User selection of robotic system operating modes using mode distinguishing operator actions

1. A robotic system comprising:

first and second input devices, wherein each of the first and second input devices is manipulatable both translationally and rotationally;

first and second manipulators; and

a processor configured to:

cause the first and second input devices to be operatively coupled to the first manipulator, so that only concurrent translational manipulations of the first and second input devices result in a corresponding movement of the first manipulator;

determine that the first input device has been manipulated alone in a predefined manner, wherein the predefined manner comprises a rotational manipulation of the first input device; and

conditioned upon at least determining that the first input device has been manipulated alone in the predefined manner, cause the first and second input devices to be operatively decoupled from the first manipulator and cause at least the first input device to be operatively coupled to the second manipulator.

2. A robotic system comprising:

first and second manipulators, wherein the first manipulator is coupled to a first device;

first and second input devices, wherein each of the first and second input devices has a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, and a vertical axis, and wherein each of the first and second input devices is manipulatable in: forward and backward directions along the longitudinal axis, up and down directions along the vertical axis, right and left directions along the lateral axis, rotational directions about the longitudinal axis, rotational directions about the vertical axis, and rotational directions about the lateral axis; and

a processor configured to:

cause the first and second input devices to be operatively coupled to the first manipulator, so that concurrent movements of the first and second input devices result in a corresponding movement of the first manipulator;

conditioned upon the first and second input devices being operatively coupled to the first manipulator, command the first manipulator to rotate the first device in a roll rotational direction about the longitudinal axis of the first device in response to the first input device being manipulated in its up direction and the second input device being concurrently manipulated in its down direction;

determine that the first input device has been manipulated alone in a predefined manner by determining the first input device has been rotated about its longitudinal axis without a concurrent manipulation of the second input device; and

conditioned upon at least determining that the first input device has been manipulated alone in the predefined manner, cause the first and second input devices to be operatively decoupled from the first manipulator and cause at least the first input device to be operatively coupled to the second manipulator.

3. The robotic system of claim 2 , further comprising:

a third input device;

wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine that the third input device has been manipulated so as to indicate that a mode change is permitted; and

only cause the first and second input devices to be operatively decoupled from the first manipulator and cause at least the first input device to be operatively coupled to the second manipulator after the first input device has been determined to have been manipulated alone in the predefined manner and the third input device has been determined to have been manipulated so as to indicate that the mode change is permitted.

4. The robotic system of claim 3 :

wherein the first and second input devices are hand operable devices; and

wherein the third input device is a foot operable device.

5. The robotic system of claim 2 , further comprising:

a display;

wherein the processor is further configured to:

cause a graphical indication to be displayed on the display;

wherein the graphical indication indicates to an operator of the first input device how the operator should manipulate the first input device in the predefined manner.

6. A robotic system comprising:

first and second input devices, wherein the first input device is manipulatable in a first plurality of translational directions and a first plurality of rotational directions, the first plurality of rotational directions including a first rotational direction;

first and second manipulators; and

a processor configured to:

cause the first and second input devices to be operatively coupled to the first manipulator, so that concurrent movements of the first and second input devices result in a corresponding movement of the first manipulator;

determine that the first input device has been manipulated alone in a predefined manner by determining the first input device has been manipulated beyond a threshold level in the first rotational direction without a concurrent manipulation of the second input device; and

conditioned upon at least determining that the first input device has been manipulated alone in the predefined manner, cause the first and second input devices to be operatively decoupled from the first manipulator and cause at least the first input device to be operatively coupled to the second manipulator.

7. The robotic system of claim 6 :

wherein the processor is further configured to:

cause sensory feedback to be provided to an operator of the first input device as the operator manipulates the first input device towards the threshold level in the first rotational direction.

8. A robotic system, which is operable in first and second operating modes, the robotic system comprising:

first and second input devices, wherein each of the first and second input devices is manipulatable both translationally and rotationally;

first and second manipulators, wherein only concurrent translational manipulations of the first and second input devices result in commanding movement of the first manipulator in the first operating mode; and

a processor configured to:

operate according to the first operating mode, in which, both the first and second input devices are concurrently used to command movement of the first manipulator;

determine that the first input device has been manipulated alone in a predefined manner, wherein the predefined manner comprises a rotational manipulation of the first input device; and

in response to at least determining that the first input device has been manipulated alone in the predefined manner, operate according to the second operating mode, in which, at least the first input device is used to command movement of the second manipulator.

9. The robotic system of claim 8 :

wherein the first manipulator is coupled to a first device;

wherein each of the first and second input devices has a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, and a vertical axis;

wherein each of the first and second input devices is manipulatable in: forward and backward directions along the longitudinal axis, up and down directions along the vertical axis, right and left directions along the lateral axis, rotational directions about the longitudinal axis, rotational directions about the vertical axis, and rotational directions about the lateral axis;

wherein the processor is further configured to:

conditioned upon the first and second input devices operating in the first operating mode, command the first manipulator to rotate the first device in a roll rotational direction about the longitudinal axis of the first device in response to the first input device being manipulated in its up direction and the second input device being concurrently manipulated in its down direction; and

determine that the first input device has been manipulated alone in the predefined manner by determining the first input device has been rotated about its longitudinal axis without a concurrent manipulation of the second input device.

10. The robotic system of claim 8 , further comprising:

a third input device;

wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine that the third input device has been manipulated so as to indicate that a mode change is permitted; and

conditioned upon determining that the first input device has been manipulated alone in the predefined manner and upon determining that the third input device has been manipulated so as to indicate that the mode change is permitted, operate according to the second operating mode.

11. The robotic system of claim 10 :

wherein the first and second input devices are hand operable devices; and

wherein the third input device is a foot operable device.

12. The robotic system of claim 8 , further comprising:

a display;

wherein the processor is further configured to:

cause a graphical indication to be displayed on the display;

wherein the graphical indication indicates to an operator of the first input device how the operator should manipulate the first input device in the predefined manner.

13. A robotic system, which is operable in first and second operating modes, the robotic system comprising:

first and second manipulators;

first and second input devices, wherein the first input device is manipulatable in a first plurality of translational directions and a first plurality of rotational directions, the first plurality of rotational directions including a first rotational direction; and

a processor configured to:

operate according to the first operating mode, in which, both the first and second input devices are concurrently used to command movement of the first manipulator;

determine that the first input device has been manipulated alone in a predefined manner by determining the first input device has been manipulated beyond a threshold level in the first rotational direction without a concurrent manipulation of the second input device; and

in response to at least determining that the first input device has been manipulated alone in the predefined manner, operate according to the second operating mode, in which, at least the first input device is used to command movement of the second manipulator.

14. The robotic system of claim 13 :

wherein the processor is further configured to:

cause sensory feedback to be provided to an operator of the first input device as the operator manipulates the first input device towards the threshold level in the first rotational direction.

15. A method for changing operating modes of a robotic system, the method comprising:

using a processor to operatively couple first and second input devices to a first manipulator, so that concurrent movements of the first and second input devices result in a corresponding movement of the first manipulator, wherein each of the first and second input devices is manipulatable both translationally and rotationally;

conditioned upon using the processor to operatively couple the first and second input devices to the first manipulator, using the processor to command movement of the first manipulator only in response to concurrent translational manipulations of the first and second input devices;

using the processor to determine that the first input device has been manipulated alone in a predefined manner by using the processor to determine that the first input device has been manipulated rotationally; and

conditioned upon the processor having at least determined that the first input device has been manipulated alone in the predefined manner, using the processor to operatively decouple the first and second input devices from the first manipulator and operatively couple at least the first input device to a second manipulator.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

using the processor to determine that a third input device has been manipulated so as to indicate that a mode change is permitted; and

using the processor to operatively decouple the first and second input devices from the first manipulator and operatively couple at least the first input device to the second manipulator only if the processor has determined that the first input device has been manipulated alone in the predefined manner and the processor has determined that the third input device has been manipulated so as to indicate that the mode change is permitted.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

using the processor to cause a graphical indication to be displayed on a display, wherein the graphical indication indicates to an operator of the first input device how the operator should manipulate the first input device in the predefined manner.