Various exemplary methods, systems, and devices for initializing a surgical tool are provided. In general, a surgical tool can include an end effector, an elongate shaft, and a wrist that couples the end effector to a distal end of the shaft. The wrist can be configured to facilitate movement of the end effector relative to the shaft. The surgical tool can include multiple flexible members configured to move, either individually or as a group including any plural number of the flexible members, to cause the movement of the end effector relative to the shaft by pivoting at the wrist. The movement of the end effector can include movement between an unarticulated position and an articulated position. The surgical tool can also include one or more homing members configured to be selectively actuated to force the end effector into the unarticulated position.

A surgical instrument for use with a robotic system that has a control unit and a shaft portion that includes an electrically conductive elongated member that is attached to a portion of the robotic system. The elongated member is configured to transmit control motions from the robotic system to an end effector.

Systems and methods are provided for planning a procedure. A display device is configured to display a first virtual element. A controller device having a processor is configured to be in communication with the display device, and the controller device is further configured to direct the display device to display the first virtual element. A physical control element is in communication with the controller device, and is configured to correspond to the first virtual element such that an actual manipulation of the control element is displayed, via the processor of the controller device and on the display device, as a corresponding response of the first virtual element to the actual manipulation of the control element. Associated systems, methods, and computer program products are also provided.

Provided is an image processing device including a matching unit that performs matching processing between a predetermined pattern on a surface of a 3D model of a biological tissue including an operating site generated on the basis of a preoperative diagnosis image and a predetermined pattern on a surface of the biological tissue included in a captured image during surgery, a shift amount estimation unit that estimates an amount of deformation from a preoperative state of the biological tissue on the basis of a result of the matching processing and information regarding a three-dimensional position of a photographing region which is a region photographed during surgery on the surface of the biological tissue, and a 3D model update unit that updates the 3D model generated before surgery on the basis of the estimated amount of deformation of the biological tissue.

A system and method of maintaining a tool position and orientation for a computer-assisted device include a control unit and an articulated structure coupled to the control unit and including a plurality of joints. The articulated structure is configured to support an instrument. The control unit is configured to determine an error that is introduced to a position of the instrument, an orientation of the instrument, or both the position of the instrument and the orientation of the instrument by movement of a first joint of the plurality of joints; and drive at least a second joint of the plurality of joints to reduce the error.

Disclosed are systems, methods, and techniques for registering a HMD coordinate system of a head-mounted display (HMD) and a localizer coordinate system of a surgical navigation localizer. A camera of the HMD captures at least one image of a registration device having a registration coordinate system and a plurality of registration markers. The registration markers are analyzed in the at least one image to determine a pose of the HMD coordinate system relative to the registration coordinate system. One or more position sensors comprised in the localizer detect a plurality of tracking markers comprised in the registration device to determine a pose of the registration coordinate system relative to the localizer coordinate system. The HMD coordinate system and the localizer coordinate system are registered using the registration device, wherein positions of the registration markers are known with respect to positions of the tracking markers in the registration coordinate system.

A surgical manipulator and method of operating the same. The surgical manipulator includes an arm with a plurality of links and joints, wherein an angle between adjacent links forms a joint angle. The arm includes a distal end configured to support a surgical instrument with an energy applicator. At least one controller is coupled to the arm and models the surgical instrument and the energy applicator as a virtual rigid body. The controller(s) determine a commanded pose for the surgical instrument and the energy applicator based on a summation of a plurality of forces and/or torques, wherein the plurality of forces and/or torques are selectively applied to the virtual rigid body to emulate orientation and movement of the surgical instrument and the energy applicator. The controller(s) determine commanded joint angles for the arm that place the surgical instrument and the energy applicator according to the commanded pose.

A holding arm for holding a surgical mechatronic assistance system or a surgical instrument is described. The holding arm includes a proximal end for attaching the holding arm to a base and a distal end for receiving the surgical mechatronic assistance system or the surgical instrument. The holding arm also includes a first arm segment connected to a first joint and a second arm segment connected to a second joint. The first joint and the second joint are releasable and lockable. The holding arm also includes a switch adapted to release both the first and second joints. The holding arm also includes a first contacting device with two contact elements arranged substantially opposite one another on the first arm segment. The first contacting device is adapted to release the first joint only when both of the two contact elements of the first contacting device are contacted.

A catheter procedure system includes a base and a robotic mechanism having a longitudinal axis and being movable relative to the base along the longitudinal axis. The robotic mechanism includes a robotic drive base including at least one drive mechanism, a cassette operatively secured to the robotic drive base, a rigid guide coupled to the cassette and fixed relative to the robotic mechanism and a flexible track having a distal end, a proximal end and a plurality of reflective sections. At least a portion of the flexible track is disposed within the rigid guide. The robotic mechanism also includes a position detector mounted to the robotic drive base and positioned beneath the flexible track. The position detector is configured to detect light reflected off of the reflective sections of the flexible track and to determine the position of the distal end of the flexible track based on the detected reflected light.

The present disclosure provides a system for enabling autonomous or semi-autonomous surgical operations. The system comprises: one or more processors that are individually or collectively configured to: process an image data stream comprising one or more images of a surgical site; fit a parametric model to a tissue surface identified in the one or more images; determine a direction for aligning a tool based in part on the parametric model; determine an optimal path for automatically moving the tool to perform a surgical procedure at the surgical site; and generate one or more control signals for controlling i) a movement of the tool based on the optimal path and ii) a tension force applied to the tissue by the tool during the surgical procedure.