Systems and methods for surgical port positioning

1. A method for robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery, the method comprising:

calculating, based on a surgical plan, an insertion vector for a minimally invasive surgery (MIS) port;

causing a robotic arm holding the MIS port to manipulate the MIS port into a pose that corresponds to the insertion vector;

detecting, with a sensor on the robotic arm, a force applied to the robotic arm via the MIS port;

maintaining the MIS port in the pose when the detected force is lower than a predetermined threshold; and

generating an alert when the detected force exceeds the predetermined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein maintaining the MIS port in the pose comprises causing the robotic arm to apply a responsive force to the MIS port, the responsive force based on the detected force.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the robotic arm is a first robotic arm and the sensor is a first sensor, the method further comprising:

causing a second robotic arm to carry out a surgical task via the MIS port based on the surgical plan.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

receiving, from a second sensor on the second robotic arm, information about an applied force exerted by the second robotic arm.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

controlling the robotic arm based on the applied force to prevent movement of the MIS port.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

causing the second robotic arm to reduce the applied force when the applied force reaches the predetermined threshold.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the insertion vector is a first insertion vector and the pose is a first pose, the method further comprising:

calculating a second insertion vector based on the surgical plan; and

causing the robotic arm to move the MIS port to a second pose that corresponds to the second insertion vector, the second pose different than the first pose.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pose is a first pose, the method further comprising:

causing the robotic arm to move the MIS port to a second pose different than the first pose based on user input.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the MIS port remains at least partially inside a patient during movement of the MIS port from the first pose to the second pose.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

causing the robotic arm to carry out a surgical task based on the surgical plan while the MIS port in the pose.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined threshold is based on forces exerted on the MIS port as a result of breathing motion.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined threshold corresponds to a maximum force expected during a surgical procedure involving the MIS port.

13. A system for use during minimally invasive surgery, the system comprising:

a robotic arm;

a sensor;

at least one processor; and

a memory storing instructions for execution by the at least one processor that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:

determine, based on a surgical plan for a patient, a pose for a minimally invasive surgery (MIS) port;

cause the robotic arm holding the MIS port to manipulate the MIS port into the pose;

receive, from the sensor, information about a force exerted on the robotic arm via the MIS port;

maintain the MIS port in the pose when the force is lower than a predetermined threshold; and

generate an alert when the force exceeds the predetermined threshold.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the robotic arm or the MIS port comprises the sensor.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the memory stores additional instructions for execution by the at least one processor that, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:

move the MIS port to a new pose different than the pose.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the alert comprises at least one of a visual alert, an audible alert, or a tactile alert.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the determining comprises calculating an insertion vector based on the surgical plan.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the predetermined threshold is based on a characteristic of the robotic arm.

19. A system for providing robotic assistance during surgery, the system comprising:

a robotic arm;

at least one processor; and

a memory storing instructions for execution by the at least one processor that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:

calculate, based on a surgical plan for a patient, a pose for a surgical port;

register a robotic coordinate space corresponding to the robotic arm to a patient coordinate space corresponding to the patient;

cause the robotic arm holding the surgical port to manipulate the surgical port into the pose;

control the robotic arm to maintain the surgical port in the pose unless a force exerted on the surgical port exceeds a predetermined threshold; and

generate, when the force exceeds the predetermined threshold, an alert.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the surgical port is a minimally invasive surgery (MIS) port or an endoscopy port.