A system for controlling a robotic end-effector is disclosed. The system includes a robotic arm, a surgical tool including an end-effector with articulatable arm and a clamp jaw. A tool driver is coupled to the surgical tool and a motor is coupled to the tool driver and is configured to drive the surgical tool. A sensor is configured to sense external forces applied to the end-effector. A central control circuit is configured to control the tool driver. The central control circuit is configured to receive a sensed parameter from the sensor, receive a sensed motor current (I) from the motor, and control the tool driver based on the sensed parameter and the motor current (I).

A surgical robotic arm includes an instrument having a plurality of cables that are movable longitudinally and an end effector movable by the cables. The surgical robotic arm also includes a drive unit having a plurality of motors each of which is configured to move one of the cables and a plurality of torque sensors, each of which is configured to measure torque output by one of the motors. The surgical robotic arm also includes a controller configured to receive a torque measurement from each of the torque sensors and control each of the motors to apply a minimum torque to maintain a minimum tension on each of the cables based on the torque measurement from each of the torque sensors.

A torque wrench for use in driving fasteners is provided. The wrench includes an electronics unit disposed within a housing engaged with the body of the wrench that is capable of sensing and measuring the torque applied to a fastener by the wrench and providing an output of the level of torque to the user. The data sensed by the electronics unit can be utilized to provide feedback to the user regarding the operation of the wrench, and to monitor the overall operation of the wrench for calibration purposes, among other functions. During use, the wrench can provide the user with visual, audible and tactile feedback regarding the operation of the device relative to stored maximum torque values stored in the electronics unit. The housing for the electronics unit can be formed to be a single use component of the tool or can be designed for multiple uses with a configuration that can be engaged with cradles forming the body of the wrench having various different configurations.

A medical observation apparatus includes an imaging device that captures an observation target, an arm that supports the imaging device and includes multiple links joined to each other by multiple joints, and driving circuitry. The driving circuitry is configured to determine a control torque in at least one joint to be controlled from among the multiple joints and to control driving of the at least one joint based on the control torque such that an external torque acting on the at least one joint according to an operation on the arm is within a fixed range.

A surgical system includes an electrosurgical tool configured to be releasably coupled to a surgical robotic system having a control system. The tool has a shaft having an end effector with treatment electrodes configured to apply electrosurgical power to a tissue, and aspiration and irrigation tubes having ports in the vicinity of the electrodes. The control system can control a flow rate of an irrigation fluid based on deviation of power delivered by the electrodes to the tissue from a power set point, or based on an aspiration rate that is controlled based on tissue impedance. The tool can have first and second ports and a conduit configured to selectively provide or aspirate fluids through at least one of the ports. At least one of a flow rate and an aspiration rate are controlled by the control system based on a rotational angle of the shaft relative to a ground.

Techniques for operating an instrument include a computer-assisted device having one or more processors, a motor or other active actuator, and an articulated arm configured to support the instrument having a cutting blade. The one or more processors are configured to control, using the motor or other active actuator, the instrument according to a force or torque limit profile. The force or torque limit profile includes a first force or torque limit used when extending the cutting blade from a first position to a second position, a second force or torque limit used when retracting the cutting blade from the second position to a third position between the first position and the second position and further retracting the cutting blade to the first position, and a third force or torque limit used while the cutting blade is in the first position.

Described within are systems, methods and apparatus for a bone mounted robotic-assisted orthopedic surgery system for precise implant position, soft tissue balancing and guidance of tools during a surgical procedure, particularly partial or total knee replacement procedure. The system features a bone mounted robotic arm with end-effector for precise positioning of surgical tool, position in of implants and balancing of soft tissues. The reconfigurable robotic system requires minimal training by surgeons, is intuitive to use similar to conventional instrumented surgery and has a small footprint. The system works with existing, conventional instruments, patient specific instruments, sensor-assisted systems and computer-assisted systems and does not require increased surgical time and safely provides the enhanced precision achievable by robotic-assisted systems and computer-assisted technologies.

Disclosed herein are suture clip delivery devices that can be loaded with several flat, disk-shaped suture clips and can deploy the suture clips one after another onto respective sutures without reloading the device with additional suture clips. An exemplary device includes a handle portion with an actuation mechanism that is coupled to a shaft portion that holds and deploys the suture clips. The shaft portion includes a mandrel on which the suture clips are mounted and a retainer that restricts the suture clips from moving proximally when the actuation mechanism pulls the mandrel proximally, which causes a distal-most suture clip to slide off the mandrel and be deployed onto one or more suture. The mandrel and remaining suture clips can them move distally to prepare to deploy the next suture clip.

A surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument comprises an end effector comprising an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm. The clamp arm is movable relative to the ultrasonic blade to transition the end effector between an open configuration and a closed configuration to clamp tissue between the ultrasonic blade and the clamp arm. The surgical instrument further comprises a transducer configured to generate an ultrasonic energy output and a waveguide configured to transmit the ultrasonic energy output to the ultrasonic blade. The surgical instrument further comprises a control circuit configured to monitor a parameter of the surgical instrument, wherein crossing an upper predetermined threshold of the parameter causes the control circuit to effect a first electromechanical system, and wherein crossing a lower predetermined threshold of the parameter causes the control circuit to effect a second electromechanical system different than the first electromechanically system.

A device management system can include a device comprising a drive assembly configured to removably couple with an instrument. The drive assembly can include a plurality of drive elements configured to cause movement of the instrument by driving a plurality of input elements of the instrument. A control system can include a processor configured select, for a first drive element of the plurality of drive elements, a first assignment from a plurality of assignments, the first assignment being available to at least two drive elements of the plurality of drive elements. The first assignment can be associated with a first pairing of the first drive element with a first input element of the plurality of input elements. The processor can be configured to cause the first drive element to adopt the first assignment.