A rotational device for rotating an endoscope having a stationary assembly, a rotatable assembly, which includes a distal coupling means for coupling to an endoscope, a drive means, which is embodied for putting the distal coupling means into rotational motion for rotating an endoscope connected to the distal coupling means, a proximal coupling means at the stationary assembly for coupling to a camera device, and an optical unit for transmitting light from the distal coupling means to the proximal coupling means.

An optical probe imaging system includes an optical probe having a multicore optical fiber. Distal optics image light propagating in the multicore optical fiber so as to generate a light pattern on a sample that is based on a relative position of the cores. A distal motor causes the light pattern to traverse a path across the sample. An optical receiver includes a first receiver receiving light that has traversed the path across the sample from one of the at least two cores and a second receiver receiving light that has traversed the path across the sample from the other of the cores, such that the first receiver and the second receiver detect light in parallel. A processor maps relative position of the cores at the distal facet based on signals generated by the receiver.

An endoluminal crawler used in endoscopic procedures includes a body and an actuation unit. The body includes a tubular portion. The actuation unit includes an actuator providing a rotational output and a traction belt. The traction belt includes a traction portion and an engaging portion. The traction portion protrudes out of a slot defined in the tubular portion and the engaging portion operatively engages the actuator.

One or more embodiments of a continuum robot may include a bendable body having linear members provided along a first pitch circle, and motors respectively having output shafts provided along a second pitch circle offset outside from the first pitch circle and being configured to respectively drive linear members to bend the bendable body; intermediate supporting shafts provided along a third pitch circle offset outside from the first pitch circle and offset inside from the second pitch circle; first connection members respectively connecting end portions of the linear members and the intermediate supporting shafts to each other; and second connection members respectively connecting the intermediate supporting shafts and the output shafts to each other and configured to convert rotation of each of the output shafts into rectilinear motion to cause each of the intermediate supporting shafts to rectilinearly move.

A control apparatus of an insertion apparatus in which a state specifying unit specifies a state of an insertion member to carry out vibration control depending on the state, thereby removing getting-stuck of a tip of the insertion member with a vibration having such a proper magnitude as not to cause an overload in a case where the tip of the insertion member is gotten stuck.

A controller controls a movement of an endoscope to cause the endoscope to follow a surgical instrument. The controller includes a processor. The processor acquires position information including the position of the surgical instrument, acquires scene information associated with a procedure scene to be observed through the endoscope, determines an offset parameter, which determines the position of the target point with respect to a predetermined fiducial point in the field of view of the endoscope, of a target point on the basis of the scene information, sets the position of the target point with respect to the fiducial point on the basis of the offset parameter, and causes the endoscope to follow the surgical instrument such that the surgical instrument is disposed at the target point, by controlling a movement of the endoscope on the basis of the position of the target point and the position of the surgical instrument.

An enhanced flexible robotic endoscopy apparatus includes a main body and flexible elongate shaft. The main body comprises a proximal end, a distal end and a housing that extends to the proximal end and the housing comprises a plurality of surfaces and a plurality of insertion inlets which reside on at least one of the surface of the housing at the proximal end of the main body, through which a plurality of channels for endoscopy are accessible. Each of the insertion inlets has insertion axis corresponding thereto, along which flexible elongate assemblies are insertable, with the insertion axes of the insertion inlets being parallel to the central axis of the flexible elongate shaft at the proximal end of the flexible elongate shaft.

An insertion device includes a thin and elongated insertion section, a rotating body which is rotated to advance or retreat the insertion section, a driving force supply source which supplies a driving force to the rotating body, a variable stiffness section provided for the insertion section and permitting stiffness of the insertion section to be varied, a stiffness detector which detects the stiffness of the insertion section varied by the variable stiffness section, and a controller which controls the driving force supply source in accordance with the stiffness of the insertion section detected by the stiffness detector.

A surgical robot comprising: a surgical robot arm comprising: a series of joints extending from a base to a terminal end for attaching to a surgical instrument for inserting through a port into a patients body to a surgical site, the series of joints comprising a first set of joints, wherein for each joint of the first set of joints, there is a configuration of the surgical robot arm for which that joint experiences a gravitational torque or force and a movement of that joint complying with the gravitational torque or force would cause the surgical instrument to advance into the patients body towards the surgical site; and joint motors for driving the series of joints; and a robot arm controller configured to send drive signals to drive the joint motors, wherein the surgical robot arm controller is configured to, in response to detecting a power loss, send drive signals to drive the joint motors so as to hold the position of each joint of the first set ofjoints against gravity, thereby preventing the surgical instrument from advancing into the patients body towards the surgical site due to movement of one or more joints of the first set of joints under gravity.

A surgical access assembly comprises a trocar and a surgical instrument. The trocar comprises a housing and an access tube extending distally from the housing. The housing comprises a hollow light emitter. The housing and the access tube define a lumen extending through the housing and the access tube. The hollow light emitter is configured to project light in the lumen. The surgical instrument comprises an end effector and a shaft extending proximally from the end effector. The shaft comprises an optical receiver positioned within reach of the light from the hollow light emitter. The shaft further comprises a light guide extending from the optical receiver along at least a portion of the shaft toward the end effector.