Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100249507 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING VISUAL GUIDANCE TO AN OPERATOR FOR STEERING A TIP OF AN ENDOSCOPIC DEVICE TOWARD ONE OR MORE LANDMARKS IN A PATIENT - Landmark directional guidance is provided to an operator of an endoscopic device by displaying graphical representations of vectors adjacent a current image captured by an image capturing device disposed at a tip of the endoscopic device and being displayed at the time on a display screen, wherein the graphical representations of the vectors point in directions that the endoscope tip is to be steered in order to move towards associated landmarks such as anatomic structures in a patient. | 09-30-2010 |
20100332030 | ARM WITH A COMBINED SHAPE AND FORCE SENSOR - A bend sensor is used to determine force applied to a robotic arm. The force may be an external force applied to the arm, an internal actuation force, or both. In some aspects, a stiffening element is used to restore the arm to a minimum kinematic energy state. In other aspects, the stiffening element is eliminated, and the arm is fully actuated. | 12-30-2010 |
20120289777 | MEDICAL SYSTEM PROVIDING DYNAMIC REGISTRATION OF A MODEL OF AN ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE FOR IMAGE-GUIDED SURGERY - A medical system provides navigation assistance to a surgeon so that the surgeon may navigate a flexible medical device through linked passages of an anatomical structure to a target in or adjacent to the anatomical structure. As the medical device moves through the linked passages, images are captured by an image capturing element at its distal end and pose and shape information for the medical device are received from sensors disposed in the medical device. A 4-D computer model of the anatomical structure is registered to the medical device using one or both of 4-D shape registration and virtual camera registration so that the captured image and a virtual image generated from the perspective of a virtual camera are registered to each other and displayed while providing an indication of a navigational path to the target. | 11-15-2012 |
20120289783 | MEDICAL SYSTEM WITH MULTIPLE OPERATING MODES FOR STEERING A MEDICAL INSTRUMENT THROUGH LINKED BODY PASSAGES - A controller operates in different operating modes to control movement of a distal tip of a medical instrument when inserting and retracting the medical instrument through linked body passages. When inserting the medical instrument, the controller normally operates in an automatic navigation mode unless manually overridden to operate in a manual mode. When retracting the medical instrument, the controller normally operates in a zero-force mode to allow the distal tip to freely move so that it may comply with the shape of the passages as the medical instrument is being retracted through the linked body unless manually overridden to operate in a manual mode. | 11-15-2012 |
20150112486 | Arm With A Combined Shape And Force Sensor - A bend sensor is used to determine force applied to a robotic arm. The force may be an external force applied to the arm, an internal actuation force, or both. In some aspects, a stiffening element is used to restore the arm to a minimum kinematic energy state. In other aspects, the stiffening element is eliminated, and the arm is fully actuated. | 04-23-2015 |
20150148690 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING A SHAPE OF A LUMEN IN AN ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE - A medical system provides navigation assistance to a surgeon so that the surgeon may navigate a flexible medical device through linked passages of an anatomical structure to a target in or adjacent to the anatomical structure. As the medical device moves through the linked passages, images are captured by an image capturing element at its distal end and pose and shape information for the medical device are received from sensors disposed in the medical device. A 4-D computer model of the anatomical structure is registered to the medical device using one or both of 4-D shape registration and virtual camera registration so that the captured image and a virtual image generated from the perspective of a virtual camera are registered to each other and displayed while providing an indication of a navigational path to the target. | 05-28-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110119023 | METHOD AND SYSTEM TO SENSE RELATIVE PARTIAL-POSE INFORMATION USING A SHAPE SENSOR - A shape-sensing segment traverses through at least a portion of a kinematic chain of a tele-operated slave surgical instrument in a tele-operated minimally-invasive surgical system. The shape-sensing segment includes a pre-set perturbation. Shape information from the pre-set perturbation allows determination of relative partial-pose information for at least one link in the kinematic chain. | 05-19-2011 |
20110202069 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ABSOLUTE THREE-DIMENSIONAL MEASUREMENTS USING A TWIST-INSENSITIVE SHAPE 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. | 08-18-2011 |
20120289843 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING INFORMATION OF EXTREMA DURING EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION CYCLES OF AN OBJECT - A medical system provides navigation assistance to a surgeon for navigating a flexible medical device through linked passages of an anatomical structure to a target area. For tracking, navigation, and other purposes, information of extrema is determined during expansion and contraction cycles of an object by receiving time sampled information from sensors distributed along a length of a flexible device so as to indicate the shape of the device over time while the device extends through a lumen of the object so as to conform to and resemble the shape of the lumen, displacements over time of a selected point at a selected insertion length of the flexible device into the lumen of the object relative to a reference point are determined, extrema time points are determined by identifying sign changes of the slope of the determined displacements over time, and extrema types are determined using extrema type characteristics. | 11-15-2012 |
20130096377 | CATHETER WITH REMOVABLE VISION PROBE - A medical system includes a catheter and a vision probe that can be removed from the catheter and replaced with a medical probe. The vision probe can thus be used to steer and pose the catheter, and then be removed and replaced with the medical probe when a medical task such as a lung biopsy is performed. A sensor system in the catheter at least partly measures a pose of the catheter, and control logic controls actuation of the catheter to maintain the desired working configuration when the medical probe is used. A small diameter catheter can thus provide vision and biopsy functionality. | 04-18-2013 |
20130096385 | VISION PROBE AND CATHETER SYSTEMS - A medical system includes a catheter and a vision probe that can be removed from the catheter and replaced with a medical probe. Functionality for the system is divided between the catheter and the vision probe. In particular, the removable vision probe can provide imaging, illumination, irrigation, and suction that may be employed before a medical probe is deployed. The catheter can include actuation and sensing structures that are useful with or necessary for both vision and medical probes. Accordingly, the catheter can maximize available space for probes and still provide all necessary functions for use of a medical probe when the vision probe is removed. | 04-18-2013 |
20130096497 | CATHETERS WITH CONTROL MODES FOR INTERCHANGEABLE PROBES - A medical system including a catheter containing a mechanical system that is remotely operable uses a sensor to at least partly measure a pose of the catheter and a control system coupled to the mechanical system. The control system has multiple operating modes including one or more holding modes in which the control system operates the mechanical system to maintain a working configuration of the catheter based on feedback from the sensor. | 04-18-2013 |
20130096572 | CATHETER SENSOR SYSTEMS - A medical system including a catheter or other flexible structure uses a combination of two different sensor systems to measure a pose of a section or tip of the catheter or flexible structure. The first sensor system, which may include an electromagnetic sensor, can measure a pose of a first section of the catheter, and the second sensor system can measure a pose of the second section relative to the first section. The second sensor system may employ a technology such as fiber shape sensing that permits the second section to be smaller than the first section, so that a distal tip of the catheter or flexible structure can fit within smaller natural lumens. | 04-18-2013 |
20130144124 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING VISUAL GUIDANCE TO AN OPERATOR FOR STEERING A TIP OF AN ENDOSCOPIC DEVICE TOWARD ONE OR MORE LANDMARKS IN A PATIENT - Landmark directional guidance is provided to an operator of an endoscopic device by displaying graphical representations of vectors adjacent a current image captured by an image capturing device disposed at a tip of the endoscopic device and being displayed at the time on a display screen, wherein the graphical representations of the vectors point in directions that the endoscope tip is to be steered in order to move towards associated landmarks such as anatomic structures in a patient. | 06-06-2013 |
20130204124 | STEERABLE FLEXIBLE NEEDLE WITH EMBEDDED SHAPE SENSING - A surgical system includes a flexible steerable needle and a shape sensor for measuring the shape of the needle. The surgical system can be manual (e.g., laparoscopic), robotic, or any combination of the two. By directly measuring the shape of the needle, complex and potentially inaccurate modeling of the needle to determine trajectory and insertion depth can be avoided in favor of much more robust direct measurement and modeling of needle shape and/or pose. | 08-08-2013 |
20130276557 | METHOD AND SYSTEM TO SENSE RELATIVE PARTIAL-POSE INFORMATION USING A SHAPE SENSOR - A shape-sensing segment traverses through at least a portion of a kinematic chain of a tele-operated slave surgical instrument in a tele-operated minimally-invasive surgical system. The shape-sensing segment includes a pre-set perturbation. Shape information from the pre-set perturbation allows determination of relative partial-pose information for at least one link in the kinematic chain. | 10-24-2013 |
20130303890 | Systems And Methods For Registration Of A Medical Device Using A Reduced Search Space - A method comprises identifying connected anatomical structures in stored images of a patient anatomy and generating a plurality of cylindrical linkage elements representing the connected anatomical structures. The method also comprises receiving tracking data corresponding to a point on an instrument positioned within at least one of the connected anatomical structures; and matching the point on the instrument to one of the plurality of cylindrical linkage elements. | 11-14-2013 |
20130303892 | Systems and Methods for Navigation Based on Ordered Sensor Records - A method of tracking a medical instrument comprises receiving a model of an anatomical passageway formation and receiving a set of ordered sensor records for the medical instrument. The set of ordered sensor records provide a path history of the medical instrument. The method further comprises registering the medical instrument with the model of the anatomical passageway formation based on the path history. | 11-14-2013 |
20130303893 | Systems and Methods for Deformation Compensation Using Shape Sensing - A method and medical system for estimating the deformation of an anatomic structure that comprises generating a first model of at least one anatomical passageway from anatomical data describing a patient anatomy and determining a shape of a device positioned within the branched anatomical passageways. The method and medical system also comprise generating a second model of the plurality of branched anatomical passageways by adjusting the first model relative to the determined shape of the device. | 11-14-2013 |
20130303894 | Systems and Methods for Registration of a Medical Device Using a Reduced Search Space - A method comprises identifying connected anatomical structures in stored images of a patient anatomy and generating a plurality of cylindrical linkage elements representing the connected anatomical structures. The method also comprises receiving tracking data corresponding to a point on an instrument positioned within at least one of the connected anatomical structures; and matching the point on the instrument to one of the plurality of cylindrical linkage elements. | 11-14-2013 |
20130303944 | OFF-AXIS ELECTROMAGNETIC SENSOR - A sensing system includes an off-axis coil in which wire is wound in loops about a roll axis and at an angle to the roll axis. In particular, the loops define respective areas that have a normal direction at a non-zero angle relative to the roll axis. A field generator can generate a variable magnetic field through the coil, and sensor logic can be coupled to the coil and configured to determine a measurement of a roll angle of the coil about the first axis using an electrical signal induced in the coil. | 11-14-2013 |
20130345719 | Systems and Methods for Reducing Measurement Error in Optical Fiber Shape Sensors - A shape sensing apparatus comprises an instrument including an elongated shaft with a neutral axis. The shape sensor also includes a first shape sensor with an elongated optical fiber extending within the elongated shaft at a first radial distance from the neutral axis. The apparatus also includes a shape sensor compensation device extending within the elongated shaft. The apparatus also comprises a tracking system for receiving shape data from the first shape sensor and compensating data from the shape sensor compensation device for use in calculating a bend measurement for the instrument. | 12-26-2013 |
20140024951 | ANNULAR VISION SYSTEM - A vision system that may be used in a catheter or similar guiding instrument includes receptors distributed in an annular area. Each of the receptors has a field of view covering only a portion of an object environment, and the field of view of each of the receptors overlaps with at least one of the fields of view of the other receptors. A processing system can receive image data from the receptors and combine image data from the receptors to construct a visual representation of the entirety of the object environment. | 01-23-2014 |
20140051987 | Systems and Methods for Configuring Components in a Minimally Invasive Instrument - A catheter system comprises an elongate flexible catheter and a support structure mounted on the catheter. The support structure comprises a first alignment feature and a second alignment feature. The system further comprises a first sensor component mated with the first alignment feature and a second sensor component mated with the second alignment feature. The first sensor component is fixed relative to the second sensor component in at least one degree of freedom at the support structure by the first alignment feature. | 02-20-2014 |
20140275997 | SHAPE SENSOR SYSTEMS FOR TRACKING INTERVENTIONAL INSTRUMENTS AND MEHODS OF USE - A medical tracking system comprises a fiducial apparatus that includes a sensor docking feature configured to mate with a mating portion of a sensor device. The sensor docking feature retains the mating portion in a known configuration. The fiducial apparatus also includes at least one imageable fiducial marker and a surface configured for attachment to an anatomy of a patient. | 09-18-2014 |
20140343568 | GUIDE APPARATUS FOR DELIVERY OF A FLEXIBLE INSTRUMENT AND METHODS OF USE - An apparatus for guiding a flexible instrument comprises an elongated support assembly having a longitudinal axis. The elongated support assembly is adapted to laterally receive into engagement and longitudinally support an elongated flexible instrument. | 11-20-2014 |
20140350391 | Method And System For Providing Visual Guidance To An Operator For Steering A Tip Of An Endoscopic Device Towards One Or More Landmarks In A Patient - Landmark directional guidance is provided to an operator of an endoscopic device by displaying graphical representations of vectors adjacent a current image captured by an image capturing device disposed at a tip of the endoscopic device and being displayed at the time on a display screen, wherein the graphical representations of the vectors point in directions that the endoscope tip is to be steered in order to move towards associated landmarks such as anatomic structures in a patient. | 11-27-2014 |
20150265368 | Systems and Methods for Anatomic Motion Compensation - A method of modeling a cyclic anatomical motion comprises receiving a pose dataset for an identified point on an interventional instrument retained within and in compliant movement with a cyclically moving patient anatomy for a plurality of time parameters. The method also includes determining a set of pose differentials for the identified point with respect to a reference point at each of the plurality of time parameters and identifying a periodic signal for the cyclic anatomical motion from the set of pose differentials. | 09-24-2015 |