Patent ID: 8394054
Filing Date: 2013-03-12
Classification: A61B,A61M

Abstract:
1. A robotic instrument system, comprising: an elongate flexible instrument that is bendable to form a curve; a controller configured to selectively actuate one or more motors operably coupled to the instrument to thereby selectively bend the instrument; and a haptic input device in communication with the controller and configured for generating instrument bending commands in response to a directional movement of the input device, wherein the controller is configured to compare a desired bending of the instrument corresponding to the instrument bending commands received from the input device against one or more instrument workspace limitations and, if the desired bending of the instrument contravenes an instrument workspace limitation, transmits a bending limitation signal to the input device in response to the respective instrument bending command, wherein the input device, upon receiving the bending limitation signal from the controller, imparts a detectable resistance to further directional movement of the input device.