System and method for manipulating an anatomy

1. A system comprising:

a robotic manipulator comprising an arm;

an end effector coupled to the arm and being moveable by the arm for interacting with a target site in a manual mode and an autonomous mode of operation;

a navigation system configured to track a position of the end effector and the target site; and

one or more controllers configured to:

define a first virtual boundary relative to the target site,

prevent the end effector from penetrating the first virtual boundary in the manual mode; and

allow the end effector to penetrate the first virtual boundary in the autonomous mode.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more controllers are further configured to:

define a second virtual boundary relative to the target site, the first virtual boundary being spaced further apart from the target site than the second virtual boundary;

define a zone between the first and second virtual boundaries;

prevent the end effector from penetrating the zone in the manual mode; and

allow the end effector to penetrate the zone in the autonomous mode.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more controllers are further configured to evaluate the tracked position of the end effector relative to the zone.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more controllers are further configured to prevent movement of the end effector in the manual mode in response to determining that the position of the end effector is within the zone.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more controllers are further configured to allow movement of the end effector in the manual mode in response to determining that the position of the end effector is outside of the zone.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more controllers are further configured to:

control the robotic manipulator according to a first speed in response to determining that the position of the end effector is outside of the zone; and

control the robotic manipulator according to a second speed that is different from the first speed in response to determining that the position of the end effector is within the zone.

7. The system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more controllers prevent the end effector from penetrating the zone in the manual mode by further being configured to control the robotic manipulator to prevent or resist attempted movement of the end effector beyond the first virtual boundary.

8. The system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more controllers allow the end effector to penetrate the zone in the autonomous mode by further being configured to deactivate the first virtual boundary.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more controllers are configured to control a feed rate of the end effector such that the feed rate of the end effector in the autonomous mode is slower than the feed rate in the manual mode.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor coupled to the end effector for monitoring forces and torques applied to the end effector.

11. A method of operating a system, the system comprising a robotic manipulator including an arm, an end effector coupled to the arm and being moveable by the arm for interacting with a target site in a manual mode and an autonomous mode of operation, a navigation system configured to track a position of the end effector and the target site, and one or more controllers for performing the steps of:

defining a first virtual boundary relative to the target site;

preventing the end effector from penetrating the first virtual boundary in the manual mode; and

allowing the end effector to penetrate the first virtual boundary in the autonomous mode.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the one or more controllers:

defining a second virtual boundary relative to the target site, the first virtual boundary being spaced further apart from the target site than the second virtual boundary;

defining a zone between the first and second virtual boundaries;

preventing the end effector from penetrating the zone in the manual mode; and

allowing the end effector to penetrate the zone in the autonomous mode.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising the one or more controllers evaluating the tracked position of the end effector relative to the zone.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising the one or more controllers preventing movement of the end effector in the manual mode in response to determining that the position of the end effector is within the zone.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising the one or more controllers allowing movement of the end effector in the manual mode in response to determining that the position of the end effector is outside of the zone.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising the one or more controllers:

controlling the robotic manipulator according to a first speed in response to determining that the position of the end effector is outside of the zone; and

controlling the robotic manipulator according to a second speed that is different from the first speed in response to determining that the position of the end effector is within the zone.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein preventing the end effector from penetrating the zone in the manual mode further comprises the one or more controllers controlling the robotic manipulator to prevent or resist attempted movement of the end effector beyond the first virtual boundary.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein allowing the end effector to penetrate the zone in the autonomous mode further comprises the one or more controllers deactivating the first virtual boundary.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the one or more controllers controlling a feed rate of the end effector such that the feed rate of the end effector in the autonomous mode is slower than the feed rate in the manual mode.

20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the one or more controllers monitoring forces and torques applied to the end effector.