Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.

Luna Innovations Inc.

United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of Nasa

The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the

Luna Technologies, Inc.

The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator

Mark Earl Froggatt

Dawn K Gifford

Eric E Sanborn

Alexander K Sang

Justin W Klein

Stephen Tod Kreger

Patrick Roye

Jeffrey T LaCroix

Matthew S Wolfe

Brooks A Childers

Federico Barbagli

Michael D Paris

Oliver J Wagner

Anoop B Kowshik

Samuel Y Chang

Evan M Lally

Kevin M Marsden

Stephen J Blumenkranz

Matthew T Reaves

Brian Joseph Soller

Ryan Seeley

Vincent Duindam

Roger Glen Duncan

Emily E H Templeton

Sandra M Klute

Jeffrey Lacroix

David W Robinson

David W Bailey

Jonathan Michael Sorger

Randall L Schlesinger

Simon P Dimaio

Edward P Donlon

Turan Erdogan

Paul Francis Wysocki

Govinda Payyavula

Matthew D Rohr Daniel

Troy K Adebar

Xingchi He

Jason P Moore

Matthew M White

Matthew A Castellucci

Alan Heaney

Ken Walker

Joseph J Bos

Matthew T Raum

Michael E Vercellino

Christopher M Major

Emily E Horrell

Ryan J Seeley

Kenneth Walker

Jeffrey T Lacroix

Matthew White

Matthew Castellucci

A fiber includes M primary cores and N redundant cores, where M an integer is greater than two and N is an integer greater than one. Interferometric circuitry detects interferometric pattern data associated with the M primary cores and the N redundant cores when the optical fiber is placed into a sensing position. Data processing circuitry calculates a primary core fiber bend value for the M primary cores and a redundant core fiber bend value for the N redundant cores based on a predetermined geometry of the M primary cores and the N redundant cores in the fiber and detected interferometric pattern data associated with the M primary cores and the N redundant cores. The primary core fiber bend value and the redundant core fiber bend value are compared in a comparison. The detected data for the M primary cores is determined reliable or unreliable based on the comparison. A signal is generated in response to an unreliable determination.

Calculation of redundant bend in multi-core fiber for safety

An optical fiber includes multiple optical cores configured in the fiber including a set of primary cores and an auxiliary core. An interferometric measurement system uses measurements from the multiple primary cores to predict a response from the auxiliary core. The predicted auxiliary core response is compared with the actual auxiliary core response to determine if they differ by more than a predetermined amount, in which case the measurements from the multiple primary cores may be deemed unreliable.

Redundant core in multicore optical fiber for safety

A system can direct light into an optical fiber. Imaging optics can form an image of an end of an optical fiber. An actuatable optical element can be configured to define an optical path that extends to the actuatable optical element and further extends to the end of the optical fiber. A processor can determine a location in the image of a specified feature in the image. The processor can cause, based on the location of the specified feature in the image, the actuatable optical element to actuate to align the optical path to a core of the optical fiber. A light source can direct a light beam along the optical path to couple into the core of the optical fiber.

Directing light into an optical fiber

Example embodiments add an optical amplifier to a multi-channel, continuously swept OFDR measurement system, adjust amplified swept laser output power between rising and falling laser sweeps, and/or utilize portions of a laser sweep in which OFDR measurements are not typically performed to enhance the integrity of the OFDR measurement system, improve the performance and quality of OFDR measurements, and perform additional measurements and tests.

Methods and apparatus for OFDR interrogator monitoring and optimization

A system includes a tool, an input device, a shape sensor system, and a processing unit. The processing unit is configured to determine a state estimate of the input device based on shape information from the shape sensor system, and control the tool based on the state estimate.

Systems and methods for controlling a robotic manipulator or associated tool

To sense the shape of a multicore optical fiber sensor, light reflected in a center and two or more helixed outer cores of the optical fiber sensor is measured, and phases associated with strain in the center and helixed outer cores is tracked along the length of the fiber sensor. Further, a wobble signal indicative of a variation in the spin rate of the fiber sensor is determined. Based on the tracked phases and the wobble signal, the fiber shape is computed.

Methods and apparatus to determine a shape of an optical fiber sensor

An optical fiber with one or more microgratings is disclosed. Methods and apparatus are described for making an optical fiber with one or more microgratings. Methods and apparatus are described for an optical fiber with one or more microgratings. Optical sensing methods and an optical sensing system effectively decouple strain range from the laser tuning range, permit the use of a smaller tuning range without sacrificing strain range, and compensate for ambiguity in phase measurements normally associated with smaller tuning ranges.

Optical fiber with microgratings for increased measurable strain range

Described are optical fibers, e.g., for use in stress-sensing or shape-sensing applications, that use overlapping grating configurations with chirped gratings to facilitate strain delay registration. In accordance with various embodiments, a fiber core may, for instance, have two overlapping sets of chirped gratings that differ in the direction of the chirp between the first and second sets, or a set of chirped gratings overlapping with a single-frequency grating. Also described are strain sensing systems and associated computational methods employing optical fibers with overlapping gratings.

Overlapping fiber gratings

A system for distributed heat flux sensing of body tissue includes a distributed sensor, a thermal energy source, and one or more processors. The distributed sensor provides a plurality of temperature measurements corresponding to a plurality of points in a measurement range. The thermal energy source applies thermal energy to the body tissue along the measurement range. The one or more processors are configured to receive the plurality of temperature measurements from the distributed sensor, determine an amount of thermal energy applied by the thermal energy source at each of the plurality of points, and determine heat flux at each of the plurality of points based on the plurality of temperature measurements and the amount of thermal energy applied by the thermal energy source. The plurality of temperature measurements correspond to the plurality of points.

System and method for distributed heat flux sensing of body tissue

Example embodiments include an optical interrogation system with a sensing fiber having a single core, the single core having multiple light propagating modes. Interferometric apparatus probes the single core multimode sensing fiber over a range of predetermined wavelengths and detects measurement interferometric data associated with the multiple light propagating modes of the single core for each predetermined wavelength in the range. Data processing circuitry processes the measurement interferometric data associated with the multiple light propagating modes of the single core to determine one or more shape-sensing parameters of the sensing fiber from which the shape of the fiber in three dimensions can be determined.

Methods and apparatus for determining shape parameter(s) using a sensing fiber having a single core with multiple light propagating modes

An optical fiber cleaning assembly includes a cleaning tape, a first spool having the cleaning tape wound thereon, a second spool onto which the cleaning tape is drawn, a drive mechanism configured to move the cleaning tape from the first spool to the second spool, and one or more first connectors configured to mate with one or more connectors of a system, the system including a first optical fiber. The optical fiber cleaning assembly further includes one or more second connectors configured to mate with one or more optical fiber connectors of a device while the optical fiber cleaning assembly is attached to the system by the one or more first connectors, the device including a second optical fiber. The drive mechanism is configured to move the cleaning tape from the first spool to the second spool to wipe the face of the first or second optical fiber.

Systems and methods for optical fiber cleaning and interface particle reduction

A multi-core fiber includes multiple optical cores, and for each different core of a set of different cores of the multiple optical cores, a total change in optical length is detected. The total change in optical length represents an accumulation of all changes in optical length for multiple segments of that different core up to a point on the multi-core fiber. A difference is determined between the total changes in optical length for cores of the set of different cores. A twist parameter and/or a bend angle associated with the multi-core fiber at the point on the multi-core fiber is/are determined based on the difference.

Methods and apparatus to determine a twist parameter and/or a bend angle associated with a multi-core fiber

An optical force sensor along with an optical processing apparatus and method are disclosed. The optical force sensor includes an optical fiber, a core included in the optical fiber, an instrument including the optical fiber, the instrument having a distal region, and a tubular structure encasing an end of the optical fiber and secured to the first conduit at the distal region of the instrument. When an optical interferometric system is coupled to the optical fiber, it processes reflected light from a portion of the core included within the tubular structure that does not include Bragg gratings to produce a measurement of a force present at the distal region of the instrument.

Force sensing in a distal region of an instrument including single-core or multi-core optical fiber

Example embodiments include an optical assembly for an optical interrogation system having a single core or a multicore sensing fiber, a measurement fiber to couple light into the sensing fiber, and a reference fiber arranged with the measurement fiber as part of an optical interferometer. A beam splitter combines light from the sensing fiber and with light from the reference fiber. A polarization beam splitting prism separates the combined light into first polarized light and second polarized light that is orthogonal to the first polarized light. The optical assembly can substantially reduce the size, complexity, or cost associated with the traditional optical components in an optical interrogation system that it replaces. Other example optical assemblies are described. Embodiments describe optical interrogation systems using the example optical assemblies.

Micro optic assemblies and optical interrogation systems

Growing community of inventors

Blacksburg, VA, United States of America

Mark Earl Froggatt