Robotic system and method for positioning an energy applicator extending from a surgical instrument. The robotic system includes a surgical manipulator operable in a manual mode or a semi-autonomous mode. The surgical manipulator moves the energy applicator along a tool path in the semi-autonomous mode and reorients the surgical instrument.

Robotic system and method for positioning an energy applicator extending from a surgical instrument. The robotic system includes a surgical manipulator operable in a manual mode or a semi-autonomous mode. The surgical manipulator moves the energy applicator along a tool path in the semi-autonomous mode, monitors output of a force/torque sensor as the energy applicator moves along the tool path, and reorients the surgical instrument based on the output in response to a user applying reorienting forces and torques to the surgical instrument.

Techniques relate to aligning one or more robotic arms of a robotic system to one or more alignment positions. For example, resistance for manual movement of a robotic arm can be set based on a direction of movement of a distal end of the robotic arm with respect to one or more alignment positions. The robotic arm can provide a first amount of resistance for manual movement in a direction closer to the one or more alignment positions and to provide a second amount of resistance for manual movement in a direction away from the one or more alignment positions. In some instances, the robotic arm can be automatically moved to the one or more alignment positions when the robotic arm is within a distance to the one or more alignment positions.

A surgical manipulator operates in a manual mode in which a user applies forces and torques to the surgical instrument to cause movement of the energy applicator. The surgical manipulator also operates in a semi-autonomous mode in which the surgical manipulator moves the energy applicator along a tool path. A controller monitors output of a force/torque sensor as the energy applicator is being moved along the tool path in the semi-autonomous mode and transitions from the semi-autonomous mode to the manual mode in response to the output exceeding a limit.

A method and system for exploring a remote environment from an environment simulator or terrain replicator at a local base on Earth is disclosed. The system includes: at least one proxy robot in the remote environment with a near-field video camera and a high resolution 360-degree far field video camera; at least one additional surveillance means at the remote environment to capture images and data pertaining to the remote environment; an aggregator means to aggregate video from the cameras on the at least one proxy robot with the images and data from the at least one additional surveillance means; a transmitter means at the remote environment to transmit the aggregated video and data signals over a path to the local base; a receiver means at the local base to receive the aggregated video and data signals from the remote environment; a terrain analysis computer at the local base to receive and process the aggregated video and data signals to generate therefrom a 360-degree approximated real time (ART) video field precisely representing a terrain surrounding the at least one proxy robot in the remote environment; a display means in the environment simulator or the terrain replicator at the local base to receive and display the ART video field for at least one user; a full body motion capture suit means in the environment simulator or the terrain replicator marked to a plurality of dimensions of the at least one user, wherein activities performed virtually in the environment simulator or the terrain replicator represent the identical activities to be performed by the proxy robot in the terrain of the remote environment; a plurality of motion capture video cameras to capture video signals representing each move or position change in the full body motion capture suit; a follow-me data computer to receive the video signals from the plurality of motion capture video cameras, wherein the follow-me data computer processes the motion capture video signals into a follow-me data train for transmission to a follow-me data translator at the remote environment, and wherein the follow-me data computer further generates and directs data representing changes in the full body motion capture suit back to the terrain analysis computer for continuous updating of the ART video for the display means in the environment simulator or the terrain replicator to reflect position changes from the full body motion capture suit; a follow-me data translator at the remote environment to translate the follow-me data train into data code addressable to each electro-mechanical hinge, motor and synthetic muscle in the at least one proxy robot and cause the proxy robot to move through the remot

A system and method for guidance of a moving robotic device through an approximated real time (ART) virtual video stream is presented. The system and method includes at least one camera for collecting images of a terrain in a remote location, at least one terrain data collecting device for collecting data from a remote location, a memory for storing images from the plurality of cameras, a communication device for transmitting the images and data over a path and a computer configured to calculate a delay between the cameras and the receiver. The calculated delay causes the computer to retrieve images and data from the receiver and memory and consequently generate an approximate real-time video and data stream for displaying the terrain-just-ahead of a moving robotic device at a distance proportional to the calculated delay and the ART video and data stream is used to guide the moving robotic device.

A system and method of space exploration with a human-controlled proxy robot surrogates is disclosed. The method includes: training the human controlled proxy robot surrogates using human handlers; controlling the human-controlled proxy robot surrogates using the human handlers; and deploying a plurality of human-controlled proxy robot surrogates for extraterrestrial missions, missions on Earth, the Moon, and near-Earth locations. Each of the human-controlled proxy robot surrogates are in communication with each of the human handlers and wherein each one of the plurality of proxy robot surrogates is paired with each one of the plurality of human handlers. The human-controlled proxy robot surrogates further comprise an artificial intelligence (AI). The artificial intelligence of the disclosed method includes learned behavior.

A robotic system includes a surgical manipulator and a force/torque sensor. The surgical manipulator operates in a first operating mode in which a user applies forces and torques to the surgical instrument to cause movement of the energy applicator. The surgical manipulator also operates in a second operating mode in which the surgical manipulator moves the energy applicator along a tool path. A controller monitors the output of the force/torque sensor as the energy applicator is being moved along the tool path in the second operating mode and transitions from the second operating mode to the first operating mode in response to the output exceeding associated limits.

A surgical method is provided for use with a teleoperated surgical system (surgical system), the method comprising: recording surgical instrument kinematic information indicative of surgical instrument motion produced within the surgical system during the occurrence of the surgical procedure; determining respective kinematic signatures associated with respective surgical instrument motions; producing an information structure in a computer readable storage device that associates respective kinematic signatures with respective control signals; comparing, during a performance of the surgical procedure surgical instrument kinematic information during the performance with at least one respective kinematic signature; launching, during a performance of the surgical procedure an associated respective control signal in response to a match between surgical instrument kinematics during the performance and a respective kinematic signature.

A surgical method is provided for use with a teleoperated surgical system (surgical system), the method comprising: recording surgical instrument kinematic information indicative of surgical instrument motion produced within the surgical system during the occurrence of the surgical procedure; determining respective kinematic signatures associated with respective surgical instrument motions; producing an information structure in a computer readable storage device that associates respective kinematic signatures with respective control signals; comparing, during a performance of the surgical procedure surgical instrument kinematic information during the performance with at least one respective kinematic signature; launching, during a performance of the surgical procedure an associated respective control signal in response to a match between surgical instrument kinematics during the performance and a respective kinematic signature.