An elongate medical device shaft may comprise an elongate body and an annular electrode disposed on the elongate body. The annular electrode may define a longitudinal axis and have an outer diameter. The outer diameter may be greater at an axial center of the electrode than at an axial end of the electrode. Additionally or alternatively, the elongate body may comprise three longitudinal sections having three wall thicknesses. The middle wall thickness may be less than the proximal and distal wall thicknesses and the distal wall thickness may be less than the proximal wall thickness. Additionally or alternatively, the shaft may comprise an inner cylindrical structure and an outer tube. The outer tube may comprise a first radial layer and a second radial layer that is radially-outward of the first radial layer, the first radial layer, second radial layer, and inner structure having different stiffnesses.

A flexible tube insertion apparatus includes an insertion section inserted into an insertion target conduit, a rigidity variable member disposed inside the insertion section and capable of changing rigidity, and a binding member configured to bind a proximal end portion of the rigidity variable member to be capable of changing a pressing force applied to an outer circumferential surface of the proximal end portion.

A medical apparatus includes a medical device capable of maneuvering within a patient, an input device configured to be operated by a hand of a user, one or more sensors for sensing whether the hand of the user is interacting with the input device, and a controller configured to determine whether the one or more sensors is sensing that the hand of the user is interacting with the input device, and in a case that the controller determines that the one or more sensors is sensing that the hand of the user is not interacting with the input device, prevent actuation of the medical device.

A cover for magnetizing a shaft of a tissue-penetrating medical device is disclosed including a sleeve member having a hollow body to form a protective closure over the shaft of the tissue-penetrating medical device. The open end of the hollow body provides a receiving space for receiving the shaft of the tissue-penetrating medical device. A magnet is disposed on the sleeve member. Medical devices and methods of magnetizing the shaft of a tissue-penetrating medical device using the cover are also disclosed.

Disclosed is a guidewire steering micro-robot. The guidewire steering micro-robot includes a guidewire, and a steering unit provided at an end portion of the guidewire, the steering unit including a magnetic body to control and steer a position of the guidewire by an external magnetic field.

A guiding assembly for catheters comprises two coupling means; a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator which is electrically actuatable by providing resistive heating resulting from an electric current, wherein the SMA actuator is fixed to the two coupling means and at least one part of the SMA actuator is positioned between the two coupling means; a super-elastic alloy (SEA) member fixed to the two coupling means, wherein at least one part of the SEA member is positioned between the two coupling means. The guiding assembly may further comprise at least one deformation sensor for measuring deformation levels of the SMA actuator.

In some examples, a catheter includes an elongated body and an expandable member at a distal portion of the elongated body and defining at least part of a distal tip of the catheter. The expandable member includes a flexible membrane and an expandable ring or partial ring located at a distal portion of the expandable member, wherein the expandable ring or partial ring is configured to expand radially outward in response to electrical energy applied to the expandable ring or partial ring.

A thread-like variable stiffness device including an elongate shaft, the shaft includes a polymeric material, and a heat conducting device configured to exchange heat with the polymeric material to cause a phase transition of the polymeric material conferring a variable stiffness to the thread-like device, wherein the polymeric material is a thermoset shape memory material.

In some examples, a catheter includes an elongated body that includes a proximal portion and a distal portion, and one or more electroactive elements in at least one of the proximal portion or the distal portion of the elongated body. The one or more electroactive elements each include a contractive material configured contract in response to an application of an electrical signal to the respective electroactive element. The contraction of the electroactive elements is configured to change a dimension or a shape of the elongated body. The electroactive elements may be distributed around the elongated body at the distal portion of the elongated body, such as in different axial or radial positions. The electroactive elements may comprise a nickel titanium (NiTi) alloy having a Ni:Ti composition of about 50:50.

A device comprises a plurality of electroactive material actuator units arranged as a linear set. Data for controlling the driving of the individual units is provided on a data line, and data line connections are made between each adjacent pair of electroactive material actuator units. The electroactive material actuator units are controlled in dependence on received data from the data line. This provides a reduced complexity of the wiring when multiple actuators need to be addressed and controlled in small application environments.