Software center and highly configurable robotic systems for surgery and other uses
Telerobotic, telesurgical, and/or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector in space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and methods for their use are also provided.
1. A robotic system comprising:
an input device;
a base comprising an elongate base body that is elongated along a length of the elongate base body, wherein the elongate base body is configured to assume a horizontal orientation such that the length extends in a substantially horizontal direction, the length being greater than a largest vertical dimension of the elongate base body when the elongate base body has assumed the horizontal orientation;
a plurality of manipulators coupled to the elongate base body and distributed in a row along the length of the elongate base body, wherein the plurality of manipulators comprises three or more manipulators, each manipulator configured to move an instrument relative to the base, wherein each manipulator comprises:
a plurality of links, and
a plurality of joints coupled to the plurality of links; and
a processor coupled to the input device and the plurality of manipulators, the processor configured to:
determine a desired motion for a first manipulator of the plurality of manipulators in response to a motion command received at the input device, and
drive the first manipulator to move in accordance with the desired motion.
2. The robotic system of claim 1 , wherein:
the robotic system comprises a tele-surgical manipulator system;
each manipulator of the plurality of manipulators comprises an instrument holder configured for mounting a surgical instrument; and
the base comprises a proximal base supporting the elongate base body and positionable near a surgical workspace.
3. The robotic system of claim 1 , wherein the base is supported from above relative to gravity.
4. The robotic system of claim 1 , wherein the base is configured to support the elongate base body above a patient on which the robotic system is to perform a procedure.
5. The robotic system of claim 1 , wherein the base is moveable relative a room containing the robotic system.
6. The robotic system of claim 4 , wherein the base comprises an arm of a movable cart.
7. The robotic system of claim 1 , wherein the base is mounted to a ceiling or is supported by a wall.
8. The robotic system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of manipulators consists of four manipulators.
9. The robotic system of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of links comprises a first link, a second link, and a third link, the first link being a most distal link of the plurality of links, the second link being a second most distal link of the plurality of links;
the plurality of joints comprises a first joint coupling the first link to the second link;
the first link comprises an instrument holder configured to support a removable instrument; and
the first joint comprises a prismatic joint.
10. The robotic system of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of links extends between the base and a distal portion;
the plurality of joints comprises multiple driven joints; and
the multiple driven joints provide sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of joint states of the multiple driven joints for a same state of the distal portion.
11. The robotic system of claim 1 , wherein each manipulator of the plurality of manipulators is mounted to the base by a pivotal joint.
12. The robotic system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a workstation comprising the input device, the workstation physically separated from the base and the plurality of manipulators.
13. The robotic system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
drive a manipulator of the plurality of manipulators to adopt a planar pose.
14. The robotic system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to drive a manipulator of the plurality of manipulators to adopt a pose to minimize protrusions or widths of the manipulator:
from a central plane of the manipulator, or
in a direction of an adjacent manipulator of the plurality of manipulators.
15. The robotic system of claim 1 , wherein a first axis of a first joint of the first manipulator and a second axis of a second joint of the first manipulator are mechanically constrained to remain co-planar as the first manipulator moves.
16. The robotic system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to drive motion of the plurality of manipulators such that the first manipulator and a second manipulator of the plurality of manipulator are at planes laterally or angularly offset from each other.
17. A method of operating a robotic system, the robotic system comprising an input device, a base comprising an elongate base body that is elongated along a length of the elongate base body, wherein the elongate base body is configured assume a horizontal orientation such that the length extends in a substantially horizontal direction, the length being greater than a largest vertical dimension of the elongate base body when the elongate base body has assumed the horizontal orientation, and a plurality of manipulators coupled to the elongate base body and distributed in a row along the length of the elongate base body, wherein the plurality of manipulators comprises three or more manipulators, and a processor coupled to the input device and the plurality of manipulators, the method comprising:
determining, by the processor, a desired motion for a first manipulator of the plurality of manipulators in response to a motion command received at the input device, and
driving, by the processor, the first manipulator to move in accordance with the desired motion.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
driving a manipulator of the plurality of manipulators to adopt a planar pose.
19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising: driving a manipulator of the plurality of manipulators to adopt a pose to minimize protrusions or widths of the manipulator:
from a central plane of the manipulator, or
in a direction of an adjacent manipulator of the plurality of manipulators.
20. A manipulator assembly for a robotic system, the manipulator assembly comprising:
a movable cart;
a base supported by the cart, the base comprising an elongate base body that is elongated along a length of the elongate base body, the elongate base body configured to assume a horizontal orientation above a region where the manipulator assembly is to perform a procedure such that the length extends in a substantially horizontal direction, the length being greater than a largest vertical dimension of the elongate base body when the elongate base body has assumed the horizontal orientation; and
a plurality of manipulators coupled to the elongate base body and distributed in a row along the length of the elongate base body, wherein the plurality of manipulators comprises three or more manipulators, each manipulator configured to extend below the elongate base body and to move an instrument relative to the base, wherein each manipulator comprises:
a plurality of links, and
a plurality of joints coupled to the plurality of links.
21. The manipulator assembly of claim 20 , wherein:
the plurality of manipulators consists of four manipulators; and
each manipulator of the plurality of manipulators is mounted to the base by a pivotal joint.
22. The manipulator assembly of claim 20 , wherein, for each manipulator of the plurality of manipulators:
the plurality of links extends between the elongate base body and a distal portion of the manipulator;
the plurality of joints comprises multiple driven joints; and
the multiple driven joints provide sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of joint states of the multiple driven joints for a same state of the distal portion.
23. The manipulator assembly of claim 20 , wherein
the plurality of links comprises a first link, a second link, and a third link, the first link being a most distal link of the plurality of links, the second link being a second most distal link of the plurality of links;
the plurality of joints comprises a first joint coupling the first link to the second link;
the first link comprises an instrument holder configured to support a removable instrument; and
the first joint comprises a prismatic joint.
24. The manipulator assembly of claim 20 , wherein the plurality of manipulators comprises a first manipulator, and wherein a first axis of a first joint of the first manipulator and a second axis of a second joint of the first manipulator are mechanically constrained to remain co-planar as the first manipulator moves.
25. The manipulator assembly of claim 20 , wherein for each manipulator of the plurality of manipulators:
the plurality of links comprises a first link and a second link, the first link being a most proximal link of the plurality of links, the second link being a second most proximal link of the plurality of links; and
the plurality of joints comprises a first joint and a second joint, the first joint being a pivotal joint coupling the first link to the elongate base body, and the second joint being a pivotal joint coupling the first link to the second link.
26. The manipulator assembly of claim 25 , wherein for each manipulator of the plurality of manipulators:
the plurality of links comprises a third link, the third link being a third most proximal link of the plurality of links; and
the plurality of joints comprises a third joint, the third joint being a roll joint coupling the second link to the third link.
27. The manipulator assembly of claim 26 , wherein for each manipulator of the plurality of manipulators:
the plurality of links comprises a fourth link, a fifth link, and a sixth link, the fourth link being a fourth most proximal link of the plurality of links, the fifth link being a fifth most proximal link of the plurality of links, and the sixth link being a sixth most proximal link of the plurality of links; and
the plurality of joints comprises a fourth joint, a fifth joint, and a sixth joint, the fourth joint being a pivotal joint coupling the third link to the fourth link, the fifth joint being a roll joint coupling the fourth link to the fifth link, and the sixth joint being a pivotal joint coupling the fifth link to the sixth link.
28. The manipulator assembly of claim 20 , wherein for each manipulator of the plurality of manipulators:
the plurality of links comprises a first link and a second link, the first link being a most proximal link of the plurality of links, the second link being a second most proximal link of the plurality of links; and
the plurality of joints comprises a first joint and a second joint, the first joint being a revolute joint coupling the first link to the elongate base body, and the second joint being a revolute joint coupling the first link to the second link.
29. The manipulator assembly of claim 28 , wherein for each manipulator of the plurality of manipulators:
the plurality of links comprises a third link, a fourth link, and a fifth link, the third link being a third most proximal link of the plurality of links, the fourth link being a fourth most proximal link of the plurality of links, the fifth link being a fifth most proximal link of the plurality of links; and
the plurality of joints comprises a third joint, a fourth joint, a fifth joint, and a sixth joint, the third joint being a revolute joint coupling the second link to the third link, the fourth joint being a revolute joint coupling the third link to the fourth link, the fifth joint being a revolute joint coupling the fourth link to the fifth link, and the sixth joint being a pivotal joint coupling the fifth link to a sixth link.