Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.

Electronic Scripting Products, Inc.

Guanghua G Zhang

David Q Larkin

Brian David Hoffman

Rajesh Kumar

Giuseppe Maria Prisco

Hector H Gonzalez-Banos

Stewart R Carl

Dale Buermann

Nitish Swarup

William C Nowlin

Christopher J Hasser

Michael J Mandella

Brian Miller

William Nowlan

Methods and system perform tool tracking during minimally invasive robotic surgery. Tool states are determined using triangulation techniques or a Bayesian filter from either or both non-endoscopically derived and endoscopically derived tool state information, or from either or both non-visually derived and visually derived tool state information. The non-endoscopically derived tool state information is derived from sensor data provided either by sensors associated with a mechanism for manipulating the tool, or sensors capable of detecting identifiable signals emanating or reflecting from the tool and indicative of its position, or external cameras viewing an end of the tool extending out of the body. The endoscopically derived tool state information is derived from image data provided by an endoscope inserted in the body so as to view the tool.

Methods and system for performing 3-D tool tracking by fusion of sensor and/or camera derived data during minimally invasive robotic surgery

Methods and system perform tool tracking during minimally invasive robotic surgery. Tool states are determined. using triangulation techniques or a Bayesian filter from either or both non-endoscopically derived and endoscopically derived tool state information, or from either or both non-visually derived and visually derived tool state information. The non-endoscopically derived tool state information is derived from sensor data provided either by sensors associated with a mechanism for manipulating the tool, or sensors capable of detecting identifiable signals emanating or reflecting from the tool and indicative of its position, of external cameras viewing an end of the tool extending out of the body. The endoscopically derived tool state information is derived from image data provided by an endoscope inserted in the body so as to view the tool.

A medical system may comprise a stereo display and an input device. The medical system may also comprise a processor configured to generate a three-dimensional image of an anatomical object and cause the three-dimensional image of the anatomical object and a two-dimensional window to be displayed. The processor may also be configured to cause a position and an orientation of the two-dimensional window relative to the three-dimensional image of the anatomical object to be changed on the stereo display by manipulation of the input device. The processor may also be configured to define a cut-plane to indicate a two-dimensional slice of the three-dimensional image of the anatomical object. The processor may also be configured to cause the two-dimensional slice of the three-dimensional image of the anatomical object to be displayed. An orientation of the displayed two-dimensional slice may be different than an orientation of the cut-plane with the three-dimensional image.

Auxiliary image display and manipulation on a computer display in a medical robotic system

An apparatus and method for processing pose data derived from a pose of an elongate object such as, for example, a jotting implement, a pointer, a robotic arm or a cane. The elongate object has a tip contacting a plane surface with one or more invariant features. The pose of the elongate object is measured optically from on-board by an optical measuring system with the aid of the invariant feature. The pose is used for preparing a corresponding pose data and a subset of the pose data is identified and transmitted to an application such as a user application, where the subset can serve as command data or input data. Since the elongate object moves while its tip is contacting the surface the pose is measured periodically at sufficiently frequent measurement times tto describe the motion at a desired temporal resolution. The subset can include all or a portion of the orientation data that describe the orientation of the elongate object in space and/or position data of the tip on the surface. The position can be a relative position of the tip with respect to any feature or its previous position, or an absolute position in world coordinates. The subset can also contain a mix of orientation and position data.

Processing pose data derived from the pose of an elongate object

A method and apparatus for determining a pose of an elongate object and an absolute position of its tip while the tip is in contact with a plane surface having invariant features. The surface and features are illuminated with a probe radiation and a scattered portion, e.g., the back-scattered portion, of the probe radiation returning from the plane surface and the feature to the elongate object at an angle &#x3c4; with respect to an axis of the object is detected. The pose is derived from a response of the scattered portion to the surface and the features and the absolute position of the tip on the surface is obtained from the pose and knowledge about the feature. The probe radiation can be directed from the object to the surface at an angle &#x3c3; to the axis of the object in the form of a scan beam. The scan beam can be made to follow a scan pattern with the aid of a scanning arrangement with one or more arms and one or more uniaxial or biaxial scanners. Angle &#x3c4; can also be varied, e.g., with the aid of a separate or the same scanning arrangement as used to direct probe radiation to the surface. The object can be a pointer, a robotic arm, a cane or a jotting implement such as a pen, and the features can be edges, micro-structure or macro-structure belonging to, deposited on or attached to the surface which the tip of the object is contacting.

Method and apparatus for determining absolute position of a tip of an elongate object on a plane surface with invariant features

An apparatus and method employing principles of stereo vision for determining one or more orientation parameters and especially the second and third Euler angles &#x3b8;, &#x3c8; of an elongate object whose tip is contacting a surface at a contact point. The apparatus has a projector mounted on the elongate object for illuminating the surface with a probe radiation in a known pattern from a first point of view and a detector mounted on the elongate object for detecting a scattered portion of the probe radiation returning from the surface to the elongate object from a second point of view. The orientation parameters are determined from a difference between the projected and detected probe radiation such as the difference between the shape of the feature produced by the projected probe radiation and the shape of the feature detected by the detector. The pattern of probe radiation is chosen to provide information for determination of the one or more orientation parameters and can include asymmetric patterns such as lines, ellipses, rectangles, polygons or the symmetric cases including circles, squares and regular polygons. To produce the patterns the projector can use a scanning arrangement or a structured light optic such as a holographic, diffractive, refractive or reflective element and any combinations thereof. The apparatus is suitable for determining the orientation of a jotting implement such as a pen, pencil or stylus.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Guanghua G Zhang