Touch-free catheter user interface controller

1. A system configured to receive a user input and control an instrument based on the user input, the system comprising:

a wireless controller for receiving a user input, the wireless controller comprising:

a first body element including a first location measurement device, and

a second body element including a second location measurement device, wherein the first body element is movable relative to the second body element in six degrees of freedom; and

a command interpreter configured to:

receive first location information from the first and second location measurement devices,

identify a first location of the first body element relative to the second body element from the first location information,

receive second location information from the first and second location measurement devices,

identify a second location of the first body element relative to the second body element from the second location information,

detect the user input based on the first location and the second location, the user input comprising motion of the first body element relative to the second body element, and

determine a sequence of instrument commands for adjusting, in accordance with the user input, a position or orientation of an instrument coupled to an instrument driver.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless controller further comprises a flexible connection physically connecting the first body element to the second body element while providing for movement of the first body element relative to the second body element.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless controller further comprises a wireless transmitter configured to transmit the first location information and the second location information.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the command interpreter is in wireless communication with the wireless controller.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first body element and the second body element are communicatively coupled via a wireless connection.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an instrument driver configured to receive the sequence of instrument commands from the command interpreter and execute the sequence of instrument commands to adjust the position or orientation of the instrument coupled to the instrument driver.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sequence of instrument commands is configured to adjust at least one of: instrument rotation, instrument articulation angle, instrument insertion amount, and instrument insertion speed.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sequence of instrument commands comprises an articulation command determined based on a change in articulation angle between the first location and the second location.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first location comprises an initial articulation angle defined by an angle between the first body element and the second body element.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sequence of instrument commands comprises a rotation command determined based on a change in rotation between the first location and the second location.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first location comprises an initial angle of rotation defined by an orientation of a plane shared by the first body element and the second body element.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sequence of instrument commands comprises an insertion or retraction command determined based on a change in distance between the first and second body elements in the first location and the first and second body elements in the second location.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the command interpreter is further configured to:

receive a user interface action configured to cause the command interpreter to identify the first location; and

receive a second user interface action configured to cause the command interpreter to identify the second location.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the command interpreter is further configured to receive an operator confirmation of the determined sequence of instrument commands.

15. A method of translating a user input into a command for a robotic instrument driver, the method comprising:

receiving a user input at a wireless controller, the wireless controller comprising a first body element and a second body element, wherein the first body element is movable relative to the second body element in six degrees of freedom;

identifying, by a command interpreter, a first location of the first body element relative to the second body element;

identifying, by the command interpreter, a second location of the first body element relative to the second body element,

detecting the user input based on the first location and the second location, the user input comprising motion of the first body element relative to the second body element, and

determining a sequence of instrument commands for adjusting, in accordance with the user input, a position or orientation of an instrument coupled to an instrument driver.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein adjusting the position or orientation of the instrument comprises adjusting at least one of: instrument rotation, instrument articulation angle, instrument insertion amount, and instrument insertion speed.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein detecting the user input comprises detecting at least one of a: change in a rotation angle, a change in an articulation angle, and a change in distance between the first and second body elements of the wireless controller.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein identifying a first location comprises identifying at least one of: an initial articulation angle defined by an angle between the first body element and the second body element, and an initial angle of rotation defined by an orientation of a plane shared by the first body element and the second body element.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

receiving a user interface action configured to cause the command interpreter to identify the first location; and

receiving a second user interface action configured to cause the command interpreter to identify the second location.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

receiving operator confirmation of the determined sequence of instrument commands; and

providing the determined sequence of instrument commands to the instrument driver to perform the sequence of commanded instrument adjustments.