Titan Medical Inc.

Rite-solutions, Inc.

Joseph Kralicky

Peter Cameron

Rene Robert

Methods and apparatuses for positioning a camera of a surgical robotic system to capture images inside a body cavity of a patient during a medical procedure are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method involves receiving location information at a controller of a surgical robotic system performing the medical procedure, the location information defining a location of at least one tool with respect to a body cavity frame of reference, and in response to receiving an align command signal at the controller, causing the controller to produce positioning signals operable to cause the camera to be positioned within the body cavity frame of reference to capture images of the at least one tool for display to an operator of the surgical robotic system.

Methods and apparatuses for positioning a camera of a surgical robotic system to capture images inside a body cavity of a patient during a medical procedure

In some embodiments, correcting an alignment error between an end effector of a tool associated with a slave and a master actuator associated with a master in a robotic system involves receiving at the master, master actuator orientation signals (R) representing the orientation of the master actuator relative to a master reference frame and generating end effector orientation signals (R) representing the end effector orientation relative to a slave reference frame, producing control signals based on the end effector orientation signals, receiving an enablement signal for selectively enabling the control signals to be transmitted from the master to the slave, responsive to a transition of the enablement signal from not active state to active state, computing the master-slave misalignment signals (R) as a difference between the master actuator orientation signals (R) and the end effector orientation signals (R), and adjusting the master-slave misalignment signals (R) to reduce the alignment difference.

Autonomous correction of alignment error in a master-slave robotic system

A method of operating a robotic control system comprising a master apparatus in communication with an input device having a handle and a slave system having a tool having an end effector whose position and orientation is determined in response to a position and orientation of the handle. The method involves producing a desired end effector position and a desired end effector orientation of the end effector, in response to a current position and a current orientation of the handle. The method further involves causing the input device to provide haptic feedback that impedes translational movement of the handle, while permitting rotational movement of the handle and preventing movement of the end effector, when a rotational alignment difference between the handle and the end effector meets a first criterion. The method further involves re-enabling translational movement of the handle when the rotational alignment difference meets a second criterion.

Alignment difference safety in a master-slave robotic system

A method, a non-transitory computer readable medium, and an apparatus for operating the robotic control system comprising a master apparatus () in communication with an input device () having a handle () and a slave system () having a tool () having an end effector () whose position and orientation is determined in response to a current position and current orientation of the handle. The method involves producing a desired end effector position and orientation in response to a current position and orientation of the handle. The method involves causing the input device to provide haptic feedback that impedes translational movement of the handle, while permitting rotational movement of the handle and preventing movement of the end effector, when a rotational alignment difference between the handle and the end effector meets a disablement criterion. The method further involves re-enabling translational movement of the handle when the rotational alignment difference meets an enablement criterion.

A probability of winning at least one of a plurality of prizes for a contest is dynamically adjusted, given a fixed prize inventory and an a priori unknown number of participants. A variable probability is determined by approximately dividing a current number of participants in the contest by a current number of prizes awarded. The variable probability is dynamically adjusted based on a variable probability multiplier, that is obtained by dividing a current number of winners in a predefined time interval by a remaining number of prizes in the predefined time interval. A prize can be awarded based on the adjusted variable probability.

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North Kingstown, RI, United States of America

Joseph Kralicky