Method for operating a robotic device and robotic device

1. A method for operating a robotic device with a kinematic chain of mobile components, wherein the kinematic chain comprises a function-specific end-effector at one end, the method comprising:

acquiring respective sensor values using sensors of the robotic device arranged on the kinematic chain or in an environment of the kinematic chain;

determining a force applied to the function-specific end-effector or another component of the kinematic chain, or a variable dependent on the force, in a prespecified manner based on the acquired sensor values;

prespecifying, automatically based on a medical-surgical or medical-diagnostic procedure, a first safety limit value based on a suitability of the function-specific end-effector of the kinematic chain for the procedure;

comparing the force or the variable with the prespecified first safety limit value by a control mechanism of the robotic device; and

adapting a characteristic of the kinematic chain or a characteristic of the function-specific end-effector when the force or the variable is in a prespecified relationship to the first safety limit value.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic includes a parameter of the kinematic chain represented as a spring-damper system, wherein the parameter comprises one or more of: rigidity, damping of the kinematic chain, torque acting on the function-specific end-effector, a force acting on the function-specific end-effector, speed of the function-specific end-effector, and acceleration of the function-specific end-effector.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adapting is performed when the force or the variable is greater than the first safety limit value.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the prespecifying of the first safety limit value is based on a property of the function-specific end-effector of the kinematic chain and the suitability of the function-specific end-effector of the kinematic chain for the procedure.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the prespecifying of the first safety limit value is based on:

application of a prespecified force, a prespecified torque, or the prespecified force and the prespecified torque on the function-specific end-effector,

application of the prespecified force, the prespecified torque, or the prespecified force and the prespecified torque by the function-specific end-effector, or

application of the prespecified force, the prespecified torque, and the prespecified force and the prespecified torque on the function-specific end-effector and by the function-specific end-effector.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the prespecified force application, the prespecified torque application, or the prespecified force application and the prespecified torque application is based on a prespecified change to a force, a torque, or the force and the torque,

wherein the prespecified force application, the prespecified torque application, or the prespecified force application and the prespecified torque application is standardized to a prespecified value for a distance covered during the procedure by the function-specific end-effector, a mobile component of the kinematic chain, or the function-specific end-effector and the mobile component of the kinematic chain.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the prespecified force application, the prespecified torque application, or the prespecified force application and the prespecified torque application is effected by an operational action or a sequence of operational actions on the robotic device.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the operational action on the robotic device comprises guidance of the kinematic chain by a hand of an operator.

9. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

determining a position of a structure assigned to the prespecified force application, the prespecified torque application, or the prespecified force application and the prespecified torque application, wherein the determining of the position comprises determining a position, an orientation, or the position and the orientation of the function-specific end-effector at a time of the prespecified force application, the prespecified torque application, or the prespecified force application and the prespecified torque application or at a time of the adaptation.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

prespecifying a second safety limit value, wherein the second safety limit value is higher than the first safety limit value;

comparing the force or the variable with the second safety limit value; and

outputting a warning signal to an operator when the force or the variable is in a second prespecified relationship to the second safety limit value.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second prespecified relationship comprises the force or the variable being greater than the second safety limit value.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

prespecifying a first value and a second value for the first safety limit value; and

selecting the first value or the second value as the first safety limit value based on the comparison with the force or the variable.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the prespecifying of the first safety limit value depends on the acquired sensor values.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the prespecifying of the first safety limit value is performed depending on:

a position, an orientation, or the position and the orientation of the function-specific end-effector of the kinematic chain,

a joint angle between two mobile components of the kinematic chain, or

the position, the orientation, or the position and the orientation of the function-specific end-effector of the kinematic chain and the joint angle between two mobile components of the kinematic chain.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

checking to determine one predetermined spatial region of a plurality of predetermined spatial regions where the function-specific end-effector is located, wherein the prespecifying of the first safety limit value is performed depending on:

the position,

the orientation,

the position and the orientation,

the joint angle, or

the position, the orientation, and the joint angle.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adaptation includes: restricting a movement of the function-specific end-effector, a mobile component, or the function-specific end-effector and the mobile component by at least one joint; or

restricting a combined movement by a plurality of joints of the kinematic chain.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the restricting comprises reducing the movement of the function-specific end-effector by a degree of freedom.

18. The method of claim 5 , wherein the robotic device is a medical-robotic device used in a medical-surgical procedure, a medical-diagnostic procedure, or the medical-surgical procedure and the medical-diagnostic procedure.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the robotic device comprises a holding device for an endoscope, a pedicle screw, a biopsy needle, or an ultrasound device.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the prespecified force application, the prespecified torque application, or the prespecified force application and the prespecified torque application on the robotic device comprises:

a movement of a partial region of a patient, the partial region of the patient comprising a prespecified anatomical structure of the patient,

the robotic device acting on the partial region of a patient, or

the movement of the partial region of the patient and the robotic device acting on the partial region of the patient.

21. A robotic device comprising:

a kinematic chain of mobile components comprising a function-specific end-effector at one end;

a plurality of sensors arranged on the kinematic chain or in an environment of the kinematic chain, wherein the plurality of sensors is configured to acquire respective sensor values; and

a control mechanism configured to:

determine, based on the acquired sensor values, a force acting on the function-specific end-effector or another component of the kinematic chain, or a variable dependent on the force, in a prespecified manner;

prespecify, automatically based on a medical-surgical or medical-diagnostic procedure, a first safety limit value based on a suitability of the function-specific end-effector of the kinematic chain for the procedure;

compare the force or the variable with the prespecified first safety limit value; and

adapt a characteristic of the kinematic chain or the function-specific end-effector when the force or the variable is in a prespecified relationship to the first safety limit value.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the procedure specifies a region to be operated on by the function-specific end-effector.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the procedure specifies a region to be operated on by the function-specific end-effector.