A machine is configured to access force data generated by a force sensor, where the force sensor is communicatively coupled to a proximal portion of a flexible elongate device that has a distal portion configured to travel within an environment, and where the force sensor is configured to detect forces and generate the force data therefrom. The machine, based on the force data, identifies an insertion force encountered by the distal portion of the flexible elongate device from among the forces detected by the force sensor. The machine then, based on the identified insertion force, initiates a responsive operation performed by a control system communicatively coupled to the flexible elongate device.

Methods and systems for determining and mapping a location of a distal end region of an elongate shaft. An illustrative method may comprise obtaining data from an accelerometer located in the elongate shaft adjacent a distal end thereof, determining a length of the elongate shaft inserted into a body from a reference point, merging the accelerometer data and the length of the elongate shaft to localize the distal end region of the elongate shaft, reconstructing a line of travel of the medical device within the body, and superimposing the reconstructed line of travel over an image of an anatomy of the patient.

A fiber includes M primary cores and N redundant cores, where M an integer is greater than two and N is an integer greater than one. Interferometric circuitry detects interferometric pattern data associated with the M primary cores and the N redundant cores when the optical fiber is placed into a sensing position. Data processing circuitry calculates a primary core fiber bend value for the M primary cores and a redundant core fiber bend value for the N redundant cores based on a predetermined geometry of the M primary cores and the N redundant cores in the fiber and detected interferometric pattern data associated with the M primary cores and the N redundant cores. The primary core fiber bend value and the redundant core fiber bend value are compared in a comparison. The detected data for the M primary cores is determined reliable or unreliable based on the comparison. A signal is generated in response to an unreliable determination.

A device comprising includes an insertable structure usable in a surgical theater, a fiber optic line extending through the structure, wherein a computer system is configured to determine a shape of the fiber optic line extending through the structure, and one or more electromagnetic sensors wrapped at least in part around one or more portions of the fiber optic line, wherein the computer system is configured to determine a position and orientation of the one or more electromagnetic sensors, wherein the computer system is configured to determine a shape and a position of the structure based on the determined shape of the fiber optic line extending through the structure and the determined position and orientation of the one or more electromagnetic sensors.

A robotic system can incorporate one or more sensors along a robotic arm in order to permit self- or auto-alignment of the robotic arm with a cannula during a docking procedure. The sensor can detect and measure a force or moment resulting from contact between an instrument driver of the robotic arm and the cannula. In response thereto, the robotic system can translate and/or rotate components of the robotic arm in order to align the instrument driver with the cannula, thereby facilitating latching of the cannula to the instrument driver.

A method performed by a computing system comprises receiving a fluoroscopic image of a patient anatomy while a portion of a medical instrument is positioned within the patient anatomy. The fluoroscopic image has a fluoroscopic frame of reference. The portion has a sensed position in an anatomic model frame of reference. The method further comprises identifying the portion in the fluoroscopic image and identifying an extracted position of the portion in the fluoroscopic frame of reference using the identified portion in the fluoroscopic image. The method further comprises registering the fluoroscopic frame of reference to the anatomic model frame of reference based on the sensed position of the portion and the extracted position of the portion.

A medical instrument includes a first device (108) including shape-sensed flexible instrument, a second device (102) disposed over the first device and a third device (109) disposed over the first device and a portion of the second device. The second and third devices include a geometric relationship such that a position of the second device and the third device is determined from shape sensing information of the first device and the geometric relationship.

A medical navigation system including a controller configured to: generate a three-dimensional (3D) volume based upon acquired image information of a region of interest (ROI), determine a reference path (RP) to an object-of-interest (OOI) situated within the ROI, the RP defining an on-road path (ONP) through at least one natural pathway of an organ subject to cyclical motion and an adjacent off-road path (ORP) through tissue of the organ leading to the OOI, and an exit point situated between the ONP and the ORP, query an SSD within the at least one natural pathway to obtain SSDI, determine a shape and a pose of one or more portions of the SSD in accordance with the SSDI, calculate an error between the RP and the determined shape and pose of the SSD, and/or determine when or where to exit a wall of the natural pathway and begin the ORP based upon the calculated error.

Medical imaging systems and methods are provided herein that provide for navigation and procedure planning without segmentation. A method comprises receiving, by a medical imaging system having at least one processing device, three-dimensional image data of a patient anatomy. The method also comprises filtering the three-dimensional data to display a portion of the three-dimensional image data that is associated with the patient anatomy and receiving, at the processing device, input from an operator input device. The input comprises navigational directions for virtual movement within a space defined by the three-dimensional image data. The method also includes tracking the virtual movement, defining a tracked pathway based on the tracked virtual movement, and generating a model of the patient anatomy based on the tracked pathway. The model of the patient anatomy is a line model including one or more lines based on the tracked pathway.

The present disclosure relates to systems, devices, and methods for augmenting a two-dimensional image with three-dimensional pose information of instruments shown in the two-dimensional image.