Hydraulically and electrically actuated articulation joints for surgical instruments

Articulation joints for use in connection with a surgical instrument that has a portion that must be passed through a trocar or similar structure and then articulated relative to another portion of the instrument received within the trocar. Various embodiments of the articulation joint include at least one flexible driven member to articulate the surgical implement relative to the handle assembly of the instrument.

Endoscopic vessel sealer and divider having a flexible articulating shaft

An electrosurgical instrument for treating tissue includes a housing having a shaft extending therefrom having an axis A-A defined therethrough. The shaft is at least partially flexible and includes first and second jaw members attached at a distal end thereof. Each jaw member includes an electrically conductive tissue contacting surface adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy such that the electrically conductive tissue contacting surfaces are capable of conducting electrosurgical energy through tissue held therebetween. A drive assembly is disposed in the housing and has a first actuator operably coupled to a drive rod for reciprocation thereof to move the jaw members from a first position in spaced relation to one another to a second position closer to one another for engaging tissue. A second actuator is disposed on the housing and is actuatable to articulate the shaft.

Surgical stapler with suture locator

An anvil assembly comprising an anvil shaft and an anvil head, the anvil head having anvil depressions for forming surgical staples, and the anvil head mounted to the anvil shaft. The anvil shaft has a longitudinal axis and a helical slot formed therein. A disc is movable along the slot to a selected position to selectively adjust the positioning of a purse string suture.

SWITCHABLE ROTATION DRIVE DEVICE

A switchable rotation drive device has a switching mechanism wherein a first connecting sleeve that always rotates integrally with a motor hollow rotor, and a second connecting sleeve that always rotates integrally with a planetary carrier of a planetary gear reduction mechanism are connected via a bearing in a relatively rotatable state, and the first connecting sleeve is formed with a sun gear. By sliding the switching mechanism, the output shaft can be switched between high-speed rotation and low-speed rotation. In comparison to a case in which the entirety of the planetary gear reduction mechanism is made to slide, the sliding region may be smaller, and the required space needed to allow sliding may also be smaller. Therefore, it is advantageous to reduce the size of the device and make it more compact.

Vessel sealer and divider

A bipolar endoscopic forceps including an elongated shaft having opposing jaw members at a distal end thereof and a blade guide operatively disposed between the jaw members. The jaw members are movable relative to one another about a pivot from a first position wherein the jaw members are disposed in a spaced relation relative to one another to a second position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween. Each jaw member includes an electrically conductive sealing surface. The blade guide is configured to facilitate translation of a knife through a knife channel defined in the jaw members. The blade guide has an aperture defined therethrough for housing the pivot.

Methods of and apparatus for programming and managing diverse network components, including electronic-ink based display devices, in a mesh-type wireless communication network

A wireless communication network for programming and monitoring a plurality of network-managed devices, including electronic-ink based display devices, comprising a network management computer system, a network gateway device, one or more wireless network routers, a plurality of network-managed devices, and a network coordinator. The wireless communication network of the present invention bridges the gap between wireless display networks, wireless sensor networks, and the worlds of passive, active and partially-active RFID and real-time locating systems. The wireless communication network of the present invention allows conventional communication network protocols to operate in more flexible ways in dynamic, diverse, and heterogeneous application environments, in fields including retail, healthcare, transport, logistics, manufacturing, education, etc. At the same time, the wireless communication network of the present invention is preferably based on the IEEE 802.15.4 network layer standard, which offers low-cost wireless network communication between a large number of wireless network end-devices.

Optimization of microgrid energy use and distribution

An energy distribution may include a server and one or more databases. The system may communicate with an energy provider to receive energy provider data, at least one information collector to receive information collector data such as individualized energy usage data, customer preferences, and customer or location characteristics, and the one or more databases for receiving data for optimization. The system may calculate a cost of service or avoided cost using at least one of the individualized energy usage data and a system generation cost at a nearest bus. The system may also forecast individualized demand by end-use, individualized demand by location, energy prices, or energy costs. The system may optimize energy distribution, energy use, cost of service, or avoided cost using the forecasted individualized demand by end-use, the forecasted individualized demand by location, the forecasted energy prices, and the forecasted energy costs.

Wireless dual-function network device dynamically switching and reconfiguring from a wireless network router state of operation into a wireless network coordinator state of operation in a wireless communication network

Various wireless network components that offer increased flexibility, ease of use, functionality and performance in many demanding applications in diverse fields of use, namely: a wireless multi-function network device for use on a wireless communication network, that can serve multiple functions and dynamically switch and reconfigure from a network router into a network coordinator in the event that the originally designated network coordinator is permanently or temporally disabled; a wireless mesh-type communication network, including a plurality of wireless network router devices, each capable of performing the functions of a network controller/coordinator; a wireless network router device for use on a wireless communication network, and employing an integrated phased-array antenna structure, supporting the spatial isolation of multi-regions, and utilizing beam steering principles of operation, for illuminating multiple wireless network end-devices over separate regions; a network gateway device that supports a USB-type communication interface and RF-based wireless communication interface; a network protocol translation (NPT) based gateway device for use in a wireless communication network; and wireless network coordinator device for automatically establishing a Personal Area Network (PAN) on a wireless communication network, and having a compact housing with an electrical wall plug integrated therein having electrical prongs for plugging into a standard electrical wall socket.

Modular interfaces and drive actuation through barrier

The invention relates generally to robotically controlled systems, such as medical robotic systems. In one variation, a robotic catheter system is configured with a sterile barrier capable for transmitting a rotary force from a drive system on one side of the barrier to surgical tool on the other side of the sterile barrier for performing minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Modularized drive systems for robotics arc also disclosed herein.

Iconic communication

A method of controlling an external display using a personal communication device, comprising: providing an external display; processing an iconic message on a personal communication device to generate at least one instruction for said display; transmitting said at least one instruction from said personal communication device to said external display responsive to said processing; and displaying on external display in response to said at least one instruction.