University of California

Michael Yip

Aaron Gunn

Philip Weissbrod

Harinath Garudadri

Kevin Y Cheng

Tse Nga Ng

Jun Zhang

Leanne Chukoskie

Alex Grant

Konrad Davis

Alex Tran

Phillip Weissbrod

Janet Johnson

Winnie Kuang

Thomas Sharkey

Dmitrii Votintcev

Dimitrious A Schreiber

Dimitri Schreiber

Andrew Skalsky

Nadir Weibel

Danilo Gasques Rodrigues

Systems and methods utilize mixed reality technologies to enable remotely located expert surgeons to instruct novice surgeons as if they were together in the same operating room. An example method may involve: (1) displaying, on a virtual reality (VR) display worn by a first person located in a second geographic location, a 3D virtual reconstruction of a patient located in a first geographic location; (2) determining a spatial relationship between a hand gesture performed by the first person and the 3D virtual reconstruction of the patient; and (3) displaying, on an augmented reality (AR) display worn by a second person located in the first geographic location, a 3D avatar of the hand gesture made to appear in a spatial relationship to the surgical subject that mirrors the determined spatial relationship between the hand gesture and the 3D virtual reconstruction of the patient.

Collaborative mixed-reality system for immersive surgical telementoring

A surgical robotic platform operates within a constrained space of an imaging scanner in which a patient resides. The platform includes a gross positioning stage configured to be located outside of the constrained space An end-effector having a rotatable shaft is extendable from the gross positioning stage and into the constrained space of the imaging scanner. The shaft has a proximal end operatively coupled to the positioning stage outside of the constrained space and a distal end configured to be located in the constrained space. The distal end has a medical instrument gripper for holding a medical instrument used in a percutaneous procedure. The end-effector further includes a joint arrangement operatively coupling the shaft to the medical gripper for providing motion to the medical instrument gripper for enabling position and/or orientation control of the medical instrument. A drive module controls the joint arrangement.

Surgical robotic platform for operating within the constrained space of an imaging scanner

A handheld, steerable catheter robotic system includes a catheter having a flexible outer sheath, at least one flexible multi-lumen assembly and a robotic instrument for performing a surgical procedure. The catheter is removably insertable into an instrument channel of an endoscope. The flexible multi-lumen assembly extends through the outer sheath. The robotic instrument is operatively and removably attachable to a distal end of the multi-lumen assembly such that the robotic instrument is teleoperable. The catheter robotic system also includes a handle operatively and removably attachable to a proximal end of the catheter. The handle is configured for hand-held operation and includes a joystick for steering the robotic instrument.

Handheld flexible robotic catheter for endoscopic instrumentation

A multicatheter subsystem is provided for a steerable catheter robotic system. The subsystem includes a flexible output sheath, a plurality of flexible multi-lumen assemblies and a plurality of robotic instruments for performing a surgical procedure. The plurality of flexible multi-lumen assemblies extends through the outer sheath. Each of the multi-lumen assemblies has a proximal end and a distal end. Each of the robotic instruments is operatively and removably attachable to the distal end of one of the multi-lumen assemblies such that each instrument is teleoperable independently of every other robotic instrument. At least a first of the robotic instruments includes a plurality of interconnected articulating segments. Each of the articulating segments is operatively and removably attachable to a different one of the multi-lumen assemblies.

Multi-catheter flexible robotic system

Systems and methods are disclosed providing a flexible articulable device for accessing deep within tight and arbitrarily shaped channels of a body. The flexible or articulable device may employ two, independent locomotion strategies. These strategies can be combined or independently used. However, both strategies use a segmented approach that employs one or multiple embedded actuation units along the body of the device. The multiple embedded actuation units may be individually controlled, are generally connected serially, and generally uses one of the locomotion strategies. One strategy relates to propulsion while the other strategy relates to shape control.

System and method for endoscope locomotion and shaping

Systems and methods according to present principles provide for three axis force sensing in a convenient and manufacturable way. In one implementation, a vibrating motor is attached at the fixed end of an anisotropic structure, such as a rod, which then vibrates in a circular motion. A monitor such as a 3-axis accelerometer is also attached to the anisotropic structure. The resulting motion is then mapped electronically for analysis. With no force applied, a circular motion is achieved. When a net force is applied to the free, vibrating end of the rod, the circular pattern which is traced out becomes distorted, e.g., progressively flattened into an ellipse, in a repeatable way which is directly proportional to the applied force. The axis of the applied force can be ascertained according to the direction in which the ellipse forms. Systems and methods according to present principles may be used in any application in which force sensing is needed, e.g., robotics, including robotic surgery.

System and method for robust and low-cost multi-axis force sensor

A linear to rotary motion converter includes a rigid body having first and second opposing end plates interconnected by at least one rigid crossmember. Each of the end plates is adapted to receive a rolling diaphragm linear actuator to thereby cause linear displacement of the rigid body in an axial direction upon actuation of the rolling diaphragm linear actuators. The linear to rotary motion converter also includes a capstan operably coupled to and located between the end plates such that linear motion of the rigid body caused by actuation of the rolling diaphragm linear actuators is translated to rotational motion of the capstan.

Cable driven hydraulic rolling diaphragm transmission and servo-system

A hypertonicity measuring device comprises at least one wearable item. The hypertonicity measuring device comprises at least one communication pathway. The at least one communication pathway is configured to communicate with a processing device. The hypertonicity measuring device comprises a sensor array. The sensor array is disposed to the at least one wearable item. The sensor array comprises a plurality of capacitive pressure sensors. The sensor array is configured to communicate capacitive pressure sensor data to the processing device employing the at least one communication pathway. The plurality of capacitive pressure sensors comprises at least one structured dielectric. The hypertonicity measuring device comprises an inertial measurement unit. The inertial measurement unit is disposed to the at least one wearable item. The inertial measurement unit is configured to communicate motion data to the processing device employing the at least one communication pathway.

Growing community of inventors

La Jolla, CA, United States of America

Michael Yip