Restoration of a flexible elongate device

A method for controlling a medical system comprising a manipulator assembly configured to drive a flexible elongate device, the method performed by a control system of the medical system and comprising:

• determining to enter a loss of actuation state for the flexible elongate device, the loss of actuation state comprising one of a loss of pose state or a loss of apposition state;
• prior to entering the loss of actuation state, determining and storing a first physical parameter of an articulable body portion of the flexible elongate device;
• controlling the manipulator assembly to enter the loss of actuation state for the flexible elongate device, wherein the first physical parameter is not maintained for the articulable body portion by the manipulator assembly in the loss of actuation state;
• determining to exit the loss of actuation state for the flexible elongate device;
• and
• in response to determining to exit the loss of actuation state, controlling the manipulator assembly to restore the first physical parameter for the articulable body portion of the flexible elongate device.

A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions executed by one or more processors associated with a medical system comprising a manipulator assembly configured to drive a flexible elongate device, the plurality of machine-readable instructions causing the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

• determining to enter a loss of actuation state for the flexible elongate device, the loss of actuation state comprising one of a loss of pose state or a loss of apposition state;
• prior to entering the loss of actuation state, determining and storing a first physical parameter of an articulable body portion of the flexible elongate device;
• controlling the manipulator assembly to enter the loss of actuation state for the flexible elongate device, wherein the first physical parameter is not maintained for the articulable body portion by the manipulator assembly in the loss of actuation state;
• determining to exit the loss of actuation state for the flexible elongate device;
• and
• in response to determining to exit the loss of actuation state, controlling the manipulator assembly to restore the first physical parameter for the articulable body portion of the flexible elongate device.