Abstract: A user control device for a surgical system. The surgical system includes a robotic manipulator to support and move a surgical instrument that has an energy applicator. One or more controllers operate the robotic manipulator in a semi-autonomous mode and calculate an instrument feed rate, which is the velocity at which the energy applicator advances along a tool path in the semi-autonomous mode. The user control device includes a housing configured as a pendant configured to be held in one hand of a user. A first control member is mounted to the housing and can be depressed to initiate operation of the robotic manipulator in the semi-autonomous mode. A second control member is mounted to the housing and can be depressed to modify the instrument feed rate in the semi-autonomous mode.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed involving a navigation system including a localizer and a tracker detected within a field-of-view of the localizer. In one example, a virtual line-of-sight boundary is generated based on a line-of-sight relationship between the tracker and localizer. Additionally, or alternatively, a virtual field-of-view boundary is generated based on the field-of-view of the localizer. A virtual object is associated with a physical object and/or the tracker. Controller(s) detect whether a virtual collision occurs between the virtual object and the virtual line-of-sight boundary and/or virtual field-of-view boundary. The controller(s) enable a response based on detecting the virtual collision.

Abstract: A tracking apparatus for tracking a bone of a patient limb is provided. The tracking apparatus includes a body configured to couple to the patient limb. The body includes first and second arms each including an exterior and opposing interior surface and opposing sides connecting the exterior and interior surfaces. The tracking apparatus also includes a wing portion extending from one of the sides of the first or second arm, the wing portion sharing the interior surface of the first or second arm. The tracking apparatus also includes one or more ultrasonic sensors coupled to the interior surface of the body and the interior surface of wing portion, the one or more ultrasonic sensor being configured to transmit ultrasonic waves to and receive ultrasonic waves from the bone. The tracking apparatus also includes one or more trackable elements coupled to the body and the wing portion.

Abstract: Systems, methods, software and techniques for generating a milling path for a tool of a surgical system are provided. The milling path is designed to remove a resection volume associated with an anatomical volume. A reference guide is defined with respect to the resection volume. Sections are defined along the reference guide in succession. Each section intersects the reference guide at a different intersection point and is at a specified orientation relative to the reference guide at the intersection point. Each section further intersects the resection volume. A section path is generated to be bounded within each section and defined relative to the resection volume. A plurality of transition segments are generated and each transition segment connects section paths of successive sections along the reference guide.

Abstract: Systems, methods, software and techniques are disclosed for morphing a generic virtual boundary into a patient-specific virtual boundary for an anatomical model. The generic virtual boundary comprises one or more morphable faces. An intersection of the generic virtual boundary and the anatomical model is computed to define a cross-sectional contour of the anatomical model. One or more faces of the generic virtual boundary are morphed to conform to the cross-sectional contour of the anatomical model to produce the patient-specific virtual boundary. In some cases, the morphed faces are spaced apart from the cross-sectional contour by an offset distance that accounts for a geometric feature of a surgical tool.

Abstract: A surgical system, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium involving a robotic manipulator configured to move a surgical instrument relative to virtual boundaries. A navigation system tracks each of a first object, a second object, and the surgical instrument. The first object is moveable relative to the second object. One or more controllers associate a first virtual boundary with the first object and associate a second virtual boundary with the second object. The first virtual boundary is moveable in relation to the second virtual boundary. The controller(s) control the robotic manipulator in relation to the first virtual boundary to facilitate interaction of the surgical instrument with the first object. The controller(s) control the robotic manipulator in relation to the second virtual boundary to avoid interaction of the surgical instrument with the second object.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed wherein a tracker is detected within a field-of-view of a localizer. In one example, a virtual line-of-sight boundary is generated based on the line-of-sight relationship between the tracker and localizer. Additionally or alternatively, a virtual field-of-view boundary is generated based on the field-of-view of the localizer. A virtual object is associated with a manipulator, a surgical tool coupled to the manipulator, or the tracker when coupled to manipulator and/or surgical tool. Controller(s) predictively determine whether a planned movement of the manipulator will cause a virtual collision between the virtual object and the virtual line-of-sight boundary and/or virtual field-of-view boundary. The controller(s) enable a response based on an outcome of predictively determining whether the planned movement will cause the virtual collision.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed involving an instrument, an instrument tracking device for tracking movement of the instrument, a first boundary tracking device for tracking movement of a first virtual boundary associated with an anatomy of a patient to be treated by the instrument, and a second boundary tracking device for tracking movement of a second virtual boundary associated with a periphery of an opening in the patient to be avoided by the instrument. One or more controllers receive information associated with the tracking devices including positions of the instrument relative to the first and second virtual boundaries, detect movement of the first and second virtual boundaries relative to one another, and generate a response upon detecting movement of the first and second virtual boundaries relative to one another.

Abstract: Navigation systems and methods used to track objects moving in space. One navigation system and method employs trackers each having a light emitting diode that emits a colored light when obstruction of line-of-sight between tracking elements on the trackers and sensors or other errors are absent. When obstruction of line-of-sight between tracking elements on the trackers and sensors or other errors are generated, the light emitting diode is deactivated. Another navigation system and method employs trackers each having a light emitting diode that emits a colored light when obstruction of line-of-sight between tracking elements on the trackers and sensors or other errors are generated. When obstruction of line-of-sight between tracking elements on the trackers and sensors or other errors are absent, the light emitting diode is deactivated.

Abstract: A surgical robotic system and method involve a manipulator including a plurality of links and joints and a tool coupled to the manipulator. Controller(s) generate a first tool path to remove a first portion of material from the bone and control the manipulator to position the tool for movement along the first tool path to remove the first portion. The controller(s) sense interaction between the tool and the bone during movement of the tool along the first tool path and generate a second tool path to remove a second portion of material from the bone. Generation of the second tool path is based, at least in part, on the sensed interaction between the tool and the bone during movement along the first tool path. The controller(s) control the manipulator to position the tool for movement along the second tool path to remove the second portion.

Abstract: Systems and methods for tracking an object in a workspace. A tracker is disposed relative to the object and includes a predefined geometry of markers having first and second marker arrangements, each including three markers in a collinear relationship. A camera with a view of the tracker generates an image comprising blobs, where a subset of the blobs is directly generated from the markers of the tracker, and a remainder is not. Blob groups each including three of the blobs and satisfying a collinear criterion are identified as candidates for having been directly generated by the marker arrangements. The subset of blobs is differentiated from the remainder of blobs based on the blob groups and the predefined marker geometry, and the differentiated subset of blobs is assigned to the markers of the tracker. The pose of the tracker in the workspace is then estimated based on the assigned blobs.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for determining a position and a change in the position of an anatomical structure. The system utilizes a surgical navigation system and a substrate that is capable of being removably mounted to an outer surface of a body. A sensor is attached to the substrate to be tracked by the surgical navigation system. An ultrasonic imaging device is attached to the substrate to determine a position of the anatomical structure. A first circuit calculates a global position of the anatomical structure by correlating a position of the sensor and the position of the anatomical structure. The first circuit determines the global position without the use of an image of the anatomical structure, and may do so without the use of a reference device invasively affixed to the body. A second circuit displays the global position of the anatomical structure.

Abstract: A method of operating a robotic system to efficiently remove material from a workpiece based on a density distribution of the material of the workpiece. The density distribution of the material of the workpiece is determined from a three-dimensional representation and evaluated by classifying the plurality of points or voxels into a first density classification and a second density classification. A navigation computer generates a first tool path and a second tool path for the tool based on the evaluated density distribution. The first tool path is associated with the first density classification, and the second tool path is associated with the second density classification. The position of the tool relative to the workpiece is tracked with a navigation computer and controlled with a manipulator controller based on the generated tool path to remove material along the first tool path, and remove material along the second tool path.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for determining a position and a change in the position of an anatomical structure. The system utilizes a surgical navigation system and a substrate that is capable of being removably mounted to an outer surface of a patient's body. The substrate includes a sensor that is tracked by the surgical navigation system and a positional device that determines the position of an anatomical structure relative to the sensor. The concatenation of the position of the sensor and the relative position of the anatomical structure allows a global position of the anatomical structure to be determined by a computer system and displayed to the user.

Abstract: A tool path generator utilizes a solid body model of a volume to generate a tool path for a manipulator to remove material of the volume with an energy applicator in a semi-autonomous mode. A material logger monitors movement of the energy applicator according to a cutting path taken by a practitioner in the manual mode, identifies material of the volume to which the energy applicator has been applied in the manual mode, and updates the solid body model based on the identified material. The tool path generator modifies the tool path based on the updated solid body model such that, for the semi-autonomous mode, the modified tool path accounts for the identified material of the volume to which the energy applicator has been applied in the manual mode.

Abstract: Systems, methods and software guide arrangement of a robotic system in an operating room. Controller(s) evaluate surgical procedure information and determine a desired placement of the robotic system in the operating room based on evaluation of the surgical procedure information. A localizer determines a current placement of the robotic system in the operating room. A display provides visual representations of the current placement and the desired placement of the robotic system to guide a user on manual placement of the robotic system in the operating room.

Abstract: A surgical workflow system for assisting a surgical procedure comprises a workflow controller. The workflow controller is configured to access a pre-scripted workflow having a plurality of workflow steps associated with the surgical procedure, obtain camera video data of the surgical procedure, monitor the surgical procedure from the camera video data, predict occurrence of an anticipated deviation from one or more of the workflow steps of the pre-scripted workflow, generate event information to address the predicted occurrence of the anticipated deviation, and automatically respond to the predicted occurrence of the anticipated deviation by being configured to transmit the event information to a participant of the surgical procedure through an information conveyor device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for arranging objects in an operating room in preparation for a surgical procedure. The objects are arranged based on surgical procedure information provided to a guidance station. The surgical procedure information dictates the desired placement of the objects. Placement of the objects is then guided according to their desired placement using one or more tracking elements.

Abstract: A camera and drape assembly for use with one or more tracking elements of a surgical system. The assembly includes a camera unit including a casing and a plurality of optical sensors supported by the casing for detecting the one or more tracking elements. The casing includes a base and a post extending from the base. The assembly also includes a drape having a flexible section for draping over the post of the casing to cover the casing and the optical sensors. The assembly also includes a collar to fit over the post to trap the flexible section of the drape between the collar and the post.

Abstract: A surgical system for manipulating an anatomy includes a surgical tool, a robotic manipulator configured to support and move the surgical tool, and one or more controllers that activate a first virtual boundary delineating a first portion of the anatomy that is allowed to be removed by the surgical tool from a second portion of the anatomy that is protected from removal by the surgical tool. The one or more controllers control the robotic manipulator for enabling the surgical tool to perform bulk cutting of the first portion in relation to the first virtual boundary. The one or more controllers control the robotic manipulator for enabling the surgical tool to perform fine cutting of the second portion of the anatomy.