Robotic apparatus

Abstract

A robotic apparatus has eight actuators (M 0 -M 7 ) and a linkage (LINK 0 -LINK 5 ) that actuates an end effector. Three serial macro freedoms have large ranges of motion and inertias. Four serial micro freedoms have small ranges of motion and inertias. Translation of the end effector in an y direction is actuated by at least one micro joint and at least one macro joint. The apparatus can be part of a master and slave combination, providing force feedback without any explicit force sensors. The slave is controlled with an Inverse Jacobian controller, and the mater with a Jacobian Transpose controller. A slave having more degrees of freedom (DOFs) than the master can be controlled. A removable effector unit actuates its DOFs with cables. Beating heart surgery can be accomplished by commanding the slave to move with a beating heart and cancelling out any such motion in the motions perceived by the master.

1 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , said instrument further comprising a second end effector element movably coupled to said third distal joint, such that said first and second end effector elements are movable relative to, and independently of, one another. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said articulate arm comprises a remote center of motion mechanism having macro degrees of freedom of movement that are redundant with the degrees of freedom of movement of the instrument around said first, second and third distal joint axes. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said input commands comprise the operator moving at least one master control handle, wherein movement of said instrument corresponds to a scaled increment of said movement of said master control handle. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the forces experienced by the instrument during a surgical procedure are reproduced at the master control handle to provide the operator with force feedback, wherein the reproduced forces at the master are scaled increments of the forces experienced by the instrument. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the reproduced forces are reproduced in three degrees of freedom of movement of the master, corresponding to three degrees of freedom of movement of the instrument. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the reproduced forces at the master correspond to an amplification of the forces experienced by the instrument. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said slave articulate arm comprises a slave linkage having a number X of DOFs, X being at least 7, and wherein said master input linkage is characterized by a number Y of DOFs where Y is at least one fewer than X. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said slave articulate arm and instrument have a combined X degrees of freedom of movement, and said master input linkage has Y degrees of freedom of movement, wherein Y is at least one fewer than X, wherein said controller is configured to resolve a redundancy in control due to the difference between the X and Y degrees of freedom of movement by applying a cost function to a range of possible joint configurations, each of which provides substantially the same location for the end effector member. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein X comprises 7 slave degrees of freedom of movement and Y comprises 6 master degrees of freedom of movement. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein X comprises 8 slave degrees of freedom of movement and Y comprises 7 master degrees of freedom of movement. 
     
     
         15 . A robotic surgical system comprising:
 an articulate robotic arm; and   a robotic surgical instrument releasably coupleable to a distal portion of said articulate arm, said instrument comprising:   at least a first end effector element movably coupled to a wrist portion, and a proximal portion coupled to an elongate shaft, said proximal portion coupleable to said articulate arm, said elongate shaft having a longitudinal axis and a distal end coupled to said wrist portion,   said wrist portion having at least two segments, each of said segments having a segment axis, said segments movably coupled together in such a way that at least one of said segment axes can be positioned substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said elongate shaft.   
     
     
         16 . The system of claim  26 , wherein the end effector element is capable of traveling along an arcuate path while said at least one of said segment axes remains substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis and without said elongate shaft of said instrument translating along, or rotating about, said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         17 . The instrument of claim  26 , wherein said wrist segments and said end effector are operatively coupled to a remote input control device, wherein an operator manipulating the remote input device can cause the wrist segments and end effector to move relative to a surgical site. 
     
     
         19 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 - 37 . (canceled)