Control unit for a medical device

1. A control unit for a medical device, the control unit comprising a user interface including

(a) a first interface being mounted on a pivotal support attached to a housing of the control unit, said first interface being engageable by a palm of a hand and being operable to tilt forward-backward and right-left without requiring use of any fingers of said hand;

(b) a restraint being pivotally attached to said first interface and having an element capable of elastically deforming to apply a restraining force to a back of said hand when said palm is engaged with said first interface, said element being for partially surrounding said hand; and

(c) a second interface being pivotally attached to said first interface and being engageable by one or more fingers of said hand.

2. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein said pivotal support is gimbaled.

3. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein said housing includes a drive unit.

4. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein said second interface includes levers simultaneously operable via thumb and index finger of said hand.

5. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein said first interface can be tilted with respect to said pivotal support.

6. The control unit of claim 5 , wherein tilting of said first interface deflects a steerable portion of the medical device.

7. The control unit of claim 4 , wherein said levers operate an effector end of the medical device.

8. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein said second interface can be tilted with respect to said first interface.

9. The control unit of claim 5 , wherein tilting of said second interface deflects an effector end of the medical device.

10. A control unit for a minimally invasive surgical tool, the control unit comprising a user interface including:

(a) a first interface control being for elastically deforming to apply a restraining force to a back of a hand of a user and being for controlling an angle and height of the minimally invasive surgical tool with respect to a tissue access site;

(b) a second interface control being engageable by a palm of said hand of said user and being for controlling a deflection of a steerable portion of the minimally invasive surgical tool, said second interface being operable to tilt forward-backward and right-left without requiring use of any fingers of said hand; and

(c) a third interface control being engageable by one or more fingers of said user and being for controlling a tissue manipulating end of the minimally invasive surgical tool.

11. The control unit of claim 10 , wherein said second interface control is gimbaled.

12. The control unit of claim 10 , wherein said first interface control includes an arm hingedly connected to a dorsum pad, said arm being configured for partially surrounding said hand.

13. The control unit of claim 1 , further comprising a knob for rotating said housing of said control unit with respect to said first, second and third interface controls.

14. The control unit of claim 10 , wherein said third interface control includes a pair of finger holds operable via a thumb and index finger.

15. The control unit of claim 10 , wherein said third interface control includes a ball rotatable around at least two perpendicular axis.

16. The control unit of claim 10 , wherein a user can simultaneously operate said first, second and third interface controls via a single hand.

17. The control unit of claim 10 , wherein a functional linkage between said second or third interface and the minimally invasive surgical tool can be disengaged by a user.

18. The control unit of claim 17 , further comprising a user engageable switch for activating/deactivating said functional linkage.

19. The control unit of claim 17 , wherein deactivation of said functional linkage freezes the minimally invasive surgical tool in a preset position.

20. The control unit of claim 19 , wherein said second or said third interface can be manipulated by a user when said minimally invasive surgical tool is frozen in position.