Systems and methods for femoral medial condyle spherical center identification and tracking are described herein. Once the spherical center of the medial condyle is identified, the spherical center is tracked using a pin or internal reference. The spherical center may be used to provide a key kinematic motion reference, such as when the medial condyle is adjusted during a surgical procedure. The tracking may be used to provide optical tracking, inertial tracking, or other tracking. In contrast with surface-mounted optical trackers, the spherical center tracking is not lost during resection (e.g., removal) of a bone surface. Tracking the medial condyle spherical center may reduce or eliminate the need for a surface-mounted optical tracker or preoperative 3-D modeling or of the joint.

A 3D navigation system and methods for enhancing feedback during a medical procedure, involving: an optical imaging system having an optical assembly comprising movable zoom optics and movable focus optics, a zoom actuator for positioning the zoom optics, a focus actuator for positioning the focus optics, a controller for controlling the zoom actuator and the focus actuator in response to received control input, at least one detector for capturing an image of at least one of a target and an obstacle, the at least one detector operable with the optical assembly, and a proprioception feature operable with the optical imaging system for generating a 3D perception, the proprioception feature comprising a communication feature for providing 3D information, the 3D information comprising real-time depth information in relation to real-time planar information within an interrogation volume.

A system for assessing at least one characteristic of a device within a recipient is provided. The system includes a device removably insertable into the recipient where the device includes at least one of a treatment element and implant, and at least one wireless tag positioned within at least one portion of the device. The system includes a tracking device that includes processing circuitry configured to: if the device is inserted into the recipient, interrogate the at least one wireless tag positioned within at least one portion of the device; determine at least one characteristic of at least one portion of the device in three dimensional space based at least in part on the interrogation of the at least one wireless tag; and cause the at least one characteristic of the at least one portion of the device relative to the recipient to be indicated.

Systems and methods for operating a robotic surgical system are provided. The system comprises a surgical tool for interacting with a surgical target, a manipulator comprising a plurality of links and supporting the tool, a navigation system comprising a manipulator tracker coupled to the manipulator and a patient tracker coupled to the surgical target and a localizer for monitoring states of the trackers. A controller determines commanded states for moving the tool relative to the surgical target using data (filtered according to a first filter length) from the manipulator and/or navigation system. The controller determines actual states of the tool while commanding the tool relative to the surgical target using data (filtered according to a second filter length being shorter than the first filter length) from the manipulator and/or navigation system. The controller compares the commanded and actual states and modifies tool operation based on an outcome of the comparison.

A surgical robotic system for augmenting a representation of at least a portion of a surgical site for aiding in orienting the representation, the system comprising: a processor configured to: receive an imaging device signal indicative of the location and orientation of an imaging device relative to a surgical site, augment a representation of at least a portion of the surgical site in dependence on the received imaging device signal, the augmentation indicating an orientation of the representation of the surgical site, receive a further imaging device signal indicative of an updated location and/or orientation of the imaging device, determine a change in at least one of the location and orientation of the imaging device in dependence on the imaging device signal and the further imaging device signal, and update the augmented representation in dependence on the determined change; and a display configured to display at least part of the augmented representation.

An articulated medical device having a hollow core, capable of large degrees of maneuverability through small spaces of a patient to reach a target with minimal invasiveness, and once the medical device has reached the target, allowing a medical tool to be guided through the hollow chamber for facilitating medical procedures, including endoscopes, cameras, and catheters, at the target.

In accordance with one embodiment, an automated probe system includes a probe configured to be reversibly inserted into a live body part, a robotic arm attached to the probe and configured to manipulate the probe, a first sensor configured to track movement of the probe during an insertion and a reinsertion of the probe in the live body part, a second sensor configured to track movement of the live body part, and a controller configured to calculate an insertion path of the probe in the live body part based on the tracked movement of the probe during the insertion, and calculate a reinsertion path of the probe based on the calculated insertion path while compensating for the tracked movement of the live body part, and send control commands to the robotic arm to reinsert the probe in the live body part according to the calculated reinsertion path.

A robotic manipulator is attachable to a proximal end of a medical instrument. A processor linked to the manipulator transmits control signals to the manipulator to cause the manipulator to displace the medical instrument to achieve a desired position and orientation of the medical instrument. A contact force sensor is disposed on the medical instrument and linked to the processor. The control signals are issued by the processor responsively to force indications received from the contact force sensor.

Provided are systems and methods for registration of location sensors. In one aspect, a system includes an instrument and a processor configured to provide a first set of commands to drive the instrument along a first branch of the luminal network, the first branch being outside a path to a target within a model. The processor is also configured to track a set of one or more registration parameters during the driving of the instrument along the first branch and determine that the set of registration parameters satisfy a registration criterion. The processor is further configured to determine a registration between a location sensor coordinate system and a model coordinate system based on location data received from a set of location sensors during the driving of the instrument along the first branch and a second branch.

A medical system comprises an instrument, a position acquisition apparatus, a data processing and image generating apparatus and an image display and control unit. The position acquisition apparatus is configured to acquire a position and orientation of the instrument in relation to a reference coordinate system. The data processing and image generating apparatus is configured to generate an image of a body part from currently recorded or stored data representing a body part, which image reproduces a view of the body part together with a representation of the position, and preferably also the orientation of the instrument so that an observer can gather the position and orientation of the instrument in the body part from the image of the body part.