Patent ID: 7930065
Filing Date: 2011-04-19
Classification: A61B,B25J,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: a surgical instrument comprising: at least one elongate arm having: a distal end, a proximal end, at least one joint region disposed between the distal and proximal ends, and an optic fiber including an optical fiber bend sensor provided in the at least one joint region of the at least one elongate arm; a detection system, coupled to the optical fiber bend sensor, comprising: a light source, and a light detector for detecting light reflected by or transmitted through the optical fiber bend sensor, wherein said detection system determines information characterizing the at least one joint region of the at least one elongate arm based on the detected light reflected by or transmitted through the optical fiber bend sensor; and a control system, coupled to said detection system, comprising one or more servo controllers for effectuating movement of the at least one elongate arm, wherein the control system receives the information from said detection system, and wherein the control system utilizes the information as feedback to a loop in a real time closed feedback loop within the control system to perform said effectuating movement of the at least one elongate arm; wherein: said at least one joint region comprises a flexible segment; wherein: said flexible segment comprises a passively-bendable region; and said at least one elongate arm further comprises an actively-controlled bendable region including at least one joint region.