Robotic dental system and method of preparing for a robotic dental procedure
A dental robot includes a platform and a suspension system. The suspension system supports the platform and automatically compensates for weights of the platform and a robot arm, end effector, and tooth clamp attached to the platform. The suspension system maintains a constant height of the platform above a base, absent an external force on the tooth clamp. The suspension system allows position and orientation of the platform to change, relative to the base, in response to an external force on the tooth clamp greater than about 0.1 N, such as a result of movement (change in position and/or orientation) of a subject. Consequently, the position and orientation of the platform remain fixed, relative to the subject's teeth, in response to movement of the teeth.
1 . A robotic dental system, comprising:
a treatment system, which comprises:
a dental clamp, which is configured to be rigidly clamped to one or more teeth of a subject;
a robotic arm, a distal end of which is coupled to an end effector; and
a platform, to which a proximal end of the robotic arm is coupled, the platform comprising a coupling portion configured to rigidly and releasably couple to the dental clamp, the platform and coupling portion being configured such that, when the dental clamp is rigidly coupled to the coupling portion, a rigid coupling between the dental clamp and the platform is thereby provided, so that a position and orientation of the platform remain fixed, relative to the dental clamp;
a base; and
a passive or active suspension system comprising a plurality of linkages and joints, wherein the suspension system mechanically couples the platform with the base, and supports a weight of the treatment system, and wherein, when the robotic dental system is operating in a treatment mode, with the dental clamp rigidly coupled to the coupling portion, the plurality of joints enable the linkages to move relative to one another so that the suspension system permits the position and orientation of the platform to change, relative to the base, in response to a force applied to the dental clamp, so as to accommodate changes in a position, orientation, and both of the dental clamp, through corresponding changes in the position, orientation or both of the platform, relative to the base, with the rigid coupling between the dental clamp and the platform causing the position and orientation of the platform to remain fixed, relative to the dental clamp, during such changes in the position, orientation or both of the platform relative to the base.
2 . The robotic dental system of claim 1 , wherein the suspension system is an active suspension system and comprises at least one motor.
3 . The robotic dental system of claim 2 , wherein, when the robotic dental system is operating in a treatment mode, the at least one motor is operated based on input from at least one force sensor so as to cause the position, orientation or both of the platform to change, relative to the base, in response to said forces applied to the dental clamp, thereby permitting corresponding changes in the position, orientation, or both of the dental clamp.
4 . The robotic dental system of claim 2 , wherein, when the robotic dental system is operating in a compliant mode, the at least one motor is operated, based on input from at least one force sensor, so as to cause the position, orientation or both of the platform to change, relative to the base, in response to forces applied to the treatment system by an operator of the robotic dental system, thereby permitting the operator to reposition the treatment system in a desired arrangement.
5 . The robotic dental system of claim 1 , wherein the suspension system is a passive suspension system, so that the suspension system permits external forces that are applied to the treatment system to mechanically cause the position and orientation of the platform to change.
6 . The robotic dental system of claim 1 , wherein the dental clamp is configured to be rigidly clamped to a plurality of teeth of the subject, and the robotic arm is operable to address at least two of the plurality of teeth.
7 . The robotic dental system of claim 1 , wherein the robotic arm is configured so as to be insertable into a mouth of the subject separately from the dental clamp.
8 . The robotic dental system of claim 1 , wherein the robotic dental system is configured to cause the robotic arm to perform a dental procedure on at least one target tooth.
9 . The robotic dental system of claim 1 , wherein the robotic arm has at least six degrees of freedom.
10 . The robotic dental system of claim 1 , wherein the robotic arm has more than six degrees of freedom.
11 . The robotic dental system of claim 1 , wherein the robotic arm comprises a plurality of robotic joints.
12 . The robotic dental system of claim 1 , wherein the robotic arm comprises at least four robotic joints.
13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the end effector comprises a dental drill.
14 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one processor, and a computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to perform the dental procedure.
15 . The robotic dental system of claim 14 , wherein the dental procedure is a tooth preparation procedure.