Michigan State University

Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

Intouch Technologies, Inc.

Computer Motion, Inc.

Ranjan Mukherjee

Yulun Wang

Darrin R Uecker

James W Wright

Amante A Mangaser

Modjtaba Ghodoussi

David Q Larkin

Giuseppe Maria Prisco

Stephen J Blumenkranz

Frederic H Moll

Brian David Hoffman

William C Nowlin

Keith Phillip Laby

Gunter D Niemeyer

J Kenneth Salisbury, Jr

Rajesh Kumar

Mark A Minor

Srinivas Kavuturu

Joga Dharma Setiawan

A surgical tool includes opposing jaws, handles and at least one pressure sensor. Another aspect of a surgical tool includes opposing jaws with each having an organ-contacting surface area of at least 50 mm. A further aspect of a surgical tool includes an electronic controller connected to at least one pressure sensor and automatically adapted to calculate or determine an organ-hardness from a sensor when jaws are moved to an organ-compressing position. In yet another aspect of a surgical tool, a pressure sensor is mounted to a pancreas-compressing surface and a displacement transducer or sensor is mounted to and/or located within a handle coupled to the surface, and an electronic controller is mounted to and/or located within the handle for calculating a hardness of a pancreas and/or other organ.

Surgical tool with pressure sensor

A multi-user medical robotic system for collaboration or training in minimally invasive surgical procedures includes first and second master input devices, a first slave robotic mechanism, and at least one processor configured to generate a first slave command for the first slave robotic mechanism by switchably using one or both of a first command indicative of manipulation of the first master input device by a first user and a second command indicative of manipulation of the second master input device by a second user. To facilitate the collaboration or training, both first and second users communicate with each other through an audio system and see the minimally invasive surgery site on first and second displays respectively viewable by the first and second users.

Multi-user medical robotic system for collaboration or training in minimally invasive surgical procedures

A medical system that allows a mentor to teach a pupil how to use a robotically controlled medical instrument. The system may include a first handle that can be controlled by a mentor to move the medical instrument. The system may further have a second handle that can be moved by a pupil to control the same instrument. Deviations between movement of the handles by the mentor and the pupil can be provided as force feedback to the pupil and mentor handles. The force feedback pushes the pupil's hand to correspond with the mentor's handle movement. The force feedback will also push the mentor's hand to provide information to the mentor on pupil's movements. The mentor is thus able to guide the pupil's hands through force feedback of the pupil handles to teach the pupil how to use the system.

Minimally invasive surgical training using robotics and telecollaboration

A robot that includes an arm coupled to a platform. The arm includes an actuator that moves a second arm linkage relative to a first arm linkage. In a first mode of operation the actuator moves the second linkage in a first degree of freedom. In a second mode of operation the actuator moves the second linkage in a second degree of freedom. The use of a single actuator to provide two degrees of freedom reduces the number parts and associated cost of the arm. The arm further includes a grasper that can grab an object such as a wheelchair. The robot can be used to push the wheelchair. Commands to operate the robot can be generated at a remote input station and transmitted through a broadband network.

Robot with a manipulator arm

Minimally invasive surgical training using robotics and tele-collaboration

The present invention provides a method and system for stabilizing a rotor about its geometric center in a magnetic bearing system at a constant rotor speed. In the method, the controller for controlling the magnetic bearing uses an adaptive control algorithm which simultaneously identifies and compensates for synchronous sensor runout and rotor mass unbalance while determining a control action that drives the rotor rotating at a constant speed to its geometric center. The identification of sensor runout and mass unbalance is by varying the magnetic stiffness which is achieved by perturbation of the bias currents in opposing electromagnet coils in a manner that does not alter the equilibrium of the rotor while it is rotating at a constant speed.

Adaptive compensation of sensor run-out and mass unbalance in magnetic bearing systems without changing rotor speed

A surgical instrument includes an actuator, a tool, and a positioning apparatus. The positioning apparatus includes a gear link structure operably coupling the tool to the actuator for moving the tool in a first direction defining a first degree of freedom and in a second direction defining a second degree of freedom.

Dexterous articulated linkage for surgical applications

A spherical robot having a spherical body and a drive mechanism. The spherical body defines a cavity and a center. The drive mechanism is disposed within the cavity, coupled to the spherical body, wherein said drive mechanism includes a plurality of masses coupled to said body which are radially positionable within said cavity to create a moment about said center of said body, and is adapted to create a moment about the center of the body. This moment causes the body to rotate.

Spherical mobile robot

Growing community of inventors

East Lansing, MI, United States of America

Ranjan Mukherjee