A steerable tube (100), comprising a hollow elongate tubular member (1) having a proximal end (2), distal end (3), a wall surface disposed between said proximal (2) and distal end (4), a bend-resistive zone (6) flanked by a proximal bendable zone (4) that forms a controller and a distal bendable zone (5) that forms an effector that moves responsive to movements of the controller, whereby the wall of the tubular member (1) in the bend-resistive zone (6) comprises a structure that is a plurality of longitudinal slits (7), forming a plurality of longitudinal strips (8, 8), the wall of the tubular member (1) in the proximal bendable zone (4) and the distal bendable zone (5) comprises a structure that is a plurality of longitudinal wires (9, 9, 10, 10), at least one strip (8) is in connection with a wire (9) in the proximal bendable zone (4) and a wire (10) in the distal bendable zone (5), such that translation by said wire (9) in the controller is transmitted via the strip (8) to said wire (10) in the effector, a proximal annular region (11) of the tubular member (1), proximal to the proximal bendable zone (4) to which the proximal wires (9) are anchored, a distal annular region (12) of the tubular member (1) distal to the distal bendable zone (5) to which the distal wires (10) are anchored.

The present invention relates, generally, to reporting the approximate three-dimensional orientation of the steerable distal portion of an endoscope to the user of the endoscope. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for providing the endoscope-user a display from which to more easily determine the approximate three-dimensional orientation of the steerable distal portion of the endoscope, thereby facilitating navigation of the endoscope. The present invention also relates to a system and method for limiting the amount the steerable distal portion can bend overall to reduce or eliminate the user's ability to over-retroflex the steerable distal portion of the endoscope.

Aspects of the invention provides an imaging mini-scope, an attachment clip and a system including these components. Another aspect provides a method to using the imaging scope and attachment clip for an endoscopic procedure. In one embodiment, the mini-scope includes an elongated body having an attached jacket extending to its proximal end to its distal end. The jacket includes a longitudinal track extending from the distal end to the proximal end and defining a lumen having a restricted opening on the external surface of the jacket. The attachment clip includes a head portion that is sized and shaped to fit in the lumen and to slidably engage the longitudinal track.

An introduction device includes, a grip portion which has a first wall portion, and a second wall portion, a curving portion which is configured to curve in a first surface and in a second surface that intersects at right angles with the first surface, a first dial portion which is rotatably provided in the first wall portion and which curves the curving portion in the first surface in accordance with a rotation amount, and a dial unit includes a shaft rotatably provided on the second wall portion, and a second dial portion which is fixed to the shaft and which curves the curving portion in the second surface in accordance with a rotation amount, the shaft being oblique to the longitudinal axis when seen from the side of the second wall portion.

A highly articulated robotic probe (HARP) is comprised of a first mechanism and a second mechanism, one or both of which can be steered in desired directions. Each mechanism can alternate between being rigid and limp. In limp mode the mechanism is highly flexible. When one mechanism is limp, the other is rigid. The limp mechanism is then pushed or pulled along the rigid mechanism. The limp mechanism is made rigid, thereby assuming the shape of the rigid mechanism. The rigid mechanism is made limp and the process repeats. These innovations allow the device to drive anywhere in three dimensions. The device can remember its previous configurations, and can go anywhere in a body or other structure (e.g. jet engines). When used in medical applications, once the device arrives at a desired location, the inner core mechanism can be removed and another functional device such as a scalpel, clamp or other tool slid through the rigid sleeve to perform. Because of the rules governing abstracts, this abstract should not be used to construe the claims.

This invention relates to an endoscopic device, and more particularly but not exclusively to an endoscopic device suitable for use in diagnostic and/or surgical procedures. The endoscopic device includes a base and a shaft extending from the base. The shaft is at least partially flexible and includes a bending section that is selectively displaceable between a straight configuration and a bent configuration. The endoscopic device also includes an actuation arrangement for selectively displacing the bending section between the straight and bent positions. The actuation arrangement includes at least one actuator which is at least partially made from a shape memory alloy, and which is configured to displace the bending section of the shaft when electric current is passed therethrough. The actuator is located inside the base of the device.

An endoscope device includes: an insertion unit having segments continuously provided along an axial direction of the insertion unit and configured to be inserted into a lumen; a state quantity calculating unit configured to calculate a state quantity of each segment; variable rigidity portions provided for each segment to allow bending rigidity of each segment to be variable; an origin specifying unit configured to specify an origin segment among the segments in setting a segment range indicating which segment the bending rigidity is to be changed or in setting the bending rigidity, based on the state quantity of each segment; and an operation controller configured to: set the segment range or set the bending rigidity of each segment, based on the origin segment; and decrease bending rigidities of two or more continuously provided segments based on the set segment range or on the set bending rigidity.

A flexible robotic endoscopy slave system includes an endoscope body and a flexible elongate shaft extending therefrom into which at least one tendon driven robotic endoscopic instrument is insertable; a docking station with which the endoscope body is releasably dockable; and a translation mechanism for selectively longitudinally displacing the endoscopic instrument(s) within the flexible elongate shaft when the endoscope body is docked. The translation mechanism can carry and selectively displace actuators that drive each robotic endoscopic instrument by way of tendons. At least one degree of freedom (DOF) of robotic instrument motion is controlled by a pair of actuators and a corresponding pair of tendons. Actuation engagement structures releasably couple the actuators to an adapter structure for driving each endoscopic instrument. Tendon pretensioning can occur automatically under programmable control. A roll joint without tendon crimping structures can be employed in a robotic endoscopic instrument for reducing tendon wear and roll joint spatial volume.

An actuator is provided with a tubular actuator element and a supporting body which supports an inner peripheral surface of the actuator element. An internal pressure of the actuator element is higher than an external pressure of the actuator element.

Methods and apparatus for accessing and treating regions of the body are disclosed herein. Using an endoscopic device having an automatically controllable proximal portion and a selectively steerable distal portion, the device generally may be advanced into the body through an opening. The distal portion is selectively steered to assume a selected curve along a desired path within the body which avoids contact with tissue while the proximal portion is automatically controlled to assume the selected curve of the distal portion. The endoscopic device can then be used for accessing various regions of the body which are typically difficult to access and treat through conventional surgical techniques because the device is unconstrained by straight-line requirements. Various applications can include accessing regions of the brain, thoracic cavity, including regions within the heart, peritoneal cavity, etc., which are difficult to reach using conventional surgical procedures.