System and method for remote endoscopic surgery

A system for controlling a slave manipulator for performing minimally invasive surgery at a worksite from a remote control operator's station, the system comprising:

• a hand-operated master linkage arrangement including a master manipulator arm, a master wrist member movably coupled to the master manipulator arm, and a master end effector movably coupled to the master wrist member;
• and
• a mechanism configured to couple the slave manipulator with the master linkage arrangement to control movement of the slave manipulator in response to movement of the master linkage arrangement for performing minimally invasive surgery at a worksite from a remote control operator's station;
• wherein the master linkage arrangement is operable by a single hand to manipulate the master manipulator arm, the master wrist member, and the master end effector to control movement of the slave manipulator without removing the hand from the master linkage arrangement.

A method of controlling a slave manipulator for performing minimally invasive surgery at a worksite from a remote control operator's station, the slave manipulator including a slave end effector movably coupled to a slave wrist member which is movably coupled to a slave manipulator arm, the method comprising:

• providing a hand-operated master linkage arrangement including a plurality of master linkage which are operatively coupled with the slave manipulator arm, the slave wrist member, and the slave end effector to move the slave manipulator arm, to articulate the slave wrist member, and to actuate the slave end effector in response to movement of the master linkages;
• and
• using a single hand to manipulate the master linkages to control movement of the slave manipulator arm, the slave wrist member, and the slave end effector;
• wherein the hand is used to manipulate the master linkages including a master manipulator arm, a master wrist member movably coupled to the master manipulator arm, and a master end effector movably coupled to the master wrist member, wherein the master manipulator arm is manipulated by the hand to control movement of the slave manipulator arm, the master wrist member is manipulated by the hand to control articulation of the slave wrist member, and the master end effector is manipulated by the hand to control actuation of the slave end effector.

A minimally invasive surgical system for performing minimally invasive surgery at a worksite from a remote control operator's station, comprising:

• a slave manipulator including a slave end effector movably coupled to a slave wrist member which is movably coupled to a slave manipulator arm;
• a hand-operated master linkage arrangement including a plurality of master linkages disposed at the remote control operator's station for controlling the slave manipulator for performing surgery at the worksite, the master linkage arrangement including a master manipulator arm, a master wrist member movably coupled to the master manipulator arm, and a master end effector movably coupled to the master wrist member;
• and
• a servomechanism configured to couple the master linkages to the slave manipulator arm, the slave wrist member, and to actuate the slave end effector in response to movement of the master linkages,
• wherein the master linkage arrangement is operable by a single hand to manipulator the master linkages to control movement of the slave manipulator arm, the slave wrist member, and the slave end effector.