Abstract: A method initiates and/or prepares and/or conducts teleoperation by a robotic system for medical or surgical teleoperation. The robotic system includes a master device, which is hand-held, mechanically unconstrained and moveable by an operator, and a slave device including a surgical instrument controlled by the master device. The master device is functionally symmetrical with respect to a predeterminable single, longitudinal axis of the master device. A local reference frame of the master device and the related longitudinal axis is detected, with respect to a main reference frame of the master device workspace; then, functionally equivalent local reference frames are detected. A corresponding target reference frame is mapped in a workspace of the slave device. An operating reference frame is detected according to criteria for optimization of the trajectory of the slave device. A robotic system for medical or surgical teleoperation is control led by the control method.

Abstract: A method for controlling a slave device during teleoperation is performed by a robotic system. The robotic system includes a master device movable by an operator, and a slave device having a surgical instrument controllable by the master device. The method defines a nominal target pose in a workspace of the slave device, modifies the nominal target pose to obtain a modified target pose, and controls motion of the slave device in the workspace so that the slave follows the modified target pose. Modifying the nominal target pose includes decreasing a translational speed module of the modified target pose relative to speed of the nominal target pose, and/or decreasing instantaneous power or energy imparted to the slave device, according to a transfer function dependent on the instantaneous speed/instantaneous power of the master device and/or the distance between a current position and the nominal target pose of the slave device.

Abstract: A method of teleoperation preparation in a teleoperated robotic surgery system is performed during a non-operating step. The applicable robotic system includes motorized actuators, and a surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes an articulated end-effector having a degree/degrees of freedom. The surgical instrument includes a pair of antagonistic tendons, mounted in the surgical instrument operatively connected/connectable to the motorized actuators and to the respective end-effector links. The antagonistic tendons actuate degree/degrees of freedom associated therewith, between the degree/degrees of freedom thus determining antagonistic effects. The method includes establishing a univocal correlation motorized actuators' movements and articulated end-effector movements. A holding step includes tensile-stressing a pair of antagonistic tendons, and holding the tendons in a tensile-stressed state, by applying a holding force to the tendons, adapted to determine a loaded state of the tendons.

Abstract: A method calibrates a surgical instrument of a teleoperated robotic surgery system. The surgical instrument has transmission elements associated with respective tendons and connected to an articulated end-effector connectable, to determine correlate movements between the transmission elements and articulated end-effector. Motorized actuators operatively connect to respective transmission elements to impart movement. The articulated end-effector is arranged and locked in a predetermined reference position univocally associated with a respective resulting position of each transmission element. The actuators are then actuated so each actuator contacts a respective transmission element and the position of the actuators when each actuator contacts a respective transmission element is stored, and the stored actuator reference positions are univocally associated with the end-effector reference position. A kinematic zero condition associates the stored actuator reference position with a virtual zero point.

Abstract: A method conditions a surgical instrument of a robotic surgery system prior to use. An articulated end-effector has degree(s) of freedom, and a tendon, operatively connects with a motorized actuator of the robotic surgery system. The tendon mounts to the surgical instrument to connect to both a respective motorized actuator, among transmission elements, and degree(s) of freedom of the end-effector. The degree(s) of freedom are activated by respective motorized actuator action by the connected tendon. The method includes locking a degree(s) of freedom of the end-effector; tensile-stressing the respective tendon, operatively connecting the locked degree of freedom, by applying force, according to a time cycle, to the tendon. The time cycle includes a low-load period, in which a low conditioning force Flow is applied, which results in a low tensile load on the tendon; and a high-load period, in which force is applied, which results in high tensile load.

Abstract: A method initiates and/or prepares and/or conducts teleoperation by a robotic system for medical or surgical teleoperation. The robotic system includes a master device, which is hand-held, mechanically unconstrained and moveable by an operator, and a slave device including a surgical instrument controlled by the master device. The master device is functionally symmetrical with respect to a predeterminable single, longitudinal axis of the master device. A local reference frame of the master device and the related longitudinal axis is detected, with respect to a main reference frame of the master device workspace; then, functionally equivalent local reference frames are detected. A corresponding target reference frame is mapped in a workspace of the slave device. An operating reference frame is detected according to criteria for optimization of the trajectory of the slave device. A robotic system for medical or surgical teleoperation is control led by the control method.

Abstract: A method initiates and/or prepares a teleoperation by a robotic system for medical or surgical teleoperation. A hand-held master device is mechanically unconstrained and moved by an operator. A slave device includes a microsurgical instrument controlled by the master device. The robotic system includes a man-machine interface allowing the operator to communicate the intention to teleoperate to the robot. The method includes initiating teleoperation preparation; then performing alignment between master device and slave device, in which the slave device moves to align orientation of the surgical instrument to the master device. Teleoperation is entered after the alignment master and slave devices has been completed. First checks are conducted for entering the alignment, and enabling start of the alignment only if all first checks are passed. Before entering the teleoperation, second checks are conducted for enabling alignment, and enabling entry into teleoperation only if all second checks are passed.