Detecting endolumenal buckling of flexible instruments

A robotic system is described for determining whether a flexible instrument has buckled. The robotic system comprises a medical instrument comprising an elongate body, and further comprises a first sensor placed in a first portion of the elongate body, and a controller. A command is directed to the elongate body. The first sensor generates sensor data providing information regarding a first measured status of the portion of the elongate body. The controller receives sensor data generated from the first sensor, and compare the first measured status with a first expected status expected to be caused by the command; and responsive to the first measured status deviating from the first expected status one of more or less than a first associated threshold, determine that the elongate body has buckled.

Method of forming a structure on a substrate

The invention relates to a method of providing a structure by depositing a layer on a substrate in a reactor. The method comprising: introducing a silicon halide precursor in the reactor; introducing a reactant gas comprising oxygen in the reactor; and, providing an energy source to create a plasma from the reactant gas so that the oxygen reacts with the first precursor in a layer comprising silicon dioxide.

Method of forming a structure on a substrate

The invention relates to depositing a layer on a substrate in a reactor, by: introducing a first precursor comprising a silicon halide in the reactor; introducing a second precursor in the reactor; providing an energy source to create a plasma from the second precursor so that the second precursor reacts with the first precursor until a primary layer comprising silicon and second precursor of a desired thickness is formed; stop introducing the second precursor; and, subsequently introducing the silicon halide in the reactor at a temperature causing decomposition of the silicon halide precursor to provide a substantially pure amorphous silicon layer on top of the primary layer.

Method for inspecting for leaks in gas supply system valves

Leaks in valves provided in a plurality of pipes connected to a plurality of gas sources are inspected. In a method of an embodiment, a first valve provided in a first pipe connected to a gas source is closed, and a second valve provided in a first pipe on a downstream side of the first valve is opened. A pressure increase is detected by a pressure gauge on a downstream side of the first pipe. In addition, the first valve is opened, and the second valve is closed. A pressure increase is detected by a pressure gauge on a downstream side of the first pipe.

Flexible instrument insertion using an adaptive insertion force threshold

A robotic system is described for determining and using an insertion force threshold to avoid too much force being applied to a flexible instrument placed within a patient. The robotic system comprises a medical instrument comprising an elongate body, and further comprises a robotic arm coupled to the instrument as well as a controller configured to receive instrument data based in part on a current location of the elongate body, access patient data associated with the patient, determine an insertion force threshold, receive an insertion force detected by a force sensor coupled to the robotic arm, compare the insertion force with the insertion force threshold, and responsive to the insertion force exceeding the force threshold, generate a recommendation signal for the robotic system.

Endolumenal object sizing

An object sizing system sizes an object positioned within a patient. The object sizing system identifies a presence of the object. The object sizing system navigates an elongate body of an instrument to a position proximal to the object within the patient. An imaging sensor coupled to the elongate body captures one or more sequential images of the object. The instrument may be further moved around within the patient to capture additional images at different positions/orientations relative to the object. The object sizing system also acquires robot data and/or EM data associated with the positions and orientations of the elongate body. The object sizing system analyzes the captured images based on the acquired robot data to estimate a size of the object.

Film forming apparatus, film forming method and heat insulating member

There is provided a film forming apparatus for performing a film forming process on substrates by heating the substrates while the substrates are held in a shelf shape by a substrate holder in a vertical reaction container. The film forming apparatus includes: an exhaust part configured to evacuate the reaction container; a gas supply part configured to supply a film forming gas into the reaction container; a heat insulating member provided above or below an arrangement region of the substrates to overlap with the arrangement region and configured to thermally insulate the arrangement region from an upper region above the arrangement region or a lower region below the arrangement region; and a through-hole provided in the heat insulating member at a position overlapping with central portions of the substrates to adjust a temperature distribution in a plane of each substrate held near the heat insulating member.

Physiological parameter alarm delay

A system configured to reduce a frequency of alarms from a physiological monitoring system including a physiological sensor configured to detect signals representative of a physiological condition of a patient and a processor configured to receive the detected signals, determine a physiological parameter of the patient, detect an alarm condition and delay a notification of the alarm condition until a predetermined alarm delay period has elapsed.

Data processing systems and methods for efficiently assessing the risk of privacy campaigns

Data processing systems and methods, according to various embodiments are adapted for efficiently processing data to allow for the streamlined assessment of the risk level associated with particular privacy campaigns. The systems may provide a centralized repository of templates of privacy-related question/answer pairings for various vendors, products (e.g., software products), and services. Different entities may electronically access the templates (which may be periodically updated and centrally audited) and customize the templates for evaluating the risk associated with the entities' respective business endeavors that involve the relevant vendors, products, or services.

Mounting device for surgical systems and method of use

A surgical mounting device may detachably couple to a patient access device to maintain alignment between a surgical instrument and the access device as instruments are interchangeably inserted and removed from the access device. The mounting device may include arms that pivot between a closed configuration in which the arms grip the access device inserted therebetween and an open configuration in which arm are spaced further apart from each other than in the closed configuration. A drive member may transition the arms to the closed configuration when the patient access device is inserted between the arms in the open configuration and pressed against the drive member.