TOOL POSITION AND IDENTIFICATION INDICATOR DISPLAYED IN A BOUNDARY AREA OF A COMPUTER DISPLAY SCREEN
An endoscope captures images of a surgical site for display in a viewing area of a monitor. When a tool is outside the viewing area, a GUI indicates the position of the tool by positioning a symbol in a boundary area around the viewing area so as to indicate the tool position. The distance of the out-of-view tool from the viewing area may be indicated by the size, color, brightness, or blinking or oscillation frequency of the symbol. A distance number may also be displayed on the symbol. The orientation of the shaft or end effector of the tool may be indicated by an orientation indicator superimposed over the symbol, or by the orientation of the symbol itself. When the tool is inside the viewing area, but occluded by an object, the GUI superimposes a ghost tool at its current position and orientation over the occluding object.
1 . A medical system, comprising:
an electromechanical arm configured to removably couple to a medical instrument, the electromechanical arm being configured to move so as to move the medical instrument removably coupled thereto;
a camera having a field of view; and
a controller configured to:
receive an instruction from a user requesting movement of the medical instrument from a start location outside of the field of view,
control movement of the medical instrument in accordance with the instruction, and
provide a cue during the movement of the medical instrument, the cue changing during the movement of the medical instrument in relation to a location of the medical instrument relative to the field of view.
2 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the cue is a sensory cue.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
repeatedly determine a bearing of a longitudinal axis of the medical instrument as the medical instrument is moved by the electromechanical arm, and
change the cue during the movement of the medical instrument based on at least the bearing.
4 . The medical system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a display device configured to display an image of the field of view visualized by the camera,
wherein the controller is further configured to:
repeatedly update the image throughout the movement of the medical instrument.
5 . A method, comprising:
displaying an image on a display device showing a field of view of a camera visualizing a work area within a patient; and
providing a cue to a user positioning a distal working end of a medical instrument relative to the patient using an electromechanical arm to which the medical instrument is removably coupled, the distal working end of the medical instrument starting its movement from outside the field of view, the cue changing over time in relation to a location of the distal working end of the medical instrument relative to the field of view displayed on the display device.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the cue is a sensory cue.
7 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
stopping provision of the cue in response to the distal working end of the medical instrument entering the field of view displayed on the display device.
8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the cue includes an icon shown on the display device that changes over time in relation to the location of the distal working end of the medical instrument relative to the field of view displayed on the display device.
9 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the longitudinal axis of the medical instrument is a longitudinal axis of an elongate shaft of the medical instrument.
10 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the cue changes over time based on at least one of:
a direction that the distal working end of the medical instrument is moving in relative to the field of view displayed on the display device,
a distance between the distal working end of the medical instrument and the field of view displayed on the display device, and
whether the distal working end of the medical instrument is moving closer to or farther from the field of view displayed on the display device.
11 - 15 . (canceled)
16 . The medical system of claim 1 ,
wherein the controller is further configured to:
stop the cue when the medical instrument moves into the field of view.
17 . A method comprising:
providing a sensory cue to a user who is commanding movement of a medical instrument that is outside a field of view of a camera, so that the sensory cue indicates a current position of the medical instrument relative to the field of view of the camera.