US 12,004,710 B2
Systems and methods for holding a flexible elongate device in a pose
Joseph D. Bogusky, San Jose, CA (US); and Randall L. Schlesinger, San Mateo, CA (US)
Assigned to INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Appl. No. 17/254,122
Filed by INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
PCT Filed Jun. 19, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/037954
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 18, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/246240, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 26, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/687,120, filed on Jun. 19, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0268233 A1, Sep. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. A61M 25/01 (2006.01); A61B 1/00 (2006.01); A61B 1/005 (2006.01); A61B 34/20 (2016.01); A61B 34/35 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 1/00078 (2013.01) [A61B 1/00147 (2013.01); A61B 1/009 (2022.02); A61M 25/0138 (2013.01); A61M 25/0147 (2013.01); A61M 25/0155 (2013.01); A61B 2034/2051 (2016.02); A61B 2034/2061 (2016.02); A61B 34/35 (2016.02); A61M 2205/0266 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
14. A method of holding a pose of a flexible body using a controller, the method comprising:
controlling the pose of the flexible body by manipulating one or more control elements that extend through the flexible body;
measuring a current configuration of the flexible body based at least in part on sensor data from a sensor coupled to the flexible body;
receiving information identifying a target area of anatomy; and
selectively activating a plurality of stiffening elements positioned within one of a plurality of sub-portions of the flexible body, the plurality of sub-portions distributed along the length of the flexible body, wherein each of the plurality of stiffening elements is activated independently based on the current configuration and the information identifying the target area of anatomy to adjust stiffness of the flexible body.