Confidence-based robotically-assisted surgery system

1. A system, comprising:

an articulating member including a tool; and

a computer, coupled to the articulating member, including a processor configured to:

determine a first confidence indicator based on a manual control mode for the articulating member,

determine a second confidence indicator based on an autonomous control mode for the articulating member,

generate an allocation function based on the first confidence indicator and the second confidence indicator, and

generate a control command for the articulating member based on the allocation function,

wherein the first confidence indicator is based on first data acquired when the processor is operating in the manual control mode during a first performance of a predetermined task using the tool,

wherein the first data include manual tracking error data associated with a first trajectory of the tool during the first performance of the predetermined task,

wherein the second confidence indicator is based on second data acquired when the processor is operating in the autonomous control mode during a second performance of the predetermined task, and

wherein the second data include autonomous tracking error data associated with a second trajectory of the tool during the second performance of the predetermined task.

2. The system according to claim 1 , where, when the processor is operating in a shared control mode to perform the predetermined task using the tool, the processor is further configured to:

generate a manual control command for the articulating member based on input data received from an input device coupled to the processor;

generate an autonomous control command for the articulating member;

generate the control command based on the allocation function, the autonomous control command and the manual control command;

convert the control command into a robot-specific control signal; and

send the robot-specific control signal to the articulating member.

3. The system according to claim 2 , where the allocation function selects either the manual control command or the autonomous control command as the control command.

4. The system according to claim 3 , where the allocation function defines at least one decision threshold and determines whether the manual control command or the autonomous control command is selected as the control command.

5. The system according to claim 2 , where the control command is a combination of the manual control command and the autonomous control command, and the allocation function defines respective percentages of the manual control command and the autonomous control command.

6. The system according to claim 2 , where the processor is further configured to provide a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display coupled to the processor, the GUI including an image of a work space in which the predetermined task is performed, a desired trajectory of the tool for the predetermined task, at least one manual control mode region along the desired trajectory, and at least one autonomous control mode region along the desired trajectory.

7. The system according to claim 6 , where the processor is further configured to receive, from the input device, a user selection of either the manual control command or the autonomous control command as the control command.

8. The system according to claim 1 , where the predetermined task is a two-dimensional pattern cutting surgical task.

9. A method for controlling an articulating member including a tool, the method comprising:

determining a first confidence indicator based on a manual control mode for the articulating member;

determining a second confidence indicator based on an autonomous control mode for the articulating member;

generating an allocation function based on the first confidence indicator and the second confidence indicator;

generating a control command for the articulating member based on the allocation function; and

sending the control command to the articulating member,

wherein the first confidence indicator is based on first data acquired when operating in the manual control mode during a first performance of a predetermined task using the tool;

wherein the first data include manual tracking error data associated with a first trajectory of the tool during the first performance of the predetermined task;

wherein the second confidence indicator is based on second data acquired when operating in the autonomous control mode during a second performance of the predetermined task; and

wherein the second data include autonomous tracking error data associated with a second trajectory of the tool during the second performance of the predetermined task.

10. The method according to claim 9 , where, when operating in a shared control mode to perform the predetermined task using the tool, the method further comprises:

generating a manual control command for the articulating member based on input data received from an input device;

generating an autonomous control command for the articulating member;

generating the control command is based on the allocation function, the autonomous control command and the manual control command;

converting the control command into a robot-specific control signal; and

sending the robot-specific control signal to the articulating member.

11. The method according to claim 10 , where the allocation function selects either the manual control command or the autonomous control command as the control command, and the allocation function defines at least one decision threshold and determines whether the manual control command or the autonomous control command is selected as the control command.

12. The method according to claim 10 , where the control command is a combination of the manual control command and the autonomous control command, and the allocation function defines respective proportions of the manual control command and the autonomous control command.

13. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display, the GUI including an image of a work space in which the predetermined task is performed, a desired trajectory of the tool for the predetermined task, at least one manual control mode region along the desired trajectory, and at least one autonomous control mode region along the desired trajectory.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

receiving, from the input device, a user selection of either the manual control command or the autonomous control command as the control command.

15. The method according to claim 9 , where the predetermined task is a two-dimensional pattern cutting surgical task.

16. A method for controlling a robot including a tool, the method comprising:

controlling the tool to follow a first trajectory using a haptic device on a manual control mode for the robot;

determining a first confidence indicator based on the manual control mode for the robot, wherein the first confidence indicator is based on first data acquired when operating in the manual control mode during a first performance of a predetermined task using the tool, wherein the first data include manual tracking error data associated with the first trajectory of the tool;

controlling the tool to follow a second trajectory on an autonomous control mode for the robot;

determining a second confidence indicator based on the autonomous control mode for the robot, wherein the second confidence indicator is based on second data acquired when operating in the autonomous control mode wherein the second data include autonomous tracking error data associated with the second trajectory of the tool;

generating an allocation function based on the first confidence indicator and the second confidence indicator, wherein the allocation function comprises a function of tracking accuracy;

generating a control command for the robot based on the allocation function; and

sending the control command to the robot.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the manual tracking error data associated with the first trajectory of the tool comprise a first difference between the first trajectory and a first performed trajectory of the tool to follow the first trajectory, and

wherein the autonomous tracking error data associated with the second trajectory of the tool comprise a second difference between the second trajectory and a second performed trajectory of the tool to follow the second trajectory.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the function of tracking accuracy comprises a function of the first confidence indicator and the second confidence indicator.