Input device for controlling a catheter

A system comprising:

• an actuator configured to manipulate a position and orientation of a catheter assembly having a catheter and a guide wire;
• and
• an input device configured to control the position and orientation of at least one of the catheter and the guide wire, wherein the input device includes a plurality of orientation blocks each representing a portion of the catheter assembly and a controller configured to determine an orientation of the plurality of orientation blocks relative to one another, wherein the controller is configured to output a control signal to the actuator that causes a tip of a catheter assembly to adopt the orientation determined by the controller.

A system comprising:

• a user interface device configured to present a representation of a virtual catheter tip and receive a user input associated with manipulating a shape of the virtual catheter tip;
• a controller configured to determine a desired shape of the tip of a physical catheter based on a user input and output control signal that causes a tip of the physical catheter to adopt the shape of the virtual catheter tip.