Multi-articulated catheters with safety methods and systems for image-guided collaborative intravascular deployment

A robotic catheter system comprising:

• an actuator including
• an active linear movement stage,
• a motor coupled to the active linear movement stage, wherein the motor is configured to control linear movement of the active linear movement stage in response to a control signal, and
• a spring coupling the active linear movement stage to a control backbone of a robotic catheter such that the linear movement of the linear movement stage causes a linear movement of the control backbone, wherein the linear movement of the control backbone causes a controllable bending of the robotic catheter;
• a sensor configured to monitor a spring deflection of the spring between the control backbone and the active linear movement stage, and to output a spring deflection signal indicative of the spring deflection detected by the sensor;
• and
• an electronic controller configured to
• receive the spring deflection signal from the sensor, and
• generate the control signal to the motor to control the bending of the catheter based at least in part on the spring deflection signal from the sensor.