CONTROLLER FOR SELECTIVELY CONTROLLING MANUAL OR ROBOTIC OPERATION OF ENDOSCOPE PROBE

A system configured to control an endoscope probe either in manual mode or in robotic mode. The system comprises: a handle at a proximal end of the probe; a handheld controller attachable to the handle; and a robotic controller in communication with the handle and/or the handheld controller. The handheld controller includes separate controls for the manual and robotic modes. In manual mode, the handheld controller combined with the handle and the probe is used to manually control insertion and actuation of the probe into a first location of a lumen. In robotic mode, the handheld controller is removed from the handle, and the robotic controller controls handle to robotically navigate the probe to a second location within the lumen. Attachment and detachment of handheld controller to the handle is such that only certain controls appropriate to a particular portion of a workflow are accessible to the user.