Contact management modes for robotic imaging systems using multiple sensors

Abstract

The robotic imaging system includes a body having a head unit, a robotic arm, and a binding plate. A camera is disposed on the head unit and configured to record one or more images of a target site. The camera is operably connected to one or more handles. A plurality of sensors are configured to transmit sensor data. The sensors include at least one primary sensor configured to detect respective forces and / or torques applied at the body and at least one secondary sensor configured to detect respective forces and / or torques applied at the one or more handles. A controller is configured to receive the sensor data and, based in part on the sensor data, execute a contact management mode including determining a contact location of the body with an external object and determining a backtrack trajectory for moving the body away from the contact location.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 373,890, filed August 30, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. [Background technology]

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to robotic imaging systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to contact management modes in robotic imaging systems. Various imaging modalities are commonly used to image different parts of the human body. Robotic systems have been developed to improve the efficiency of medical procedures using these imaging modalities. Robotic systems may incorporate multiple parts or components to assist a user in operating the system. As such, it can be difficult to avoid physical contact between various components of the robotic system and surrounding external objects, including people. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0003] Disclosed herein is a robotic imaging system having a body with a head unit, a robotic arm, and a coupling plate connecting the head unit to the robotic arm. The robotic arm is adapted to selectively move the head unit. A camera is disposed on the head unit and configured to record one or more images of a target site. The camera is operably connected to one or more handles. The system includes a plurality of sensors configured to transmit sensor data. The sensors include at least one primary sensor configured to detect respective forces and / or torques applied at the body and at least one secondary sensor configured to detect respective forces and / or torques applied at the one or more handles. A controller is configured to receive the sensor data. The controller has a processor and a tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions recorded thereon. The controller is adapted to execute a contact management mode, including determining a contact location of the body with an external object based in part on the sensor data. The contact management mode includes determining a backtrack trajectory for moving the body away from the contact location.

[0004] The camera may be a stereoscopic camera configured to record left and right images to generate at least one stereoscopic image of the target site. The target site may be an eye. The plurality of sensors may each include a six-degree-of-freedom force sensing device.

[0005] The handlebars are rigidly attached to the handlebars and include a first handle and a second handle connected by the handlebars. In some embodiments, the secondary sensor can be a single sensor located on the handlebars. In other embodiments, the secondary sensors include a first secondary sensor attached to the first handle and a second secondary sensor attached to the second handle. The primary sensor can be located at a center point between the robot arm and the camera. The multiple sensors define respective coordinate systems.

[0006] In some embodiments, the controller is adapted to transform the respective coordinate systems into a common coordinate system. The controller may be adapted to apply a correction factor to the sensor data, including applying a low-pass filter and / or, for the plurality of sensors, correcting for gravity based on the position of each of the plurality of sensors. The controller may be adapted to obtain an interface plane extending through the contact location and perpendicular to the first direction. The backward trajectory begins in a direction perpendicular to the interface plane.

[0007] In some embodiments, the backward movement trajectory is constrained to the surface of a virtual sphere. The sensor data provides a measured torque and a measured force at a measurement location, the measurement location and the contact location being connected by a displacement vector. The controller may be adapted to determine the applied torque at the contact location as the difference between the measured torque and the cross product of the displacement vector and the applied force.

[0008] Disclosed herein is a robotic imaging system having a body with a head unit, a robotic arm, and a coupling plate connecting the head unit to the robotic arm. The robotic arm is adapted to selectively move the head unit. A camera is disposed on the head unit and configured to record one or more images of a target site. The camera is operably connected to one or more handles. The system includes a plurality of sensors configured to transmit sensor data. The plurality of sensors includes at least one primary sensor configured to detect respective forces and / or torques applied at the body and at least one secondary sensor configured to detect respective forces and / or torques applied at one or more handles.

[0009] A controller is configured to receive the sensor data, the controller having a processor and a tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions recorded thereon. The controller is adapted to execute a contact management mode based in part on the sensor data, including obtaining a contact position of the body with an external object, obtaining a boundary surface extending through the contact position, and determining a back trajectory for moving the body away from the contact position. The boundary surface is perpendicular to a reference axis.

[0010] The above and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the disclosure, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic partial view of a robotic imaging system having a camera, a sensor, and a controller with a contact management mode. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic partial top view of the robotic imaging system of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for operating a contact management mode. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a partial perspective schematic view of the positioning of sensors in the system of FIG. 1 according to an alternative embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic partial view showing a handle and an auxiliary sensor that can be employed in the system of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic partial view showing a reverse trajectory for the system of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a virtual sphere illustrating exemplary constraining trajectories for the system of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, by way of non-limiting example, and are described in more detail below. However, it should be understood that the novel aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to the particular forms shown in the drawings listed above. Rather, the present disclosure encompasses modifications, equivalents, combinations, subcombinations, permutations, groupings, and alternatives that are included within the scope of the present disclosure, such as, for example, the appended claims.

[0013] Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like components throughout the drawings, FIGS. 1-2 schematically illustrate a robotic imaging system 10 having a camera 12. The camera 12 shown in FIG. 1 is a stereoscopic camera 12, although it should be understood that other types of cameras (e.g., cameras that capture single images) may be employed. The camera 12 is configured to record first and second images of a target site 16, which may be employed to generate a live two-dimensional stereoscopic view of the target site 16. The target site 16 may be an anatomical location on a patient, a laboratory biological specimen, a calibration slide / template, etc. In one example, the target site 16 is an eye.

[0014] A top view of the robotic imaging system 10 is shown in FIG. 2. Referring to FIGS. 1-2, the camera 12 is at least partially disposed on a head unit 18 of a body 20. The head unit 18 is configured to be at least partially directed toward the target site 16. One or more handles 22 (hereinafter, "one or more" omitted) are operably connected to the camera 12 (e.g., on the head unit 18) to allow a user to manually position the camera 12. The handles 22 may include respective controls for activating or selecting specific features of the camera 12, such as adjusting focus, magnification, the amount / type of light projected onto the target site 16, and other features. Referring to FIG. 2, the handles 22 may include a first handle 22A and a second handle 22B. While two handles are shown in this example, it should be understood that the number and shape / configuration of the handles 22 may vary.

[0015] 1 , the body 20 includes a head unit 18 that houses the camera 12, a robotic arm 24, and a coupling plate 26. The robotic arm 24 is configured to selectively move the camera 12 via the head unit 18. A user may position and orient the camera 12 with assistance from the robotic arm 24. The coupling plate 26 mechanically couples the head unit 18 to the robotic arm 24.

[0016] 1 , the robotic imaging system 10 includes a controller C having at least one processor P and at least one memory M (or non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium) having instructions recorded thereon for executing a method 100 (described below in connection with FIG. 3 ) for operating a contact management mode 30. As described below, the contact management mode 30 utilizes redundant force / torque sensors to accurately detect potential contact conditions of the body 20 on a reference axis (e.g., the Z axis) and to retract the body 20 away from such potential contact conditions. The memory M can store a controller-executable instruction set, and the processor P can execute the controller-executable instruction set stored in the memory M.

[0017] 1-2, system 10 includes multiple sensors 32, including at least one primary sensor 34 configured to detect applied respective forces and / or torques at body 20 and at least one secondary sensor 36 configured to detect applied respective forces and / or torques at handle 22. When a portion of body 20 comes into contact with an external object (e.g., object 400 in FIG. 6), the sensor readings from primary sensor 34 and secondary sensor 36 change, allowing for detection of an exemplary contact location 402. This may be done using a weighted difference between the two sensor readings.

[0018] As described below, when contact is detected, controller C defines boundary surface B (see FIGS. 1 and 6 ) and a backward trajectory (e.g., backward trajectory 406 in FIG. 6 ) is commanded. In some embodiments, no user intervention is required and robotic arm 24 is moved relatively quickly. In other embodiments, the user may be required to hold a button engaged for movement to occur. Contact management mode 30 acts on acceleration dynamics to mitigate contact of various components of body 20 with surrounding external objects. The method 100 described herein provides a smooth transition and is integrated into the dynamics of the control system.

[0019] The sensor 32 may include a six-degree-of-freedom force sensing module, where the sensor 32 may detect translational forces or motions in the X, Y, and Z axes, and torques or motions about the yaw, pitch, and roll axes separately. In addition to force and torque sensors, linear accelerometers and rotary gyros may be employed. The detected forces / motions are converted into rotational and / or translational data. Decoupling of translational and rotational forces enables the robotic imaging system 10 to calculate forward kinematics and / or inverse kinematics for control of the robot arm 24.

[0020] Referring to FIG. 2, the primary sensor 34 may be located at a central point 54 between the robot arm 24 and the camera 12. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, there are two secondary sensors: a first secondary sensor 36A attached to the first handle 22A and a second secondary sensor 36B attached to the second handle 22B. An alternative embodiment having a single secondary sensor on the handle 222 is shown in FIG. 4. Referring to FIG. 4, a handle bar 223 connects the first handle 222A and the second handle 222B. In FIG. 4, the secondary sensor is a single secondary sensor 236 rigidly attached to the handle bar 223. The number of sensors 32 may be varied based on the application at hand.

[0021] The sensor 32 may include an optical sensor having an electro-optical device configured to convert the applied force and / or torque into an electrical signal. It should be understood that other types of sensor technologies may be employed. For example, the sensor 32 may include a strain gauge or a piezoelectric device configured to sense a tactile signal.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 1 , the robotic arm 24 includes one or more joints, e.g., a first joint 38 and a second joint 40, configured to provide an additional degree of positioning and / or orientation of the head unit 18. Data from the sensors 32 can be used to determine which joint of the robotic arm 24 to rotate and how quickly the joint should be rotated to assist in moving the camera 12. Referring to FIG. 1 , each joint can be coupled to a respective joint motor (e.g., joint motor 41) and a respective joint sensor (e.g., joint sensor 42). The joint motor 41 is configured to rotate the first joint 38 about an axis, while the joint sensor 42 is configured to transmit the position of the first joint 38 (in 3D space). Referring to FIG. 2 , a joint push point 43 at the joint 38 is shown.

[0023] The robotic arm 24 may include an assisted drive function incorporating a user-guided control system that allows the user to gently steer the camera 12 in a desired direction. In one embodiment, the user may hold the handle 22 and actuate or depress the release button. Actuating the release button causes the camera 12 to send a message to the controller C indicating the user desires to initiate the assisted drive function. During this movement, the controller C causes the robotic arm 24 and / or the coupling plate 26 to move the camera 12 in a "power steering" manner, safely support its weight, and automatically determine which joints should be actuated and which joints should be braked in a coordinated manner to achieve the user's desired movement. In some embodiments, the robotic arm 24 may allow movement by the user without assistance, or at least without initial assistance.

[0024] Referring to FIG. 1 , the head unit 18 may be connected to a cart 44 having at least one display medium (which may be a monitor, terminal, or other two-dimensional visualization form), such as first and second displays 46 and 48 shown in FIG. 1 . Referring to FIG. 1 , a controller C may be configured to process signals for broadcast on the first and second displays 46 and 48. The main body 20 may be completely self-contained and movable between various positions. Image streams from the camera 12 may be sent to the controller C and / or a camera processor (not shown), which may be configured to prepare the image streams for viewing. For example, the controller C may combine or interleave the first and second video signals from the camera 12 to create a stereoscopic signal. The controller C may be configured to store the video and / or stereoscopic video signals in a video file and store it in the memory M. The first and second displays 46 and 48 may incorporate a stereoscopic display system, with the two-dimensional display having separate images for the left and right eyes. To view a stereoscopic display, a user may wear special glasses that operate in conjunction with the first and second displays 46, 48 to present a left field of view to the user's left eye and a right field of view to the user's right eye.

[0025] 1 , the first display 46 may be connected to the cart 44 via a flexible mechanical arm 50 having one or more joints to allow for flexible positioning. The flexible mechanical arm 50 may be configured to have a length sufficient to extend above the patient for a relatively close view by the surgeon during surgery. The first and second displays 46 and 48 may include any type of display, such as a high-definition television, an ultra-high-definition television, smart glasses, a projector, one or more computer screens, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and / or a smartphone, and may include a touchscreen.

[0026] Camera 12 is configured to acquire images of target region 16, which may be presented in various forms, including, but not limited to, captured still images, real-time images, and / or digital video signals. As used herein, "real-time" generally refers to updating information at the same rate as the data is received. More specifically, "real-time" means that image data is acquired, processed, and transmitted at a sufficiently high data rate and sufficiently low latency so that when the data is displayed, the subject moves smoothly without noticeable jitter or latency. Typically, real-time occurs when new images are acquired, processed, and transmitted at a rate of at least about 30 frames per second (fps) and displayed at about 60 fps, with an overall video signal processing delay of about 1 / 30th of a second or less.

[0027] 1 , the robotic arm 24 (and / or coupling plate 26) may be controlled via an embedded processor, such as controller C and / or robotic arm controller 52. The robotic arm 24 may be selectively operable to expand the field of view of the camera 12 along the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. The robotic arm controller 52 may include a processor, server, microcontroller, workstation, etc. configured to convert one or more messages or commands from the controller C into messages and / or signals that rotate any one of the joints. The robotic arm controller 52 is also configured to receive sensor information, such as joint position and / or velocity, from the robotic arm 24 and / or coupling plate 26 and convert it into one or more messages to the controller C. A stereoscopic visualization camera is described in conjunction with an integrated robotic platform in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 16 / 398,014 (filed April 29, 2019), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0028] Referring now to Figure 3, a flowchart of an exemplary method 100 for operating the contact management mode 30 of Figure 1 is shown. The method 100 may be embodied as computer-readable code or instructions stored in and partially executable by the controller C of Figure 1. The method 100 need not be applied in the particular order described herein and may be performed dynamically. Furthermore, it should be understood that some steps may be omitted. The method 100 may be performed periodically or at predetermined time intervals.

[0029] 3, where the controller C is programmed to receive sensor data from the sensors 32, including input force vectors and / or input torque vectors representing sensed forces and sensed torques, respectively. In other words, the sensors 32 are configured to measure six degrees of freedom (F x , F y , F z , τ x , τ y , and τ z ) is measured. Also in block 102, the controller C receives joint position data of the robot arm 24.

[0030] Proceeding to block 104 of FIG. 3 , the method 100 includes applying a correction factor to the sensor data. The load of a sensor varies with the orientation of its position on the body 20 relative to gravity and with acceleration or deceleration during movement of the robot arm 24. The correction factor is applied to correct for these effects. For example, the controller C is programmed to calculate gravity and apply gravity compensation by removing the effect of Earth's gravity from the sensor data. The effect of gravity for each sensor can be removed as (-mg) in world coordinates (e.g., the robot base coordinate system), where m is the mass of the sensor and g is the gravitational constant. Gravity calculation software available to those skilled in the art may be employed. Also, in block 106, the method 100 may include filtering the sensor data, for example, with a first low-pass filter, a second low-pass filter, and / or a notch filter that accounts for cart vibrations. It should be understood that the order of the blocks may be changed.

[0031] Proceeding to block 106 of FIG. 3 , the controller C is programmed to transform each sensor coordinate system (of the sensors 32) into a common coordinate system (e.g., the camera coordinate system, the robot base coordinate system, or another reference coordinate system). The sensors 32 are positioned in the common coordinate system so that they can be compared. As described above, at least one secondary sensor 36 is mounted only to the handle 22, and at least one primary sensor 34 is mounted to the body 20, including the coupling plate 26, the handle 22, and the camera 12. FIG. 5 shows an exemplary torque conversion from an applied force / torque 300 (at a first location 302) to a measurement location 304 on the handle 322. A sensor 332 is attached to the handle 322. The sensor 332 provides a measured torque and a measured force at the measurement location 304, which coincides with the origin or center of the sensor 332.

[0032] 5, the applied force at first location 302 is the same as the measured force at measurement location 304. Measurement location 304 and first location 302 are connected by displacement vector 306. The transformation is

number

[0033] Proceeding to block 108 of Figure 3, when a portion of the body 420 comes into contact with the external object 400, as shown in Figure 6, the controller C is programmed to determine a contact location 402 based on the sensor data. An incoming path 404 of the body 420 is also shown in Figure 6. The contact location 402 may be calculated relative to a fixed coordinate system (e.g., either the camera coordinate system or the robot base coordinate system), which may be selected or changed based on the application at hand.

[0034] Proceeding to block 110 of FIG. 3, the method 100 includes defining an interface B (see FIG. 6) at the contact location 402 and calculating a backward trajectory 406 for the body 420. The interface B extends through the contact location 402 and is perpendicular to a preselected first direction (e.g., the Z-axis in FIG. 1). The backward trajectory 406 begins in a direction perpendicular to the interface B. The controller C is adapted to calculate and provide a repulsive force that gently pushes the body 420 back away from the contact location 402.

[0035] In some embodiments, the movement of the body 20 requires that it move along a constrained trajectory. In these cases, it may not always be possible to move the body 20 backward in one direction from a predetermined position. For example, the movement of the body 20 may be restricted to the surface of a virtual sphere. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary virtual sphere 500 representing the surface of a constrained trajectory. Here, a given point on the outer surface 502 of the virtual sphere 500 can be expressed in terms of sphere rotation angles V and U. The line of sight vector 508 of the camera 12 points to the center 504 of the virtual sphere 500, which has the same coordinates in XYZ space as a selected point on the target site 16. The controller C and / or the robot arm controller 52 may be adapted to convert "up," "down," "left," and "right" from camera coordinates to robot base coordinate system coordinates, which are provided as X and Y vectors. The X and Y vectors are used by the controller C and / or the robot arm controller 52 to directly determine how the camera 12 moves on the virtual sphere 500 to determine the end position 506 (via the line of sight vector 510). Alternatively, the virtual sphere 500 may be represented by a different shape, and the outer surface 502 may be represented by a flat surface 512 .

[0036] 6, the backward movement trajectory 406 may be constrained to the surface of a sphere 410. To maintain the constrained trajectory, the robot arm 24 moves backward along the trajectory using an input force calculated through feedback control by a closed-loop control module. The closed-loop control module may be a proportional-integral controller, a proportional-derivative controller, or a proportional-integral-derivative controller. For example, a proportional-derivative controller may be used to calculate the input force (F_ boundary plane ) can be obtained as follows:

number

number

[0037] Obtaining the sequence of backward trajectories 406 may include using inverse kinematics and / or Jacobian kinematics (e.g., inversion of a Jacobian matrix). Controller C determines a move sequence that specifies how specific joints of the robot arm 24 and / or connection plate 26 should move in a coordinated manner, specifying, for example, joint rotation velocity, joint rotation direction, and / or joint rotation duration. The joints of the robot arm 24 and / or connection plate 26 may rotate individually or move overlappingly according to the move sequence. Jacobian kinematics equations define how specific joints of the robot arm 24 and / or connection plate 26 should move based on scaled translation / rotation vectors. Jacobian kinematics provides velocity control, while inverse kinematics provides position control. Other robot control routines may be employed.

[0038] 3, the method 100 includes transforming the coordinates into the robot base coordinate system (the coordinate axes on the cart 44 to which the base of the robot arm 24 is attached). boundary plane ) is the scaled force (F scaled ) can be converted to [F scaled =α*Cam_To_Base*F boundary plane ] where alpha is an adjustable scaling factor, and Cam_To_Base is a 4x4 matrix for transforming the camera coordinate system to the robot base coordinate system. rev ) is the scaled force (F scaled ) onto the outer surface 502 (or plane 512) of the virtual sphere 500. As the body 420 moves away from the boundary surface B, the repulsive force tends to zero, and the incremental step of the backward trajectory 406 tends to zero.

[0039] In systems with velocity- or position-based joint limits, the output force may be converted to a displacement vector with a scaling constant, projected onto the input direction vector, and added to the input direction vector at each update cycle to result in movement away from the limit. Controller C is programmed to use the joint position data along with the compensated and filtered force / torque output data to perform this coordinate transformation. The transformation may include one or more predefined equations or relationships based on the position and orientation of sensor 32. The transformation may be based on parameters obtained via calibration.

[0040] Proceeding to block 114 of Figure 3, controller C is programmed to verify the command (implementing reverse trajectory 406) to ensure that the command is within the operating parameters of the joint motors (e.g., duration, rotational speed, maximum current, etc.). Also in block 112 of Figure 3, controller C is programmed to send commands (via signals) to the appropriate joint motors of robot arm 24 and / or coupling plate 26 according to reverse trajectory 406. The sent commands cause the motors in the respective joints to move robot arm 24 and / or coupling plate 26, thereby moving camera 12 while avoiding collisions.

[0041] The controller C of Figure 1 may contain or otherwise access information downloaded from remote sources and / or executable programs. Referring to Figure 1, the controller C may be configured to communicate with a remote server 60 and / or a cloud unit 62 via a network 64. The remote server 60 may be a private or public information source maintained by an organization such as, for example, a research institute, a company, a university, and / or a hospital. The cloud unit 62 may include one or more servers hosted on the Internet for storing, managing, and processing data.

[0042] Network 64 may be a serial communications bus in the form of a local area network. Local area networks may include, but are not limited to, Controller Area Network (CAN), Controller Area Network with Flexible Data Rate (CAN-FD), Ethernet, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and other data types. Network 64 may be a wireless local area network (LAN) that links multiple devices in a wirelessly distributed manner, a wireless metropolitan area network (MAN) that connects multiple wireless LANs, or a wireless wide area network (WAN) that covers a large geographic area such as a nearby city or town. Other types of connections may also be employed.

[0043] The controller C of FIG. 1 may be an integral part of the robotic imaging system 10 or may be a separate module operatively connected to the robotic imaging system 10. The controller C comprises computer-readable media (also referred to as processor-readable media), including non-transitory (e.g., tangible) media involved in providing data (e.g., instructions) that can be read by a computer (e.g., by a computer's processor). Such media may take many forms, including, but not limited to, non-volatile media and volatile media. Non-volatile media may include, for example, optical or magnetic disks and other persistent memory. Volatile media may include, for example, dynamic random access memory (DRAM), which may constitute main memory. Such instructions may be transmitted over one or more transmission media, including coaxial cables, copper wire, and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise a system bus coupled to the computer's processor. Some forms of computer readable media include, for example, floppy disks, flexible disks, hard disks, magnetic tape, other magnetic media, CD-ROMs, DVDs, other optical media, punch cards, paper tape, other physical media with patterns of holes, RAM, PROMs, EPROMs, Flash EEPROMs, other memory chips or cartridges, or other media from which a computer can read.

[0044] The lookup tables, databases, data repositories, or other data stores described herein may include various types of mechanisms for storing, accessing, and retrieving various types of data, including a hierarchical database, a set of files in a file system, a proprietary application database, a relational database management system (RDBMS), etc. Each such data store may be contained within a computing device employing a computer operating system, such as one of the computer operating systems described above, and may be accessed over a network in one or more of a variety of ways. The file system may be accessible from the computer operating system and may include files stored in various formats. The RDBMS may use a structured query language (SQL) in addition to a language for creating, storing, editing, and executing stored procedures, such as the PL / SQL language described above.

[0045] The flowcharts presented herein illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, and includes one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and / or flowchart examples, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowchart examples, may be implemented by a special-purpose hardware-based device that performs the specified function(s) or act(s), or a combination of special-purpose hardware and computer instructions. These computer program instructions may also be stored on a computer-readable medium. The computer program instructions, including instructions for implementing the functions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram blocks, may direct a controller or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a specific manner to produce an article of manufacture.

[0046] Numerical values ​​of parameters (e.g., amounts or conditions) in this specification, including the appended claims, are understood to be modified in each and every instance by "about," regardless of whether the word "about" actually precedes the numerical value. "About" indicates that the stated numerical value allows for some slight imprecision (close to, roughly or reasonably close to, approximately the exact value). Where the imprecision provided by "about" is not understood in this ordinary sense in the art, "about," as used herein, will at least account for the variation that can result from ordinary methods of measuring and using such parameters. In addition, the disclosure of ranges includes the disclosure of each value and sub-ranges within the entire range. Each value within a range and the endpoints of the range are disclosed herein as separate embodiments.

[0047] While the detailed description and drawings or figures support and explain the present disclosure, the scope of the present disclosure is defined solely by the claims. While the best mode and some other embodiments for carrying out the claimed disclosure have been described in detail, various alternative designs and embodiments exist for carrying out the disclosure defined in the appended claims. Furthermore, the features of the embodiments shown in the drawings or the various embodiments described herein should not necessarily be understood as independent embodiments of one another. Rather, each of the characteristics described in one of the example embodiments can be combined with one or more other desirable characteristics from other embodiments, resulting in other embodiments not described in words or with reference to drawings. Accordingly, such other embodiments are encompassed within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. a body comprising a head unit, a robotic arm, and a coupling plate coupling the head unit to the robotic arm, the robotic arm adapted to selectively move the head unit; a camera disposed on the head unit and configured to record one or more images of a target site, the camera operably connected to one or more handles; a plurality of sensors configured to transmit sensor data, at least one primary sensor configured to detect an applied respective force and / or a respective torque at said body; at least one auxiliary sensor configured to detect the applied respective forces and / or the applied respective torques at the one or more handles; a plurality of sensors, including a controller configured to receive the sensor data, the controller having a processor and a tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions recorded thereon; A robotic imaging system comprising:

10. A robotic imaging system, wherein the controller is adapted to execute a contact management mode including determining, based in part on the sensor data, a contact position of the body with an external object, and determining a back trajectory for moving the body away from the contact position.

2. The robotic imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the camera is a stereoscopic camera configured to record left and right images to generate at least one stereoscopic image of the target area.

3. The robotic imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors each comprise a six-degree-of-freedom force-sensing device.

4. The robotic imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the target site is an eye.

5. 2. The robotic imaging system of claim 1, wherein the one or more handles include a first handle and a second handle rigidly attached to and connected by a handlebar, and the at least one auxiliary sensor is a single sensor disposed on the handlebar.

6. 2. The robotic imaging system of claim 1, wherein the one or more handles include a first handle and a second handle, and the at least one auxiliary sensor includes a first auxiliary sensor attached to the first handle and a second auxiliary sensor attached to the second handle.

7. The robotic imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one primary sensor is located at a center point between the robot arm and the camera.

8. The robotic imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors define respective coordinate systems, and the controller is adapted to transform the respective coordinate systems into a common coordinate system.

9. The robotic imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is adapted to apply correction factors to the sensor data, including applying a low pass filter.

10. The robotic imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is adapted to apply a correction factor to the sensor data, the correction factor including correcting for gravity for the plurality of sensors based on a position of each of the plurality of sensors.

11. The robotic imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is adapted to acquire a boundary surface extending through the contact location and perpendicular to a first direction.

12. The robotic imaging system of claim 11 , wherein the backward trajectory begins in a direction perpendicular to the boundary surface.

13. The robotic imaging system of claim 12 , wherein the backward trajectory is constrained to the surface of an imaginary sphere.

14. the sensor data providing a measured torque and a measured force at a measurement position, the measurement position and the contact position being connected by a displacement vector; 2. The robotic imaging system of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to determine the applied torque at the contact location as a difference between the measured torque and a cross product of the displacement vector and an applied force.

15. a body comprising a head unit, a robotic arm, and a coupling plate coupling the head unit to the robotic arm, the robotic arm adapted to selectively move the head unit; a camera disposed on the head unit and configured to record one or more images of a target site, the camera operably connected to one or more handles; a plurality of sensors configured to transmit sensor data, at least one primary sensor configured to detect an applied respective force and / or a respective torque at said body; at least one auxiliary sensor configured to detect the applied respective forces and / or the applied respective torques at the one or more handles; a plurality of sensors, including a controller configured to receive the sensor data, the controller having a processor and a tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions recorded thereon; A robotic imaging system comprising: The controller is adapted to implement the contact management mode, the contact management mode comprising: obtaining a contact position of the body with an external object based in part on the sensor data; obtaining a boundary surface that extends through the contact location, the boundary surface being perpendicular to a reference axis; determining a backward trajectory for moving the body away from the contact location; 1. A robotic imaging system comprising:

16. 16. The robotic imaging system of claim 15, wherein the one or more handles include a first handle and a second handle rigidly attached to and connected by a handlebar, and the at least one auxiliary sensor is a single sensor disposed on the handlebar.

17. 16. The robotic imaging system of claim 15, wherein the one or more handles include a first handle and a second handle, and the at least one auxiliary sensor includes a first auxiliary sensor attached to the first handle and a second auxiliary sensor attached to the second handle.

18. The robotic imaging system of claim 15 , wherein the backward trajectory is constrained to the surface of an imaginary sphere.

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