A method for operating a robotic arm using a first visualization device includes visually indicating, on the robotic arm and/or in the workspace of the robotic arm and/or on a work surface below the robotic arm, an imminent adjustment of at least one axis of the robotic arm, in particular of at least one axis closest to the robotic arm base.

A computer-assisted surgery system may have a robotic arm including a surgical tool and a processor communicatively connected to the robotic arm. The processor may be configured to receive, from a neural monitor, a signal indicative of a distance between the surgical tool and a portion of a patient's anatomy including nervous tissue. The processor may be further configured to generate a command for altering a degree to which the robotic arm resists movement based on the signal received from the neural monitor; and send the command to the robotic arm.

A surgical system includes a surgical tool, a tracking system configured to obtain tracking data indicative of positions of the surgical tool relative to an anatomical feature, an acoustic device, and a computer system programmed to control the acoustic device to provide acoustic feedback to a user based on the tracking data.

A method for operating a machine control system and a corresponding machine control system uses a portable hand-held terminal for functionally influencing at least one machine controller. The terminal includes at least one emergency stop actuation element for terminating potentially dangerous machine operations. The controller and/or the terminal is adapted for indicating a representation of the control system on the terminal display. The controller and/or the hand-held terminal is adapted for indicating the operational range(s) of the at least one emergency stop actuation element by the terminal display. The controller and/or the hand-held terminal are further adapted for simultaneously representing the operational range(s) of the at least one emergency stop actuation element by selective, fail-safe controlling of at least one lighting device at the hand-held terminal and/or at least one discrete lighting device in or at the at least one emergency stop actuation element at the hand-held terminal.

A surgical system includes a robotic device, and a surgical tool coupled to the robotic device and comprising a distal end. The system further includes a neural monitor configured to generate an electrical signal and apply the electrical signal to the distal end of the surgical tool, wherein the electrical signal causes innervation of a first portion of a patient's anatomy which generates an electromyographic signal, and a sensor configured to measure the electromyographic signal. The neural monitor is configured to determine a distance between the distal end of the surgical tool and a portion of nervous tissue based on the electrical signal and the electromyographic signal, and cause feedback to be provided to a user based on the distance.

Spatial regions potentially occupied by a robot (or other machinery) or portion thereof and a human operator during performance of all or a defined portion of a task or an application are computationally estimated. These “potential occupancy envelopes” (POEs) may be based on the states (e.g., the current and expected positions, velocities, accelerations, geometry and/or kinematics) of the robot and the human operator. Once the POEs of human operators in the workspace are established, they can be used to guide or revise motion planning for task execution.

Spatial regions potentially occupied by a robot (or other machinery) or portion thereof and a human operator during performance of all or a defined portion of a task or an application are computationally estimated. These “potential occupancy envelopes” (POEs) may be based on the states (e.g., the current and expected positions, velocities, accelerations, geometry and/or kinematics) of the robot and the human operator. Once the POEs of human operators in the workspace are established, they can be used to guide or revise motion planning for task execution.

The invention relates to a method of setting a plurality of part regions of a desired protected zone, in which a) the positions of a plurality of monitoring units are detected, with each monitoring unit detecting a detection zone; b) a maximum size of each detection zone is determined; c) the desired protected zone is fixed in a graphical user interface; d) the part regions to be monitored by the respective monitoring units are fixed with reference to the positions of the monitoring units, to the maximum size of the detection zones and of the desired protected zone; and e) the part regions are assigned to the respective monitoring units.

A surgical system includes a surgical tool, a tracking system configured to obtain tracking data indicative of positions of the surgical tool relative to an anatomical feature, an indicator light configured to emit light, and a computer system programmed to control the indicator light to change a color of the light based on the tracking data.

A method of generating resection data for use in planning an arthroplasty procedure on a patient bone covered at least partially in cartilage includes receiving a three-dimensional patient bone model comprising a bone model surface, and correlated with a position and orientation of the patient bone via a navigation system. The method further includes identifying a target region on the bone model surface of the model for intra-operative registration, and receiving location data for a first plurality of points based on the intra-operative registration of the cartilage on the patient bone in locations corresponding to points within the target region on the bone model surface. The method further includes determining resection depth based at least in part on the location data for the first plurality of points; and generating resection data using the resection depth, the resection data configured to be utilized by the navigation system during the arthroplasty procedure.