A manipulator system includes a manipulator configured for guiding an instrument. The system furthermore includes a controller configured to actuate the manipulator such that the instrument is pressed with a pressing force against a human body. A force reduction input device is provided separately from the manipulator and is operable by an operator to reduce the pressing force.

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for detecting image degradation during a surgical procedure are provided. A method includes receiving images of a surgical instrument; obtaining baseline images of an edge of the surgical instrument; comparing a characteristic of the images of the surgical instrument to a characteristic of the baseline images of the edge of the surgical instrument, the images of the surgical instrument being received subsequent to obtaining the baseline images of the edge of the surgical instrument and being received while the surgical instrument is disposed at a surgical site in a patient; determining whether the images of the surgical instrument are degraded, based on the comparing of the characteristic of the images of the surgical instrument and the characteristic of the baseline images of the surgical instrument; and generating an image degradation notification, in response to a determination that the images of the surgical instrument are degraded.

Provided are systems and methods for registration of location sensors. In one aspect, a system includes an instrument and a processor configured to provide a first set of commands to drive the instrument along a first branch of the luminal network, the first branch being outside a path to a target within a model. The processor is also configured to track a set of one or more registration parameters during the driving of the instrument along the first branch and determine that the set of registration parameters satisfy a registration criterion. The processor is further configured to determine a registration between a location sensor coordinate system and a model coordinate system based on location data received from a set of location sensors during the driving of the instrument along the first branch and a second branch.

A surgical apparatus system for minimally invasive surgery (MIS) which includes a wrist assembly. The wrist assembly includes a first jaw, a first actuation hub, and a cable redirecting hub operably coupled to the first actuation hub, a second jaw, a second actuation hub, a housing for the first and second jaws, a first cable, a second cable, a third cable, rotational position sensors, and a control system. The first and second jaws of the wrist assembly are movably opposed, and the cables are configured such that applying tensions upon them cables produces rotation about a jaw axis. The wrist assembly may further include a hinge-rotary assembly to configured to provide rotation about a pitch axis and/or a roll axis. The wrist assembly may further include a fourth cable configured such that applying tensions upon the fourth cable and the opposing cable produces rotation about a pitch axis.

A surgical apparatus system for minimally invasive surgery (MIS) which includes a wrist assembly. The wrist assembly includes a first jaw, a first actuation hub, and a cable redirecting hub operably coupled to the first actuation hub, a second jaw, a second actuation hub, a housing for the first and second jaws, a first cable, a second cable, a third cable, rotational position sensors, and a control system. The first and second jaws of the wrist assembly are movably opposed, and the cables are configured such that applying tensions upon them cables produces rotation about a jaw axis. The wrist assembly may further include a hinge-rotary assembly to configured to provide rotation about a pitch axis and/or a roll axis. The wrist assembly may further include a fourth cable configured such that applying tensions upon the fourth cable and the opposing cable produces rotation about a pitch axis.

An electrosurgical instrument for use in a robotic surgical system includes an electrosurgical end effector, a housing configured to be operably coupled to an instrument drive unit, a shaft extending distally from the housing, and a wrist assembly coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft. The wrist assembly includes a first pivot member and a second pivot member having a proximal end portion movably coupled to the first pivot member, and a distal end portion configured to be coupled to the end effector. The first pivot member has a pair of first and second distally-extending arms each defining a first groove configured to receive and guide a cable.

An electrosurgical instrument for use in a robotic surgical system includes an electrosurgical end effector, a housing configured to be operably coupled to an instrument drive unit, a shaft extending distally from the housing, and a wrist assembly coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft. The wrist assembly includes a first pivot member and a second pivot member having a proximal end portion movably coupled to the first pivot member, and a distal end portion configured to be coupled to the end effector. The first pivot member has a pair of first and second distally-extending arms each defining a first groove configured to receive and guide a cable.

A surgical stapling system for stapling the tissue of a patient is disclosed. The stapling system comprises a housing, a shaft extending from the housing, and an end effector extending from the shaft. The end effector comprises a plurality of staples removably stored therein and, also, an anvil configured to deform the staples. The stapling system further comprises a firing mechanism configured to deploy the staples along a staple firing path longer than 60 mm, a camera configured to capture an image of the patient tissue, a display, and a controller configured to generate an image of the staple firing path, wherein the images are displayed on the display.

A steerable instrument (100) controllable by a robotic arm (200), having a proximal end (20) and a distal (40) end comprising: a cylindrical shaft (130), a cylindrical bendable proximal part (120) and a cylindrical bendable distal part (140), a connector (110) configured for dismountable attachment to the robotic arm (200), attached in fixed rotational relation to the bendable proximal part (120), an end effector (150) attached in fixed rotational relation to the bendable distal part (140), the steerable instrument (100) configured such that: the bendable distal part (140) bends responsive to bending of the bendable proximal part (120), and the end effector (150) is rotatable when the bendable distal part (140) is in a bent position by a complementary rotation of the connector (110), the shaft (130) is pivotable around a fulcrum zone (134) on the shaft (130) and changes direction responsive to a complementary movement of the connector (110), thereby providing control of the shaft (130) direction, bending of the bendable distal part (140), and rotation of the end effector (150) through robotic movement of the connector (110).

A steerable instrument (100) controllable by a robotic arm (200), having a proximal end (20) and a distal (40) end comprising: a cylindrical shaft (130), a cylindrical bendable proximal part (120) and a cylindrical bendable distal part (140), a connector (110) configured for dismountable attachment to the robotic arm (200), attached in fixed rotational relation to the bendable proximal part (120), an end effector (150) attached in fixed rotational relation to the bendable distal part (140), the steerable instrument (100) configured such that: the bendable distal part (140) bends responsive to bending of the bendable proximal part (120), and the end effector (150) is rotatable when the bendable distal part (140) is in a bent position by a complementary rotation of the connector (110), the shaft (130) is pivotable around a fulcrum zone (134) on the shaft (130) and changes direction responsive to a complementary movement of the connector (110), thereby providing control of the shaft (130) direction, bending of the bendable distal part (140), and rotation of the end effector (150) through robotic movement of the connector (110).