In one embodiment of the invention, a method for a robotic system is disclosed to track one or more robotic instruments. The method includes generating kinematics information for the robotic instrument within a field of view of a camera; capturing image information in the field of view of the camera; and adaptively fusing the kinematics information and the image information together to determine pose information of the robotic instrument. Additionally disclosed is a robotic medical system with a tool tracking sub-system. The tool tracking sub-system receives raw kinematics information and video image information of the robotic instrument to generate corrected kinematics information for the robotic instrument by adaptively fusing the raw kinematics information and the video image information together.

Methods and systems for robotic instrument tool tracking with adaptive fusion of kinematics information and image information

A medical robotic system having non-ideal actuator-to-joint linkage characteristics, includes a control system including a proximal control loop with actuator sensor feedback to control dynamic response of an actuator coupled to a distal joint which in turn, is coupled to an end effector to provide a degree of freedom movement of the end effector, a distal control loop with distal joint sensor feedback and feedforward to the actuator to ensure steady-state convergence of the distal joint position, and an end effector control loop with end-point sensor feedback to control the end effector position to reach a commanded end effector position.

Control system configured to compensate for non-ideal actuator-to-joint linkage characteristics in a medical robotic system

Methods and system perform tool tracking during minimally invasive robotic surgery. Tool states are determined using triangulation techniques or a Bayesian filter from either or both non-endoscopically derived and endoscopically derived tool state information, or from either or both non-visually derived and visually derived tool state information. The non- endoscopically derived tool state information is derived from sensor data provided either by sensors associated with a mechanism for manipulating the tool, or sensors capable of detecting identifiable signals emanating or reflecting from the tool and indicative of its position, or external cameras viewing an end of the tool extending out of the body. The endoscopically derived tool state information is derived from image data provided by an endoscope inserted in the body so as to view the tool.

Methods and System for Performing 3-D Tool Tracking by Fusion of Sensor and/or Camera Derived Data During Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery

A three-dimensional numerical model of thermoelectric generators in fluid power systems

Thermal drawdown-induced flow channeling in a single fracture in EGS

A coordinated joint control system for controlling a coordinated joint motion system, e.g an articulated arm of a hydraulic excavator blends automation of routine tasks with real-time human supervisory trajectory correction and selection. One embodiment employs a differential control architecture utilizing an inverse Jacobian. Modeling of the desired trajectory of the end effector in system space can be avoided. The invention includes image generation and matching systems.

Coordinated joint motion control system

Disclosed are an articulated hydraulic machine supporting, control system and control method for same. The articulated hydraulic machine has an end effector for performing useful work. The control system is capable of controlling the end effector for automated movement along a preselected trajectory. The control system has a position error correction system to correct discrepancies between an actual end effector trajectory and a desired end effector trajectory. The correction system can employ one or more absolute position signals provided by one or more acceleration sensors supported by one or more movable machine elements. Good trajectory positioning and repeatability can be obtained. A two joystick controller system is enabled, which can in some cases facilitate the operator's task and enhance their work quality and productivity.

Coordinated joint motion control system with position error correction

A general, computational-mathematical modeling method for the solution of large, boundary-coupled transport problems involving the flow of mass, momentum, energy or subatomic particles is disclosed. The method employs a modeling processor that extracts a matrix operator equation (or set of equations) from a numerical transport code (NTC). The outputs of software codes, available for modeling physical problems governed by conservation laws in the form of differential equations, can be processed into closed-form operator equations with the method. Included is a numerical transport code functionalization (NTCF) model which can be determined numerically, based on a system of solutions of an NTC, evaluating outputs for a given set of inputs. The NTCF model is a linear or nonlinear, multi-variable operator equation or set of such equations. The NTCF model defines relationships between general, time-variable inputs and outputs, some known and some unknown, considered as boundary values. The user of an NTCF model can directly work with the processed model output, instead of running the original numerical code in general applications of a boundary-value problem. The numerical transport code functionalization model can be employed as a surrogate for representing the numerical transport code to provide a solution to the transport problem. The invention enables modeling efficiency and availability to be increased, while computational complexity and cost decreased. Computational times for complex modeling problems can, in some cases, be dramatically reduced, for example by several orders of magnitude.

Multiphase physical transport modeling method and modeling system

A diverse suite of numerical simulators is currently being applied to predict or understand the performance of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). To build confidence and identify critical development needs for these analytical tools, the United States Department of Energy, Geothermal Technologies Office sponsored a Code Comparison Study (GTO-CCS), with participants from universities, industry, and national laboratories. A principal objective for the study was to create a community forum for improvement and verification of numerical simulators for EGS modeling. Teams participating in the study were those representing U.S. national laboratories, universities, and industries, and each team brought unique numerical simulation capabilities to bear on the problems. Two classes of problems were developed during the study, benchmark problems and challenge problems. The benchmark problems were structured to test the ability of the collection of numerical simulators to solve various combinations of coupled thermal, hydrologic, geomechanical, and geochemical processes. This class of problems was strictly defined in terms of properties, driving forces, initial conditions, and boundary conditions. The challenge problems were based on the enhanced geothermal systems research conducted at Fenton Hill, near Los Alamos, New Mexico, between 1974 and 1995. The problems involved two phases of research, stimulation, development, and circulation in two separate reservoirs. The challenge problems had specific questions to be answered via numerical simulation in three topical areas: (1) reservoir creation/stimulation, (2) reactive and passive transport, and (3) thermal recovery. Whereas the benchmark class of problems were designed to test capabilities for modeling coupled processes under strictly specified conditions, the stated objective for the challenge class of problems was to demonstrate what new understanding of the Fenton Hill experiments could be realized via the application of modern numerical simulation tools by recognized expert practitioners. We present the suite of benchmark and challenge problems developed for the GTO-CCS, providing problem descriptions and sample solutions.

A suite of benchmark and challenge problems for enhanced geothermal systems

A numerical-computational procedure is described to determine a multidimensional functional or an operator for the representation of the computational results of a numerical transport code. The procedure is called numerical transport code functionalization (NTCF). Numerical transport codes represent a family of engineering software to solve, for example, heat conduction problems in solids using ANSYS (a multiphysics software package by ANSYS, Inc.), heat and moisture transport problems in porous media using NUFT (Non-equilibrium, Unsaturated-saturated Flows and Transport—porous-media transport code, developed by John Nitao at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory), or laminar or turbulent flow and transport problems using FLUENT (a software package by Fluent, Inc.), a computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model. The NTCF procedure is developed to determine a model for the representation of the code for a variety of time-dependent input functions. Coupled solution of multiphysics problems often require repeated, iterative calculations for the same model domain and with the same code, but with different boundary condition functions. The NTCF technique allows for reducing the number of runs with the original numerical code to the number of runs necessary for NTCF model identification. The NTCF procedure is applied for the solution of coupled heat and moisture transport problems at Yucca Mountain, NV. The NTCF method and the supporting software is a key element of MULTIFLUX (by University of Nevada, Reno), a coupled thermohydrologic-ventilation model and software. Numerical tests as well as applications for Yucca Mountain, NV are presented using both linear and nonlinear NTCF models. The performance of the NTCF method is demonstrated both in accuracy and modeling acceleration.

George Danko

Papers

Coordinated joint motion control system

Coordinated joint motion control system with position error correction

Multiphase physical transport modeling method and modeling system

A suite of benchmark and challenge problems for enhanced geothermal systems

Functional or Operator Representation of Numerical Heat and Mass Transport Models