A tethered imaging camera encapsulated in a shell lens element of such camera enables viewing from inside and imaging of a biological organ in/from a variety of directions. A portion of camera's optical system together with light source(s) and optical detector mutually cooperated by housing structure inside the shell are moveable/re-orientable within the shell to vary a desired view of the object space without interruption of imaging process. A tether carries electrical but not optical signals to and from the camera and controllable traction cords to move the camera, and a hand-control unit and/or electronic circuitry configured to operate the camera and power its movements. Method(s) of using optical, optoelectronic, and optoelectromechanical sub-systems of the camera.

A barrier or cover used for protecting instrumentation in a medical and/or biological setting, and more specifically, a multi-piece apparatus having a multi-use component and a single use component configured to be matted to the multi-use component, wherein the single use component is configured for matting to the multi-use component and shielding the multi-use component.

An endoscopic imaging system includes a reusable control cabinet having a number of actuators that control the orientation of a lightweight endoscope that is connectable thereto. The endoscope is used with a single patient and is then disposed. The endoscope includes an illumination mechanism, an image sensor and an elongate shaft having one or more lumens located therein. A polymeric articulation joint at the distal end of the endoscope allows the distal end to be oriented by the control cabinet. The endoscope is coated with a hydrophilic coating that reduces its coefficient of friction and because it is lightweight, requires less force to advance it to a desired location within a patient.

An illustrative apparatus may identify, in an image frame captured by an image capture system, an object region corresponding to a depiction of an object portrayed in the image frame. The apparatus may determine a frame auto-exposure value for the image frame by discounting the object region in the image frame. Based on the frame auto-exposure value, the apparatus may update one or more auto-exposure parameters for use by the image capture system to capture an additional image frame. Corresponding apparatuses, systems, and methods for managing auto-exposure of image frames are also disclosed.

A remote manipulator system according to the invention for carrying out manipulations in a body-internal cavity comprises a manipulator apparatus with a motor-driven actuator mechanism for moving at least two endoscope apparatuses that are insertable through a respective access opening into the body-internal cavity, said endoscope apparatuses each having an elongate shaft (3), wherein the at least two endoscope apparatuses are each displaceable along a longitudinal direction and pivotable about a pivot point (10) defined by the respective access opening, an operating apparatus (21, 71) with at least two control elements (22, 22′, 22″, 33, 72, 72′, 72″, 73), which each have an elongate shaft (23, 23′), wherein the at least two control elements (22, 22′, 22″, 33, 72, 72′, 72″, 73) are each, in manual fashion, displaceable in the direction of a longitudinal axis and pivotable about a pivot point (30), and a controller (75) which is embodied to detect a respective longitudinal displacement and pivot movement of the at least two control elements (22, 22′, 22″, 33, 72, 72′, 72″, 73) and actuate the manipulator apparatus (1) in such a way that the movements of the endoscope apparatuses correspond to those of the at least two control elements (22, 22′, 22″, 33, 72, 72′, 72″, 73), wherein the operating apparatus (21, 71) is embodied in such a way that a relative position of the pivot points (30) of the control elements (22, 22′, 22″, 33, 72, 72′, 72″, 73) is adjustable.

An endoscopic deployment device includes a body mountable on an endoscopic device, the body having a movable carrier couplable to an end effector device, the end effector device having an end effector shaft covered by an outer sheath and an end effector extending from a distal end of the end effector shaft, the outer sheath being sized and shaped for insertion through a working channel of the endoscopic device, the body having a carrier channel for the carrier to slide therein, wherein the end effecter is actuatable between an open position and a closed position; and a motor having a drive shaft coupled to the carrier, rotation of the drive shaft sliding the carrier in the carrier channel and actuating the end effector in response to a signal from one or more actuation buttons; wherein at least one vibration motor generates vibrations as an angular position of the motor changes.

A method of operating a surgical anchoring system can include inserting an outer sleeve of a surgical instrument at least partially into a first natural body lumen, the outer sleeve having a working channel. The method can include inserting a channel arm of the surgical instrument through the working channel of the outer sleeve and into a second natural body lumen. The channel arm has at least one first anchor member coupled thereto and a control actuator operatively coupled to the at least one first anchor member. The method can include expanding the at least one first anchor member from an unexpanded state to an expanded state to form an anchor point at a portion of the second natural body lumen. The method can include controlling, by the control actuator, a motion of the channel arm to selectively manipulate an organ associated with the first and second natural body lumens.

An imaging device positioning system for monitoring an anatomical region (10). The imaging device positioning system employs an imaging device (20) for generating an image (21) of an anatomical region (10). The imaging device positioning system further employs an imaging device controller (30) for controlling a positioning of the imaging device (20) relative to the anatomical region (10). During a generation by the imaging device (20) of the image (21) of the anatomical region (10), the imaging device controller (30) adapts the positioning of the imaging device (20) relative to the anatomical region (10) to a physiological condition of the anatomical region (10) extracted from the image (21) of the anatomical region (10).

Techniques for determining an ergonomic center for an input control include an input control and a control unit including one or more processors. Movement of the input control during teleoperation is usable to command corresponding movement of an end effector. One or more control points are associated with the input control. The control unit is configured to detect a start of a repositioning movement for the input control, detect an end of the repositioning movement, determine one or more corresponding end positions, each corresponding end position being a position of a control point of the one or more control points at the end of the repositioning movement, determine an input control reference point based on the one or more corresponding end positions, and aggregate the input control reference point with at least one previously obtained input control reference point to determine an ergonomic center for the input control.

Certain aspects relate to systems and techniques for mapping and/or navigation of an interior region of a body with a robotically-enabled medical instrument. The instrument may include a position sensor that provides positional information as the instrument navigates within the interior region. Visual indicia derived from the positional information may be superimposed on a reference image of the interior region. The visual indicia may characterize historical positions of the instrument. The instrument may include an imaging device. Images of the interior region captured with the imaging device can be linked to the position within the interior region where the images were captured.