The invention relates to a method for manufacturing an endoscope insertion tube (2).The insertion tube (2) has a proximal passive flexible section (20) and a distal angled section (A). The entire insertion tube, including the passive flexible section (20) and the angled section (A), is formed from a single tube element. The invention further relates to an endoscope having such an insertion tube (2).

Provided are robotic systems and methods for navigation of luminal network that detect physiological noise. In one aspect, the system includes a set of one or more processors configured to receive first and second image data from an image sensor located on an instrument, detect a set of one or more points of interest the first image data, and identify a set of first locations and a set of second location respectively corresponding to the set of points in the first and second image data. The set of processors are further configured to, based on the set of first locations and the set of second locations, detect a change of location of the instrument within a luminal network caused by movement of the luminal network relative to the instrument based on the set of first locations and the set of second locations.

A rigidity variable apparatus includes: a rigidity variable member having a cylindrical shape, a bending rigidity of the rigidity variable member increasing by being heated; a heater having a cylindrical shape and arranged along the rigidity variable member on an inside of the rigidity variable member in a radial direction, the heater being configured to heat the rigidity variable member; a filler arranged so as to fill a gap between the heater and the rigidity variable member in the radial direction, the filler being configured to transfer heat from the heater to the rigidity variable member; and a tube arranged along the heater on an inside of the heater in the radial direction.

An insertion shaft for an electrically actuated scope includes at least two wires. Each wire has a proximal end anchored to a respective proximal anchoring point and a distal end anchored to a respective distal anchoring point. The wires are disposed around a central axis and extend along the insertion shaft. Each of the wires comprises two-way memory material configured to contract when heated to or above a first predetermined temperature and return to a predetermined original length thereof upon cooling to or below a second predetermined temperature below the first predetermined temperature. The length of each wire is larger than a length along the insertion shaft between the proximal anchoring point and the distal anchoring point to which the wire is anchored, such that each of the wires is incorporated in the insertion shaft with a predetermined slack.

An imaging catheter is provided. In one embodiment, the imaging catheter includes a flexible elongate member that includes a proximal portion formed of a first material embedded with a first braid with a first braid pitch; a distal portion formed of a second material embedded with a second braid with a second braid pitch, wherein the second material is a lower durometer than the first material and wherein the second braid pitch is a higher per inch count than the first braid pitch such that the distal portion is more flexible than the proximal portion; a primary lumen extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion; and a plurality of secondary lumens extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion; and an imaging component coupled to the distal portion of the flexible elongate member.

An instrument having a flexible and elongated body includes at least a lumen and a flex member disposed within the lumen. The flex member may be capable of providing steering control to a first portion of the elongate body while providing load bearing support to a second portion of the elongate body. A pull wire may be disposed within the flex member, and at least a distal portion of the pull wire may be coupled to the elongate body and a proximal portion of the pull wire may be operatively coupled to a control unit. The control unit may be coupled to a proximal portion of the elongate body. In addition, a control member may be operatively coupled to the control unit such that a distal portion of the control member may be positioned near a proximal portion of the flex member. The control member may be configured to support the flex member and control the movement or displacement of the flex member. Furthermore, the flex member may be configured to selectively decouple articulation or steering forces of a first portion of the elongate body away from a second portion of the elongate body; thereby, preventing compression of the second portion of the elongate body while maintaining elasticity or flexibility of the second portion of the elongate body.

A robotic device is provided. The robotic device comprises: an articulatable elongate member comprising a proximal end and a distal end, and the distal end is steerable via a first driving mechanism; an articulatable imaging instrument removably coupled to the articulatable elongate member via a first lumen of the articulatable elongate member, and the articulatable imaging instrument comprises a camera located at a distal portion of the articulatable imaging instrument; an articulatable instrument removably coupled to the articulatable elongate member via a second lumen, and an operation of the articulatable instrument is captured by the camera of the articulatable imaging instrument.

A method cinches a suture. The method provides a cinch having a suture capturing portion configured to capture a suture, a cinch lock coupled with the suture capturing portion, and a cinch anchor having a lumen. The suture capturing portion is extended out of the lumen to capture the suture. The suture is captured by the suture capturing portion. The suture capturing portion is retracted into the lumen of the cinch anchor. The suture is cinched between the cinch lock and the cinch anchor.

A bending operation mechanism of an endoscope includes a bending operation lever, a seal unit having a tubular member and an elastic member. The elastic member has a fixed part attached to an outer circumference of the tubular member in a circumferential manner along a longitudinal axis direction N of the tubular member. An extending part that extends from an outer circumference of the fixed part to the outside of the fixed part in a radial direction K into a shape of a circle substantially concentric with the fixed part. A region extends from the outer circumference of the fixed part would extend with a predetermined angle.

A force transmission transmits forces received by three levers to an input gimbal plate having three support points. The input gimbal play may in turn transmit the force to a wrist assembly coupled to a surgical tool. The three axes of rotation for the three levers are parallel. Two of the levers may have half-cylinder surfaces at an end of the lever to receive a support point of the input gimbal plate. Two of the levers may be supported with one degree of rotational freedom orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the fulcrum. A spring may draw the second and third levers toward one another. Two levers may have stops that bear against the support points. The force transmission may include a parallelogram linkage that includes a rocker link pivotally coupled to the first lever and having a flat surface that supports the first gimbal support point.