Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.

Google Inc.

Katherine D Stoy

Giuseppe Maria Prisco

Vincent Duindam

Theodore W Rogers

Catherine J Mohr

Myriam J Curet

Samuel Kwok Wai Au

Carolyn M Fenech

Li-Ping Wang

Jerry Chiu

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 configured to map a pose of the manually operated instrument to the fixed world reference frame based on the pose information for the manually operated instrument.

Method and system for operating a teleoperated surgical instrument and a manual instrument

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 tension forces to first and second force transmission elements, respectively, to compress and shorten a length of the tube. The method further includes receiving a first command to place the tube in the flexible state, reducing longitudinal compression on the tube in response to the first command, receiving a second command to place the tube in the stiffened state, and longitudinally compressing the tube in response to the second command.

Flexible surgical devices

A medical device includes a tube, a plurality of tensions elements, a plurality of routing members, and an actuation mechanism. The tube includes a wall with a plurality of slits oriented generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the tube. The tube includes a proximal portion and a distal portion. The plurality of tension elements are coupled to the tube and actuatable to alter the tube between a bendable state and a rigid state. The plurality of routing members are configured to receive and route the plurality of tension elements along the tube while permitting the tube to flex and compress. The actuation mechanism is configured to simultaneously apply a first tension force to a first tension element and a second tension force equal to the first tension force to a second tension element to compress the tube, shortening a length of the tube and creating the rigid state.

A system comprises a teleoperated manipulator, a manually operated surgical instrument coupled to the teleoperated manipulator, a teleoperated surgical instrument coupled to the teleoperated manipulator, and a shape sensor comprising a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of the shape sensor is coupled to a proximal end of a cannula, and the second portion of the shape sensor is coupled to the manually operated surgical instrument. The shape sensor is configured to provide a sensor input to a controller, and the sensor input comprises information representing an insertion depth of the manually operated surgical instrument into the cannula.

A medical device comprises a tube including a wall with a plurality of slits oriented generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the tube and defined by opposing surfaces. A pair of force transmission elements is actuatable to alter the tube between a flexible state and a stiffened state. A first force transmission element of the pair is coupled to an opposite side of the tube from the second force transmission element of the pair. The surgical device also includes a plurality of routing members coupled to the wall of the tube and configured to receive and route the force transmission elements along a length of the tube while permitting the length of the tube to flex and compress. Equal tension forces applied to the pair of force transmission elements compress the tube to create the stiffened state by deforming regions of the tube disposed between the plurality of slits.

A surgical system comprises a surgical instrument having distal and proximal portions. The surgical system also comprises a reference fixture positioned in a first reference frame and a shape sensor extending from the distal portion through the proximal portion to the reference fixture. The surgical system also comprises a processor configured to perform a registration step to register the first reference frame to a fixed world reference frame. The registration step includes receiving a set of shape information of the shape sensor with a distal point of the surgical instrument located at a patient reference point. A first portion of the shape sensor is in a known geometrical shape at a fixed location along a length of the shape sensor. The registration step also includes computing a location of the patient reference point and computing a pose of the first reference frame relative to the fixed world reference frame.

Method and system for absolute three-dimensional measurements using a twist-insensitive shape sensor

A system comprises a first cannula comprising a proximal end and a cannula opening at the proximal end. The system further comprises a teleoperated surgical instrument, and a manually operated surgical instrument configured to be inserted into the cannula opening. The system further comprises a teleoperated manipulator, a controller, and a first position sensor coupled to the teleoperated surgical instrument, the first position sensor configured to provide a first sensor input to the controller. The system further comprises a second position sensor coupled to the manually operated surgical instrument, the second position sensor configured to provide a second sensor input to the controller, the second sensor input comprising an insertion depth of the manually operated surgical instrument into the first cannula. The system further comprises a reference fixture coupled to the first and second position sensors and to the teleoperated manipulator, the reference fixture being movable with the teleoperated manipulator.

A heat transfer apparatus includes a circuit board assembly and an image sensor including a plurality of photodetectors disposed in a semiconductor material. The image sensor is mounted to the circuit board assembly. A thermal strap with a first end is thermally coupled to transfer heat out of the image sensor. A heat sink is thermally coupled to a second end of the thermal strap opposite the first end of the thermal strap to receive heat from the image sensor.

Heat transfer from image sensor

An apparatus includes a reference fixture. The reference fixture includes a joint, and a joint tracker to track motion of the joint. The apparatus also includes a surgical instrument. A tether is connected between the joint and the surgical instrument. A shape sensor extends from the reference fixture through the joint, through the tether, and into the surgical instrument. The shape sensor is substantially free of twist. The joint tracker measures the motion of the joint. Information from the shape sensor in combination with information from the joint tracker provides absolute three-dimensional information relative to the reference fixture, i.e., provides absolute three-dimensional information in a fixed world reference frame.

A surgical device can include a tube comprising a wall having a plurality of slits oriented generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the tube. Each of the slits may be defined by opposing surfaces. The surgical device can further include a force transmission element coupled to the tube. In a flexible state of the tube, at least some of the opposing surfaces defining respective slits are separated from one another, and in a stiffened state of the tube, a force exerted on the force transmission element causes the opposing surfaces of each slit to contact one another.

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Katherine D Stoy