Methods and devices for controlling a shapeable medical device

1. A method of preparing a robotic medical system for use with a shapeable instrument, where the shapeable instrument includes a working end and one or more positioning elements that move the shapeable instrument:

obtaining a plurality of localization data to determine a real shape of at least the first portion of the shapeable instrument;

pretensioning the shapeable instrument by incrementally actuating at least one of the actuators, thereby causing a movement of the first portion of the shapeable instrument from an initial position to a pretensioned shape, the movement reducing a slack in the shapeable instrument; and

providing the movement to a controller including a master input device, wherein the controller accounts for the movement in at least one actuation command where the actuation command manipulates one or more of the positioning elements to reposition the working end or the first portion of the shapeable instrument.

2. The method of claim 1 , where the shapeable instrument comprises a proximal non-articulating portion and a distal articulating portion, the method further comprising:

advancing the shapeable instrument into an anatomic path within a body such that the non-articulating portion assumes a profile as a result of the anatomic path; and

where obtaining the plurality of localization data occurs after advancing the shapeable instrument into the anatomic path; and

subsequently pretensioning the shapeable instrument.

3. The method of claim 2 , where obtaining the plurality of localization data comprises determining a first real shape of the non-articulating portion, and further comprising obtaining a second plurality of localization data to determine a second shape of the non-articulating portion.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising monitoring a change between the first and second shape of the non-articulating portion for a minimum value, and further comprising further pre-tensioning the shapeable instrument if the change exceeds a pre-determined level, wherein the further pre-tensioning includes causing a second movement of the first portion of the shapeable instrument.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shapeable instrument is a catheter.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an amount of the slack in the shapeable instrument.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein pretensioning the shapeable instrument includes removing the slack in the shapeable instrument.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the localization data includes three-dimensional position data relating to the shapeable instrument.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a path for the shapeable instrument between a first position and a second position, wherein determining the path includes determining a force associated with a movement of the shapeable instrument between the first and second positions.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a magnitude of a force associated with a contact of the shapeable instrument with an environment of the shapeable instrument.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the magnitude of the force includes matching a measured shape of the shapeable instrument to a model of the shapeable instrument.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting a contact of the shapeable instrument based upon a difference between a commanded shape of the shapeable instrument and a measured shape of the shapeable instrument.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the measured shape is determined from the plurality of localization data.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein detecting the contact includes determining a mean square error between the commanded shape of the shapeable instrument and the measured shape of the shapeable instrument.