Active-constraint robots
First Claim
1. A method of controlling an active-constraint robot, comprising:
- providing an active-constraint robot (4) including a tool (14) for operating on element, and a drive unit (20,28,38) for controlling movement of the tool;
providing a model including a NURBS surface describing a constraint surface associated with the element;
determining the imaginary point (I) of intersection of a force vector (V) representative of a force applied by a user to the tool and the NURBS surface; and
controlling the drive unit (20,28,38) by resisting movement of the tool according to the determined point of intersection.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An active-constraint robot (4), particularly for surgical use, is controlled by means of a series of motorized joints to provide a surgeon with real-time tactile feedback of an operation in progress. The robot system holds, in memory, a series of constraint surfaces beyond which it would be dangerous for the surgeon to go, and a resistive force is applied to the cutting tool (14) as the surgeon approaches any such surface. To improve the overall quality of feedback experienced by the surgeon, the resistive force applied to the cutting tool (14) depends upon the point of intersection (I) between the force factor applied by the surgeon and the surface. Further improvements are achieved by adjusting the tangential resistive force, when the tool is adjacent to the surface, in dependence upon the surrounding shape of the surface.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of controlling an active-constraint robot, comprising:
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providing an active-constraint robot (4) including a tool (14) for operating on element, and a drive unit (20,28,38) for controlling movement of the tool; providing a model including a NURBS surface describing a constraint surface associated with the element; determining the imaginary point (I) of intersection of a force vector (V) representative of a force applied by a user to the tool and the NURBS surface; and controlling the drive unit (20,28,38) by resisting movement of the tool according to the determined point of intersection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of controlling an active-constraint robot, comprising:
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providing an active-constraint robot (4) including a tool (14) for operating on element, and a drive unit (20,28,38) for controlling movement of the tool; providing a model including a model surface describing a constraint surface associated with the element; determining the imaginary point (I) of intersection of a force vector (V) representative of a force applied by a user to the tool and the model surface; and controlling the drive unit (20,28,38) by resisting movement of the tool according to the determined point of intersection. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. An active-constraint robot (4) including:
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a tool (14) for operating on an element; a drive unit (20,28,38) for controlling movement of the tool; means for holding a model including a NURBS surface describing a constraint surface associated with the element; means for determining the imaginary point (I) of intersection of a force vector (V) representative of a force applied by a user to the tool and the NURBS surface; and a control for controlling the drive unit (20,28,38) by resisting movement of the tool according to the determined point of intersection. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. An active-constraint robot (4) including:
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a tool (14) for operating on an element and a drive unit (20,28,38) for controlling movement of the tool; means for holding a model including a model surface describing a constraint surface associated with the element; means for determining the imaginary point (I) of intersection of a force vector (V) representative of a force applied by a user to the tool and the model surface; and a control for controlling the drive unit (20,28,38) by resisting movement of the tool according to the determined point of intersection. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of controlling an active-constraint robot, comprising:
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providing an active constraint robot (4) including a tool (14) for operating on an element, and a drive unit (20,28,38) for controlling movement of the tool; providing a model describing a constraint surface associated with the element; and controlling the drive unit by resisting movement of the tool in a direction tangential to an adjacent constraint surface in dependence upon the shape of the constraint surface in a region surrounding the position of the tool. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An active constraint robot (4) including:
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a tool (14) for operating on an element; a drive unit (20,28,38) for controlling movement of the tool; means for holding a model describing a constraint surface associated with the element; and control means for controlling the drive unit by resisting movement of the tool in a direction tangential to an adjacent constraint surface in dependence upon the shape of the constraint surface in a region surrounding the position of the tool. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification