Abstract: A system and method for damped manipulation of a medical tool is disclosed. The system includes a robotic arm and a control unit. The robotic arm includes one or more links and one or more joints that cooperate to move the medical tool. The control unit is configured to receive a position and a velocity of a first joint of the one or more joints, apply a damping function to the first joint based on the received position or velocity to modify a force or torque of the first joint, and vary the damping function applied to the first joint based on the position or velocity when the position or velocity changes while the medical tool is moved.

Abstract: A system and method for variable damping of a hand-controlled input device, thereby providing damped control of a medical tool (e.g., for teleoperation), is disclosed. The system includes a robotic user interface and a control unit for applying different variable damping coefficients to the robotic user interface based on one or more variables. The robotic user interface includes one or more links and one or more joints that cooperate to facilitate remote manipulation of a medical tool. The control unit is configured to receive motion information from the one or more joints, determine a damping modifier from a plurality of different damping modifiers based on the received motion information, apply the determined damping modifier to at least one joint of the one or more joints to modify a force or torque of the at least one joint during a manipulation of the medical tool.

Abstract: Robotic systems can be capable of collision detection and avoidance. A medical robotic system can include a first kinematic chain and one or more sensors positioned to detect one or more parameters of contact with one or more portions of the first kinematic chain. The medical robotic system can be configured to cause adjustment of a configuration of the first kinematic chain from a first configuration to a second configuration based on a constraint determined from the one or more parameters of contact with the first kinematic chain detected by the one or more sensors.

Abstract: Robotic systems can be capable of collision detection and avoidance. A medical robotic system can include a first kinematic chain and one or more sensors positioned to detect one or more objects detected within a vicinity of the first kinematic chain. The medical robotic system can be configured to cause adjustment of a configuration of the first kinematic chain from a first configuration to a second configuration based on a constraint determined from the one or more objects detected by the one or more sensors within the vicinity of the first kinematic chain.

Abstract: Certain aspects relate to systems and techniques for an input device for controlling operation of a surgical tool. The input device includes a first set of one or more input objects for receiving an input of a first type associated with the operation of the surgical tool, and a second set of one or more input objects for receiving an input of a second type associated with the operation of the surgical tool. The input device also includes a Hall effect sensor for detecting a magnetic field based on the first set of one or more magnets and the second set of one or more magnets. A medical system including the input device and a method of using the input device for operating a surgical tool are also disclosed.