ROBOTICALLY-ASSISTED CONSTRAINT MECHANISM
A surgical system includes a robotic arm, a constraint mechanism coupled to the robotic arm, and a computer system configured to control the robotic arm to constrain manual movement of the constraint mechanism to a plane. The computer system is also configured to control the robotic arm to lock the constraint mechanism in a desired pose when the constraint mechanism is moved to the desired pose via manual movement in the plane.
1 . A surgical system, comprising:
a robotic arm;
a constraint mechanism coupled to the robotic arm; and
a computer system configured to:
control the robotic arm to constrain manual movement of the constraint mechanism to a plane; and
control the robotic arm to lock the constraint mechanism in a desired pose when the constraint mechanism is moved to the desired pose via manual movement in the plane.
2 . The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the constraint mechanism is a drill guide.
3 . The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein controlling the robotic arm to lock the constraint mechanism in the desired pose comprises controlling hardware brakes of the robotic arm.
4 . The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein controlling the robotic arm to lock the constraint mechanism in the desired pose comprises applying servoing techniques.
5 . The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is further configured to control the robotic arm to counteract an effect of gravity on the constraint mechanism.
6 . The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the plane is defined relative to an anatomical feature.
7 . The surgical system of claim 1 , further comprising a tracking system configured to provide tracking data indicative of a pose of the anatomy to the computer system.
8 . The surgical system of claim 7 , wherein the tracking system comprises a marker configured to be coupled to the anatomy and a camera configured to determine a location of the marker.
9 . The surgical system of claim 1 , further comprising a display device configured to display instructions for executing a surgical procedure using the surgical system.
10 . The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the plane is defined based on x-ray images of a joint of a patient.
11 . The surgical system of claim 1 , further comprising a foot pedal configured to allow a user to provide input to the computer system.
12 . A computer-assisted surgery system, comprising:
a processor;
storage media coupled to the processor and storing instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
controlling a robotic arm to counteract an effect of gravity on a constraint mechanism coupled to the robotic arm while allowing manual movement of the constraint mechanism; and
controlling the robotic arm to constrain the manual movement to a plane; and
controlling the robotic arm to lock the constraint mechanism in a desired pose when the constraint mechanism is manually moved to the desired pose.
13 . The computer-assisted surgery system of claim 12 , wherein the constraint mechanism is on the plane when in the desired pose.
14 . The computer-assisted surgery system of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise defining the plane relative to an anatomical feature of a patient.
15 . The computer-assisted surgery system of claim 14 , wherein defining the plane relative to the anatomical feature comprises receiving x-ray images of the anatomical feature of the patient.
16 . The computer-assisted surgery system of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving tracking data indicative of a pose of the anatomical feature from a tracking system and determining a position of the plane based on the tracking data.
17 . A method of operating a computer-assisted surgery system, comprising:
planning a bone resection to obtain a plane defined in relation to a position of an anatomical feature;
controlling mobility of a constraint mechanism mounted on a robotic arm by:
causing the robotic arm to limit manual movement of the constraint mechanism to the plane; and
manually manipulating the robotic arm to translate the constraint mechanism along the plane to a desired pose; and
causing the robotic arm to lock the constraint mechanism at the desired pose.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the constraint mechanism is a drill guide.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising causing the robotic arm to counteract effects of gravity on the constraint mechanism and the robotic arm.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein defining the plane in relation to the position of the anatomical feature comprises planning an alignment of a knee implant.