Verb Surgical Inc.

For control of a surgical instrument in a surgical robotic system, multiple actuators establish a static pretension by actuating in opposition to each other in torque control. The static pretension reduces or removes the compliance and elasticity, reducing the backlash width. To drive the tool, the actuators are then moved in cooperation with each other in position mode control so that the movement maintains the static pretension while providing precise control.

A method for controlling a robotic arm in a robotic surgical system includes defining a reference plane at a predetermined reference location for a robotic arm, where the robotic arm includes a plurality of joints, and driving at least one of the plurality of joints to guide the robotic arm through a series of predetermined poses substantially constrained within the reference plane.

A trocar ( 1 ) has a pipe part ( 11 ) and a stowable camera ( 17 ). The pipe part ( 11 ) has an opening ( 13 ) on the side surface thereof. A wiper blade ( 21 ) is fixed to the trocar ( 1 ) tip side end of the opening ( 13 ). The camera ( 17 ) is rotatably fixed to the pipe part ( 11 ) and extends to the outside of the pipe part ( 11 ) as a result of being impelled by a torsion spring ( 22 ). When a surgeon manipulates a switching mechanism ( 16 ), the camera ( 17 ), against to the impelling by the torsion spring ( 22 ), passes through the opening ( 13 ) and rotates into the pipe part ( 11 ). When the surgeon releases the switching mechanism ( 16 ), the torsion spring ( 22 ) rotates the camera ( 17 ) to the outside of the pipe ( 11 ) via an opening ( 13 ). When the camera ( 17 ) rotates, the lens of the camera ( 17 ) slides over the wiper blade ( 21 ). At this time, the wiper blade ( 21 ) removes clouding and organic matter from the lens.

This patent disclosure provides various embodiments of combining multiple modalities of non-text surgical data in forms of videos, images, and audios in a meaningful manner so that the combined data can be used to perform comprehensive data analytics for a surgical procedure. In some embodiments, the disclosed system can begin by receiving two or more modalities of surgical data during the surgical procedure. The system then time-synchronizes the two or more modalities of surgical data to generate two or more modalities of time-synchronized surgical data. Next, the system converts each modality of the time-synchronized surgical data into a corresponding array of values of a common format. The system then combines the two or more arrays of values to generate a combined set of values. The system subsequently performs comprehensive data analytics on the combined set of values to generate a surgical decision for the surgical procedure.

An energy tool for a surgical robotic system, the energy tool comprising: a jaw coupled to a base, the jaw having a first anvil that moves relative to a second anvil between an open position and a closed position; and at least one of a force sensor, a temperature sensor and an acoustic sensor coupled to the jaw.

Generally, a sterile adapter for use in robotic surgery may include a frame configured to be interposed between a tool driver and a surgical tool, a plate assembly coupled to the frame, and at least one rotatable coupler supported by the plate assembly and configured to communicate torque from an output drive of the tool driver to an input drive of the surgical tool.

Systems and methods for intraoperative tracking and visualization are disclosed. A current minimally invasive surgical (MIS) instrument pose may be determined based on a live intraoperative input video stream comprising a current image frame captured by a MIS camera. In addition, an instrument activation state and at least one parameter value associated with the instrument may also be determined. Intraoperative graphic visualization enhancements may be determined based on the activation state of the instrument, and/or a comparison of parameter values with corresponding parametric thresholds. The visualization enhancements may be applied to a current graphics frame. The current graphics frame may also include visualization enhancements related to proximate anatomical structures with proximity determined from the instrument pose and an anatomical model. The current graphics frame may be blended with the current input image frame to obtain an output blended image frame, which may form part of an output video stream.

A system and computerized method for detection of engagement of a surgical tool to a tool drive of a robotic arm of a surgical robotic system. The method may include activating an actuator of the tool drive to rotate a drive disk to be mechanically engaged with a tool disk in the surgical tool. One or more motor operating parameters of the actuator that is causing the rotation of the drive disk are monitored while activating the actuator. The method detects when the drive disk becomes mechanically engaged with the tool disk, based on the one or more monitored motor operating parameters. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Communication apparatus and devices for surgical robotic systems are described. The communication apparatus can include a user console in communication with a communication device having a surgical tool. The communication device can include a microphone to convert a sound input into an acoustic input signal. The communication device can transmit the acoustic input signal to the user console for reproduction as a sound output for a remote operator. The surgical tool can include an endoscope having several microphones mounted on a housing. The surgical tool can be a sterile barrier having a microphone and a drape. The microphone(s) of the surgical tools can face a surrounding environment such that a tableside staff is a source of the sound input that causes the sound output, and a surgeon and the tableside staff can communicate in a noisy environment. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

A method performed by a surgical system. The method includes receiving 1) a video stream captured by a camera inside an operating room and 2) an audio stream that includes sounds captured by a microphone inside the operating room. The method detects an audio event within the operating room by performing an acoustic analysis upon the audio stream. The method produces a timestamp based on the detected audio event and based on an internal clock of the electronic device and tags the timestamp to the video stream and the audio stream. The method stores the tagged image stream and the tagged audio stream in memory.