention, a robotic surgical system includes a combined laser imaging robotic surgical tool, a control console, and a laser generator/controller. The tool is mounted to a first robotic arm of a patient side cart. The tool has a wristed joint and an end effector coupled together. The end effector has a laser-emitting device to direct a laser beam onto tissue in a surgical site and an image-capturing device to capture images of the tissue in the surgical site. The control console, in communication with the tool, receives the captured images of tissue in the surgical site and displays the captured images on a display device to a user. The laser generator/controller is coupled to the tool and the control console to control the emission of the laser beam onto tissue of the surgical site.

Surgical system with combined laser ablation/ imaging tool

In one embodiment, a method for a stereo endoscope includes receiving electromagnetic radiation through an inner protective window; focusing the electromagnetic radiation with a left optical component toward a left pixel array of a stereo image sensor along an optical axis of the left optical component parallel with but offset from a center axis of the left pixel array; and focusing the electromagnetic radiation with a right optical component toward a right pixel array of the stereo image sensor along an optical axis of the right optical component parallel with but offset from a center axis of the right pixel array. The left pixel array and the right pixel array are offset from the center optical axis of the stereo endoscope to provide stereo image convergence.

Hermetically sealed stereo endoscope of a minimally invasive surgical system

A method for determining a shape of a lumen in an anatomical structure comprises reading information from a plurality of strain sensors disposed substantially along a length of a flexible medical device when the flexible medical device is positioned in the lumen. When the flexible medical device is positioned in the lumen, the flexible medical device conforms to the shape of the lumen. The method further comprises computationally determining, by a processing system, the shape of the lumen based on the information from the plurality of strain sensors.

Robotic surgery system including position sensors using Fiber Bragg Gratings

A stereoscopic image capture device includes a first image sensor, a second image sensor, a first frame timer, and a second frame timer. The first and second frame timers are different frame timers. The first image sensor includes a first plurality of rows of pixels. The second image sensor includes a second plurality of rows of pixels. The first and second image sensors can be separate devices or different areas of a sensor region in an integrated circuit. The first frame timer is coupled to the first image sensor to provide image capture timing signals to the first image sensor. The second frame timer coupled to the second image sensor to provide image capture timing signals to the second image sensor.

A stereoscopic endoscope includes at least one illumination source disposed at a distal end portion in a position to project light to illuminate an object. The endoscope also includes an image capture assembly mounted at the distal end portion. The assembly includes first and second lens trains extending proximally from the distal end portion. The assembly includes an image sensor having a surface with a right side image area and a left side image area. The sensor surface lies in a plane substantially parallel to a plane in which the first and second lens trains lie. The assembly includes at least one optical element disposed to intercept light passing through the first and second lens trains. The optical element is configured to direct light exiting the first lens train to the right side image area and to direct light exiting the second lens trains to the left side image area.

An apparatus comprises a surgical instrument mountable to a robotic manipulator. The surgical instrument comprises an elongate arm. The elongate arm comprises an actively controlled bendable region including at least one joint region, a passively bendable region including a distal end coupled to the actively controlled bendable region, an actuation mechanism extending through the passively bendable region and coupled to the at least one joint region to control the actively controlled bendable region, and a channel extending through the elongate arm. The surgical instrument also comprises an optical fiber positioned in the channel. The optical fiber includes an optical fiber bend sensor in at least one of the passively bendable region or the actively controlled bendable region.

Robotic surgery system including position sensors using fiber bragg gratings

Surgical system with combined laser ultrasound imaging surgical tool for laser marking and ultrasound imaging

Methods for a hermetically sealed endoscope

In one embodiment, a minimally invasive surgical system includes a patient side manipulator, a hermetically sealed endoscopic camera instrument, a vision cart, and a monitor. The patient side manipulator has a robotic arm. The endoscopic camera instrument has a housing at a proximal end to couple to the robotic arm. The endoscopic camera instrument further has a hermetically sealed camera sensor at a distal end, a shaft coupled to the housing, and a wristed joint coupled between the shaft and the camera sensor. The vision cart has a camera control unit coupled in communication with the hermetically sealed camera sensor to capture the images of the surgical site. The monitor is coupled in communication with the camera control unit to display the captured images of the surgical site.

Surgical system with hermetically sealed endoscope

Surgical tools for laser marking and laser cutting

In one embodiment, an endoscopic camera for a robotic surgical system includes a stereo camera module mounted to a robotic arm of a patient side cart. The optical and electro-optic components of the camera module are hermetically sealed within a first housing. Signals from an electro-optic component travel through traces in a ceramic substrate forming one side of the hermetically sealed first housing. A second housing surrounds the first housing and optical fibers are dispersed between the housings to provide lighting in a body cavity. The camera module may be sterilized by an autoclave.

Endoscope with distal hermetically sealed sensor

Growing community of inventors

Menlo Park, CA, United States of America

David C Shafer