Robotic arm hand-guided motion control bracelet and methods for using the same

Abstract

A system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a user input device for a robotic arm, the user input device including four or more segmented inputs; a processor; and a memory coupled with the processor and storing data thereon that, when processed by the processor, enable the processor to: receive, from at least two of the four or more segmented inputs of the user input device, a user input to activate the robotic arm; and in response to receiving the user input, cause the robotic arm to enter a hand-guided motion state that enables at least one of the processor and a user to manipulate the robotic arm.

Description

ROBOTIC ARM HAND-GUIDED MOTION CONTROL BRACELET AND METHODS FORUSING THE SAMECROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 676,218, filed 26 July 2024, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND

[0002] The present disclosure is generally directed to surgical systems, and relates more particularly to robotic surgical systems.

[0003] Surgical robots may assist a surgeon or other medical provider in carrying out a surgical procedure, or may complete one or more surgical procedures autonomously. Providing controllable articulating members linked via joints allows a surgical robot to reach areas of a patient anatomy during various medical procedures.BRIEF SUMMARY

[0004] Robotic surgical systems may include a hand-guided motion state, during which a robotic arm of the system can be manually manipulated by the user to move or reposition the robotic arm. While in the hand-guide motion state, the motors of the robotic arm may provide sufficient force to overcome gravitational effects while the joints of the robotic arm remain unlocked, such that the user can move the robotic arm with little resistance. However, inadvertent or accidental actuation of the hand-guided motion state may be hazardous to patient safety, such as when the robotic arm is manipulating a surgical tool. In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a control device is provided that minimizes the likelihood that the hand-guided motion state is inadvertently or accidentally triggered. The control device includes input mechanisms that are divided into multiple different input segments. In one example implementation, the control device is activated when two different, non-adjacent input segments of the control device are actuated by the user. Such segmentation reduces the likelihood of accidental activation associated with a single segment press, or by accidental actuation of two segments that are in close proximity to one another.

[0005] Example aspects of the present disclosure include:

[0006] A system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a user input device for a robotic arm, the user input device comprising four or more segmented inputs;a processor; and a memory coupled with the processor and storing data thereon that, when processed by the processor, enable the processor to: receive, from at least two of the four or more segmented inputs of the user input device, a user input to activate the robotic arm; and in response to receiving the user input, cause the robotic arm to enter a hand-guided motion state that enables at least one of the processor and a user to manipulate the robotic arm.

[0007] Any of the aspects herein, wherein each segmented input in the four or more segmented inputs comprises two or more input switches.

[0008] Any of the aspects herein, wherein the four or more segmented inputs are positioned circumferentially around at least a portion of the user input device.

[0009] Any of the aspects herein, wherein each segmented input in the four or more segmented inputs comprises one or more of the following: a button, a strain gauge, a knob, and a push switch.

[0010] Any of the aspects herein, wherein each segmented input in the four or more segmented inputs comprises at least one input switch.

[0011] Any of the aspects herein, wherein the memory stores data thereon that, when processed by the processor, further enable the processor to: receive a second user input to deactivate the robotic arm; and in response to receiving the second user input, cause the robotic arm to exit the hand-guided motion state.

[0012] Any of the aspects herein, wherein, when in the hand-guided motion state, at least one brake associated with the robotic arm is released.

[0013] Any of the aspects herein, wherein two or more input switches in a first segmented input of the four or more segmented inputs are connected in parallel with the processor.

[0014] Any of the aspects herein, wherein the at least two of the four or more segmented inputs are non-adjacent to one another.

[0015] A control bracelet according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: an outer surface; an inner surface opposite the outer surface, the inner surface configured to contact an outer surface of a robotic arm; and at least four input switches positioned circumferentially on the outer surface and electrically segmented into at least four sections, wherein, when a user input from at least two of the at least four sections is received, the robotic arm enters a hand-guided motion state that enables at least one of a processor and a user to manipulate the robotic arm.

[0016] Any of the aspects herein, wherein each section in the at least four sections comprises two or more input switches.

[0017] Any of the aspects herein, wherein the at least two of the at least four sections are nonadj acent to one another.

[0018] Any of the aspects herein, wherein each segmented section in the at least four sections comprises one or more of the following: a button, a strain gauge, a knob, and a push switch.

[0019] Any of the aspects herein, wherein, when in the hand-guided motion state, at least one brake associated with the robotic arm is released.

[0020] Any of the aspects herein, wherein the robotic arm exits the hand-guided motion state when the control bracelet receives a second user input to deactivate the robotic arm.

[0021] Any of the aspects herein, wherein two or more input switches in a first section of the at least four sections are connected in parallel with control logic of the processor.

[0022] Any of the aspects herein, wherein the at least four input switches are evenly distributed among the at least four sections.

[0023] A method according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: receiving, from at least two of four or more segmented inputs of a bracelet, a user input to activate a robotic arm; and causing, in response to receiving the user input, the robotic arm to enter a hand- guided motion state that enables a user to manipulate the robotic arm.

[0024] Any of the aspects herein, further comprising: receiving, from the bracelet, a second user input to deactivate the robotic arm; and causing, in response to receiving the second user input, the robotic arm to exit the hand-guided motion state.

[0025] Any of the aspects herein, wherein each of the four or more segmented inputs comprises two or more input switches.

[0026] Any aspect in combination with any one or more other aspects.

[0027] Any one or more of the features disclosed herein.

[0028] Any one or more of the features as substantially disclosed herein.

[0029] Any one or more of the features as substantially disclosed herein in combination with any one or more other features as substantially disclosed herein.

[0030] Any one of the aspects / features / embodiments in combination with any one or more other aspects / features / embodiments.

[0031] Use of any one or more of the aspects or features as disclosed herein.

[0032] It is to be appreciated that any feature described herein can be claimed in combination with any other feature(s) as described herein, regardless of whether the features come from the same described embodiment.

[0033] The details of one or more aspects of the disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the techniques described in this disclosure will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

[0034] The phrases “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and / or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C”, “at least one of A, B, or C”, “one or more of A, B, and C”, “one or more of A, B, or C” and “A, B, and / or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together. When each one of A, B, and C in the above expressions refers to an element, such as X, Y, and Z, or class of elements, such as XI -Xn, Yl-Ym, and Zl- Zo, the phrase is intended to refer to a single element selected from X, Y, and Z, a combination of elements selected from the same class (e.g., XI and X2) as well as a combination of elements selected from two or more classes (e.g., Y 1 and Zo).

[0035] The term “a” or “an” entity refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. It is also to be noted that the terms “comprising”, “including”, and “having” can be used interchangeably.

[0036] The preceding is a simplified summary of the disclosure to provide an understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. This summary is neither an extensive nor exhaustive overview of the disclosure and its various aspects, embodiments, and configurations. It is intended neither to identify key or critical elements of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of the disclosure but to present selected concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description presented below. As will be appreciated, other aspects, embodiments, and configurations of the disclosure are possible utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below.

[0037] Numerous additional features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the embodiment descriptions provided hereinbelow.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] The accompanying drawings are incorporated into and form a part of the specification to illustrate several examples of the present disclosure. These drawings, together with the description, explain the principles of the disclosure. The drawings simply illustrate preferred and alternative examples of how the disclosure can be made and used and are not to be construed as limiting the disclosure to only the illustrated and described examples. Further features and advantages will become apparent from the following, more detailed, description of the various aspects, embodiments, and configurations of the disclosure, as illustrated by the drawings referenced below.

[0039] Fig. 1A shows a conceptual diagram of aspects of a system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0040] Fig. IB shows a block diagram of additional aspects of the system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0041] Fig. 2A shows an exploded perspective view of aspects of a control device according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0042] Fig. 2B shows a perspective view of aspects of the control device according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0043] Fig. 2C shows a top plan view of aspects of the control device according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0044] Fig. 3 shows a flowchart according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of examples, aspects, and features illustrated.

[0046] In some instances, the apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the of various implementations, examples, aspects, and features so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] It should be understood that various aspects disclosed herein may be combined in different combinations than the combinations specifically presented in the description andaccompanying drawings. It should also be understood that, depending on the example or embodiment, certain acts or events of any of the processes or methods described herein may be performed in a different sequence, and / or may be added, merged, or left out altogether (e.g., all described acts or events may not be necessary to carry out the disclosed techniques according to different embodiments of the present disclosure). In addition, while certain aspects of this disclosure are described as being performed by a single module or unit for purposes of clarity, it should be understood that the techniques of this disclosure may be performed by a combination of units or modules associated with, for example, a computing device and / or a medical device.

[0048] In one or more examples, the described methods, processes, and techniques may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions may be stored as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium and executed by a hardware-based processing unit. Alternatively or additionally, functions may be implemented using machine learning models, neural networks, artificial neural networks, or combinations thereof (alone or in combination with instructions). Computer-readable media may include non-transitory computer-readable media, which corresponds to a tangible medium such as data storage media (e.g., RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory, or any other medium that can be used to store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer).

[0049] Instructions may be executed by one or more processors, such as one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), general purpose microprocessors (e.g., Intel Core i3, i5, i7, or i9 processors; Intel Celeron processors; Intel Xeon processors; Intel Pentium processors; AMD Ryzen processors; AMD Athlon processors; AMD Phenom processors; Apple A10 or 10X Fusion processors; Apple Al 1, A 12, A12X, A12Z, or A13 Bionic processors; or any other general purpose microprocessors), graphics processing units (e.g., Nvidia GeForce RTX 2000-series processors, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3000-series processors, AMD Radeon RX 5000-series processors, AMD Radeon RX 6000-series processors, or any other graphics processing units), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable logic arrays (FPGAs), or other equivalent integrated or discrete logic circuitry. Accordingly, the term “processor” as used herein may refer to any of the foregoing structure or any other physical structure suitable for implementation of the described techniques. Also, the techniques could be fully implemented in one or more circuits or logic elements.

[0050] Before any embodiments of the disclosure are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Further, the present disclosure may use examples to illustrate one or more aspects thereof. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the use or listing of one or more examples (which may be denoted by “for example,” “by way of example,” “e.g.,” “such as,” or similar language) is not intended to and does not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0051] The terms proximal and distal are used in this disclosure with their conventional medical meanings, proximal being closer to the operator or user of the system, and further from the region of surgical interest in or on the patient, and distal being closer to the region of surgical interest in or on the patient, and further from the operator or user of the system.

[0052] Robotic surgical systems may be image-guided system (IGS) that comprise a workstation, a camera cart, clinical software, a robotic platform, surgical instruments, and a referencing system for cranial; ear, nose, and throat (ENT); and / or spinal surgical procedures. In one example, a robotic surgical system comprises, among other components, a robotic arm with seven degrees-of -freedom (DoF) of movement.

[0053] In some cases, the robotic surgical system may include a robotic arm with a tracked portion positioned on a distal end thereof. The tracked portion may facilitate connection of end effectors to the robotic arm and enable three-dimensional (3D) imaging capabilities, Light Emitting Diode (LED) user indications, and the like. The tracked portion may also include a force -torque sensor and a user input device with a set of controls (e.g., a bracelet, buttons) that can be used by a user of the robotic surgical system to manually hand-guide the robotic arm. The manual arm movement enables one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, or more DoF of movement, with a resistance of the arm’s weight (to prevent the arm’s joints from dropping).

[0054] According to at least one embodiment of the present application, the bracelet may be or comprise a ring with a plurality of buttons on the periphery of the ring, along with an elastomeric cover to allow for an easy and comfortable hand grip. In one example, the bracelet may comprisethirty buttons placed on a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) wrapped around the perimeter of the tracked portion. The buttons may be divided, for example, into six different segments along the periphery of the PCB (such that each segment comprises five buttons). Within each segment, the buttons may be connected in parallel. However, it is to be understood that a different number of buttons and / or segments can be utilized, and that the use of thirty buttons and six segments is in no way limiting. The user may manually actuate two or more non-adjacent segments, which may generate a signal or a continuous signal that is sent to a controller (e.g., a processor) that changes the mode of the robotic arm based on the signal.

[0055] Systems and methods disclosed herein beneficially enhance the overall safety of the robotic surgical system. For example, the control device may require a button press from at least two buttons from at least two different and non-adjacent segments be actuated simultaneously before the hand-guided motion is enabled. This can reduce the likelihood of accidental actuation of hand-guided motion capabilities of the robotic arm. Systems and methods disclosed herein also beneficially provide a simplified control design. Since the buttons in each segment are connected in parallel, fewer hardware components (e.g., input pins, etc.) and software components (e.g., signals, software parameters, etc.) are required to implement hand-guide motion capabilities of the robotic surgical system.

[0056] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide technical solutions to one or more of the problems of (1) inadvertent or accidental actuation of hand-guided free motion capabilities, and (2) complex or unreliable hardware and software implementations of hand-guided free motion state(s) of a robotic arm.

[0057] Turning first to Figs. 1A-1B, aspects of a robotic surgical system 100 (also referred to herein as the “system 100”) according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure are shown. The system 100 may be used to control, pose, and / or otherwise manipulate a surgical mount system, a surgical arm, and / or surgical tools attached thereto and / or to carry out one or more other aspects of the steps of the method disclosed herein. The system 100 comprises a computing device 102, one or more imaging devices 112, a robot 114, a navigation system 118, a database 130, a sterile drape 132, a cloud network or other network 134, and / or a control device 148. Systems according to other embodiments of the present disclosure may comprise more or fewer components than the system 100. For example, the system 100 may not include the imaging device 112, one or more components of the computing device 102, the database 130, and / or the cloud 134.

[0058] The computing device 102 comprises a processor 104, a memory 106, a communication interface 108, and a user interface 110. Computing devices according to other embodiments of the present disclosure may comprise more or fewer components than the computing device 102.

[0059] The processor 104 of the computing device 102 may be any processor described herein or any similar processor. The processor 104 may be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory 106, which instructions may cause the processor 104 to carry out one or more computing steps utilizing or based on data, signals, and / or the like received from the imaging device 112, the robot 114, the navigation system 118, the database 130, the cloud 134, and / or the control device 148. The processor 104 may be or comprise, for example, one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), general purpose microprocessors (e.g., Intel Core i3, i5, i7, or i9 processors; Intel Celeron processors; Intel Xeon processors; Intel Pentium processors; AMD Ryzen processors; AMD Athlon processors; AMD Phenom processors; Apple A10 or 10X Fusion processors; Apple Al 1, A 12, A12X, A12Z, or Al 3 Bionic processors; or any other general purpose microprocessors), graphics processing units (e.g., Nvidia GeForce RTX 2000-series processors, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3000-series processors, AMD Radeon RX 5000-series processors, AMD Radeon RX 6000-series processors, or any other graphics processing units), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable logic arrays (FPGAs), or other equivalent integrated or discrete logic circuitry.

[0060] The memory 106 may be or comprise RAM, DRAM, SDRAM, other solid-state memory, any memory described herein, or any other tangible, non-transitory memory for storing computer- readable data and / or instructions. The memory 106 may store information or data useful for completing, for example, any step of the method 300 described herein, or of any other methods. The memory 106 may store, for example, instructions and / or machine learning models that support one or more functions of the robot 114. For instance, the memory 106 may store content (e.g., instructions and / or machine learning models) that, when executed by the processor 104, enable image processing 120, segmentation 122, transformation 124, and / or registration 128.

[0061] The image processing 120 enables the processor 104 to process image data of an image (received from, for example, the imaging device 112, an imaging device of the navigation system 118, or any imaging device) for the purpose of, for example, identifying information about a patient and / or an object depicted in the image. The information may comprise, for example, a pose of the patient, a boundary of the patient, etc. The information may enable registration of the patient to a common coordinate frame of the imaging device 112, as discussed in further detail below. Theimage processing 120 may use segmentation 122 to identify the patient and / or the one or more objects, as described below.

[0062] The segmentation 122 enables the processor 104 to segment the image data so as to identify the patient and / or one or more objects in the image data. The segmentation 122 may enable the processor 104 to identify a boundary of an object or the patient by using, for example, feature recognition. For example, the segmentation 122 may enable the processor 104 to identify the portions of the patient in the image data. In other instances, the segmentation 122 may enable the processor 104 to identify a boundary of an object (e.g., the boundary of the tracked portion 136) by determining a difference in or contrast between colors or grayscales of image pixels.

[0063] The transformation 124 enables the processor 104 to transform one coordinate system into another coordinate system. In other words, the transformation 124 enables the processor 104 to transform a first coordinate system (e.g., a patient coordinate system) into a second coordinate system (e.g., a reference frame coordinate system) based on, for example, the registration of the first coordinate system and a third coordinate system and the registration of the second coordinate system and the third coordinate system.

[0064] The registration 128 enables the processor 104 to correlate one coordinate system with another coordinate system. For example, the registration 128 may enable the processor 104 to correlate or map a first coordinate system (e.g., a patient coordinate system) with a third coordinate system (e.g., an imaging device coordinate system) and a second coordinate system (e.g., a reference frame coordinate system) with the third coordinate system (e.g., the imaging device coordinate system).

[0065] Such content, if provided as in instruction, may, in some embodiments, be organized into one or more applications, modules, packages, layers, or engines. Alternatively or additionally, the memory 106 may store other types of content or data (e.g., machine learning models, artificial neural networks, deep neural networks, etc.) that can be processed by the processor 104 to carry out the various methods and features described herein. Thus, although various contents of memory 106 may be described as instructions, it should be appreciated that functionality described herein can be achieved through use of instructions, algorithms, and / or machine learning models. The data, algorithms, and / or instructions may cause the processor 104 to manipulate data stored in the memory 106 and / or received from or via the imaging device 112, the robot 114, the database 130, the cloud 134, and / or the control device 148.

[0066] The communication interface 108 may be used for receiving image data or other information from an external source (such as the imaging device 112, the robot 114, the navigation system 118, the database 130, the cloud 134, the control device 148, and / or any other system or component not part of the system 100), and / or for transmitting instructions, images, or other information to an external system or device (e.g., another computing device 102, the imaging device 112, the robot 114, the navigation system 118, the database 130, the cloud 134, the control device 148, and / or any other system or component not part of the system 100). The communication interface 108 may comprise one or more wired interfaces (e.g., a USB port, an Ethernet port, a Firewire port) and / or one or more wireless transceivers or interfaces (configured, for example, to transmit and / or receive information via one or more wireless communication protocols such as 802.11a / b / g / n, Bluetooth, NFC, ZigBee, and so forth). In some embodiments, the communication interface 108 may be useful for enabling the device 102 to communicate with one or more other processors 104 or computing devices 102, whether to reduce the time needed to accomplish a computing-intensive task or for any other reason.

[0067] The computing device 102 may also comprise one or more user interfaces 110. The user interface 110 may be or comprise a bracelet, keyboard, mouse, trackball, monitor, television, screen, touchscreen, and / or any other device for receiving information from a user and / or for providing information to a user. The user interface 110 may be used, for example, to receive a user selection or other user input regarding any step of any method described herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any required input for any step of any method described herein may be generated automatically by the system 100 (e.g., by the processor 104 or another component of the system 100) or received by the system 100 from a source external to the system 100. In some embodiments, the user interface 110 may be useful to allow a surgeon or other user to modify instructions to be executed by the processor 104 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, and / or to modify or adjust a setting of other information displayed on the user interface 110 or corresponding thereto.

[0068] Although the user interface 110 is shown as part of the computing device 102, in some embodiments, the computing device 102 may utilize a user interface 110 that is housed separately from one or more remaining components of the computing device 102. In some embodiments, the user interface 110 may be located proximate one or more other components of the computing device 102, while in other embodiments, the user interface 110 may be located remotely from oneor more other components of the computing device 102. In some embodiments, the user interface 110 may be partially contained in the control device 148. For example, the user interface 110 may be associated with one or more input segments or sections of a bracelet 146 (also referred to herein as a control bracelet or a user input device), such that the user can provide input into the system 100 via the bracelet 146 and view a representation of the input on the user interface 110. In one embodiment, the user may press two of three or more input switches associated with the bracelet 146 to activate the control device 148 that in turn changes the state of the robot 114 (or the robotic arm 116). In this embodiment, information associated with the input, the change of state of the robot 114, and / or the like may be rendered to the user interface 110.

[0069] The imaging device 112 may be operable to image anatomical feature(s) (e.g., a bone, veins, tissue, etc.) and / or other aspects of patient anatomy to yield image data (e.g., image data depicting or corresponding to a bone, veins, tissue, etc.). “Image data” as used herein refers to the data generated or captured by an imaging device 112, including in a machine-readable form, a graphical / visual form, and in any other form. In various examples, the image data may comprise data corresponding to an anatomical feature of a patient, or to a portion thereof. The image data may be or comprise a preoperative image, an intraoperative image, a postoperative image, or an image taken independently of any surgical procedure. In some embodiments, a first imaging device 112 may be used to obtain first image data (e.g., a first image) at a first time, and a second imaging device 112 may be used to obtain second image data (e.g., a second image) at a second time after the first time. The imaging device 112 may be capable of taking a two-dimensional (2D) image or a 3D image to yield the image data. The imaging device 112 may be or comprise, for example, an ultrasound scanner (which may comprise, for example, a physically separate transducer and receiver, or a single ultrasound transceiver), an 0-arm, a C-arm, a G-arm, or any other device utilizing X-ray-based imaging (e.g., a fluoroscope, a CT scanner, or other X-ray machine), a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, an optical coherence tomography (OCT) scanner, an endoscope, a microscope, an optical camera, a thermographic camera (e.g., an infrared camera), a radar system (which may comprise, for example, a transmitter, a receiver, a processor, and one or more antennae), or any other imaging device 112 suitable for obtaining images of an anatomical feature of a patient. The imaging device 112 may be contained entirely within a single housing, or may comprise a transmitter / emitter and a receiver / detector that are in separate housings or are otherwise physically separated.

[0070] In some embodiments, the imaging device 112 may comprise more than one imaging device 112. For example, a first imaging device may provide first image data and / or a first image, and a second imaging device may provide second image data and / or a second image. In still other embodiments, the same imaging device may be used to provide both the first image data and the second image data, and / or any other image data described herein. The imaging device 112 may be operable to generate a stream of image data. For example, the imaging device 112 may be configured to operate with an open shutter, or with a shutter that continuously alternates between open and shut so as to capture successive images. For purposes of the present disclosure, unless specified otherwise, image data may be considered to be continuous and / or provided as an image data stream if the image data represents two or more frames per second.

[0071] In some embodiments, the robot 114 may be mechanically coupled with (e.g., affixed to, attached to, mounted to, etc.) a patient bed or table. In other embodiments, the robot 114 may be disposed on a robot cart 144. The robot cart 144 may be or comprise a mobile platform that enables the robot 114 and / or components thereof to be positioned relative to the patient and / or the bed or table on which the patient is positioned. In some embodiments, the robot cart 144 may comprise wheels that enable the robot cart 144 to roll or move relative to the patient. The robot cart 144 may be detachable from the wheels or the wheels may lockable such that, once the robot cart 144 is positioned in a desired location relative to the patient, the robot cart 144 will remain fixed in the desired location. In other words, the robot cart 144 may have a mechanism that enables the robot cart 144 to remain fixed relative to the patient. The mechanism may better ensure that the robot 114 and / or any other components on the robot cart 144 do not move relative to the patient due to the mobility of the robot cart 144 once the robot cart 144 has been positioned in the desired location.

[0072] The robot 114 may be any surgical robot or surgical robotic system. The robot 114 may be or comprise, for example, the Mazor X™ Stealth Edition robotic guidance system. The robot 114 may be configured to position the imaging device 112 at one or more precise position(s) and orientation / s), and / or to return the imaging device 112 to the same position(s) and orientation(s) at a later point in time. The robot 114 may additionally or alternatively be configured to manipulate a surgical tool (whether based on guidance from the navigation system 118 or not) to accomplish or to assist with a surgical task. In some embodiments, the robot 114 may be configured to hold and / or manipulate an anatomical element during or in connection with a surgical procedure. The robot 114 may comprise one or more robotic arms 116. In some embodiments, the robotic arm 116may comprise a first robotic arm and a second robotic arm, though the robot 114 may comprise more than two robotic arms. In some embodiments, one or more of the robotic arms 116 may be used to hold and / or maneuver the imaging device 112. In embodiments where the imaging device 112 comprises two or more physically separate components (e.g., a transmitter and receiver), one robotic arm 116 may hold one such component, and another robotic arm 116 may hold another such component. Each robotic arm 116 may be positionable independently of the other robotic arm. The robotic arms 116 may be controlled in a single, shared coordinate space, or in separate coordinate spaces.

[0073] The robot 114, together with the robotic arm 116, may have, for example, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, or more degrees of freedom. Further, the robotic arm 116 may be positioned or positionable in any pose, plane, and / or focal point. The pose includes a position and an orientation. As a result, an imaging device 112, surgical tool, or other object held by the robot 114 (or, more specifically, by the robotic arm 116) may be precisely positionable in one or more needed and specific positions and orientations. In some embodiments, reference markers (e.g., navigation markers) may be placed on the robot 114 (including, e.g., on the robotic arm 116), the imaging device 112, or any other object in the surgical space. The reference markers may be tracked by the navigation system 118, and the results of the tracking may be used by the robot 114 and / or by an operator of the system 100 or any component thereof. In some embodiments, the navigation system 118 can be used to track other components of the system (e.g., imaging device 112, the tracked portion 136 of the robot 114, etc.).

[0074] The navigation system 118 may provide navigation for a surgeon and / or a surgical robot during an operation. The navigation system 118 may be any now-known or future -developed navigation system, including, for example, the Medtronic StealthStation™ S8 surgical navigation system or any successor thereof. The navigation system 118 may include one or more cameras or other sensor(s) for tracking one or more reference markers, navigated trackers, or other objects within the operating room or other room in which some or all of the system 100 is located. The one or more cameras may be optical cameras, infrared cameras, or other cameras. In some embodiments, the navigation system 118 may comprise one or more electromagnetic sensors. In various embodiments, the navigation system 118 may be used to track a position and orientation (e.g., a pose) of the imaging device 112, the robot 114 and / or robotic arm 116 (via tracking of the tracked portion 136), and / or one or more surgical tools (or, more particularly, to track a pose of anavigated tracker attached, directly or indirectly, in fixed relation to the one or more of the foregoing). The navigation system 118 may include a display for displaying one or more images from an external source (e.g., the computing device 102, imaging device 112, or other source) or for displaying an image and / or video stream from the one or more cameras or other sensors of the navigation system 118. The navigation system 118 may be configured to provide guidance to a surgeon or other user of the system 100 or a component thereof, to the robot 114, or to any other element of the system 100 regarding, for example, a pose of one or more anatomical elements, whether or not a tool is in the proper trajectory, and / or how to move a tool into the proper trajectory to carry out a surgical task according to a preoperative or other surgical plan.

[0075] The database 130 may store information that correlates one coordinate system to another (e.g., one or more robotic coordinate systems to a patient coordinate system and / or to a navigation coordinate system). The database 130 may additionally or alternatively store, for example, one or more surgical plans (including, for example, pose information about a target and / or image information about a patient’ s anatomy at and / or proximate the surgical site, for use by the robot 114, the navigation system 118, and / or a user of the computing device 102 or of the system 100); one or more images useful in connection with a surgery to be completed by or with the assistance of one or more other components of the system 100; control logic information (e.g., information about how the control device 148 processes received signals to activate and / or deactivate the robot 114 or the robotic arm 116, information about how the control device 148 interacts with the robot 114, etc.); and / or any other useful information. The database 130 may be configured to provide any such information to the computing device 102 or to any other device of the system 100 or external to the system 100, whether directly or via the cloud 134. In some embodiments, the database 130 may be or comprise part of a hospital image storage system, such as a picture archiving and communication system (PACS), a health information system (HIS), and / or another system for collecting, storing, managing, and / or transmitting electronic medical records including image data.

[0076] The cloud 134 may be or represent the Internet or any other wide area network. The computing device 102 may be connected to the cloud 134 via the communication interface 108, using a wired connection, a wireless connection, or both. In some embodiments, the computing device 102 may communicate with the database 130, the control device 148, and / or an external device (e.g., a computing device) via the cloud 134.

[0077] The sterile drape 132 comprises a flexible sheet or other flexible structure (e.g., a flexible mesh, a blanket, etc.) configured to be placed on (e.g., draped over, positioned on, wrapped about, laid over, etc.) one or more components of the system 100 (e.g., the robot 114 or components thereof such as the robotic arm 116, the tracked portion 136, the robot cart 144, combinations thereof, etc.). The sterile drape 132 may be transparent or semi-transparent, such that light can pass through the sterile drape 132. In at least one embodiment, the sterile drape 132 may be placed over certain portions or at specific locations of the robot 114 and / or components thereof. For example, the sterile drape 132 may cover the robotic arm 116 (or a portion thereof such as the tracked portion 136). The sterile drape 132 may reduce the risk of hazardous material contacting the one or more components over which the sterile drape 132 is placed, and / or of inadvertent contact with the one or more components over which the sterile drape 132 is placed. For example, the sterile drape 132 may form a barrier or protective layer between the one or more components and a patient during surgery or surgical procedure, which may prevent anatomical tissues (e.g., blood) and other external detritus (e.g., dirt, debris, dust, etc.) from contacting the one or more components, and may additionally or alternatively reduce the possibility of infection by preventing the one or more components from contacting anatomical tissue of the patient. In some embodiments, the sterile drape 132 may comprise one or more portions made from various materials.

[0078] Embodiments of the sterile drape 132 may have or be various sizes (e.g. , different lengths, widths, and / or thicknesses), may be designed for various surgeries or surgical tasks (e.g., spinal surgeries, laparoscopic procedures, etc.), and may be designed to form a smooth protective barrier over or otherwise cover various surgical tools, instruments, and / or components (e.g., an 0-arm, a robot and / or robotic arm, one or more components of a navigation system, etc.). In some cases, the sterile drape 132 may be designed to be loose in some areas (e.g., around the joints of the robotic arm 116 to enable movement of the robotic arm 116) and to be smooth in other areas (e.g., around or near the navigation markers to enable the navigation system 118 to track the tracked portion 136). In some embodiments, the sterile drape 132 may be specifically manufactured to be used in specific surgeries or surgical tasks. In such embodiments, the sterile drape 132 may comprise additional or alternative components (e.g., interfaces, markings, labels, stripes, combinations thereof, etc.) which may facilitate the use of the sterile drape 132.

[0079] The sterile drape 132 (or one or more portions thereof) may be sterilized (e.g., disinfected). The sterilization may reduce the possibility of infection to a patient during a surgeryor surgical procedure. In some embodiments, a first surface of the sterile drape 132 may be sterilized and a second surface opposite the first surface may not be sterilized. The first surface may face toward the patient (e.g., be oriented toward the patient, be the surface closest to the patient, be the surface that contacts the patient, etc.) while the second surface may face away from the patient (e.g., be oriented away from the patient, be the surface furthest from the patient, be the surface that contacts a robot, imaging device, surgical tool, or other surgical instrument or surgical device and not the patient, etc.) when the sterile drape 132 is draped over a surgical instrument or surgical device. In such embodiments, the second surface may contact the surgical instrument or surgical device (e.g., a robotic arm holding a surgical tool), while the first surface may face outward from the robotic arm, such that any contact between the sterile drape 132 and the patient (such as when the surgical tool enters patient anatomy) occurs between the patient and the sterilized first surface.

[0080] The tracked portion 136 may be or comprise a device that enables the navigation system 118 to track the robotic arm 116. The tracked portion 136 may have a proximal end that can be coupled to the distal end of the robotic arm 116, and a distal end with a connection device 152 that can be coupled to a proximal end of an end effector 140 or a tool add on. The tracked portion 136 comprises navigation markers and the bracelet 146. In some embodiments, the tracked portion 136 may have a cylindrical shape. In such embodiments, components of the bracelet 146 and / or the navigation markers may be wrapped around an outer surface of the tracked portion 136, such that the user can interact with the bracelet 146 and / or such that the navigation system 118 can track the tracked portion 136.

[0081] The end effector 140 may include a proximal end that is connectable to a distal end of the tracked portion 136 (e.g., the connection device 152) or to a tool changer disposed between the end effector 140 and the tracked portion 136, and a distal end with an operative portion that can be used to carry out one or more surgical tasks. The end effector 140 may comprise a surgical tool. The surgical tool may be configured to drill, burr, mill, cut, saw, ream, tap, etc. into anatomical tissues such as patient anatomy (e.g., soft tissues, bone, etc.). In some embodiments, the system 100 may comprise multiple surgical tools, with each surgical tool performing a different surgical task (e.g., a surgical drill for drilling, a surgical mill for milling, a curette for removing anatomical tissue, an osteotome for cutting bone, etc.). In other embodiments, the surgical tool may provide an adapter interface to which different working ends can be attached to perform multiple different types ofY1surgical maneuvers (e.g., the surgical tool may be able to receive one or more different tool bits, such that the surgical tool can drill, mill, cut, saw, ream, tap, etc. depending on the tool bit coupled with the surgical tool). The surgical tool may be operated autonomously or semi-autonomously. The navigation system 118 may track the pose (e.g., position and orientation) of and / or navigate the surgical tool. For example, the navigation system 118 may identify the navigation markers on the tracked portion 136 and, based on the identification and the coupling of the tracked portion 136 with the end effector 140, use transformation 124 and registration 128 to determine the pose of the surgical tool.

[0082] The control device 148 may control one or more aspects of the robot 114 based on a user input. The control device 148 may in some cases comprise the processor 104 and the memory 106, such that the control device 148 operates as a controller independent of the robot 114 and / or other components of the system 100. In one embodiment, the control device 148 controls a hand-guided motion state of the robot 114. While the robot 114 is in the hand-guided motion state, one or more brakes or locks of the robot 114 (or the robotic arm 116) may be released, enabling a user to manually guide the robotic arm 116 into a desired pose. As described in further detail herein, the control device 148 may be wired or wirelessly connected to the bracelet 146 that comprises multiple different input segments, such that the control device 148 does not cause the robot 114 to enter the hand-guided motion state unless non-adjacent input segments of the bracelet 146 are actuated. Such segmentation of the input segments of the bracelet 146 may help reduce the likelihood of accidental activation of the robot 114 and / or robotic arm 116 due to a single button press, or by accidental actuation of two segments that are in close proximity to one another caused by someone or something contacting the bracelet 146, for example.

[0083] The system 100 or similar systems may be used, for example, to carry out one or more aspects of the method 300 described herein. The system 100 or similar systems may also be used for other purposes.

[0084] Turning next to Figs. 2A-2C, aspects of a bracelet 204 are shown in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. The bracelet 204 may be similar to or the same as the bracelet 146. In other words, the bracelet 204 may be configured to receive a user input and send one or more signals to the control device 148 to control a hand-guided free motion state of the robot 114 (or more specifically the robotic arm 116) based on the received user input. The bracelet 204 comprises a base 208, a flexible PCB 212, and a cover 216. In some embodiments, the bracelet 204may comprise additional or alternative components. One or more components of the bracelet 204 (e.g., the flexible PCB 212) may be connected to the control device 148. The connection between the bracelet 204 and the control device 148 (whether the connection be wired, wireless, or a combination thereof) may enable user inputs to the bracelet 204 to generate electrical signals that are sent to the control device 148, and the control device 148 processes the signals in accordance with control logic to control the robotic arm 116. In such an example, the bracelet 204 comprises the base 208, the flexible PCB 212, and the cover 216. As another example, the base 208 and the cover 216 may be omitted from the bracelet 204, and the flexible PCB 212 may be attached to the robot 114 or a component thereof (e.g., the tracked portion 136) to enable the user to send signals to the control device 148 to control the robot 114 via inputs into the flexible PCB 212.

[0085] The base 208 comprises one or more components to which the flexible PCB 212 and / or the cover 216 can be attached. The base 208 may include one or more attachment mechanisms 220, such as one or more pins, hooks, latches, and / or the like, that mechanically couple the base 208 to the flexible PCB 212. In some embodiments, the base 208 may also include another (potentially separate) attachment mechanism to attach the base 208 to the robot 114 (e.g., to the tracked portion 136). The base 208 includes an inner surface 224 configured to wrap around, receive, or otherwise contact one or more potions of the robot 114 when the base 208 mechanically couples with the robot 114, and an outer surface 226 opposite the inner surface 224 that is configured to house, hold, or otherwise contact the flexible PCB 212. In some cases, the base 208 may be part of the robot 114, such as when the base 208 is a chassis or other component of the robot 114 to which the flexible PCB 212 and the cover 216 can be attached.

[0086] The cover 216 may be configured to stretch, wrap, enclose, or otherwise cover one or more portions of the base 208 and / or the flexible PCB 212. The cover 216 may be or comprise one or more elastomeric materials (e.g., silicone, natural rubber, polyurethane, etc.) such that the cover 216 is sufficiently flexible to cover the base 208 and / or the flexible PCB 212. In some embodiments, the cover 216 substantially matches the shape and form of the flexible PCB 212, such that a user (e.g., a physician) can interact with the flexible PCB 212 (e.g., pressing one or more input segments or sections of the flexible PCB 212) through the cover 216. For instance, the cover 216 may comprise a pattern 248 that matches the input switches of the flexible PCB 212, such that the user can provide input into the flexible PCB 212 by pressing on the pattern 248 overlaying the input segments or sections. The cover 216 may provide the cosmetic look and / orfeel of the input switches (e.g., buttons) of the flexible PCB 212, while also preventing the user from directly contacting the components of the flexible PCB 212. Such prevention may help mitigate the likelihood of injury (e.g., electric shock) if the user were to directly interact with the flexible PCB 212. The cover 216 comprises an inner surface 240 configured to wrap around or otherwise contact an outer surface 232 of the flexible PCB 212, as well as an outer surface 244 that enables the user to interact with the flexible PCB 212. In some cases, the outer surface 244 of the cover 216 may be a substantially smooth and continuous surface, such that the user cannot feel the discrete input switches of the flexible PCB 212. This may provide a smoother feel to the user as though the flexible PCB 212 is a single, continuous button. In some embodiments, the cover 216 may be omitted from the bracelet 204. In other embodiments, the cover 216 may be integrated into the flexible PCB 212 (such as when both the flexible PCB 212 and the cover 216 are manufactured as a single unit) such that the cover 216 does not separate from the flexible PCB 212.

[0087] The flexible PCB 212 comprises an inner surface 228, the outer surface 232 opposite the inner surface 228, a plurality of input sections or segments 252A-252F, and a flexible circuit 236. The flexible PCB 212 may operate to receive user inputs at the input segments 252A-252F and generate signals output from the flexible circuit 236 that can be used by the control device 148 to control the robot 114 or components thereof (e.g., the robotic arm 116), or more generally other components of the system 100 (e.g., the imaging device 112). The flexible PCB 212 may be made of one or more elastic compounds that enable the flexible PCB 212 to bend, flex, and / or the like to match the contours of the tracked portion 136, the base 208, or other components to which the flexible PCB 212 is attached. In some cases, the flexible PCB 212 may be or comprise a rigid-flex PCB (e.g., a PCB containing both rigid components and flexible components). The inner surface 228 of the flexible PCB 212 may be configured to wrap around or otherwise attach the flexible PCB 212 to the base 208, such that the flexible PCB 212 can be connected to the tracked portion 136 of the robotic arm 116. Alternatively, the flexible PCB 212 may be positionable elsewhere, such as on the user (e.g., wrapped around a user’s wrist), on a different portion or component of the robot 114 (e.g., on the robot cart 144), on the patient bed in the operating room, or any other portion or surface of the operating room or an area outside the operating room. In one example, the flexible PCB 212 may be worn by a first physician, while another physician guides the robot 114 after the first physician has activated the control device 148 via the bracelet 204 (e.g., by pressing non-adjacent segments of the flexible PCB 212).

[0088] The input segments 252A-252F may comprise six input segments: a first input segment 252A, a second input segment 252B, a third input segment 252C, a fourth input segment 252D, a fifth input segment 252E, and a sixth input segment 252F. However, the flexible PCB 212 may comprise an additional or alternative number of input segments (e.g., three input segments, four input segments, five input segments, six input segments, seven input segments, eight input segments, etc.). In some embodiments, the input segments 252A-252F may be physically divided on the flexible PCB 212 (e.g., such that there is physical separate between each input segment), while in other embodiments the input segments 252A-252F may be uniformly spaced but electrically isolated within the flexible PCB 212. In other words, the input segments 252A-252F may be visibly (or not) distinguishable from one another by the user.

[0089] Each input segment of the input segments 252A-252F may comprise one or more input switches (e.g., buttons, strain gauges, knobs, push switches, combinations thereof, etc.). The first input segment 252A, for example, may comprise a plurality of input switches 256A-256E and the third input segment 252C may comprise a plurality of input switches 260A-260E. In some embodiments, the input switches (including the input switches 256A-256E, 260A-260E) may be positioned circumferentially around the outer surface 232 of the flexible PCB 212, such that the user can interact with one or more of the input switches when the flexible PCB 212 is positioned on the robot 114 (or more specifically on the tracked portion 136). The number of input switches associated with the flexible PCB 212 is in no way limited, and an additional or alternative number of input switches than those discussed herein may be used. In some embodiments, each input segment of the input segments 252A-252F may comprise the same number of input switches, such that the input switches are evenly or uniformly distributed over the input segments 252A-252F. In some embodiments, each input segment of the input segments 252A-252F may comprise one or more input switches (e.g., two input switches, three input switches, four input switches, etc.). In other embodiments, one or more input segments of the input segments 252A-252F may not have any input switches, or may alternatively have one or more input switches that are disabled. One or more input switches may be disabled, for example, by the processor 104 or the control device 148 connected to the bracelet 204 when the processor or control device determines, for example, that the bracelet 204 should be disabled because the current step in the surgical procedure does not permit hand-guided motion (e.g., such as when a surgical tool on the end effector 140 is drilling into an anatomical element of the patient).

[0090] Each input switch in an input segment may be connected in parallel to the processor 104, such that any input switch within an input segment can be actuated to activate the input segment. For example, the input switches 256A-256E of the first input segment 252A may all be connected in parallel with one another, such that a trace associated with the first input segment 252A running through the flexible circuit 236 and connected with the processor 104 is activated when the user presses any one or more of the input switches 256A-256E. The use of parallel connection may reduce the complexity of circuit logic required to determine whether the robot 114 or robotic arm 116 is to be activated by, for example, reducing the number of signals output by the flexible PCB 212. For example, when the flexible PCB 212 comprises thirty buttons and six segments, with each input segment including five buttons, the flexible circuit 236 may have six outputs: a binary value for each of the segments (e.g., 1 if the segment is activated by the actuation of one or more input switches in the segment, and 0 if none of the input switches in the segment were actuated). This reduces the number of readings that are processed by the processor 104, as well as reduces the complexity of the circuit logic needed by the processor 104 (e.g., the processor 104 determines activation based on segment activation, rather than individual input switch activation). In some cases, each input switch of the input switches 256A-256E may be wired directly to the control device 148 or the processor 104 via the flexible circuit 236. Additionally or alternatively, one or more multiplexers may be present in the flexible PCB 212 that reduce the number of pins in the flexible PCB 212 that are connected to the control device 148.

[0091] The control logic of the flexible PCB 212 may be such that, when two different, nonadj acent input segments are actuated by the user, a control signal is sent from the bracelet 204 to the control device 148 that indicates that the state of the robot 114 should be changed (e.g., activated or deactivated). For example, the control signal sent from the bracelet 204 may indicate that the robot 114 should enter into or exit from a hand-guided motion state, which entering or exiting may be carried out by the control device 148. In some embodiments, any two non-adj acent input segments may be sufficient to cause the control device 148 to activate, deactivate, or otherwise change the state of the robot 114. For example, actuation of the first input segment 252A by the user (e.g., via pressing one or more of the input switches 256A-256E) and the third input segment 252C, the fourth input segment 252D, and / or the fifth input segment 252E may cause the control device 148 to activate the robot 114. In this example, an actuation of the first input segment 252A and an actuation of either the second input segment 252B or the sixth input segment 252Fmay be insufficient to cause the control device 148 to activate the robot 114, since both the second input segment 252B and the sixth input segment 252F are adjacent to the first input segment 252A. By requiring two non-adjacent input segments to be actuated in order to cause activation of the robot 114, the likelihood of inadvertent or accidental entry of the robot 114 into the hand-guided motion state may be mitigated or reduced.

[0092] While in the hand-guided motion state, the control device 148 may cause one or more brakes or joints associated with the robot 114 to be released or unlocked, such that the robot 114 can be manually moved or manipulated by the user of the system 100. In some embodiments, motors associated with the robot 114 (e.g., motors that cause movement of various links in the robotic arm 116) may be actuated to counteract gravitational forces, while enabling the user to move the robotic arm 116 with little resistance. The control device 148 may maintain the robot 114 in the hand-guided motion state as long as the two different, non-adjacent input segments of the bracelet 204 are actuated by the user. Once one or more of the input segments are no longer actuated (e.g., the user releases the input switches in one or more of the non-adjacent segments), the bracelet 204 may no longer send an activation signal or may send a deactivation signal to the control device 148, which may cause the robot 114 to exit the hand-guided motion state. The exiting of the robot 114 from the hand-guided motion state may comprise the control device 148 causing one or more brakes or joints associated with the robot 114 to lock, such that the robot 114 can no longer be moved by the user. In some embodiments, the robot 114 may be deactivated by the control device 148 once the user again actuates two different, non-adjacent segments. In other words, the user may be able to activate the robot 114 by pressing the two different, non-adjacent segments of the bracelet 204, and then release the non-adjacent segments without causing the robot 114 to become deactivated or otherwise causing the state of the robot 114 to change. In some embodiments, the control logic of the processor 104 may verify that the actuated segments are non-adjacent by verifying that a distance between actuated segments meets or exceeds one or more threshold values. The threshold values may be values stored in the database 130 or the memory 106 and may reflect the predetermined or known distance between any two adjacent segments. When the distance between the two actuated segments meets or exceeds the threshold value, the processor 104 may treat the two actuated segments as being non-adjacent. In some embodiments, the actuation of the non-adjacent segments may control other functions of the robot 114 in addition to or alternatively to controlling the state of the robot 114. For example, different segments of the bracelet 204 maybe programmed such that actuation of the segments causes the control device 148 to turn on a surgical tool, automatically cause the robot 114 to move to a pose associated with a surgical trajectory, combinations thereof, and / or the like.

[0093] Fig. 3 depicts a method 300 that may be used, for example, to control one or more states of a robot based on user input into a control device.

[0094] The method 300 (and / or one or more steps thereof) may be carried out or otherwise performed, for example, by at least one processor. The at least one processor may be the same as or similar to the processor(s) 104 of the computing device 102 described above. The at least one processor may be part of a robot (such as a robot 114), part of a navigation system (such as a navigation system 118), or part of a control device (e.g., a control device 148). A processor other than any processor described herein may also be used to execute the method 300. The at least one processor may perform the method 300 by executing elements stored in a memory such as the memory 106. The elements stored in memory and executed by the processor may cause the processor to execute one or more steps of a function as shown in method 300. One or more portions of a method 300 may be performed by the processor executing any of the contents of memory, such as an image processing 120, a segmentation 122, a transformation 124, and / or a registration 128.

[0095] The method 300 comprises receiving, from at least two of four or more segmented inputs of a user input device, a user input to activate a robotic arm (step 304). The control device may be similar to or the same as the control device 148, while the user input device may be similar to or the same as the bracelet 146 and / or the bracelet 204. The user input device may comprise four or more segmented inputs (e.g., input segments 252A-252F), with each segmented input including at least one switch (e.g., a button, a knob, a strain gauge, a push switch, etc.). The input segments 252A-252F may be actuated by the user (e.g., pressed down and held) to send one or more control signals to the control device 148 that can be used by the control device 148 to activate, deactivate, or otherwise control the robot 114. In some cases, such as when the user input device comprises four or more segmented inputs, the user input may be associated with the user actuating two different, non-adjacent segments.

[0096] The method 300 also comprises causing, in response to receiving the user input, the robotic arm to enter a hand-guided motion state that enables at least one of a processor and a user to manipulate the robotic arm (step 308). Once the user has provided input into the user input device, one or more signals may be sent from the user input device to the control device 148, whichmay in turn cause the robot 114 (or a component thereof such as the robotic arm 116) to enter the hand-guided motion state. In some embodiments, the one or more signals sent by the user input device may cause one or more brakes or locks of the robot 114 to be released or disabled, such that the robotic arm 116 can be manually moved by the user. In some embodiments, the input into the user input device may enable the control device 148, processor 104, and / or the like to control one or more other aspects of the robot 114, such as the enabling or disabling of surgical tools manipulated by the robot 114, movement of the robot 114 to a predetermined pose, combinations thereof, etc.

[0097] The method 300 also comprises receiving, from the user input device, a second user input to deactivate the robotic arm (step 312). The second user input may be the user releasing the user input device (e.g., the user ceases to press the segmented inputs of the user input device). In some cases, the second user input may be the user actuating the non-adjacent segments again (e.g., after a previous actuation of the non-adjacent segments of the user input device). In some embodiments, the processor 104 or the control device 148 may receive the second user input from the user input device directly or indirectly via the flexible circuit 236.

[0098] The method 300 also comprises causing, in response to receiving the second user input, the robotic arm to exit the hand-guided motion state (step 316). Upon receipt of the second user input, the processor 104 or the control device 148 may cause the robot 114 to exit the hand-guided motion state. In some embodiments, one or more brakes and / or locks of the robot 114 that were previously released when the robot 114 was in the hand-guided motion state may lock to prevent the user from manually moving the robot 114 or components thereof (e.g., the robotic arm 116).

[0099] The present disclosure encompasses embodiments of the method 300 that comprise more or fewer steps than those described above, and / or one or more steps that are different than the steps described above.

[0100] As noted above, the present disclosure encompasses methods with fewer than all of the steps identified in Fig. 3 (and the corresponding description of the method 300), as well as methods that include additional steps beyond those identified in Fig. 3 (and the corresponding description of the method 300). The present disclosure also encompasses methods that comprise one or more steps from one method described herein, and one or more steps from another method described herein. Any correlation described herein may be or comprise a registration or any other correlation.

[0101] The foregoing is not intended to limit the disclosure to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description, for example, various features of the disclosure are grouped together in one or more aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The features of the aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations of the disclosure may be combined in alternate aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations other than those discussed above. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claims require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed aspect, embodiment, and / or configuration. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the disclosure.

[0102] Moreover, though the foregoing has included description of one or more aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations and certain variations and modifications, other variations, combinations, and modifications are within the scope of the disclosure, e.g., as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which include alternative aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and / or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable and / or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter.

[0103] The following examples provide various embodiments disclosed herein.

[0104] Example 1 : A system comprising: a user input device (146, 204) for a robotic arm (116), the user input device (146, 204) comprising four or more segmented inputs (252A-252F); a processor (104); and a memory (106) coupled with the processor (104) and storing data thereon that, when processed by the processor (104), enable the processor (104) to: receive, from at least two of the four or more segmented inputs (252A-252F) of the user input device (146, 204), a user input to activate the robotic arm (116); and in response to receiving the user input, cause the robotic arm (116) to enter a hand-guided motion state that enables at least one of the processor (104) and a user to manipulate the robotic arm (116).

[0105] Example 2: The system of Example 1, wherein each segmented input in the four or more segmented inputs (252A-252F) comprises two or more input switches (256A-256E).

[0106] Example 3: The system of any one of Examples 1-2, wherein the four or more segmented inputs (252A-252F) are positioned circumferentially around at least a portion of the user input device (146, 204).

[0107] Example 4: The system of any one of Examples 1-3, wherein each segmented input in the four or more segmented inputs (252A-252F) comprises one or more of the following: a button, a strain gauge, a knob, and a push switch.

[0108] Example 5: The system of any one of Examples 1-4, wherein each segmented input in the four or more segmented inputs (252A-252F) comprises at least one input switch (256A-256E).

[0109] Example 6: The system of any one of Examples 1-5, wherein the memory (106) stores data thereon that, when processed by the processor (104), further enable the processor (104) to: receive a second user input to deactivate the robotic arm (116); and in response to receiving the second user input, cause the robotic arm (116) to exit the hand-guided motion state.

[0110] Example 7: The system of any one of Examples 1-6, wherein, when in the hand-guided motion state, at least one brake associated with the robotic arm (116) is released.

[0111] Example 8: The system of any one of Examples 1-7, wherein two or more input switches (256A-256E) in a first segmented input of the four or more segmented inputs (252A-252F) are connected in parallel with the processor (104).

[0112] Example 9: The system of any one of Examples 1-8, wherein the at least two of the four or more segmented inputs (252A-252F) are non-adjacent to one another.

[0113] Example 10: A control bracelet comprising: an outer surface (244); an inner surface (228) opposite the outer surface (244), the inner surface (228) configured to contact an outer surface of a robotic arm (116); and at least four input switches (256A-256E) positioned circumferentially on the outer surface (244) and electrically segmented into at least four sections (252A-252F), wherein, when a user input from at least two of the at least four sections (252A-252F) is received, the robotic arm (116) enters a hand-guided motion state that enables at least one of a processor (104) and a user to manipulate the robotic arm (116).

[0114] Example 11 : The control bracelet of Example 10, wherein each section in the at least four sections (252A-252F) comprises two or more input switches (256A-256E).

[0115] Example 12: The control bracelet of any one of Examples 10-11, wherein the at least two of the at least four sections (252A-252F) are non-adjacent to one another.

[0116] Example 13: The control bracelet of any one of Examples 10-12, wherein each segmented section in the at least four sections (252A-252F) comprises one or more of the following: a button, a strain gauge, a knob, and a push switch.

[0117] Example 14: The control bracelet of any one of Examples 10-13, wherein, when in the hand-guided motion state, at least one brake associated with the robotic arm (116) is released.

[0118] Example 15: The control bracelet of any one of Examples 10-14, wherein the robotic arm (116) exits the hand-guided motion state when the control bracelet receives a second user input to deactivate the robotic arm (116).

[0119] Example 16: The control bracelet of any one of Examples 10-15, wherein two or more input switches (256A-256E) in a first section of the at least four sections (252A-252F) are connected in parallel with control logic of the processor (104).

[0120] Example 17: The control bracelet of any one of Examples 10-16, wherein the at least four input switches (256A-256E) are evenly distributed among the at least four sections (252A-252F).

[0121] Example 18: A method comprising: receiving, from at least two of four or more segmented inputs (252A-252F) of a bracelet, a user input to activate a robotic arm (116); and causing, in response to receiving the user input, the robotic arm (116) to enter a hand-guided motion state that enables a user to manipulate the robotic arm (116).

[0122] Example 19: The method of Example 18, further comprising: receiving, from the bracelet, a second user input to deactivate the robotic arm (116); and causing, in response to receiving the second user input, the robotic arm (116) to exit the hand-guided motion state.

[0123] Example 20: The method of any one of Examples 18-19, wherein each of the four or more segmented inputs (252A-252F) comprises two or more input switches (256A-256E).

[0124] The foregoing is not intended to limit the disclosure to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description, for example, various features of the disclosure are grouped together in one or more aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The features of the aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations of the disclosure may be combined in alternate aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations other than those discussed above. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claims require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed aspect, embodiment, and / or configuration. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated intothis Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the disclosure.

[0125] Moreover, though the foregoing has included description of one or more aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations and certain variations and modifications, other variations, combinations, and modifications are within the scope of the disclosure, e.g., as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which include alternative aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and / or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable and / or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A system comprising: a user input device (146, 204) for a robotic arm (116), the user input device (146, 204) comprising four or more segmented inputs (252A-252F); a processor (104); and a memory (106) coupled with the processor (104) and storing data thereon that, when processed by the processor (104), enable the processor (104) to: receive, from at least two of the four or more segmented inputs (252A-252F) of the user input device (146, 204), a user input to activate the robotic arm (116); and in response to receiving the user input, cause the robotic arm (116) to enter a hand- guided motion state that enables at least one of the processor (104) and a user to manipulate the robotic arm (116).

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each segmented input in the four or more segmented inputs (252A-252F) comprises two or more input switches (256A-256E).

3. The system of any of claims 1-2, wherein the four or more segmented inputs (252A-252F) are positioned circumferentially around at least a portion of the user input device (146, 204).

4. The system of any of claims 1-3, wherein each segmented input in the four or more segmented inputs (252A-252F) comprises one or more of the following: a button, a strain gauge, a knob, and a push switch.

5. The system of any of claims 1-4, wherein each segmented input in the four or more segmented inputs (252A-252F) comprises at least one input switch (256A-256E).

6. The system of any of claims 1-5, wherein the memory (106) stores data thereon that, when processed by the processor (104), further enable the processor (104) to: receive a second user input to deactivate the robotic arm (116); and in response to receiving the second user input, cause the robotic arm ( 116) to exit the hand- guided motion state.

7. The system of any of claims 1-6, wherein, when in the hand-guided motion state, at least one brake associated with the robotic arm (116) is released.

8. The system of any of claims 1-7, wherein two or more input switches (256A-256E) in a first segmented input of the four or more segmented inputs (252A-252F) are connected in parallel with the processor (104).

9. The system of any of claims 1-8, wherein the at least two of the four or more segmented inputs (252A-252F) are non-adjacent to one another.

10. A control bracelet comprising: an outer surface (244); an inner surface (228) opposite the outer surface (244), the inner surface (228) configured to contact an outer surface of a robotic arm (116); and at least four input switches (256A-256E) positioned circumferentially on the outer surface (244) and electrically segmented into at least four sections (252A-252F), wherein, when a user input from at least two of the at least four sections (252A-252F) is received, the robotic arm (116) enters a hand-guided motion state that enables at least one of a processor (104) and a user to manipulate the robotic arm (116).

11. The control bracelet of claim 10, wherein each section in the at least four sections (252A-252F) comprises two or more input switches (256A-256E).

12. The control bracelet of any of claims 10-11, wherein the at least two of the at least four sections (252A-252F) are non-adjacent to one another.

13. The control bracelet of any of claims 10-12, wherein each segmented section in the at least four sections (252A-252F) comprises one or more of the following: a button, a strain gauge, a knob, and a push switch.

14. The control bracelet of any of claims 10-13, wherein, when in the hand-guided motion state, at least one brake associated with the robotic arm ( 116) is released, and wherein the robotic arm (116) exits the hand-guided motion state when the control bracelet receives a second user input to deactivate the robotic arm (116).

15. A method comprising: receiving, from at least two of four or more segmented inputs (252A-252F) of a bracelet, a user input to activate a robotic arm (116); and causing, in response to receiving the user input, the robotic arm (116) to enter a hand- guided motion state that enables a user to manipulate the robotic arm (116).

Images