University of Nebraska

University of Colorado

Aspero Medical, Inc.

Mark E Rentschler

Shane Farritor

Amy Lehman

Dmitry Oleynikov

Jason Dumpert

Stephen R Platt

Nathan A Wood

Adnan Hadzialic

Jeff Hawks

Joseph Micah Prendergast

Steven A Edmundowicz

Levin John Sliker

Randall N Allard

Karl Johannes

Madalyn Diane Kern

Gregory Formosa

Benjamin S Terry

William S Smith

Khoi Ly

Andrew Patrick Gloor

Reed Prior

Derek Sawyer

Kyle Galbraith

Jonathan Schoen

Steven R Platt

Jason Morton

James Depoy

William Laybourn

Adam Bock

Nikolaus Correll

Vani Sundaram

Jatin Mayekar

Karina Rose Laguardia

Mitchell J Fulton

Shane M Farritor

Stephen Platt

Steve Platt

Implementations include herein are visual navigation strategies and systems for lumen center tracking comprising a high-level state machine for gross (i.e., left/right/center) region prediction and curvature estimation and multiple state-dependent controllers for center tracking, wall-avoidance and curve following. This structure allows a navigation system to navigate even under the presence of significant occlusion that occurs during turn navigation and to robustly recover from mistakes and disturbances that may occur while attempting to track the lumen center. This system comprises a high-level state machine for gross region prediction, a turn estimator for anticipating sharp turns, and several lower level controllers for heading adjustment.

Autonomous navigation and intervention in the gastrointestinal tract

A magnetic sensing approach for determining a positioning characteristic of a soft robotic actuator. A magnetic field or a change in magnetic field of a magnetic member may be measured as it undergoes concurrent displacement with a soft actuator. Additionally, an example rolling robotic wheel is illustrated. The robotic wheel may utilize magnetic sensing as described herein.

Embedded magnetic sensing for soft actuators

A medical device includes an elongate body and an inflatable balloon attached to and partially surrounding at least a section of the elongate body. The inflatable balloon is selectively inflatable between a deflated state and an inflated state. Engagement between the balloon and a physiological lumen is provided, in part, by multiple protrusions extending from the inflatable balloon and having various physical and functional characteristics. In certain implementations, the balloon may be configured to exhibit various separation forces by applying different strains to the balloon, such as by varying the degree to which the balloon is inflated or deflated.

Medical devices including textured inflatable balloons

A self-propelled semi- or fully-autonomous robotic endoscope device is provided that include multi-degrees of freedom movement and may be sensor-enabled for colonoscopy procedures. The device may include two independently controlled motors configured to drive micro-pillared treads above and below the device, allowing for 2-degrees of freedom (DOF) skid-steering even in a collapsed lumen. The robotic device contains similar functionality of a traditional endoscope, such as a camera, adjustable LEDs, channels for insufflation and irrigation, and a tool port for common endoscopy instruments (e.g., forceps, snares, etc.).

Robotic capsule endoscope

An overtube assembly for use with an elongate medical tool includes an overtube including a flexible tubular body having a proximal end and distal end. The flexible tubular body includes a split extending from the proximal end to the distal end. The overtube assembly further includes an inflatable balloon coupled to a distal portion of the flexible tubular body. The flexible tubular body is disposable over a section of the elongate medical tool by inserting the elongate medical tool through the split.

Split overtube assembly

Medical devices including balloons and balloons are provided that include an elongate body and an inflatable balloon defining a longitudinal axis, the inflatable balloon being attached to and partially surrounding at least a section of the elongate body. The medical device further includes a plurality of protrusions extending from the inflatable balloon. When the inflatable balloon is in an unstrained state, each of the plurality of protrusions extends in a first transverse direction relative to the longitudinal axis. In certain implementations, the inflatable balloon may also be configured to collapse such that, when in a collapsed state, an untextured portion of the inflatable balloon extends to a radius and the plurality of protrusions does not extend beyond the radius.

The invention provides devices that can be used for any endoscopy procedure. In certain embodiments, the devices of the invention reduce the occurrence of looping in the most difficult segment of the colon to navigate&#x2014;the splenic flexure. In other embodiments, the devices of the invention make colonoscopies more comfortable for patients and reduce the risk of damage to the colon. In yet other embodiments, the devices of the invention comprise a supportive, friction-reducing device that can be attached to the tip of existing endoscopes to help the scope advance better through the colon and intestinal tract.

Endoscopic devices and methods using same

The various embodiments disclosed herein relate to modular medical devices, including various devices with detachable modular components and various devices with pivotally attached modular components. Additional embodiments relate to procedures in which various of the devices are used cooperatively. Certain embodiments of the medical devices are robotic in vivo devices.

Multifunctional operational component for robotic devices

The embodiments disclosed herein relate to various medical device components, including components that can be incorporated into robotic and/or in vivo medical devices. Certain embodiments include various actuation system embodiments, including fluid actuation systems, drive train actuation systems, and motorless actuation systems. Additional embodiments include a reversibly lockable tube that can provide access for a medical device to a patient's cavity and further provides a reversible rigidity or stability during operation of the device. Further embodiments include various operational components for medical devices, including medical device arm mechanisms that have both axial and rotational movement while maintaining a relatively compact structure. medical device winch components, medical device biopsy/stapler/clamp mechanisms, and medical device adjustable focus mechanisms.

Methods, systems, and devices for surgical access and procedures

The various embodiments disclosed herein relate to procedural space maintenance devices, medical device positioning devices, and devices that provide both procedural space maintenance and device positioning. Further embodiments relate to medical device insertion and/or retraction devices.

Medical inflation, attachment and delivery devices and related methods

The present invention relates to robotic surgical devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to robotic surgical devices that can be inserted into a patient's body and can be positioned within the patient's body.

Robotic surgical devices and related methods

Growing community of inventors

Boulder, CO, United States of America

Mark E Rentschler