Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090088634 | TOOL TRACKING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMAGE GUIDED SURGERY - In one embodiment of the invention, a tool tracking system is disclosed including a computer usable medium having computer readable program code to receive images of video frames from at least one camera and to perform image matching of a robotic instrument to determine video pose information of the robotic instrument within the images. The tool tracking system further includes computer readable program code to provide a state-space model of a sequence of states of corrected kinematics information for accurate pose information of the robotic instrument. The state-space model receives raw kinematics information of mechanical pose information and adaptively fuses the mechanical pose information and the video pose information together to generate the sequence of states of the corrected kinematics information for the robotic instrument. Additionally disclosed are methods for image guided surgery. | 04-02-2009 |
20090088773 | METHODS OF LOCATING AND TRACKING ROBOTIC INSTRUMENTS IN ROBOTIC SURGICAL SYSTEMS - In one embodiment of the invention, a method is disclosed to locate a robotic instrument in the field of view of a camera. The method includes capturing sequential images in a field of view of a camera. The sequential images are correlated between successive views. The method further includes receiving a kinematic datum to provide an approximate location of the robotic instrument and then analyzing the sequential images in response to the approximate location of the robotic instrument. An additional method for robotic systems is disclosed. Further disclosed is a method for indicating tool entrance into the field of view of a camera. | 04-02-2009 |
20090088897 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ROBOTIC INSTRUMENT TOOL TRACKING - In one embodiment of the invention, a method for a robotic system is disclosed to track one or more robotic instruments. The method includes generating kinematics information for the robotic instrument within a field of view of a camera; capturing image information in the field of view of the camera; and adaptively fusing the kinematics information and the image information together to determine pose information of the robotic instrument. Additionally disclosed is a robotic medical system with a tool tracking sub-system. The tool tracking sub-system receives raw kinematics information and video image information of the robotic instrument to generate corrected kinematics information for the robotic instrument by adaptively fusing the raw kinematics information and the video image information together. | 04-02-2009 |
20090171371 | MEDICAL ROBOTIC SYSTEM WITH FUNCTIONALITY TO DETERMINE AND DISPLAY A DISTANCE INDICATED BY MOVEMENT OF A TOOL ROBOTICALLY MANIPULATED BY AN OPERATOR - A medical robotic system has functionality to determine and display information of a distance indicated by movement of one or more tools being robotically manipulated by an operator. The distance is determined using sensed robotic manipulation of the one or more tools. Information of the distance is displayed on the monitor so as to be visually associated with the movement and/or positions of the tools, such as a virtual tape measure that extends along with or between images of the one or more tools on the monitor or as a virtual ruler with the distance being indicated by a pointer. Alternatively, information of the distance may simply be indicated on a digital read-out shown on the monitor that is displayed and continually updated with the movement of the one or more tools. | 07-02-2009 |
20090245600 | AUTOMATED PANNING AND DIGITAL ZOOMING FOR ROBOTIC SURGICAL SYSTEMS - In one embodiment of the invention, a digital zoom and panning system for digital video is disclosed including an image acquisition device to capture digital video images; an image buffer to store one or more frames of digital video images as source pixels; a display device having first pixels to display images; a user interface to accept user input including a source rectangle to select source pixels within frames of the digital video images, a destination rectangle to select target pixels within the display device to display images, and a region of interest within the digital video images to display in the destination rectangle; and a digital mapping and filtering device to selectively map and filter source pixels in the region of interest from the image buffer into target pixels of the display device in response to the user input. | 10-01-2009 |
20090248036 | CONTROLLING A ROBOTIC SURGICAL TOOL WITH A DISPLAY MONITOR - In one embodiment of the invention, a method for controlling a robotic surgical tool is disclosed. The method for controlling a robotic surgical tool includes moving a monitor displaying an image of a robotic surgical tool; sensing motion of the monitor; and translating the sensed motion of the monitor into motion of the robotic surgical tool. | 10-01-2009 |
20100168562 | FIDUCIAL MARKER DESIGN AND DETECTION FOR LOCATING SURGICAL INSTRUMENT IN IMAGES - The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and tools for tool tracking using image-derived data from one or more tool-located reference features. A method includes: capturing a first image of a tool that includes multiple features that define a first marker, where at least one of the features of the first marker includes an identification feature; determining a position for the first marker by processing the first image; determining an identification for the first marker by using the at least one identification feature by processing the first image; and determining a tool state for the tool by using the position and the identification of the first marker. | 07-01-2010 |
20100168763 | CONFIGURATION MARKER DESIGN AND DETECTION FOR INSTRUMENT TRACKING - The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and tools for tool tracking using image-derived data from one or more tool located reference features. A method includes: directing illuminating light from a light source onto a robotic surgical tool within a patient body, wherein the tool includes a plurality of primitive features having known positions on the tool, and wherein each feature includes a spherical reflective surface; capturing stereo images of the plurality of primitive features when the tool is within the patient body, wherein the stereo images are captured by an image capture device adjacent the illumination source so that the illumination light reflected from the imaged primitive features toward the image capture device substantially aligns with spherical centers of the surfaces of the imaged primitive features, and determining a position for the tool by processing the stereo images so as to locate the spherical centers of the imaged primitive features by using the reflected light. | 07-01-2010 |
20100331855 | Efficient Vision and Kinematic Data Fusion For Robotic Surgical Instruments and Other Applications - Robotic devices, systems, and methods for use in telesurgical therapies through minimally invasive apertures make use of joint-based data throughout much of the robotic kinematic chain, but selectively rely on information from an image capture device to determine location and orientation along the linkage adjacent a pivotal center at which a shaft of the robotic surgical tool enters the patient. A bias offset may be applied to a pose (including both an orientation and a location) at the pivotal center to enhance accuracy. The bias offset may be applied as a simple rigid transformation from the image-based pivotal center pose to a joint-based pivotal center pose. | 12-30-2010 |
20100332031 | RATCHETING FOR MASTER ALIGNMENT OF A TELEOPERATED MINIMALLY-INVASIVE SURGICAL INSTRUMENT - A minimally-invasive surgical system includes a slave surgical instrument having a slave surgical instrument tip and a master grip. The slave surgical instrument tip has an alignment in a common frame of reference and the master grip, which is coupled to the slave surgical instrument, has an alignment in the common frame of reference. An alignment error, in the common frame of reference, is a difference in alignment between the alignment of the slave surgical instrument tip and the alignment of the master grip. A ratcheting system (i) coupled to the master grip to receive the alignment of the master grip and (ii) coupled to the slave surgical instrument, to control motion of the slave by continuously reducing the alignment error, as the master grip moves, without autonomous motion of the slave surgical instrument tip and without autonomous motion of the master grip. | 12-30-2010 |
20110009880 | Control System for Reducing Internally Generated Frictional and Inertial Resistance to Manual Positioning of a Surgical Manipulator - A robotic control system is placed in clutch mode so that a slave manipulator holding a surgical instrument is temporarily disengaged from control by a master manipulator in order to allow manual positioning of the surgical instrument at a surgical site within a patient. Control systems implemented in a processor compensate for internally generated frictional and inertial resistance experienced during the positioning, thereby making movement more comfortable to the mover, and stabler from a control standpoint. Each control system drives a joint motor in the slave manipulator with a saturated torque command signal which has been generated to compensate for non-linear viscous forces, coulomb friction, cogging effects, and inertia forces subjected to the joint, using estimated joint angular velocities, accelerations and externally applied torques generated by an observer in the control system from sampled displacement measurements received from a sensor associated with the joint. | 01-13-2011 |
20110050852 | STEREO TELESTRATION FOR ROBOTIC SURGERY - In one embodiment of the invention, a robotic surgical system includes a master control console having a stereo viewer to view stereo images; a surgical manipulator having a stereo endoscopic camera coupled to a robotic arm to generate the stereo images of a surgical site; a stereo telestration device coupled between the stereo endoscopic camera and the stereo viewer to mix telestration graphics and the stereo images of the surgical site together for viewing by the stereo viewer; and a telestration generator coupled to the stereo telestration device to generate the telestration graphics for overlay on the stereo images of the surgical site. | 03-03-2011 |
20110137322 | Cooperative Minimally Invasive Telesurgical System - Improved robotic surgical systems, devices, and methods include selectably associatable master/slave pairs, often having more manipulator arms than will be moved simultaneously by the two hands of a surgeon. Four manipulator arms can support an image capture device, a left hand tissue manipulation tool, a right hand tissue manipulation tool, and a fourth surgical instrument, particularly for stabilizing, retracting, tool change, or other functions benefiting from intermittent movement. The four or more arms may sequentially be controlled by left and right master input control devices. The fourth arm may be used to support another image capture device, and control of some or all of the arms may be transferred back-and-forth between the operator and an assistant. Two or more robotic systems each having master controls and slave manipulators may be coupled to enable cooperative surgery between two or more operators. | 06-09-2011 |
20110264108 | Software Center and Highly Configurable Robotic Systems for Surgery and Other Uses - Telerobotic, telesurgical, and/or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector n space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and method for their use are also provided. | 10-27-2011 |
20110264109 | Software Center and Highly Configurable Robotic Systems for Surgery and Other Uses - Telerobotic, telesurgical, and/or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector n space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and method for their use are also provided. | 10-27-2011 |
20110264110 | Software Center and Highly Configurable Robotic Systems for Surgery and Other Uses - Telerobotic, telesurgical, and/or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector n space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and method for their use are also provided. | 10-27-2011 |
20110264111 | Software Center and Highly Configurable Robotic Systems for Surgery and Other Uses - Telerobotic, telesurgical, and/or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector n space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and method for their use are also provided. | 10-27-2011 |
20110264112 | Software Center and Highly Configurable Robotic Systems for Surgery and Other Uses - Telerobotic, telesurgical, and/or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector n space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and method for their use are also provided. | 10-27-2011 |
20110270271 | Software Center and Highly Configurable Robotic Systems for Surgery and Other Uses - Telerobotic, telesurgical, and/or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector n space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and method for their use are also provided. | 11-03-2011 |
20110276059 | Software Center and Highly Configurable Robotic Systems for Surgery and Other Uses - Telerobotic, telesurgical, and/or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector n space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and method for their use are also provided. | 11-10-2011 |
20120020547 | Methods of Locating and Tracking Robotic Instruments in Robotic Surgical Systems - In one embodiment of the invention, a method is disclosed to locate a robotic instrument in the field of view of a camera. The method includes capturing sequential images in a field of view of a camera. The sequential images are correlated between successive views. The method further includes receiving a kinematic datum to provide an approximate location of the robotic instrument and then analyzing the sequential images in response to the approximate location of the robotic instrument. An additional method for robotic systems is disclosed. Further disclosed is a method for indicating tool entrance into the field of view of a camera. | 01-26-2012 |
20120130399 | Cooperative Minimally Invasive Telesurgical System - Improved robotic surgical systems, devices, and methods include selectably associatable master/slave pairs, often having more manipulator arms than will be moved simultaneously by the two hands of a surgeon. Four manipulator arms can support an image capture device, a left hand tissue manipulation tool, a right hand tissue manipulation tool, and a fourth surgical instrument, particularly for stabilizing, retracting, tool change, or other functions benefiting from intermittent movement. The four or more arms may sequentially be controlled by left and right master input control devices. The fourth arm may be used to support another image capture device, and control of some or all of the arms may be transferred back-and-forth between the operator and an assistant. Two or more robotic systems each having master controls and slave manipulators may be coupled to enable cooperative surgery between two or more operators. | 05-24-2012 |
20120154564 | APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATED PANNING AND DIGITAL ZOOMING IN ROBOTIC SURGICAL SYSTEMS - In one embodiment of the invention, a digital zoom and panning system for digital video is disclosed including an image acquisition device to capture digital video images; an image buffer to store one or more frames of digital video images as source pixels; a display device having first pixels to display images; a user interface to accept user input including a source rectangle to select source pixels within frames of the digital video images, a destination rectangle to select target pixels within the display device to display images, and a region of interest within the digital video images to display in the destination rectangle; and a digital mapping and filtering device to selectively map and filter source pixels in the region of interest from the image buffer into target pixels of the display device in response to the user input. | 06-21-2012 |
20130245641 | RATCHETING FOR MASTER ALIGNMENT OF A TELEOPERATED MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGICAL INSTRUMENT - A minimally-invasive surgical system includes a slave surgical instrument having a slave surgical instrument tip and a master grip. The slave surgical instrument tip has an alignment in a common frame of reference and the master grip, which is coupled to the slave surgical instrument, has an alignment in the common frame of reference. An alignment error, in the common frame of reference, is a difference in alignment between the alignment of the slave surgical instrument tip and the alignment of the master grip. A ratcheting system (i) coupled to the master grip to receive the alignment of the master grip and (ii) coupled to the slave surgical instrument, to control motion of the slave by continuously reducing the alignment error, as the master grip moves, without autonomous motion of the slave surgical instrument tip and without autonomous motion of the master grip. | 09-19-2013 |
20130304256 | COOPERATIVE MINIMALLY INVASIVE TELESURGICAL SYSTEM - Improved robotic surgical systems, devices, and methods include selectably associatable master/slave pairs, often having more manipulator arms than will be moved simultaneously by the two hands of a surgeon. Four manipulator arms can support an image capture device, a left hand tissue manipulation tool, a right hand tissue manipulation tool, and a fourth surgical instrument, particularly for stabilizing, retracting, tool change, or other functions benefiting from intermittent movement. The four or more arms may sequentially be controlled by left and right master input control devices. The fourth arm may be used to support another image capture device, and control of some or all of the arms may be transferred back-and-forth between the operator and an assistant. Two or more robotic systems each having master controls and slave manipulators may be coupled to enable cooperative surgery between two or more operators. | 11-14-2013 |
20130331859 | MULTI-USER MEDICAL ROBOTIC SYSTEM FOR COLLABORATION OR TRAINING IN MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGICAL PROCEDURES - 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. | 12-12-2013 |
20140195048 | COOPERATIVE MINIMALLY INVASIVE TELESURGICAL SYSTEM - Improved robotic surgical systems, devices, and methods include selectably associatable master/slave pairs, often having more manipulator arms than will be moved simultaneously by the two hands of a surgeon. Four manipulator arms can support an image capture device, a left hand tissue manipulation tool, a right hand tissue manipulation tool, and a fourth surgical instrument, particularly for stabilizing, retracting, tool change, or other functions benefiting from intermittent movement. The four or more arms may sequentially be controlled by left and right master input control devices. The fourth arm may be used to support another image capture device, and control of some or all of the arms may be transferred back-and-forth between the operator and an assistant. Two or more robotic systems each having master controls and slave manipulators may be coupled to enable cooperative surgery between two or more operators. | 07-10-2014 |
20140323803 | METHODS OF CONTROLLING A ROBOTIC SURGICAL TOOL WITH A DISPLAY MONITOR - In one embodiment of the invention, a method for controlling a robotic surgical tool is disclosed. The method for controlling a robotic surgical tool includes moving a monitor displaying an image of a robotic surgical tool; sensing motion of the monitor; and translating the sensed motion of the monitor into motion of the robotic surgical tool. | 10-30-2014 |
20150032126 | SOFTWARE CENTER AND HIGHLY CONFIGURABLE ROBOTIC SYSTEMS FOR SURGERY AND OTHER USES - Telerobotic, telesurgical, and/or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector n space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and method for their use are also provided. | 01-29-2015 |
20150051733 | SOFTWARE CENTER AND HIGHLY CONFIGURABLE ROBOTIC SYSTEMS FOR SURGERY AND OTHER USES - Telerobotic, telesurgical, and/or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector n space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and method for their use are also provided. | 02-19-2015 |
20150066053 | RATCHETING FOR MASTER ALIGNMENT OF A TELEOPERATED MINIMALLY-INVASIVE SURGICAL INSTRUMENT - A minimally-invasive surgical system includes a slave surgical instrument having a slave surgical instrument tip and a master grip. The slave surgical instrument tip has an alignment in a common frame of reference and the master grip, which is coupled to the slave surgical instrument, has an alignment in the common frame of reference. An alignment error, in the common frame of reference, is a difference in alignment between the alignment of the slave surgical instrument tip and the alignment of the master grip. A ratcheting system (i) coupled to the master grip to receive the alignment of the master grip and (ii) coupled to the slave surgical instrument, to control motion of the slave by continuously reducing the alignment error, as the master grip moves, without autonomous motion of the slave surgical instrument tip and without autonomous motion of the master grip. | 03-05-2015 |
20150073435 | CONTROL SYSTEM FOR REDUCING INTERNALLY GENERATED FRICTIONAL AND INERTIAL RESISTANCE TO MANUAL POSITIONING OF A SURGICAL MANIPULATOR - A robotic control system is placed in clutch mode so that a slave manipulator holding a surgical instrument is temporarily disengaged from control by a master manipulator in order to allow manual positioning of the surgical instrument at a surgical site within a patient. Control systems implemented in a processor compensate for internally generated frictional and inertial resistance experienced during the positioning, thereby making movement more comfortable to the mover, and stabler from a control standpoint. Each control system drives a joint motor in the slave manipulator with a saturated torque command signal which has been generated to compensate for non-linear viscous forces, coulomb friction, cogging effects, and inertia forces subjected to the joint, using estimated joint angular velocities, accelerations and externally applied torques generated by an observer in the control system from sampled displacement measurements received from a sensor associated with the joint. | 03-12-2015 |