The disclosure provides a surgical apparatus comprising: a steerable member that is bendable and comprises a plurality of bending segments with channels therein; and a plurality of bending actuation wires that are arranged to pass through the steerable member and cause the steerable member to bend, the steerable member comprising at least one outwardly opening lumen through which the bending actuation wires pass.

In order to provide a surgical tool that has an open-close end effector such as forceps, and is designed to be small in size and light in weight, the surgical tool includes: a shaft (102); a pitch unit (401) that is connected to an end of the shaft (102) and is able to turn about a first axis; a roll unit (402) that is supported and is rotatable about a second axis with respect to the pitch unit (401); and a grip unit (403) that is supported and is linearly movable in the second axis direction with respect to the roll unit (402), and the surgical tool further includes a pair of jaws (405a, 405b) that are attached to the lower end of the roll unit (402) in the second axis direction, and open and close in conjunction with linear motion of the grip unit (403) in the second axis direction.

A robotic surgical instrument, comprising: a shaft; an end effector element; an articulation at a distal end of the shaft for articulating the end effector element, the articulation comprising: a first and second joint permitting the end effector element to adopt a range of configurations relative to a longitudinal axis of the shaft, the first joint being driveable by a first pair of driving elements having a first positional accuracy requirement and the second joint being driveable by a second pair of driving elements having a second positional accuracy requirement lower than the positional accuracy requirement of the first pair of driving elements; and an instrument interface at a proximal end of the shaft, comprising: a chassis formed from the attachment of a first chassis portion to a second chassis portion, the first chassis portion comprising a mounting surface to which the shaft is mounted; wherein the first pair of driving elements are secured relative to the first chassis portion.

The disclosure provides a surgical apparatus comprising: a steerable member that is bendable and comprises a plurality of bending segments with channels therein; and a plurality of bending actuation wires that are arranged to pass through the steerable member and cause the steerable member to bend, the steerable member comprising at least one outwardly opening lumen through which the bending actuation wires pass.

A surgical instrument holder includes a carriage, a housing, and a drive assembly. The carriage is configured for engagement to a surgical robotic arm and for supporting an instrument drive unit. The housing extends from the carriage and defines a channel. The drive assembly includes a pulley, a belt, and an annular member. The pulley is rotatably disposed within the housing and in operable engagement with a motor of the carriage such that actuation of the motor rotates the pulley. The belt is rotatably disposed within the housing and in operable engagement with the pulley such that rotation of the pulley effects rotation of the belt. The annular member is disposed within the channel of the housing and configured for non-rotatable receipt of an instrument drive unit. The annular member is in operable engagement with the belt such that rotation of the belt effects rotation of the annular member.

A robotic surgical tool includes a handle having a plurality of drive inputs rotatably mounted thereto, an elongate shaft extending through the handle and having an end effector arranged at a distal end thereof, and a plurality of drive members extending along the shaft to the end effector. A plurality of input stacks are arranged within the handle and operatively coupled to the plurality of drive inputs such that actuation of the plurality of drive inputs rotates the plurality of input stacks. Each input stack includes a drive member engagement device that locates and captures a corresponding one of the plurality of drive members at the handle upon rotation of the input stack.

An apparatus and method for an articulating microsurgical instrument is disclosed herein. The articulating microsurgical instrument may be configured to be operable with a Doppler probe, bone grasper, soft tissue grasper/dissector, scissors, flexible forceps, or a suction/irrigation line configured to provide tools within a surgical location that can be adjusted to a desired angle of operation. A tip assembly may comprise an articulating portion at a distal tip and the articulating portion may be configured to deflect upon actuation of an articulation control. The articulation control may be a trigger assembly or a roller wheel. A bayonet-style handle may include a set of posts configured to interact with the one or more control wires during actuation of the articulation control. One or more control wires may be housed in a lumen and actuated using a articulation control of a handle assembly.

An electromechanical robotic surgical instrument is provided and includes a flexible shaft defining a lumen therethrough; an end effector pivotally supported by the flexible shaft; at least one cable translatably disposed within the lumen of the flexible shaft, wherein a distal end of each cable is operatively connected to the end effector to affect a movement of the end effector in response to translation of the at least one cable, wherein the at least one cable includes metrical markings along an outer surface thereof, which metrical markings are located adjacent to the end effector; and at least one linear encoder supported by the flexible shaft and being in operative registration with the metrical markings of a respective one of the at least one cable, wherein the at least one linear encoder is configured to measure changes in the metrical markings.

A tool member is rotatably coupled to a distal end portion of a shaft and includes a drive pulley and a coupling spool. A mechanical structure is coupled to a proximal end portion of the shaft and includes first and second capstans. The first and second capstans each include a first portion and a second portion. A distal portion of the cable is wrapped at least one revolution about the coupling spool. A first proximal end of the cable is wrapped about the second portion of the first capstan such that a second portion crosses over a first portion of the first proximal end of the cable. The second proximal end of the cable is wrapped about the second portion of the second capstan such that a second portion of the second proximal end of the cable crosses over a first portion of the second proximal end of the cable.

Provided is a stiffness-reinforced surgical system. A stiffness-reinforced surgical system includes a plurality of links provided rotatably with each other to form a joint device, a main tendon configured to form a traction force for driving the links, an auxiliary tendon configured to form a traction force to resist rotation of the links, and a controller configured to control the traction forces of the main tendon and the auxiliary tendon. According to example embodiment, it is possible to provide a stiffness-reinforced surgical system configured such that an overtube forms sufficient flexibility while being inserted into the lumen and forms high stiffness during lesion removal, and a control method thereof.