Patent ID: 8641663

Claim:
An input device for a robotic medical system including a medical instrument with a distal end, the input device comprising: an input device handle configured to remotely control said medical instrument, to be rotatable about an axis, and to be longitudinally displaceable along the axis; a first sensor configured to detect axial rotation of the input device handle; a second sensor configured to detect longitudinal displacement of the input device handle along the axis; and a deflection control element disposed on or about the input device handle and configured to selectively control deflection of said distal end of said medical instrument within a deflection plane via a control rod operatively connected to the deflection control element; a hollow spline operatively coupled with the input device handle, the hollow spline having an aperture configured to permit motion of the control rod within the aperture; wherein longitudinal displacement of the input device handle results in a corresponding longitudinal motion of said medical instrument, wherein the corresponding longitudinal motion of said medical instrument is proportional to the longitudinal displacement of the input device handle; rotation of the input device handle results in a corresponding rotation of the deflection plane, wherein the corresponding rotation of the deflection plane is proportional to the rotation of the input device handle; and the longitudinal displacement and rotation of the input device handle are detected electronically and outputted as electrical signals representative of the longitudinal displacement of the input device handle and the rotation of the input device handle.