Patent ID: 11911111
Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  G | IPC A  G

Claim 7:
8. A method for controlling movement of a steerable surgical device that includes a first tubular element, a second tubular element longitudinally displaced from the first tubular element, and a joint comprising a flexible tubular element between the first and second tubular elements, and that is insertable into tissue of a mammalian body, the method comprising:
generating, by at least one processor, a transit path of the steerable surgical device through the tissue extending from an insertion point to a target point, wherein the transit path avoids one or more obstacles;
controlling, by the at least one processor, a plurality of surgical device actuation elements to advance the steerable surgical device through the tissue along at least one segment of the transit path, wherein the plurality of surgical device actuation elements comprises a first motor for controlling linear insertion of the steerable surgical device, a second motor for controlling rotary position of the steerable surgical device, and at least two electrically operated actuators configured to effectuate pivotal movement between the first tubular element and the second tubular element, wherein the at least two electrically operated actuators comprise shape memory alloy actuators that each extend in a longitudinal direction through longitudinal bores defined within the flexible tubular element, and wherein the shape memory alloy actuators are isolated from an exterior surface of the joint and prevented from contacting the tissue upon insertion of the steerable surgical device therein;
detecting, by an imaging apparatus including an ultrasound imaging probe arranged external to the mammalian body, a position of a tip of the steerable surgical device within the tissue;
identifying, by the at least one processor, position of the tip of the steerable surgical device within the tissue using signals received from the imaging apparatus;
generating, by the at least one processor, an updated transit path for controlling movement of the steerable surgical device from a current position to the target point, wherein the updated transit path avoids the one or more obstacles; and
controlling, by the at least one processor, the plurality of surgical device actuation elements to advance the steerable surgical device through the tissue along at least one segment of the updated transit path;
wherein transit of the steerable surgical device through the tissue is controlled by the at least one processor without human intervention.