Combining strain-based shape sensing with catheter control

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause a processor of a device to at least:

• access robotic data regarding the instrument;
• access strain data from an optical fiber positioned within the instrument that is indicative of a strain on a portion of the instrument positioned within the interior region of the body;
• determine shape data based on the strain data;
• compare the robotic data and the shape data;
• adjust the shape data based on the comparison of the robotic data and the shape data;
• determine an estimated state of the instrument based on the adjusted shape data;
• and
• output the estimated state of the instrument.

A medical robotic system for controlling an instrument within an interior region of a body, the system comprising:

• an instrument having an optical fiber, the optical fiber positioned within the instrument;
• a sensor configured to generate strain data that is indicative of a strain on a portion of the instrument positioned within the interior region of the body;
• an instrument positioning device attached to the instrument and configured to move the instrument;
• at least one computer-readable memory having stored thereon executable instructions;
• and
• one or more processors in communication with the at least one computer-readable memory and configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to at least:
• access robotic data regarding the instrument;
• access the strain data;
• determine shape data based on the strain data;
• compare the robotic data and the shape data;
• adjust the shape data based on the comparison of the robotic data and the shape data;
• determine an estimated state of the instrument based on the adjusted shape data;
• and
• output the estimated state of the instrument.

A method of controlling an instrument within an interior region of a body, the method comprising:

• accessing robotic data regarding the instrument;
• accessing strain data from an optical fiber positioned within the instrument that is indicative of a strain on a portion of the instrument positioned within the interior region of the body;
• determining shape data based on the strain data;
• comparing the robotic data and the shape data;
• adjusting a confidence value associated with the shape data based on the comparison of the robotic data and the shape data;
• determining an estimated state of the instrument based on the adjusted confidence value;
• and
• outputting the estimated state of the instrument.