Computer controlled steerable tip guide catheter

A method for controlling a catheter for accessing a body lumen, comprising:

• providing a user input for controlling a catheter to a controller, wherein the catheter includes an elongated flexible body and at least one electroactive polymer actuator disposed along the elongated flexible body;
• selecting at least one configuration for the catheter from a plurality of predetermined configurations in response to the user input;
• and
• transmitting the control signal to the at least one electroactive polymer actuator to cause a change in configuration of the elongated flexible body in response thereto.

A system for controlling a catheter for accessing a body lumen, comprising:

• a computer processor that is operable to execute a computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage medium, the computer program product being operable to cause the computer processor to:
• receive a user input for controlling a catheter, wherein the catheter includes an elongated flexible body and at least one electroactive polymer actuator disposed along the elongated flexible body;
• select at least one configuration for the catheter from a plurality of predetermined configurations in response to the user input;
• and
• transmit the control signal to the at least one electroactive polymer actuator to cause a change in configuration of the elongated flexible body in response thereto.