Methods, systems and controllers for facilitating cleaning of an imaging element of an imaging device

A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by one or more processors associated with a computer-assisted system are adapted to cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

• receiving image information depicting an anatomical structure within a body cavity, wherein the image information is acquired by an imaging element of an imaging device;
• deriving, from a portion of the image information, information characterizing cleanliness of the imaging element, wherein deriving said information characterizing cleanliness of the imaging element includes correlating the portion of the image information to at least one reference image of a visual clarity reference image dataset, wherein each reference image of the visual clarity reference image dataset has a respective visual clarity determined to be visually representative to the one or more visual clarity reference images;
• and
• at least one of actuating a device for cleaning the imaging element as a function of said information characterizing cleanliness of the imaging element and displaying at least a portion of said information characterizing cleanliness of the imaging element.

A computer-assisted system, comprising:

• an imaging device having an imaging element through which image information of a structure within an interior space of a body is acquired during use of the imaging device;
• a cleaning device attached to the imaging device, wherein the cleaning device is adapted to clean a surface of the imaging element in response to activation thereof;
• and
• one or more processors coupled to the imaging device and the cleaning device, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
• receiving image information depicting the structure, wherein the image information is acquired by the imaging element;
• deriving, from a portion of the image information, information characterizing cleanliness of the imaging element, wherein deriving said information characterizing cleanliness of the imaging element includes correlating the portion of the image information to at least one reference image of a visual clarity reference image dataset, wherein each reference image of the visual clarity reference image dataset has a respective visual clarity determined to be visually representative to the one or more visual clarity reference images;
• and
• at least one of actuating the cleaning device for causing at least one instance of imaging element cleaning operation thereof as a function of said information characterizing cleanliness of the imaging element and displaying at least a portion of said information characterizing cleanliness of the imaging element.