WO2024073044A1

WO2024073044A1 - Instrument repositioning for computer-assisted system

Info

Publication number: WO2024073044A1
Application number: PCT/US2023/034118
Authority: WO
Inventors: Steven George Manuel; Jennifer Cyn Ting HUI; Bram Gilbert Antoon Lambrecht; John Ryan Steger; Chun Hua Zheng
Original assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
Priority date: 2022-09-29
Filing date: 2023-09-29
Publication date: 2024-04-04

Abstract

A computer-assisted system comprises a manipulator arm. The manipulator arm is configured to rotate the instrument mounting portion about a first rotational axis. Additionally, the manipulator arm or the instrument is configured to rotate the instrument about a second rotational axis relative to the instrument mounting portion. A control system is configured to receive an indication for instrument coupling or decoupling. In response to receiving the indication, the control system is further configured to determine one or more movements of the instrument and the manipulator arm to orient the instrument mounting portion for the instrument coupling or decoupling while limiting a change in position or orientation of a distal portion of the instrument within a change tolerance.

Description

INSTRUMENT REPOSITIONING FOR COMPUTER-ASSISTED SYSTEM

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63/411,172, filed on September 29, 2022, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD

[0002] Disclosed embodiments are related to instrument repositioning arrangements for computer-assisted systems and related methods of use.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Computer-assisted electronic systems are being used more and more often. This is especially true in industrial, entertainment, educational, and other settings. As a medical example, the medical facilities of today have large arrays of electronic devices being found in operating rooms, interventional suites, examination rooms, intensive care wards, emergency rooms, and/or the like. Many of these electronic devices may be capable of teleoperated, autonomous, or semi- autonomous motion. Personnel may control the motion and/or operation of electronic devices using one or more input devices located at an operator interface system. As a specific example, minimally invasive, robotic telesurgical systems permit surgeons to operate on patients from bedside or remote locations. Telesurgery refers generally to surgery performed using surgical systems where the surgeon uses some form of remote control, such as one comprising a servomechanism, to control surgical instrument movements and actions, rather than directly moving and controlling the instruments manually.

SUMMARY

[0004] In some embodiments, a computer-assisted system comprises a manipulator arm. The manipulator arm comprises a plurality of links coupled by a plurality of joints in a kinematic chain. A link of the plurality of links comprises an instrument mounting portion configured to support an instrument. The manipulator arm is configured to rotate the instrument mounting portion about a first rotational axis. The manipulator arm or the instrument is configured to rotate the instrument relative to the instrument mounting portion and about a second rotational axis. The computer-assisted system also comprises a plurality of actuators drivable to move the manipulator arm and the instrument. The computer-assisted system also comprises a control system comprising at least one processor. The control system is configured to receive an indication for instrument coupling or decoupling. The control system is also configured to, in response to receiving the indication, determine one or more movements of the instrument and the manipulator arm to orient the instrument mounting portion for the instrument coupling or decoupling while limiting a change in a position or orientation of a distal portion of the instrument within a change tolerance. The one or more movements of the instrument and the manipulator arm comprise a first rotation of the instrument mounting portion about the first rotational axis and a second rotation of the instrument about the second rotational axis. The control system is also configured to cause the plurality of actuators to move the instrument and the manipulator arm based on the determined one or more movements.

[0005] In some embodiments, a computer-assisted system comprises a first manipulator arm. The first manipulator arm comprises a first plurality of links coupled by a first plurality of joints in a first kinematic chain. A link of the first plurality of links comprises a first instrument mounting portion configured to support a first instrument. The computer-assisted system also comprises a second manipulator arm. The second manipulator arm comprises a second plurality of links coupled by a second plurality of joints in a second kinematic chain. A link of the second plurality of links comprises a second instrument mounting portion configured to support a second instrument. The computer-assisted system also comprises a plurality of actuators drivable to move the first manipulator arm and the first instrument, and further drivable to move the second manipulator arm and the second instrument. The computer-assisted system also comprises a control system comprising at least one processor. The control system is configured to receive an indication for instrument coupling or decoupling. The control system is also configured to, in response to the indication, determine one or more first movements of the first manipulator arm and one or more second movements of the second manipulator arm to orient the first instrument mounting portion and the second instrument mounting portion within an angular tolerance from each other. The control system is also configured to cause the plurality of actuators to move the first manipulator arm and the second manipulator arm based on the one or more first movements and the one or more second movements. [0006] In some embodiments, a method of controlling a computer-assisted system is provided. The computer-assisted system comprises a manipulator arm comprising a plurality of links coupled by a plurality of joints in a kinematic chain. A link of the plurality of links comprises an instrument mounting portion configured to support an instrument and a plurality of actuators configured to move the manipulator arm and the instrument. The plurality of actuators is configured to rotate the instrument mounting portion about a first rotational axis. The manipulator arm or the instrument is configured to rotate the instrument relative to the instrument mounting portion and about a second rotational axis. The method comprises receiving an indication for instrument coupling or decoupling. The method also comprises, in response to receiving the indication, determining one or more movements of the instrument and the manipulator arm to orient the instrument mounting portion for the instrument coupling or decoupling while limiting a change in position or orientation of a distal portion of the instrument within a change tolerance. The one or more movements of the instrument and the manipulator arm comprise a first rotation of the instrument mounting portion about the first rotational axis and a second rotation of the instrument about the second rotational axis. The method also comprises causing the plurality of actuators to move the instrument and the manipulator arm based on the determined one or more movements.

[0007] In some embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores instructions that, when executed by at least one processor associated with a computer- assisted system, causes the at least one processor to perform a method. The computer-assisted system comprises a manipulator arm comprising a plurality of links coupled by a plurality of joints in a kinematic chain. A link of the plurality of links comprises an instrument mounting portion configured to support an instrument and a plurality of actuators configured to move the manipulator arm and the instrument. The plurality of actuators is configured to rotate the instrument mounting portion about a first rotational axis. The manipulator arm or the instrument is configured to rotate the instrument relative to the instrument mounting portion and about a second rotational axis. The method comprises receiving an indication for instrument coupling or decoupling. The method also comprises, in response to receiving the indication, determining one or more movements of the instrument and the manipulator arm to orient the instrument mounting portion for the instrument coupling or decoupling while limiting a change in position or orientation of a distal portion of the instrument within a change tolerance. The one or more movements of the instrument and the manipulator arm comprise a first rotation of the instrument mounting portion about the first rotational axis and a second rotation of the instrument about the second rotational axis. The method also comprises causing the plurality of actuators to move the instrument and the manipulator arm based on the determined one or more movements.

[0008] In some embodiments, a method of controlling a computer-assisted system is provided. The computer-assisted system comprises a first manipulator arm, a second manipulator arm, and a plurality of actuators. The first manipulator arm comprises a first plurality of links coupled by a first plurality of joints in a first kinematic chain. A link of the first plurality of links comprises a first instrument mounting portion configured to support a first instrument. The second manipulator arm comprises a second plurality of links coupled by a second plurality of joints in a second kinematic chain. A link of the second plurality of links comprises a second instrument mounting portion configured to support a second instrument. The plurality of actuators is drivable to move the first manipulator arm and the first instrument, and the second manipulator arm and the second instrument. The method comprises receiving an indication for instrument coupling or decoupling. The method also comprises, in response to the indication, determining one or more first movements of the first manipulator arm and one or more second movements of the second manipulator arm to orient the first instrument mounting portion and the second instrument mounting portion within an angular tolerance from each other. The method also comprises causing the plurality of actuators to move the first manipulator arm and the second manipulator arm based on the one or more first movements and the one or more second movements.

[0009] In some embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores instructions that, when executed by at least one processor associated with a computer- assisted system, causes the at least one processor to perform a method. The computer-assisted system comprises a first manipulator arm, a second manipulator arm, and a plurality of actuators. The first manipulator arm comprises a first plurality of links coupled by a first plurality of joints in a first kinematic chain. A link of the first plurality of links comprises a first instrument mounting portion configured to support a first instrument. The second manipulator arm comprises a second plurality of links coupled by a second plurality of joints in a second kinematic chain. A link of the second plurality of links comprises a second instrument mounting portion configured to support a second instrument. The plurality of actuators is drivable to move the first manipulator arm and the first instrument, and the second manipulator arm and the second instrument. The method comprises receiving an indication for instrument coupling or decoupling. The method also comprises, in response to the indication, determining one or more first movements of the first manipulator arm and one or more second movements of the second manipulator arm to orient the first instrument mounting portion and the second instrument mounting portion within an angular tolerance from each other. The method also comprises causing the plurality of actuators to move the first manipulator arm and the second manipulator arm based on the one or more first movements and the one or more second movements.

[0010] It should be appreciated that the foregoing concepts, and additional concepts discussed below, may be arranged in any suitable combination, as the present disclosure is not limited in this respect. Further, other advantages and novel features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of various nonlimiting embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0011] The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures may be represented by a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. In the drawings:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram of an embodiment of a computer-assisted system;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a side schematic of one embodiment of a manipulator system;

[0014] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of a computer-assisted system comprising a manipulator system;

[0015] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a manipulator arm of a table-mounted manipulator system;

[0016] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a manipulator arm of a table-mounted manipulator system;

[0017] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a table-mounted manipulator system with multiple manipulator arms;

[0018] FIG. 7 is a side schematic of an embodiment of an instrument mounting portion of a computer-assisted system with a supported instrument;

[0019] FIG. 8 is longitudinal end view of the instrument mounting portion and instrument of FIG. 7 taken along line Y-Y ; [0020] FIG. 9 is a side schematic of another embodiment of an instrument mounting portion of a computer-assisted system with a supported instrument;

[0021] FIG. 10 is a longitudinal end view of the instrument mounting portion and instrument of FIG. 9 taken along line Z-Z;

[0022] FIG. 11 depicts a flow chart for a method of operating a computer-assisted system according to some embodiments;

[0023] FIG. 12A depicts a plan schematic of one embodiment of a computer-assisted system in a first state;

[0024] FIG. 12B depicts the computer-assisted system of FIG. 12A in a second state;

[0025] FIG. 13 depicts a flow chart for a method of operating a computer-assisted system according to some embodiments;

[0026] FIG. 14A depicts a plan schematic of another embodiment of a computer- assisted system in a first state;

[0027] FIG. 14B depicts the computer-assisted system of FIG. 14A in a second state;

[0028] FIG. 15A depicts a plan schematic of another embodiment of a computer- assisted system in a first state;

[0029] FIG. 15B depicts the computer-assisted system of FIG. 15A in a second state;

[0030] FIG. 16A depicts a plan schematic of another embodiment of a computer- assisted system in a first state; and

[0031] FIG. 16B depicts the computer-assisted system of FIG. 16A in a second state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] Computer-assisted systems may include one or more manipulator arms, with each manipulator arm configured to manipulate the orientation and/or position (e.g., pose being used herein to mean orientation, position, or orientation and position) of one or more instruments. The instrument may be mounted to the manipulator arm on an instrument mounting portion, which is configured to support the instrument and allow the instrument to operate. In some cases, an end effector of an instrument may function as an end effector for a manipulator arm. In some embodiments, the instrument mounting portion may drive motion of the instrument (e.g., rotation, translation, combination thereof, etc.) depending on the particular instrument. Examples of potential instruments may include, and are not limited to, graspers, knives, staplers, imagers or other sensors, suction instruments, irrigators, drills, and scissors. Additional example instruments more specific to the medical field include scalpels, cautery instruments, imagers such as endoscopes and ultrasonic probes, and the like. In some cases, it may be desirable to physically couple or physically decouple instruments from instrument mounting portions. For example, before beginning a procedure with one or more manipulator arms of a computer-assisted system, one or more instruments may be physically coupled to each manipulator arm. As another example, after completing a procedure with one or more manipulator arms, one or more instruments physically coupled to the computer- assisted system may be physically decoupled. Further, instruments may be “changed” at any stage of an operating procedure of a computer-assisted system. For example, an instrument may be changed on a manipulator arm as a part of a medical operation. As another example, multiple instruments may be installed on a manipulator arm as a part of a calibration process. As yet another example, an instrument may be changed when a consumable (e.g., a fastener, a clip, a staple cartridge) of an instrument has been expended. During a coupling and/or decoupling process, one or multiple instruments may be coupled to and/or decoupled from one or multiple manipulator arms. In some instances with multiple manipulator arms, instrument mounting portions of the manipulator arms may be in different orientations and/or positions due to the particular arrangement of the manipulator arms and their associated instrument mounting portions. Accordingly, in some cases, coupling or decoupling an instrument may involve an operator reaching further, relocating, contorting, or taking additional time or actions to interact with an instrument or an instrument mounting portion. For example, in some instrument mounting portion arrangements, an operator may make additional movements to adjust a hand position to interact with each instrument or each instrument mounting portion of a plurality of instrument mounting portions. Such hand readjustments may increase the amount of time it takes to couple and/or decouple instruments, or may increase the complexity or difficulty for the operator to execute such instrument coupling or decoupling.

[0033] In some embodiments, a computer-assisted system includes multiple manipulator arms (e.g., includes a multi-manipulator system) that can present challenges in facilitating instrument coupling and/or decoupling by an operator. For example, in some cases, some multi-manipulator systems comprise manipulator arms with instrument mounting portions configured to removably support instruments. In some instances, the instruments are to be coupled and/or decoupled when multiple of the manipulator arms are posed with instrument mounting portions in clearly askew orientations from each other. For example, instrument mounting portions may have orientations differing by 90-180 degrees in alignment with each other about one or more principal axes (e.g., yaw, pitch, and roll) of the instrument mounting portions. Alternatively, in some cases, the instrument mounting portions, and thus the portion of the instrument physically coupled to the manipulator arm, may take a variety of different orientations and/or positions that make it more difficult for an operator to interact with the instrument mounting portion, or with the instrument. Some existing systems allow for a manipulator arm to be moved by an operator for an instrument coupling or decoupling, such as toward the operator. However, moving the manipulator arm when an instrument supported by the manipulator arm is disposed in a worksite (e.g., within a patient’s body in a medical example, such as with a shaft of the instrument extending through a cannula into the patient, where an end effector of the instrument may impact tissue) can be undesirable in some circumstances (e.g., where such movement could cause unintentional collision or damage).

[0034] Techniques described herein may address the problems discussed above. In various instances, the techniques described in this disclosure may provide one or more of the following benefits, alone or in combination with each other. Techniques described herein may present an instrument mounting portion to the operator in a way to facilitate instrument coupling and/or decoupling for an operator. Techniques described herein may repeatably provide an instrument coupling or decoupling interface (e.g., button, lever, connector, etc.) in relatively the same orientation relative to an operator (e.g., within some angular range with respect to an established or global reference frame). In multi-arm systems, techniques described herein may provide one or more instrument coupling or decoupling interfaces in relatively the same orientation for the operator. In some embodiments, “relatively the same” or “similar” can be within some relatively large angular deviation range with respect to an established local or global reference frame. For example, where longitudinal axes of two instrument mounting portions are disposed in a plane, the axes may be within an angular range with respect to one another within that plane. In many circumstances, techniques described herein may avoid moving, or reduce or limit movement of, a distal portion of an instrument. Some techniques described herein may avoid collisions, including collisions between manipulator arms, between manipulator arms and other equipment or operators, collisions between manipulator arms and an operating environment (e.g., table, ground, walls, etc.), and/or (in a medical example) collisions between manipulator arms and a patient.

[0035] “Instrument change” is used herein to indicate instrument decoupling followed by instrument coupling on the same manipulator arm. Thus, “instrument change” as used herein may occur when the instrument decoupled is the exact same instrument as the one coupled (e.g., this may occur where the instrument is removed for examination, cleaning, troubleshooting, loading clips or staplers or other consumables, or the like, and then replaced). “Instrument change” may also occur when the instrument decoupled is replaced with a different instrument (e.g., when multiple instruments each coupled to a different manipulator arm are swapped with each other, when an instrument not then coupled to a manipulator arm is coupled to that manipulator arm, etc.). While instrument change is employed to describe some embodiments, herein, in other embodiments an instrument may be decoupled or coupled to an instrument mounting portion without a corresponding replacement of an instrument. Accordingly, some embodiments may include solely decoupling one or more instruments (e.g., at the conclusion of a computer-assisted system process such as a surgical process) or solely coupling an instrument (e.g., at the beginning of a computer-assisted system process such as a surgical process).

[0036] In some computer-assisted systems with manipulator arms, the manipulator arms are attached to a manipulator support structure (e.g., a cart) that is separate from a support structure that supports a patient or non-patient workpiece. In some embodiments, manipulator arms may be mounted to a ceiling, wall, or floor. In some embodiments, the manipulator arms are mounted to the support structure (herein referred to as a “table assembly”) that supports the patient or non-patient workpiece (e.g., to an operating table). A computer-assisted system may comprise one or more manipulator arms, and “manipulator system” is used herein to mean the manipulator arm(s) of a computer-assisted system. Manipulator systems in which the manipulator arms are mounted to the table assembly may be referred to as table-mounted manipulator systems. Regardless of the mounting location, techniques described herein may place instrument mounting portions (and thus the portion of an instrument contacting the instrument mounting portions) in alignment with each other or in some other orientation and position that facilitates instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling.

[0037] Computer-assisted systems comprising manipulator systems, which can be considered a type of robotically assisted system or robotic system, may comprise one or more manipulator arms that can be operated with the assistance of an electronic control system (e.g., computer, programmed logic, circuitry, with or without software) to move and control functions of one or more instruments coupled to the manipulator arms. A manipulator arm generally comprises mechanical links connected by joints. In some embodiments, one or more instruments are removably couplable to (or permanently coupled to) a link of a manipulator arm, such as a distal link of the plurality of links.

[0038] The present disclosure describes various instruments and portions of instruments and instrument mounting portions in terms of their state in three-dimensional space. As used herein, the term position refers to the location of an object or a portion of an object in space (e.g., for a three-dimensional space, three degrees of translational freedom along Cartesian X-, Y-, and Z-coordinates). As used herein, the term orientation refers to the rotational placement of an object or a portion of an object (e.g., for a three-dimensional space, three degrees of rotational freedom about the X, Y, Z Cartesian axes, or pitch, roll, and yaw). As used herein, the term pose refers to the position of an object or a portion of an object in at least one degree of translational freedom and to the orientation of that object or portion of the object in at least one degree of rotational freedom (e.g., up to six total degrees of freedom for a rigid body). Further, as used herein, the term “distal” for a kinematic chain means further from the base along the kinematic chain, and the term “proximal” for a kinematic chain means closer to the base along the kinematic chain.

[0039] According to exemplary embodiments described herein, position and/or orientation may be measured and discussed with respect to a reference frame. In some cases, a reference frame may be an absolute global reference frame which does not change. For example, the center of earth establishes a global reference frame relative to earth. In some cases, a reference frame may be a local reference frame fixed relative to an orientation or position of a component of a computer-assisted system. For example, a local reference frame may be established based on a table on which a patient or non-patient workpiece is positioned, or on the orientation of a link of a manipulator arm or other portion of a computer-assisted system. Techniques and methods described herein may employ a global reference frame, local reference frame, or a combination thereof, as the present disclosure is not so limited.

[0040] Turning to the figures, specific non-limiting embodiments are described in further detail. It should be understood that the various systems, components, features, and methods described relative to these embodiments may be used either individually and/or in any desired combination as the disclosure is not limited to only the specific embodiments described herein.

[0041] FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram of a computer-assisted system 1. In some embodiments, the system 1 may be suitable for use in, for example, surgical, teleoperated surgical, diagnostic, therapeutic, or biopsy procedures. While some embodiments are provided herein with respect to such procedures, any reference to medical or surgical instruments and medical or surgical methods is optional and intended as non-limiting. The systems, instruments, and methods described herein may be used for animals, human cadavers, animal cadavers, portions of human or animal anatomy, non-surgical diagnosis, as well as for industrial systems and general robotic, general teleoperational, or robotic medical systems. For example, the systems and methods described herein may be used for nonmedical purposes including industrial uses, general robotic uses, and sensing or manipulating non-tissue work pieces. Other example applications involve cosmetic improvements, imaging of human or animal anatomy, gathering data from human or animal anatomy, and training medical or non-medical personnel. Additional example applications include use for procedures on tissue removed from human or animal anatomies (without return to a human or animal anatomy) and performing procedures on human or animal cadavers. Further, these techniques can also be used for surgical and nonsurgical medical treatment or diagnosis procedures.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 1, the system 1 generally includes a plurality of manipulator arms 2 (having a plurality of actuators drivable to move the manipulator arms 2). The plurality of actuators may be disposed inside or outside of links and joints of the manipulator arms 2. Although three manipulator arms 2 are illustrated in the embodiment of FIG. 1, in other embodiments, more or fewer manipulator arms 2 may be used. The exact number of manipulator arms 2 will depend on the medical procedure and the space constraints within the operating room, among other factors. Multiple operator interface systems 6 may be colocated or they may be positioned in separate locations. Multiple operator interface systems 6 allow more than one operator to control one or more teleoperated manipulator arms 2 in various combinations.

[0043] The manipulator arm 2 is used to operate an instrument 4 (e.g., a surgical instrument or an image capturing device) in performing various procedures on a patient P. The instrument 4 may be sterile prior to being used in the various procedures. The manipulator arm 2 may be teleoperated, non-teleoperated, or a hybrid teleoperated and nonteleoperated assembly with select degrees of freedom of motion that may be motorized and/or teleoperated, and select degrees of freedom of motion that may be non-motorized and/or non- teleoperated. In some embodiments, the manipulator arm 2 may be mounted near a table 3 (e.g., an operating or surgical table), or the manipulator arm 2 may be mounted directly to the table 3 or to a rail coupled to the table 3. In various other embodiments, the manipulator arm 2 may be mounted to a manipulator system (e.g., a cart). The manipulator system may be separate from and spaced from the table 3 in the operating room and may be independently movable relative to the table 3.

[0044] In some embodiments, the manipulator arm 2 may be mounted to a ceiling, floor, and/or wall of the operating room. In embodiments in which a plurality of manipulator arms 2 are employed, one or more of the manipulator arms 2 may support surgical instruments, and another of the manipulator arms 2 may support an image capturing device such as a monoscopic or stereoscopic endoscope. In such embodiments, one or more of the manipulator arms 2 may be mounted to any structure or in any manner as described above. For example, one manipulator arm 2 may be mounted to the table 3 and another manipulator arm 2 may be mounted to a manipulator system.

[0045] An operator interface system 6 allows an operator (e.g., in a medical example, an operator can be a surgeon or other clinician or other medical personnel, as illustrated in FIG. 1) to view the worksite and to control the manipulator arm 2. In some medical examples, the operator interface system 6 is a surgeon console, which can be located in the same room as the table 3, such as at the side of a table on which the patient P is located. However, the operator O can be located in a different room or a completely different building or location from patient P. The operator interface system 6 generally includes one or more input devices for controlling the manipulator arm 2. The input devices may include any number of a variety of devices, such as joysticks, trackballs, data gloves, trigger-guns, handoperated devices, voice recognition devices, body motion or presence sensors, and/or the like. The input devices may be provided with the same degrees of freedom as the associated instrument 4 to provide the operator O with a strong sense of directly controlling the instrument 4. In this regard, the input devices may provide the operator O with the perception that the input devices are integral with instrument 4. The input devices may have more or fewer degrees of freedom than the associated instrument 4. The input devices may optionally be manual input devices that move with six degrees of freedom and may also include an actuatable handle for actuating instruments (for example, for closing grasping jaws, applying an electrical potential to an electrode, delivering a medicinal treatment, etc.).

[0046] The manipulator arm 2 may support the instrument 4 and may include a kinematic structure of one or more non-servo controlled links (e.g., a manipulator support structure having one or more links that are manually positioned and locked in place), and/or one or more servo controlled links (e.g., one or more links that are controlled in response to commands from a control system 10), and an instrument mounting portion. The manipulator arm 2 may optionally include a plurality of actuators or motors that drive inputs on the instrument 4 in response to commands from the control system (e.g., a control system 10). The actuators may optionally include drive systems that when coupled to the instrument 4 may advance the instrument 4 into a naturally or surgically created anatomic orifice.

[0047] Other drive systems may move the distal end of the instrument 4 in multiple degrees of freedom, which can include three degrees of linear motion (e.g., linear motion along the X, Y, Z Cartesian axes), and three degrees of rotational motion (e.g., rotation about the X, Y, Z Cartesian axes, or pitch, roll, and yaw). Additionally, the actuators can be used to actuate an articulable end effector of the instrument 4, e.g., for manipulating tissue, directing a field of view of an imaging device, or other functions. Actuator position sensors such as resolvers, encoders, potentiometers, and other mechanisms may provide sensor data to the system 1 that describe the rotation and orientation of the shafts of the actuator. Such sensor data may provide motion information such as linear or angular position, velocity, or acceleration data. This motion data may be used by control system 10 to determine motion information of the objects manipulated by the actuators, such as of the manipulator arm 2, the instrument 4, or objects in the worksite of the system 1. The manipulator arm 2 may support an instrument 4 and position and move this instrument 4 such that a remote center of motion associated with the manipulator arm 2 is located at the entry aperture into the patient. The manipulator arm 2 may then move, or may then manipulate its held instrument 4, in a manner that does not move the remote center of motion. For example, the manipulator arm 2 may pivot (or pivot its held instrument 4) about the remote center of motion, can insert the instrument into and retract the instrument out of the entry aperture along an axis coincident with the remote center of motion, and/or roll about an axis coincident with the remote center of motion.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 1, each manipulator arm may include an instrument interface 18, which may be configured as a button, lever, or another suitable interface. The instrument interface 18 may be used by an operator or a technician to couple or decouple an instrument 4 from the manipulator arm 2. For example, in some embodiments, the operator interacting with the interface 18 may release the instrument 4 by removing it from being attached to the manipulator arm 2, or by allowing the instrument 4 to be detached from the manipulator arm 2 in a subsequent action. As another example, in some embodiments, the operator interacting with the interface 18 may attach the instrument 4 to a manipulator arm 2. The interface 18 may be any suitable interface allowing the operator to releasably couple or to decouple an instrument with a manipulator arm, as the present disclosure is not so limited. [0049] The system 1 may also include a display system 8 for displaying an image or representation of the worksite and the instrument 4. The display system 8 and the operator interface system 6 may be oriented so the operator O can control the instrument 4 and the operator interface system 6. The instrument 4 may include a visualization system, which may include a viewing scope assembly that records a concurrent or real-time image of a worksite and provides the image to the operator O and/or other operators or personnel through one or more displays of the system 1, such as one or more displays of the display system 8. The concurrent image may be, for example, a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image captured by an endoscope positioned within the worksite. The visualization system may be implemented as hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof that interact with or are otherwise executed by one or more computer processors that may include the processors of the control system 10. The display system 8 may present images of a worksite recorded pre-operatively or intra-operatively using image data from imaging technology such as, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), fluoroscopy, thermography, ultrasound, optical coherence tomography (OCT), thermal imaging, impedance imaging, laser imaging, nanotube X-ray imaging, and/or the like. The pre-operative or intra-operative image data may be presented as two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or four-dimensional (including, e.g., time-based or velocity-based information) images, and/or as images from models created from the pre-operative or intra-operative image data sets.

[0050] The system 1 may also include the control system 10. The control system 10 may include at least one memory 60 and at least one computer processor 50 for effecting control between the instrument 4, the operator interface system 6, and the display system 8. In some embodiments, control system 10 can include one or more processors, non-persistent storage (e.g., volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM), cache memory), persistent storage (e.g., a hard disk, an optical drive such as a compact disk (CD) drive or digital versatile disk (DVD) drive, a flash memory, etc.), a communication interface (e.g., Bluetooth interface, infrared interface, network interface, optical interface, etc.), and numerous other elements and functionalities. The control system 10 also includes programmed instructions (e.g., a non-transitory machine-readable medium such as memory 60 storing the instructions) to implement some or all the methods described in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure disclosed herein, including instructions for providing information to the display system 8. While the control system 10 is shown as a single block in the simplified schematic of FIG. 1, the control system 10 may include two or more data processing circuits with one portion of the processing optionally being performed on or adjacent to the manipulator arm 2, another portion of the processing being performed at the operator interface system 6, etc. The processor(s) of the control system 10 may execute instructions comprising instruction corresponding to processes disclosed herein and described in more detail below. Any of a wide variety of centralized or distributed data processing architectures may be employed. Similarly, the programmed instructions may be implemented as a number of separate programs or subroutines, or they may be integrated into a number of other aspects of the systems described herein.

[0051] Each of the one or more processor(s) 50 of control system 10 can be an integrated circuit for processing instructions. For example, the one or more processors can be one or more cores or micro-cores of a processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application- specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digital signal processor (DSP), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a tensor processing unit (TPU), and/or the like. Control system 10 can also communicate with one or more input devices (e.g., with part of the operator interface system 6), such as a touchscreen, keyboard, mouse, microphone, touchpad, electronic pen, or any other type of input device. [0052] A communication interface of control system 10 can include an integrated circuit for connecting the computing system to a network (not shown) (e.g., a local area network (FAN), a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, mobile network, or any other type of network) and/or to another device, such as another computing system.

[0053] Further, control system 10 can include one or more output devices, such as a display device (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display, touchscreen, organic LED display (OLED), projector, or other display device), a printer, a speaker, external storage, or any other output device. One or more of the output devices can be the same or different from the input device(s). Many different types of computing systems exist, and the aforementioned input and output device(s) can take other forms.

[0054] In some embodiments, control system 10 can be connected to or be a part of a network. The network can include multiple nodes. Control system 10 can be implemented on one node or on a group of nodes. By way of example, control system 10 can be implemented on a node of a distributed system that is connected to other nodes. By way of another example, control system 10 can be implemented on a distributed computing system having multiple nodes, where different functions and/or components of control system 10 can be located on a different node within the distributed computing system. Further, one or more elements of the aforementioned control system 10 can be located at a remote location and connected to the other elements over a network.

[0055] As discussed, above, movement of the manipulator arm 2 may be controlled by the control system 10 such that a shaft or intermediate portion of instruments mounted to the manipulator arms 2 are constrained to reduce collisions with or applied forces to material surrounding minimally invasive access sites or other apertures through which instruments supported by a manipulator arm 2 are inserted. Such motion may include, for example, axial insertion of a shaft of the instrument 4 through an aperture site, rotation of the shaft about an axis coincident with the aperture site, and pivotal motion of the shaft about a pivot point adjacent the access site. Some or all of such constraints on the motions of the manipulator arms 2 at the access sites may be imposed using mechanical manipulator joint linkages that inhibit motions other than those above or may in part or in full be imposed using data processing and control techniques. In some embodiments, the control system 10 may receive force and/or torque feedback from the instrument 4. Responsive to the feedback, the control system 10 may transmit signals to the operator interface system 6. In some examples, the control system 10 may transmit signals instructing one or more actuators of the manipulator arm 2 to move the instrument 4.

[0056] As shown, a control system 10 is provided external to operator interface system 6 and display system 8 and communicates with the operator interface system 6. In other embodiments, control system 10 can be provided in the operator interface system 6. As operator O interacts with the operator interface system 6, sensed spatial information including sensed position and/or orientation information is provided to control system 10 based on the movement of one or more input devices of the operator interface system 6. Control system 10 can determine or provide control signals to manipulator arms 2 to control the movement of manipulator arms 2 (including instrument mounting portions of the manipulator arms 2), and/or instruments 4 supported by manipulator arms 2, based on the received information and operator input. In one embodiment, control system 10 supports one or more wired communication protocols, (e.g., Ethernet, USB, and/or the like) and/or one or more wireless communication protocols (e.g., Bluetooth, IrDA, HomeRF, IEEE 1002.11, DECT, Wireless Telemetry, and/or the like). Control system 10 can be implemented on one or more computing systems. One or more computing systems can be used to communicate with, respond to, or control the operator interface system 6. In addition, one or more computing systems can be used to control components of the display system 8.

[0057] FIG. 2 is a side schematic of one embodiment of a manipulator system 7 that can be used with computer-assisted system 1 of FIG. 1 configured in the form of a set of table-mounted manipulator arms 2 configured to be attached to a table 3 on which the worksite is to be located (e.g., where patient is located during a medical procedure, in a medical example). The manipulator system 7 of FIG. 2 is shown with four manipulators each configured to support one instrument, and thus generally allows manipulation of up to four instruments 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d (e.g., analogous to the instruments 4 of FIG. 1). One or more of the instruments 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d may include an imaging device. Example imaging devices include cameras such as monoscopic or stereoscopic endoscopes, ultrasonic or hyperspectral imagers, which can be used for the capture of images of the work piece or of the site of the procedure. The imaging device may transmit signals over a cable (not shown) to a control system (e.g., the control system 10 of FIG. 1). Manipulation may be provided by manipulator arms 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, each having a number of links 20 that are coupled together and moved through motorized or non-motorized joints 22. The manipulator arms 2 include clamps 9 attaching the manipulator arm to the table 3. In other embodiments, the manipulator arms 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d may be coupled to the table via a motorized or non-motorized rail system, for example as shown in the embodiments of FIGs. 3-5. The instruments 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d can be positioned and manipulated through natural orifices or incisions in the patient so that a kinematic remote center is maintained at the incisions or natural orifices. Images of the worksite can include images of the distal end portions 5 of the instruments 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d when they are positioned within the field-of-view of an imaging device.

[0058] In the illustrated embodiment, each of the manipulator arms 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d includes an instrument mounting portion 12 that may connect directly to the instruments 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d. Each of the instrument mounting portions 12 may include an instrument actuator 14 configured to actuate an instrument. In some embodiments, the instrument actuator 14 may be configured to rotate an end effector of the instrument about a longitudinal axis of the instrument. In some examples, the longitudinal axis is an insertion axis of the instrument, or a central axis of an instrument shaft. The instrument may be guided by an instrument support 16. As shown in FIG. 2, each instrument mounting portion 12 includes an interface 18 that may be operated by an operator to coupled or decouple an instrument 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d. [0059] The specific examples shown in FIG. 3-6 are related to table-mounted manipulator systems, with the one or more manipulator arms (e.g., manipulator arm 140) being configured to be coupled to a table assembly (e.g., table assembly 101). However, other embodiments may be mounted to objects other than tables, or may be mounted to ceilings, walls, or floors. Still other embodiments may comprise carts or other components that allow the manipulator base to be unconstrained by attachment to other equipment or fixture.

[0060] FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of an example computer-assisted system 100. The system 100 comprises one or more manipulator arms 140. Each manipulator arm 140 may carry one or more instruments 150, which may be removably mounted thereon. As shown in FIG. 1, the system 100 also may comprise a control system 1006, an operator input and feedback system 1004 (such as an operator interface system), and/or an auxiliary system 1008. In some embodiments, the system 100 is configured as a computer-assisted, teleoperable medical system, in which case table assembly 101 may be configured to support a patient (not shown) and the instruments 150 may be medical instruments such as surgical instruments. The system 100 in this medical example may be usable, for example, to perform any of a variety of medical procedures, such as surgical procedures, diagnostic procedures, imaging procedures, therapeutic procedures, etc. In other embodiments, the system 100 is configured as a computer-assisted teleoperable system for use in non-medical contexts, in which case the table assembly 101 may be configured to support an inanimate workpiece (something being manufactured, repaired, tested, etc.) and the instruments 150 may be non- surgical instruments, such as industrial instruments.

[0061] For the example shown in FIG. 3, the one or more manipulator arms 140 are configured to mount to a table assembly 101. The table assembly 101 comprises a platform assembly 110 configured to support the patient or inanimate workpiece, a support column 102 coupled to and supporting the platform assembly 110, and a base 105 coupled to the support column 102. FIG. 3 illustrates two manipulator arms 140, but any number of manipulator arms 140 may be included (such as, for example, one, two, three, or more manipulator arms mounted to each rail assembly 120, as described in further detail below). A manipulator arm 140 may comprise a kinematic structure of links coupled together by one or more joints. Specifically, the manipulator arms 140 each comprise a proximal link assembly comprising a proximal link 141 movably coupled to the rail assembly 120 via one or more proximal joints 130, an intermediate link assembly comprising an intermediate arm 142 movably coupled to the proximal link assembly via one or more intermediate joints 145, and a distal link assembly comprising a distal link 143 movably coupled to the intermediate link assembly by one or more distal joints 146. The distal link assembly may also comprise an instrument mounting portion 169 movably coupled to the distal link 143 via a wrist 147 and configured to support the instrument 150.

[0062] The manipulator arm 140 is movable through various degrees of freedom of motion provided by various joints, including the proximal joint 130, intermediate joint 145, and distal joint 146, thus allowing an instrument 150 mounted thereon to be moved relative to the worksite. Some of the joints may provide for rotation of links relative to one another, other joints may provide for translation of links relative to one another, and some may provide for both rotation and translation. In particular, in some embodiments, the proximal link 141 is rotatably coupled to the rail 121 via a first proximal joint 130a, which provides for rotation of the proximal link 141 relative to the rail 121 around a first axis 136 that is perpendicular to a longitudinal dimension 197 of the rail 121 (e.g., perpendicular to the x- direction in FIG. 1). In a neutral state of the proximal link 141, the first axis 136 is also perpendicular to a lateral dimension of the rail 121 (e.g., perpendicular to the y-direction in FIG. 3), and thus in this state the first axis 136 is oriented vertically (i.e., perpendicular to the aforementioned horizontal plane, or in other words oriented in the z-direction in FIG. 3). In addition, in a neutral state of the table assembly 101, in which the platform assembly 110 is parallel to the ground and the rail 121 (i.e., an x-direction in the orientation of FIG. 3), the first axis 136 is also perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 198 of the platform assembly 110, but this is not necessarily the case in other states (e.g., states in in which the platform assembly 110 is tilted relative to the rail 121, which may be possible in some embodiments).

[0063] In some embodiments, the proximal link assembly of certain manipulator arms 140 is configured to allow for rotation of the proximal link 141 about a second axis 137, in addition to allowing for rotation about the first axis 136, with the second axis 137 being orthogonal to the first axis 136. In some embodiments, the rotation about the second axis 137 may be provided by a second proximal joint 130b included in the proximal link assembly, while in other embodiments the rotation about the second axis 137 is provided by the first proximal joint 130a (e.g., the first proximal joint 130a is configured to provide rotation about multiple axes, such as a ball-and-socket joint). In particular, in some embodiments the proximal link assembly of certain manipulator arms 140 further comprises a second proximal joint 130b coupled between the rail 121 and the first proximal joint 130a, with the second proximal joint 130b providing for rotation of the proximal link 141 relative to the rail 121 around a second axis 137 orthogonal to the first axis 136 and parallel to a longitudinal dimension 197 of the rail 121 (e.g., x-direction in FIG. 3).

[0064] In addition, in some embodiments, the proximal link 141 is extendable and retractable. For example, the proximal link 141 may comprise two or more links that are translatable relative to one another in a telescoping fashion to extend or retract the proximal link 141. In other words, these two or more links are coupled together by, or they themselves form, a prismatic joint. For example, in some embodiments the proximal link 141 comprises an outer link that has a bore (for example an axial bore extending along a longitudinal axis of the proximal link 141) and an inner link that is nested within the outer link in the bore thereof.

[0065] In some embodiments, the intermediate arm 142 may be rotatably coupled to the distal end portion of the proximal link 141 via one or more intermediate joints 145 (single-DOF rotary joints are shown). For example, the intermediate joints 145 may provide for rotation of the intermediate arm 142 relative to the proximal link 141 about a third axis (not illustrated) perpendicular to the intermediate arm 142 and the proximal link 141. In addition, in some embodiments, the intermediate joints 145 may provide for rotation of a distal end of the intermediate arm 142 relative to the proximal link 141 about an axis that is parallel to a longitudinal dimension of the intermediate arm 142. In some embodiments, the intermediate arm 142 is also extendable and retractable. For example, the intermediate arm 142 may comprise two or more links that are translatable relative to one another in a telescoping fashion to extend or retract the intermediate arm 142, in a manner similar to that described above in relation to proximal link 141. In some embodiments, the links of the intermediate arm 142 are both translatable relative to one another along a longitudinal dimension of the intermediate arm 142 and also rotatable relative to one another about an axis parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the intermediate arm 142, thus providing for the above-described rotation of the distal end of the intermediate arm 142 relative to the proximal link 141 about the axis that is parallel to a longitudinal dimension of the intermediate arm 142.

[0066] Moreover, in some embodiments, the distal link 143 is movably coupled to the instrument mounting portion 169 via a wrist 147, which comprises joints for moving the instrument mounting portion 169 relative to the distal link 143. The joints of the wrist 147 may be referred to herein as wrist joints. In some embodiments, the wrist 147 provides multiple rotational degrees of freedom motion. For example, in some embodiments, the wrist 147 has three rotational degrees of freedom of motion for the instrument mounting portion 169 relative to the distal link 143. For example, the wrist 147 may be rotatably coupled to the distal link 143 to provide a roll degree of freedom of motion comprising rotation of the wrist 147 as a whole about an axis parallel to the distal link 143, and the wrist 147 may further comprise two joints for providing yaw and pitch degrees of freedom of motion comprising rotation around pitch and yaw axes which are perpendicular to one another. One of the pitch and yaw axes is also perpendicular to the roll axis (the other of the pitch and yaw axes may also be perpendicular to the roll axis in a neutral state of the wrist 147, but not necessarily in other states). In some embodiments, the joints providing some of the degrees of freedom of motion of the wrist 147 (e.g., yaw and pitch, in some embodiments) are driven by actuators disposed remotely from the wrist 147, such as in a more proximal portion of the manipulator arm 140 with actuation elements (such as cables, filaments, belts, bands, linkages, etc.) extending from the actuators to the wrist 147 to drive the motion of the wrist. For example, in some embodiments, the wrist comprises two wrist joints disposed in the wrist that provide rotation about the yaw and pitch axes, and these two wrist joints may be coupled to actuation elements (e.g., cables) that drive the rotation.

[0067] Some or all of the joints of the system 100 described above (as well as other joints that might be present in the system) may be powered joints, meaning a powered actuator may control movement of the joint through the supply of motive power. Such powered actuators may comprise, for example, electric actuators (e.g., motors), pneumatic or hydraulic actuators, and other types of powered actuators those having ordinary skill in the art would be familiar with. In some embodiments, the joints of the wrist 147 are powered joints. Additionally, in some embodiments some of the joints of the system 100 may be manually articulable joints, which may be articulated manually for example by manually moving the links coupled thereto. Manually articulable joints may be powered or unpowered. Joints referred to herein as unpowered may lack powered actuators to drive articulation of the joint but still may include other powered aspects or devices, such as actuatable brakes, electronic sensors, or controlled actuators used to provide friction or gravity compensation but which cannot move the joint by itself, or other powered devices. Actuators may be disposed inside or outside of links and joints of the system 100.

[0068] In this example, the instrument mounting portion 169 is configured to support an instrument 150, and in some embodiments the instrument mounting portion 169 comprises a drive interface to removably couple the instrument and to provide driving inputs (e.g., mechanical forces, electrical inputs, etc.) to drive an instrument coupled thereto. For example, the drive interface may comprise output couplers (not illustrated) to engage (directly or indirectly via an intermediary) with input couplers (not illustrated) of the instrument 150 to provide driving forces or other inputs to the mounted instrument 150 to control various degree of freedom movement and/or other functionality of the instrument 150, such as moving an end-effector of the instrument, opening/closing jaws, driving translation and/or rotation of a variety of components of the instrument, delivery of substances and/or energy from the instrument, and various other functions those of ordinary skill in the art are familiar with. The output couplers may be driven by actuators (e.g., electrical servo-motors, hydraulic actuators, pneumatic actuators) with which those of ordinary skill in the art have familiarity. An instrument sterile adaptor (ISA) may be disposed between the instrument 150 and the instrument manipulator mount interface to maintain sterile separation between the instrument 150 and the manipulator arms 140. In some embodiments, the manipulator arm 140, may provide two or more redundant degrees of freedom for an instrument. For example, the instrument 150 may be rotatable about an instrument longitudinal axis, and the instrument mounting portion 169 may be rotatable about the instrument longitudinal axis or an offset axis. The number, locations, and types of links and joints of the manipulator arms 140, as well as the various degrees of freedom of motion thereof, are not limited to those described above. In some embodiments, manipulator arms 140 comprise additional links, joints, and/or degrees of freedom beyond those described above. In other embodiments, manipulator arms 140 may omit the proximal or intermediate or distal link, and/or omit certain of the links, joints, and/or degrees of freedom described above. In some embodiments, a plurality of joints of a manipulator arm 140 may provide the manipulator arm with more degrees of freedom than the number of degrees of freedom associated with a single solution to a commanded motion, position, or orientation of the manipulator arm. Thus, the manipulator arm 140 may be movable about one or more redundant degrees of freedom to achieve the same target motion, position, or orientation. Such redundant degrees of freedom may be employed to maintain the position and/or orientation of an instrument supported by the manipulator arm 140 within a change tolerance, as discussed further herein.

[0069] The operator input and feedback system 1004, control system 1006, and auxiliary system 1008 may be provided at the table assembly 101, near one or more manipulator arms 140, or at a location remote from the table assembly 101. The operator input and feedback system 1004 is operably coupled to the control system 1006 and comprises one or more input devices to receive input control commands to control operations of the manipulator arms 140, instruments 150, rail assembly 120, and/or table assembly 101. The operator input and feedback system 1004 may also include feedback devices, such as a display device (not shown) to display images (e.g., images of the worksite as captured by one of the instruments 150), haptic feedback devices, audio feedback devices, other graphical operator interface forms of feedback, etc.

[0070] The control system 1006 may control operations of the system 100. In particular, the control system 1006 may send control signals (e.g., electrical signals) to the table assembly 101, rail assembly 120, manipulator arms 140, and/or instruments 150 to control movements and/or other operations of the various parts. In some embodiments, the control system 1006 may also control some or all operations of the operator input and feedback system 1004, the auxiliary system 1008, or other parts of the system 100. The control system 1006 may include an electronic control system to control and/or assist an operator in controlling operations of the manipulator arm 140. The electronic control system comprises processing circuitry configured with logic for performing the various operations. The logic of the processing circuitry may comprise dedicated hardware to perform various operations, software (machine readable and/or processor executable instructions) to perform various operations such as parts or the entirety of any of the methods described herein, or any combination of hardware and/or software. In examples in which the logic comprises software, the processing circuitry may include a processor to execute the software instructions and a memory device that stores the software. The processor may comprise one or more processing devices capable of executing machine readable instructions, such as, for example, a processor, a processor core, a central processing unit (CPU), a control system, a microcontroller, etc.

[0071] In the example shown in FIGs. 4-5, each manipulator arm 140 comprises a proximal link assembly 161 comprising a proximal link 141 coupled to a rail assembly (for example, illustrated as 120 in FIG. 3) via one or more proximal joints 130 and a carriage 126, an intermediate link assembly 162 comprising an intermediate arm 142 coupled to a distal end portion of the proximal link assembly 161 via one or more intermediate joints 145, and a distal link assembly 163 comprising a distal link 143 coupled to the intermediate link assembly 162 via one or more distal joints 146. The distal link assembly 163 also comprises an instrument mounting portion 169 coupled to the distal link 143 and configured to support an instrument (e.g., see instrument 150 in FIG. 3 or instruments 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d in FIG. 2). The proximal link 141 comprises a first link 141a and a second link 141b. The first and second links 141a and 141b are translatable relative to one another along a direction 148 parallel to a longitudinal dimension of the proximal link 141. In this FIGs. 4-5 example, the intermediate link assembly 162 comprises an intermediate arm 142.The intermediate arm 142 comprises a first link 142a and a second link 142b. The first and second links 142a and 142b are coupled by a prismatic joint and are translatable relative to one another along a direction 149 parallel to a longitudinal dimension of the intermediate arm 142.

[0072] In this FIGs. 4-5 example, a proximal end portion of the intermediate arm 142 of each manipulator arm 140 is rotatably coupled to the second link 141b of the proximal link 141 via a first intermediate joint 145a. The first intermediate joint 145a allows for rotation of the intermediate arm 142 relative to the proximal link 141 about a third axis 138, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of the proximal link 141 and the longitudinal dimension of the intermediate arm 142. In addition, a second intermediate joint 145b is provided to allow for rotation of a distal portion of the intermediate arm 142 relative to a proximal portion of the intermediate arm 142 about a fourth axis 139 that is parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the intermediate arm 142. In some embodiments, the second intermediate joint 145b also serves as both the prismatic joint between the first and second links 142a and 142b and allows translation between the first link 142a and second link 142b. The distal link assembly 163 comprises a distal link 143, a wrist 147, and an instrument mounting portion 169 coupled to the distal link 143 via the wrist 147. A proximal end portion of the distal link 143 of each manipulator arm 140 is rotatably coupled to the second link 142b of the intermediate arm 142 via a first distal joint 146a. More specifically, a distal end of the second link 142b is coupled to or comprises a first distal joint housing 167, which is rotatably coupled to a second distal joint housing 168 that is coupled to or part of the distal link 143. The first distal joint 146a allows for rotation of the distal link relative to the intermediate arm 142 about a fifth axis 151, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of the intermediate arm 142 and the longitudinal dimension of the distal link 143. In addition, a second distal joint 146b rotatably couples the wrist 147 to the second distal joint housing 168 (via the distal link 143) such that the wrist 147 can rotate relative to the second distal joint housing 168 about a sixth axis 152, which is parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the distal link 143. Rotation about this sixth axis 152 via the second distal joint 146b constitutes a degree of freedom of motion of the wrist 147, which may be referred to as roll. Thus, the sixth axis 152 may also be called a roll axis. In some embodiments, the distal link 143 moves along with the wrist 147 as the wrist rotates around the sixth axis 152 (i.e., the distal link 143 rotates relative to the second distal joint housing 168), and in other embodiments the distal link 143 remains stationary relative to the second distal joint housing 168 as the wrist rotates around the sixth axis 152 (i.e., the wrist 147 rotates relative to the distal link 143).

[0073] In addition to the roll degree of freedom of motion described above, in this example, the wrist 147 allows for rotation of the instrument mounting portion 169 relative to the distal link 143 about two additional axes, the seventh axis 153 and eighth axis 154. The seventh axis 153 and the eighth axis 154 are perpendicular to one another. Rotation about the seventh axis 153 and eighth axis 154 may be referred to as pitch and yaw degrees of freedom of motion, respectively, and thus the seventh axis 153 and eighth axis 154 may be referred to as pitch and yaw axes, respectively. In particular, the wrist 147 comprises two wrist joints that provide for rotation about the seventh and eighth axes.

[0074] In the example shown in FIGs. 4-5, the instrument mounting portion 169 comprises an instrument mounting portion base member 155 coupled to the wrist 147 and extending parallel to the eighth axis 154, an instrument mounting portion 144 movably coupled to the instrument mounting portion base member 155, and an accessory mount portion 156 coupled to one end portion of the instrument mounting portion base member 155. The instrument mounting portion 144 is translatable along a length of the instrument mounting portion base member 155 along a direction parallel to the eighth axis 154. The instrument mounting portion 144 comprises an interface to couple to an instrument 150 mounted thereto. For example, the interface may comprise output couplers (not illustrated) to engage (directly or indirectly via an intermediary) with input couplers (not illustrated) of the instrument 150 to provide driving forces or other inputs to the mounted instrument 150 to control various degree of freedom movements and/or other functionality of the instrument 150. The accessory mount portion 156 is configured to receive an accessory mounted thereon, such as a cannula. The cannula mounted to the accessory mount portion 156 may be positioned to receive an instrument shaft of an instrument 150 mounted to the instrument mounting portion 144. The instrument shaft and a passage through the cannula may define an insertion axis 157 along which the instrument may translate in response to translation of the instrument mounting portion 144 along the instrument mounting portion base member 155. The insertion axis 157 is parallel to the eighth axis 154. A remote center of motion may be located on the insertion axis 157 in, at, or near an expected location of the cannula.

[0075] In the example of FIG. 6, the computer-assisted system comprises multiple manipulator arms 140. Specifically, four manipulator arms 140_l, 140_2, 140_3, 140_4 are shown in the example, with two manipulator arms 140 on each longitudinal side 109b of the platform assembly 110. In other embodiments, more or fewer manipulator arms 140 may be used, such as one, two, three, or more manipulator arms per longitudinal side 109b. The manipulator arms 140_l and 140_2 are generally similar to one another (e.g., within an angular tolerance about at least one axis). Notably, in the example shown, the manipulator arm 140_l comprises two proximal joints 130 that manipulator arm 140_2 lacks, such that a “horizontal” portion of the proximal link 141 of the manipulator arm 140_l is positioned at a lower height than the corresponding “horizontal” portion of the proximal link 141 of the manipulator arm 140_2. In the example shown in FIG. 6, four manipulator arms 140 are deployed and arranged so as to position the shafts of instruments 150 (not illustrated in FIG.

6) supported by the system to utilize four entry ports 180. As shown in FIG. 6, the respective instrument mounting portions 169 of the manipulator arms 140 are arranged in a variety of different poses relative to their respective distal links 143. As discussed further herein, the different poses of the instrument mounting portions may be problematic for coupling or decoupling an instrument to the instrument mounting portion 169. Accordingly, the techniques and methods discussed further below may address this problem by reorienting one or more instruments and their instrument mounting portions 169.

[0076] FIG. 7 is a side schematic of an embodiment of an instrument mounting portion 12 of a manipulator arm (e.g., manipulator arm 2) and instrument 4 of a computer- assisted system (e.g., system 1) and FIG. 8 is a longitudinal end view of the same instrument mounting portion 12 and instrument 4, from the perspective of looking in a distal direction parallel to axis A taken along line Y-Y of FIG. 7. The schematics shown in FIGs. 7-8 are abstracted for purposes of explanation. As shown in FIG. 7, the instrument mounting portion 12 supports an instrument 4. The instrument mounting portion 12 includes an instrument actuator 14, which is coupled or integrated with the instrument 4. The instrument actuator 14 may be configured to operate the instrument 4 (e.g., such as by supplying power or force to cause the instrument 4 to perform a particular function). In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7, the instrument actuator 14 is configured to rotate the instrument 4 about a roll axis designated axis A in FIGs. 7-8, which in some embodiments may be a longitudinal axis. In this example, the roll axis A is substantially parallel (e.g., parallel) to a shaft of the instrument 4. Accordingly, the instrument 4 has a rotational degree of freedom in a roll direction about the roll axis A, controlled in the depicted embodiment by the instrument actuator 14. The instrument 4 is also supported by a support 16 of the manipulator arm, which in some embodiments may guide the instrument 4. In some embodiments, the support 16 does not structurally affect the instrument 4. In some embodiments, the support 16 inhibits bending of the instrument 4, or may otherwise substantially maintain the straightness of the roll axis A. The instrument 4 may support an end effector on a distal portion 5 of the instrument 4. [0077] As shown in FIG. 7, the instrument mounting portion 12 includes a wrist joint 24. The wrist joint 24 is configured to allow the instrument mounting portion 12 to rotate about a rotational axis B of the wrist joint 24. In some embodiments, the wrist joint 24 may include an actuator (e.g., a motor) configured to rotate the instrument mounting portion 12 about the rotational axis B. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the rotational axis B is parallel to the roll axis A. Accordingly, the instrument mounting portion 12 has a rotational degree of freedom (e.g., roll about the rotational axis B) that corresponds to the rotational degree of freedom of the instrument 4. According to the embodiments of FIGs. 7-8, the rotational degrees of freedom are along offset axes. Accordingly, while the orientation degrees of freedom are redundant, rotation of one of the instrument 4 and wrist joint 24 changes the position of the other of the instrument 4 and wrist joint 24. For example, where the wrist joint 24 and rotational axis B is held in place, rotation of the instrument mounting portion 12 about rotational axis B will result in a change in position (e.g., a translation) of the instrument 4. It should be noted that while an exemplary wrist joint 24 is shown in FIGs. 7-8, any suitable linkage may be employed to allow rotation of the instrument mounting portion 12 about a rotational axis B parallel to the roll axis A of the instrument 4, as the present disclosure is not so limited. For example, an alternative arrangement will be discussed further with reference to FIGs. 9 and 10.

[0078] According to the depicted embodiment, the rotational axis B and the roll axis A are constrained structurally to be parallel. That is, there is a zero angular difference between the rotational axis B and the roll axis A. In other embodiments, the rotational axis B and the roll axis A may be oriented with a non-zero angular difference to each other that is within a non-zero angular tolerance. That is, the rotational axis B and roll axis A may deviate from one another by up to the angular tolerance. In some embodiments, an angular tolerance between the rotational axis B and the roll axis A is less than or equal to approximately 10 degrees, 7 degrees, 5 degrees, 3 degrees, or 1 degree. The angular tolerance may be measured in any direction of rotation. For example, if the roll axis A and the rotational axis B are not parallel and intersect at some point then there exists a plane in which the roll axis A and the rotational axis B are coplanar and their difference in orientation can be described as the angular difference between them in that plane. As another example, if the roll axis A and the rotational axis B are not parallel and do not intersect, then there does not exist a plane in which the roll axis A and the rotational axis B are coplanar. In this case the difference in orientation between the roll axis A and the rotational axis B can be described as the angular difference of the projection of one axis (e.g., roll axis A) into the plane of the other axis (e.g., plane of rotational axis B).

[0079] In some embodiments a longitudinal axis of the instrument 4 forms the roll axis A of the instrument 4. In some embodiments the instrument mounting portion 12 may provide a different instrument rotational axis different from the instrument longitudinal axis. In some embodiments, the second rotational axis may be disposed within an angular tolerance of the instrument longitudinal axis. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the instrument roll axis A and the longitudinal axis of the instrument 4 are colinear.

[0080] As shown in FIGs. 7-8, the instrument mounting portion 12 includes an interface 18. In the depicted embodiments, the interface 18 is disposed on the instrument actuator 14, though in other embodiments the interface 18 may be disposed on the instrument mounting portion 12, support 16, or another structure configured to support the instrument 4. The instrument actuator 14 may be configured as a button that may be pressed by an operator to decouple the instrument 4 from the instrument mounting portion 12. In other embodiments, the instrument actuator 14 may be a lever configured to be rotated to decouple the instrument 4 from the instrument mounting portion 12. In some embodiments, the interface 18 may not need to be engaged by an operator (e.g., operator O) in order to couple the instrument 4 to the instrument mounting portion 12. In some other embodiments, the interface 18 may be engaged by an operator in order to couple the instrument 4 to the instrument mounting portion 12. The interface 18 may be coupled to a latch or other structure configured to releasably secure the instrument 4 to the instrument mounting portion 12. As shown in FIGs. 7-8, the interface 18 may be accessible from one side of the instrument mounting portion 12. For example, the interface 18 may not be accessible from the right side of the instrument mounting portion 12 with respect to the page as shown in FIG. 8. Accordingly, operation of the interface 18 by an operator may include handling the instrument mounting portion 12 from a certain direction or orientation. Where multiple instrument mounting portions 12 are employed, each on a separate manipulator arm, the orientations of the instrument mounting portions 12 may be different such that the operator is required to change a hand position of the operator or the position of a body of the operator to interact with each of the interfaces of the instrument mounting portions 12. Accordingly, as discussed above, a control system of the computer-assisted system (e.g., control system 10 of computer-assisted system 1) may be configured to determine one or more motions of a manipulator arm (e.g., manipulator arm 2) to reorient the instrument mounting portion 12 to facilitate instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling. Further, the one or more movements may include a rotation of the instrument 4 about the roll axis A and a rotation of the instrument 4 about the rotational axis B. In some embodiments, the rotations about the roll axis A and rotational axis B may be in different directions, such that the instrument mounting portion 12 and the instrument 4 counter rotate. For example, the instrument 4 may rotate counterclockwise about the roll axis A (viewed from the perspective shown in FIG. 8) while the instrument mounting portion 12 rotates clockwise about the rotational axis B (viewed from the perspective shown in FIG. 8). As used herein, rotating in opposite directions means changing in orientation inversely about parallel axes (e.g., the principal axes of yaw, pitch, and roll). For example, opposing rotations about an axis would include a first rotation where an angle about that axis is increased and a second rotation where an angle about the axis is decreased. Such an arrangement may allow the position and/or orientation of the instrument 4 to be maintained within a change tolerance as discussed below.

[0081] In some embodiments, it may be desirable to rotate the instrument 4 about the roll axis A and the instrument mounting portion 12 about the rotational axis B such that the position and/or orientation of a distal portion 5 of the instrument 4 stays within a change tolerance of the initial position and/or orientation. In some embodiments, the change tolerance may allow a small amount of movement such that the instrument can retain its function and may not apply undesirable forces or undesirable contact to its environment (e.g., a body structure). In some embodiments, the change tolerance with regards to position may be less than or equal to approximately 10 mm, 8 mm, 5 mm, 3 mm, or 1 mm. In some embodiments, the change tolerance may be 5 mm or less. In some embodiments, the change tolerance with respect to orientation may be less than or equal to approximately 15 degrees, 10 degrees, 5 degrees, 3 degrees, or 1 degree about one or more principal axes of the instrument (e.g., pitch, roll, and yaw). In some embodiments, the change tolerance may be approximately or exactly zero such that distal portion 5 of the instrument 4 does not move with respect to position or orientation as the instrument mounting portion 12 is rotated about the rotational axis B. In such embodiments, the instrument mounting portion 12 and instrument 4 may rotate and other portions of a manipulator arm may move and/or rotate within null space to allow the position and/or orientation of the instrument mounting portion to be adjusted while the position and/or orientation of the distal portion 5 of the instrument is unchanged (e.g., no change in position and/or orientation). The roll axis A of the instrument 4 and the rotational axis B of the instrument mounting portion 12 may provide redundant degrees of freedom allowing the orientation of the instrument mounting portion 12 and interface 18 without significantly changing the position and/or orientation of the distal portion 5 of the instrument 4 in a reference frame such as a global reference frame or local reference frame, as discussed further below. As the roll axis A is offset from the rotational axis B by an offset distance, the computer-assisted system may command additional movement of a kinematic chain (e.g., one or more links and joints) of an associated manipulator arm to compensate for the offset of the axes and any associated change in position of the distal portion 5 of the instrument as the instrument mounting portion 12 is rotated about the rotational axis B. One such exemplary movement is shown in FIGs. 12A- 12B. For example, a plurality of joints located proximally to the instrument mounting portion 12a, 12b in the instrument chain may be moved (e.g., rotated or translated) by a plurality of actuators in a manipulator arm to move the instrument mounting portion 12a, 12b while maintaining the position and/or orientation of the distal portion 5 (not illustrated in FIGs. 12A and 12B) of the instrument 4a, 4b.

[0082] In some embodiments, a reference frame for movements of the instrument 4 and the instrument mounting portion 12 may be a global reference frame. For example, the center of earth establishes a global reference frame relative to earth. In some cases, a reference frame may be a local reference frame fixed relative to an orientation or position of a component of a computer-assisted system. For example, a local reference frame may be established based on a frame of a base of the manipulator assembly, a frame of a surface or object the manipulator assembly is mounted on or is stationary to (e.g. a rail, an operating table base, a wall, a floor, etc.), a frame of an imaging device field-of-view, a frame of a feature in the worksite (or the worksite itself), a frame of an entry location into the worksite, and the like. Such a local reference frame may be real-time, and move if the reference object or feature moves. In some embodiments, such a frame can also be stored, such as right before the movement about the roll axis A, rotational axis B, or any other portion of a kinematic chain. In a surgical context, a local reference frame may be a patient frame of reference is one option. In some embodiments, as a patient is not a rigid body, such a frame of reference may be relative to a particular part of the patient, such as a particular anatomical feature, an entry location into the worksite, etc. In some embodiments, a patient may move, such as due to external manipulation by surgical personnel, operating table motion, or the patient’s own motion, in which case the patient frame of reference may move. Any frame of reference may be employed for controlling motions of an instrument and instrument mounting portion according to exemplary embodiments herein.

[0083] According to the embodiment of FIGs. 7-8, the instrument 4 and instrument mounting portion 12 may be controlled by at least one processor of a control system (e.g., control system 10). The control system 10 may be configured to receive an indication for instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling. For example, the control system may receive an operator input (e.g., a command) at an operator interface, control panel, or other input device which may be indicative of instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling. In some embodiments, the indication may be automated (e.g., as a part of an automated process). When the indication is received, the control system may be configured to determine one or more movements of the instrument mounting portion 12 and the instrument 4 to change the orientation of the instrument mounting portion to facilitate instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling. In some embodiments, the control system may also determine one or more movements of a manipulator arm (e.g., manipulator arm 2) that supports the instrument mounting portion 12. For example, the one or more movements may include movements of a plurality of joints of a manipulator arm located proximally to an instrument mounting portion 12 that allows the instrument mounting portion 12 to change orientation while maintaining the orientation and/or position of the distal portion 5 of an instrument 4 and associated end effector. In some embodiments, the control system may employ inverse kinematics to determine the one or more movements of the manipulator arm, instrument mounting portion 12, and the instrument 4. Once the one or more movements are determined the control system may cause a plurality of actuators (e.g., motors, etc.) to execute the one or more movements to re-orient the instrument mounting portion 12. In some embodiments, a single indication may trigger determination of the movements of multiple instrument mounting portions 12 and manipulator arms 2 (e.g., a first instrument mounting portion and a second instrument mounting portion).

[0084] In some embodiments, a target position or orientation of the instrument mounting portion 12 for instrument change (e.g., decoupling then coupling), instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling may be pre-determined (e.g., pre-selected during calibration, selected by an operator, etc.). In some embodiments, a control system may determine one or more movements where the target orientation of the instrument mounting portion 12 is to orient a principal axis in a target orientation. For example, a yaw axis (e.g., axis 254) of the instrument mounting portion 12 may be aligned with a local gravitational direction (e.g., vertically). As another example, a pitch axis (e.g., axis 253) of the instrument mounting portion 12 may be aligned with a horizontal direction (e.g., perpendicular to a local gravitational direction). Such an arrangement may allow the control system to repeatably place the interface 18 in position which is accessible to an operator (e.g., operator O). A control system may receive an indication, and regardless of the current orientation of the instrument mounting portion 12, the control system may determine one or more movements of the instrument mounting portion 12, instrument 4, and manipulator arm to place the instrument mounting portion 12 in a known orientation (or within a tolerance of that orientation). The target orientation may be based on an orientation about one or more principal axes of the instrument mounting portion 12. Exemplary movements are discussed further with reference to FIGs. 14A-16B.

[0085] FIG. 9 is a side schematic of another embodiment of an instrument mounting portion 12 of a manipulator arm (e.g., manipulator arm 2) and instrument 4 of a computer- assisted system (e.g., system 1) and FIG. 10 is a longitudinal end view of the same instrument mounting portion 12 and instrument 4, from the perspective of looking in a distal direction parallel to roll axis A taken along line Z-Z of FIG. 9. The schematics shown in FIGs. 9-10 are abstracted for purposes of explanation. As shown in FIG. 9, the instrument mounting portion 12 supports the instrument 4. The instrument mounting portion 12 includes an instrument actuator 14, which is coupled or integrated with the instrument 4. The instrument actuator 14 may be configured to operate the instrument 4 (e.g., supply power or force to cause the instrument to perform its function). In some embodiments as shown in FIG. 9, the instrument actuator 14 is configured to rotate the instrument 4 about a longitudinal roll axis designated axis A in FIGs. 9-10. The roll axis A is substantially parallel (e.g., parallel) to a shaft of the instrument 4. Accordingly, the instrument 4 has a rotational degree of freedom in a roll direction about the roll axis A, controlled in the depicted embodiment by the instrument actuator 14. The instrument 4 is also supported by a support 16. The instrument 4 may support an end effector on a distal portion 5 of the instrument 4.

[0086] According to the embodiment of FIGs. 9-10, the instrument mounting portion 12 includes a wrist joint 24. The wrist joint 24 is configured to allow the instrument mounting portion 12 to rotate about a rotational axis B of the wrist joint, similar to the embodiment of FIGs. 7-8. However, in the embodiment of FIGs. 9-10, the rotational axis B is colinear with the roll axis A, such that the instrument mounting portion 12 and the instrument 4 share the same rotational axis. Accordingly, the wrist joint 24 provides a redundant degree of freedom for the instrument 4. Rotation of the instrument mounting portion 12 about the rotational axis B may be offset by counter rotation of the instrument 4 without any change of position of the instrument 4 when the rotational axis B is colinear with the roll axis A. However, the position of the instrument mounting portion 12 would change as the instrument mounting portion 12 is offset relative to the rotational axis B. Such an arrangement may allow the instrument mounting portion 12 to change in its position and/or orientation about the rotational axis B without changing the position and/or orientation of the instrument 4 and any end effector on the distal portion 5 of the instrument 4. For example, clockwise rotation of the instrument mounting portion 12 about the rotational axis B may be offset by an equal and opposite clockwise rotation of the instrument about the roll axis A when the rotational axis B is colinear with the roll axis A. In this manner, the orientation of the instrument 4 may be maintained with respect to a global reference frame and/or local reference frame even as the position and/or orientation of the instrument mounting portion 12 changes. For example, in some embodiments the orientation of the instrument 4 may be maintained with respect to the center of earth (e.g., a global reference frame). As another example, in some embodiments the orientation of the instrument 4 may be maintained with respect to a local reference frame that may established based on a frame of a base of the manipulator assembly, a frame of a surface or object the manipulator assembly is mounted on or is stationary to (e.g. a rail, an operating table base, a wall, a floor, etc.), a frame of an imaging device field-of-view, a frame of a feature in the worksite (or the worksite itself), a frame of an entry location into the worksite, or the like. As discussed above, such an arrangement may be desirable in cases where a position and/or orientation of the instrument mounting portion 12 is changed to facilitate instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling. [0087] Like the embodiment of FIGs. 7-8, the instrument mounting portion 12 and the instrument 4 may be controlled by a control system (e.g., control system 10). The control system may be configured to determine one or more movements to move the instrument mounting portion 12 to a target orientation or position for instrument coupling or decoupling while maintaining the orientation and/or position of the distal portion 5 of the instrument 4 within a change tolerance. In some embodiments, the control system may be configured to determine one or more movements of the instrument mounting portion 12 and the instrument 4 to orient the instrument mounting portion 12 to a target position while maintaining the orientation and/or portion of the distal portion 5 within a change tolerance. The one or more movements may include a rotation of the instrument mounting portion 12 in a first direction about the rotational axis B . The one or more movements may also include a rotation of the instrument 4 in a second, opposing direction about the rotational roll axis A. As roll axis A and rotational axis B are colinear, these rotations may be equal and opposite such that the orientation of the instrument 4 with respect to a global reference frame does not change. Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments the orientation of the instrument with respect to another reference frame such as a local reference frame may not change. For example, a local reference frame may be established based on a frame of a base of the manipulator assembly, a frame of a surface or object the manipulator assembly is mounted on or is stationary to (e.g. a rail, an operating table base, a wall, a floor, etc.), a frame of an imaging device field-of-view, a frame of a feature in the worksite (or the worksite itself), a frame of an entry location into the worksite, or the like. Accordingly, the one or more movements may not include movements of one or more links of a manipulator arm as the rotations via the wrist joint 24 and the instrument actuator 14 allow for redundant degrees of freedom. Accordingly, null space may be employed to reorient the instrument mounting portion 12 without moving the instrument 4 with respect to a global reference frame.

[0088] It should be noted that the embodiments of FIGs. 7-10 are described with reference to a singular instrument mounting portion 12 and instrument 4. However, in some embodiments, as will be discussed further below, multiple instrument mounting portions 12 and instruments 4 may be employed as a part of a computer-assisted system (e.g., system 1). These multiple instruments 4 and instrument mounting portions 12 may be controlled by one or more control systems that may determine one or more movements of each instrument 4, instrument mounting portion 12, and associated manipulator arm to orient and/or position the instrument mounting portion 12 for instrument change (e.g., decoupling then coupling), instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling.

[0089] FIG. 11 depicts a flow chart for a method of operating a computer-assisted system (e.g., system 1) according to some embodiments, which in some embodiments may be applicable to the instrument 4 and instrument mounting portions 12 of exemplary FIGs. 7-10. In some embodiments, the method of FIG. 11 may be performed by a control system (e.g., at least one processor of the control system). In block 300, an indication for instrument coupling or decoupling is received. In some embodiments, the indication may be received as operator input (e.g., a command) that is received as an operator interface, button, or other input device. For example, an operator of the computer-assisted system may command the computer- assisted system for instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling at a control panel. In other embodiments, the indication may be automated and/or based on the detection of one or more conditions. A control system may receive information regarding and instrument from one or more sensors, where the information may be employed to detect the one or more conditions. In some embodiments, the indication may be the completed usage of a disposable item coupled to the instrument. For example, staples, tacks, or other fasteners associated with the instrument may be expended and need to be replaced. In some embodiments, the indication may be a maintenance of service requirement for an instrument. For example, a sensor may indicate less optimal function, or a clock may provide information regarding a service interval of an instrument. Other conditions or operating states such as steps through an automated or semi- automated process may also function as the indication. In some embodiments, a control system may autonomously determine the indication based on an operating state of the computer-assisted system. In some embodiments, an operating state of a computer-assisted system or its environment that may function as an indication is an initial setup state of the computer-assisted system. In some embodiments the operating state is the instrument not being supported by the manipulator arm (e.g., an instrument is not yet present). In some embodiments, the operating state is a completion of a procedure being performed by the computer-assisted system. In some embodiments, the operating state is a malfunction of the computer-assisted system or a malfunction of the instrument. For example, an instrument may jam, a manipulator arm may fail, or any other number of malfunctions may occur. In some embodiments, the operating state is an emergency condition. For example, an emergency condition may be initiated by an operator or by some information provided by sensors. Accordingly, the indication of the method of FIG. 11 may be automated, operator-initiated, or a combination thereof, as the present disclosure is not so limited.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 11, in optional block 302 a location of an operator (e.g., operator O) may be determined. In some embodiments, the location of the operator may be determined based on a location from which the indication is received. For example, the location of the operator may be based on a known location of an input device used by the operator to provide the indication. The known location may be adjacent to a table associated with the computer-assisted system (e.g., a control panel, button, switch, etc.). In other embodiments, the location of the operator may be determined based on information provided by one or more sensors. For example, one or more cameras may image the environment of a computer-assisted system. According to some such examples, the control system may be configured to identify the position of an operator through image processing techniques or machine learning. In some embodiments, the location of the operator may be employed in the determination of an orientation of an instrument mounting portion to facilitate instrument coupling or decoupling.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 11, in block 304, one or more movements of an instrument and a manipulator arm are determined to orient an instrument mounting portion of the manipulator arm for instrument coupling or decoupling. In some embodiments, the orientation of the instrument mounting portion for coupling or decoupling may be predetermined. For example, the orientation may be based on aligning one or more principal axes of the instrument mounting portion with a target direction or within a change tolerance of the target direction. In one such example, the pitch axis (e.g., seventh axis 153) of the instrument mounting portion (e.g., instrument mounting portion 12), which may be parallel to a roll axis of an instrument, may be aligned with a horizontal direction. One or more of the principal axes of the instrument mounting portion may be aligned with a target direction or moved within a change tolerance of the target direction. In some embodiments, the target position and orientation may be based on a local reference frame for an operating environment. For example, an instrument mounting portion may be oriented relative to a table to which a manipulator arm is mounted, or to another base to which a manipulator arm is mounted. In one such example, an instrument mounting portion may be mounted such that a principal axis of the instrument mounting portion is aligned within an angular tolerance of a target fixed angle relative to a table. In some embodiments, different target orientations may be assigned to different instrument mounting portions of a computer-assisted system. [0092] In some embodiments, the orientation of the instrument mounting portion may be variable depending on one or more factors. For example, in some embodiments the orientation for instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling may be based at least partly on the determined location of the operator from optional block 302. In such an example, the instrument mounting portion may be oriented toward the determined direction to facilitate instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling. In another such example, the instrument mounting portion may be translated and rotated to orient and position the instrument mounting portion to facilitate instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling. As another example, a factor may include the type of instrument, as in some instances an instrument may be changed differently depending on the type of instrument. In some embodiments, the one or more movements determined in block 304 may include a rotation of the instrument mounting portion about a first rotational axis and a rotation of the instrument about a second rotational axis. In some embodiments, the first rotational axis and second rotational axis may be colinear. In other embodiments, the first rotational axis and second rotational axis may be offset from one another by an offset distance. In some embodiments, the first rotational axis may be oriented within an angular tolerance of the second rotational axis. In some embodiments, the second rotational axis is a longitudinal roll axis of the instrument. In some embodiments, the one or more movements may include translations and/or rotations of one or more links in the plurality of links and by one or more joints in the plurality of joints in a kinematic chain of a manipulator arm.

[0093] As shown in FIG. 11, in block 306, a change in position or orientation (and in some embodiments, both position and orientation) of a distal portion of an instrument is limited within a change tolerance. In some embodiments, the limitation may be incorporated in the step of block 304, where the one or more movements are based on the limitation of any change in position or orientation of the distal portion of the instrument. In the embodiment of FIG. 11, the limitation is a separate step that limits the movement of a manipulator arm after the one or more movements have been determined. In some embodiments, the change tolerance may be non-zero but may be suitably small so as to avoid applying undesirable forces or creating undesired contact between an instrument and its environment. In some embodiments, the change tolerance may be zero or approximately zero.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 11, in block 308 a plurality of actuators is caused to move the instrument and the manipulator arm based on the determined one or more movements and the limitations of blocks 304 and 306. In some embodiments, the actuators may be integrated within one or more joints of the manipulator arm. In some embodiments, a control system may command the plurality of actuators to move in accordance with the determined one or more movements. In some embodiments, inverse kinematics may be employed to command the plurality of actuators to achieve the one or more movements.

[0095] In some embodiments, the method of FIG. 11 may be applied to multiple instruments each supported by a corresponding manipulator arm and instrument mounting portion. According to such embodiments, the method may include determining one or more movements for each manipulator arm and instrument to orient each instrument mounting portion for coupling or decoupling. An example of a method of controlling multiple manipulator arms to facilitate instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling is discussed further with reference to FIGs. 12A-12B.

[0096] FIG. 12A depicts a plan schematic of one embodiment of a computer-assisted system in a first state and FIG. 12B depicts the computer-assisted system of FIG. 12A in a second state. The schematic shown in FIGs. 12A-12B is abstracted for explanation and is from a perspective analogous to that of FIGs. 8 and 10. As shown in FIG. 12A, the computer- assisted system includes two manipulator arms, each supporting an instrument. For explanation, the arms and instruments are shown with links and joints in the same plane. A first manipulator arm 2a includes first links 20a connected by a first joint 22a. The first manipulator arm 2a supports a first instrument mounting portion 12a, which is connected to the distal portion of the first manipulator arm by a first wrist joint 24a. The first instrument mounting portion 12a may have an arrangement like that of FIGs. 7-8, with the exception of a first interface 18a. As shown in FIG. 12A, the first interface 18a is disposed on the first instrument mounting portion 12a, rather than a first instrument actuator 14a. The first wrist joint 24a is configured to provide a rotational axis for the first instrument mounting portion 12a. The first instrument actuator 14a is configured to provide a rotational axis for the first instrument 4a. In the embodiment of FIGs. 12A-12B, the rotational axis of the first wrist joint 24a is offset by an offset distance from the first instrument 4a rotational axis. In other embodiments, the rotational axes of the first instrument mounting portion 12a and the first instrument 4a may be colinear.

[0097] The second manipulator arm 2b is arranged like the first manipulator arm 2a. The second manipulator arm 2b includes second links 20b connected by a second joint 22b. In other embodiments, additional joints may be employed in the second manipulator arm 2b. The second manipulator arm 2b supports a second instrument mounting portion 12b, which is connected to the distal portion of the second manipulator arm 2b by a second wrist joint 24b. The second instrument mounting portion 12b includes a second interface 18b disposed on the second instrument mounting portion 12b. The second wrist joint 24b is configured to provide a rotational axis for the second instrument mounting portion 12b. The second instrument actuator 14b is configured to provide a rotational axis for the second instrument 4b. In the embodiment of FIGs. 12A-12B, the rotational axis of the second wrist joint 24b is offset by an offset distance from the second instrument 4b rotational axis. In other embodiments, the rotational axes of the second instrument mounting portion 12b and the second instrument 4b may be colinear.

[0098] The schematics of FIGs. 12A-12B depict axes showing the orientation of the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b and the instruments 4a, 4b about their rotational axes (e.g., extending into the page) for comparison purposes. Axis C denotes an orientation of the first instrument 4a about a roll axis R_c of the first instrument 4a. Axis D denotes an orientation of the first instrument mounting portion 12a about the rotational axis R_d provided by the first wrist joint 24a (e.g., a rotational axis parallel to the roll axis of the second instrument and offset from said roll axis). Axis E denotes an orientation of the second instrument 4b about a roll axis R_e of the second instrument. Axis F denotes an orientation of the second instrument mounting portion 12b about the rotational axis R_f provided by the second wrist joint 24b (e.g., a rotational axis parallel to the roll axis of the first instrument and offset from said roll axis). The axes C, D, E, F are for illustration and do not necessarily represent principal axes of the instruments and instrument mounting portions.

[0099] As shown in FIG. 12A, the orientations (e.g., axes D and F) of the first instrument mounting portion 12a and the second instrument mounting portion 12b, respectively, may be different. The different orientations may be due to the particular process being performed by the computer-assisted system, or the result of prior movements to position or orient an instrument. As a result, the first interface 18a and the second interface 18b are facing different directions. Accordingly, if an operator were to change an instrument with the computer-assisted system in the state of FIG. 12A, the operator may be required to adjust a hand position to the different orientations of the first interface 18a and the second interface 18b. To address the different orientations of the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, in some embodiments a control system may determine one or more movements of the first manipulator arm 2a, and first instrument 4a, as well as the second manipulator arm 2b and the second instrument 4b to orient both the first instrument mounting portion 12a and the second instrument mounting portion 12b to facilitate instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling. For example, the first instrument mounting portion 12a and the second instrument mounting portion 12b may be oriented similar to one another (e.g., within an angular tolerance from one another). For example, a principal axis of the first instrument mounting portion 12a and the second instrument mounting portion 12b may be align with one another. In some embodiments, the principal axes may be positioned within an angular tolerance of one another. As another example, an axis of motion for operation of the first interface 18a and the second interface 18b may be aligned within an angular tolerance. For example, the interface 18a, 18b may be operated with motion in a single direction (e.g., a linear motion, rotation about a single axis etc.). In such cases, the single direction of each interface 18a, 18b may be aligned within an angular tolerance. The angular tolerance may be in one or more degrees of freedom. The angular tolerance may be a difference in angle within a plane for alignment between the direction of the first interface 18a and the direction of the second interface 18b. In some embodiments, an angular tolerance for alignment between principal axes of instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b or directions of the interfaces 18a, 18b may be less than or equal to 45 degrees, 30 degrees, 15 degrees, 10 degrees, or 5 degrees. [0100] In some embodiments, a control system may be configured to minimize an angular difference between the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b. However, in some cases it may not be possible to exactly align the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b and reduce the angular difference to zero or approximately zero. For example, in some cases such an orientation may cause a collision between the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b. In other cases, such an orientation may cause a distal portion of an instrument to move out of a change tolerance of a position or orientation. Accordingly, the control system may orient multiple instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b to within an angular tolerance of one another where exact alignment is not possible for one or more reasons.

[0101] From the state shown in FIG. 12A, a control system may determine one or more movements of the first manipulator arm 2a and the second manipulator arm 2b to orient the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b for instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling. In particular, the control system may determine one or more movements to align a direction of operation of the first interface 18a and the second interface 18b. The one or more movements may be limited so that an orientation and position of the first instrument 4a and the second instrument 4b are kept within a change tolerance. The one or more movements may include rotations about the rotational axes of the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b and the instruments 4a, 4b. As shown in FIG. 12B, for the first manipulator arm 2a, the first instrument mounting portion 12a may be rotated clockwise relative to the page, as exemplified by the change in direction of the axis D. Correspondingly, the first instrument 4a has rotated in a direction opposite that of the first instrument mounting portion 12a, rotating counterclockwise relative to the page. As shown in FIG. 12B, the direction of axis C is unchanged. The one or more movements counter rotate the first instrument mounting portion 12a and the first instrument 4a to maintain the orientation of the first instrument. For the second manipulator arm 2b, the second instrument mounting portion 12b is rotated counterclockwise relative to the page, exemplified by the change of direction of axis F. The second instrument 4b is rotated clockwise relative to the page, opposite the direction of the second instrument mounting portion 12b to maintain the orientation of the second instrument 4b. As shown in FIG. 12B, the direction of axis E is unchanged. In embodiments where the rotational axes of an instrument mounting portion 12a, 12b and an instrument 4a, 4b are parallel, the instrument 4a, 4b and instrument mounting portion 12a, 12b may rotate equal angles about their respective axes in opposite directions.

[0102] According to the embodiment of FIG. 12B, as the rotational axes of the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b are offset from the rotational axes of the instruments, the one or more movements may also include one movement of one or more joints located proximally to the instrument mounting portion 12a, 12b in a kinematic chain of each manipulator arm 2a, 2b. For example, as shown in FIG. 12B, the links 20a, 20b, and the joints 22a, 22b translate and rotate to allow the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b to rotate about their respective rotational axis. The movement of one or more joints proximal to the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b allows the position of the instruments 4a, 4b to remain unchanged from the state in FIG. 12A. However, the orientations (e.g., axes D and F) of the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b are changed and are such that the directions of operation of the first interface 18a and the second interface 18b are aligned, as shown by axis X. In the embodiment of FIG. 12B, the directions of operation of the interfaces 18a, 18b may be parallel and/or colinear. In other embodiments, the directions of operation of the interfaces 18a, 18b may be oriented within an angular tolerance of one another (e.g., less than or equal to 45 degrees).

[0103] FIG. 13 depicts a flow chart for a method of operating a computer-assisted system according to some embodiments. The method of FIG. 13 may be performed by one or more control systems (e.g., at least one processor of the one or more control systems). In block 310, an indication for instrument coupling or decoupling is received. As discussed above with reference to FIG. 11, the indication may be based on operator input or one or more states of a computer-assisted system or its environment. In optional block 312, a location of an operator is determined. As discussed above with reference to FIG. 11, the location of the operator may be determined based on where operator input is received or based on a determination using information provided by one or more sensors. In block 314, one or more movements of a first instrument and a first manipulator arm may be determined to orient a first instrument mounting portion for instrument coupling or decoupling. In block 316, one or more movements of a second instrument and a second manipulator arm may be determined to orient a second instrument mounting portion for instrument coupling or decoupling. The one or more movements may include limiting the motion of an instrument to maintain a position and/or orientation of the instrument within a change tolerance. The one or more movements may also include orienting the first instrument mounting portion and the second instrument mounting portion similarly. For example, a direction of operation of an interface of each instrument mounting portion may be aligned within an angular tolerance. In block 318, a plurality of actuators may move the first manipulator arm and the second manipulator arm. For example, a control system may command the actuator to execute the determined one or more movements. In some embodiments, inverse kinematics may be employed to determine the one or more movement and/or execute the one or more determined movements.

[0104] FIG. 14A depicts a plan schematic of another embodiment of a computer- assisted system in a first state, and FIG. 14B depicts the computer-assisted system of FIG. 14A in a second state. FIGs. 14A-14B depict how a plurality of instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d may be aligned to facilitate instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling. As shown in FIG. 14A, each instrument mounting portion includes an interface 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d. The orientation of each instrument mounting portion is represented by an axis. Axis G is representative of an orientation of a first instrument mounting portion 12a. Axis H is representative of an orientation of a second instrument mounting portion 12b. Axis I is representative of an orientation of a third instrument mounting portion 12c. Axis J is representative of an orientation of a fourth instrument mounting portion 12d. The four instrument mounting portions are disposed over a table 3. An operator O controls and/or monitors the computer-assisted system from an operator interface system 6. In some embodiments, the manipulator arms associated with a portion of the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d may be located on a first side of the table 3 (e.g., a worksite). In some such embodiments, the manipulator arms associated with another portion of the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d may be located on a second side of the table 3 opposite the first side. In some cases, such an arrangement may be desirable to achieve certain instrument orientations and positions while avoiding collisions or other limitations between multiple manipulator arms. In some embodiments, manipulator arms associated with the instrument mounting portions may be mounted to one or more carts. For example, each instrument mounting portion 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d may be mounted to an independent cart (e.g., four single manipulator arm carts). As another example, the first instrument mounting portion 12a and the second instrument mounting portion 12b may be mounted to a first cart, and the third instrument mounting portion 12c and the fourth instrument mounting portion 12d may be mounted to a second cart.

[0105] As shown in FIG. 14A the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d are not aligned. Axis G and axis J are parallel, but are rotated 180 degrees from one another, such that the interfaces are disposed in opposing directions relative to the operator O. Axis H and axis I are disposed at intermediate angles between the directions of axis G and axis J. Accordingly, the instrument mounting portions are oriented across a 180 degree range in the plane of the page, which may make instrument changes for the operator O difficult. In other embodiments, instrument mounting portions may be oriented across greater or lesser ranges during normal operation. While one plane is shown in FIGs. 14A-14B, the orientations of the instrument mounting portions may also vary in other directions. In some embodiments, the process shown and described in FIGs. 14A-14B may apply to multiple degrees of freedom. [0106] As shown in FIG. 14B, the orientations of the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d have changed, but the positions of the instrument mounting portions remain the same. In some embodiments, a position of the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d is based on a position of a center of mass of each instrument mounting portion. Accordingly, the position of the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d may be represented as a point in three-dimensional space. In such embodiments, a change in orientation such as between FIG. 14A and FIG. 14B of each instrument mounting portion 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d is achieved without changing the position of the center of mass of each instrument mounting portion within a position change tolerance. In some embodiments, a position of the instrument mounting portions may be represented by the position of one or more points, vectors, planes, or bodies in three-dimensional space. According to the embodiment of FIGs. 14A-14B, a control system received an indication for instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling (e.g., from operator interface system 6) and determined one or more movements to orient the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d for instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling (e.g., the state shown in FIG. 14B). In some embodiments, a single indication may trigger determination of both the movements of all instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d. In the embodiment of FIG. 14B, the control system determines the one or more movements based on a determined location of the operator O. For example, the axes G, H, I, J are all oriented toward the operator O compared to the state shown in FIG. 14A. In other embodiments, the location of the operator O may not be employed, and the instrument mounting portions may be oriented toward a predetermined location (e.g., toward a side of the table 3, a foot of the table 3, etc.). In some embodiments, the location of the operator O may be determined based on input at the operator interface system 6. For example, the operator O may self-identify a location. As another example, the reception of operator input at the operator interface system 6 may be indicative of the operator O location. As shown in FIG 14B, the axes G, H, I, J are aligned within an angular tolerance of each other. In FIG. 14B, the angular tolerance may be 45 degrees. In some embodiments, the interfaces 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d of the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d may be oriented similarly (e.g., within an angular tolerance such as 45 degrees) with respect to a hand of the operator O. In some embodiments, the angular tolerance with respect to the hand may be based on comparison to a hand axis extending parallel to a forearm of the operator O.

[0107] In some embodiments, before the movement of the manipulator arms and instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d shown between FIGs. 14A-14B, the computer-assisted system may be configured to move the instruments supported by the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d proximally away from the table 3 and an associated worksite (e.g., a patient’s body in a medical example). The movement of the instruments may be along an instrument longitudinal axis (e.g., retraction), and such a movement may effect a retraction within a cannula in which a respective instrument is disposed. Such a proximal movement of the instruments may retract each instrument away from a patient and out of a patient’s body in a medical example. In some embodiments, the operator O may confirm that the instruments are able to be moved away from the table before the instruments are moved proximally. For example, the operator O may confirm that any instrument is not attached to or holding tissue, in a medical example. In some embodiments, the operator O may confirm the instruments are able to be moved at the operator interface system 6 before the instruments and instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d move. In some embodiments, a manipulator arm including an instrument mounting portion may have a manual clutch override allowing the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d to be moved manually by the operator O.

[0108] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 14B, it may not be possible for the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d to be orientated fully parallel to each other while maintaining a position and/or orientation of a supported instrument. In some embodiments, a computer-assisted system may determine one or more movements of a manipulator arm including an instrument mounting portion (e.g., instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) to reduce an error between an orientation of the instrument mounting portion and a target orientation of the instrument mounting portion while keeping within a limit of a plurality of actuators effecting the movement of the manipulator arm. In some embodiments, the target orientation may be within an angular tolerance in orientation as discussed herein. In some embodiments, the angular tolerance may be zero such that the axes G, H, I, J of the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d are parallel to one another. The error between the orientation and the target orientation may be based on one or more of a lack of a kinematic solution, obstructing inactive arm which cannot be sufficiently moved, insufficient proximity margin to an active arm (e.g., to avoid collisions), undesirable amount of motion towards the patient, and kinematic singularities. In the case of such limitations, a computer assisted system may seek to reduce the error between the target orientation and the actual orientation of each instrument mounting portion 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d while maintaining the position and/or orientation of a supported instrument within a change tolerance.

[0109] FIG. 15A depicts another plan schematic of another embodiment of a computer-assisted system in a first state, and FIG. 15B depicts the computer-assisted system of FIG. 15A in a second state. FIGs. 15A-15B depict another example of how a plurality of instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d may be aligned to facilitate instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling. As shown in FIG. 15A, each instrument mounting portion includes an interface 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d. The orientation of each instrument mounting portion is represented by an axis. Axis G is representative of an orientation of a first instrument mounting portion 12a. Axis H is representative of an orientation of a second instrument mounting portion 12b. Axis I is representative of an orientation of a third instrument mounting portion 12c. Axis J is representative of an orientation of a fourth instrument mounting portion 12d. The four instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d are disposed over a table 3. An operator O controls and/or monitors the computer-assisted system from an operator interface system 6.

[0110] As shown in FIG. 15A the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d are not aligned. Axis G and axis J are parallel, but are rotated 180 degrees from one another, such that the interfaces are disposed in opposing directions relative to the operator O. Axis H and axis I are disposed at intermediate angles between the directions of axis G and axis J. Accordingly, the instrument mounting portions are oriented across a 180 degree range, which may make instrument changes, instrument couplings, or instrument decouplings for the operator O difficult. In other embodiments, instrument mounting portions may be oriented across greater or lesser ranges during normal operation. While one plane is shown in FIGs. 15A-15B, the orientations of the instrument mounting portions may also vary in other directions. In some embodiments, the process shown and described in FIGs. 15A-15B may apply to multiple degrees of freedom.

[0111] As shown in FIG. 15B, both the orientations and the positions of the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d have changed. According to the embodiment of FIGs. 15A-15B, a control system received an indication for instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling (e.g., from operator interface system 6) and determined one or more movements to orient and position the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d for instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling (e.g., the state shown in FIG. 15B). In the embodiment of FIG. 15B, the control system determines the one or more movements based on a determined location of the operator O. For example, the axes G, H, I, J are all oriented toward the operator O compared to the state shown in FIG. 15A. Additionally, the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d are all moved closer to the operator O compared to the state of FIG. 15A.

[0112] FIG. 16A depicts another plan schematic of another embodiment of a computer-assisted system in a first state, and FIG. 16B depicts the computer-assisted system of FIG. 16A in a second state. FIGs. 16A-16B depict another example of how a plurality of instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d may be aligned to facilitate instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling. As shown in FIG. 16A, each instrument mounting portion includes an interface 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d. The orientation of each instrument mounting portion is represented by an axis. Axis G is representative of an orientation of a first instrument mounting portion 12a. Axis H is representative of an orientation of a second instrument mounting portion 12b. Axis I is representative of an orientation of a third instrument mounting portion 12c. Axis J is representative of an orientation of a fourth instrument mounting portion 12d. The four instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d are disposed over a table 3. An operator O controls and/or monitors the computer-assisted system from an operator interface system 6.

[0113] As shown in FIG. 16A the instrument mounting portions are not aligned. Axis G and axis J are parallel, but are rotated 180 degrees from one another, such that the interfaces are disposed in opposing directions relative to the operator O. Axis H and axis I are disposed at intermediate angles between the directions of axis G and axis J. Accordingly, the instrument mounting portions are oriented across a 180 degree range, which may make instrument changes, instrument couplings, or instrument decouplings for the operator difficult. In other embodiments, instrument mounting portions may be oriented across greater or lesser ranges during normal operation. While one plane is shown in FIGs. 16A-16B, the orientations of the instrument mounting portions may also vary in other directions. In some embodiments, the process shown and described in FIGs. 16A-16B may apply to multiple degrees of freedom.

[0114] As shown in FIG. 16B, the orientations of the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d have changed, but not the positions. According to the embodiment of FIGs. 16A-16B, a control system received an indication for instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling (e.g., from operator interface system 6) and determined one or more movements to orient and position the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d for instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling (e.g., the state shown in FIG. 16B). In the embodiment of FIG. 16B, the control system determines the one or more movements based on a determined location of a service technician S. For example, the axes G, H, I, J are all oriented toward the service technician S compared to the state shown in FIG. 16A. The instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d are not oriented toward the operator O at the operator interface system 6. In the embodiment of FIG. 16B, the operator O may provide the location (e.g., select the location) of the service technician S when providing an indication for an instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling. Accordingly, the control system may determine one or more movements of the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d based on the identified location of the service technician S (e.g., a second operator). [0115] According to the embodiments of FIGs. 14A-16B, each of the instrument mounting portions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d is moved when an indication of an instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling is received. In some embodiments, where multiple manipulator arms are employed, a control system may be configured to determine if each manipulator arm is supporting an instrument. For example, a sensor may be employed to inform the control system about the presence of an instrument. As another example, a communications link may be established with an instrument if the instrument is present, and the lack of a communications link may be indicative of the absence of the instrument. In some embodiments, if the control system determines a manipulator arm is not supporting and instrument, the control system may not cause (e.g., command) a plurality of actuators to move a manipulator arm that is not supporting an instrument. In such cases, the manipulator arm may not be used during a particular process, such that the control system may ignore the unused manipulator arm for the purposes of instrument change, instrument coupling, or instrument decoupling.

[0116] According to embodiments herein, a computer-assisted system may operate with six degrees of freedom. For example, the six degrees of freedom may include the Cartesian directions (e.g., X, Y, Z) as well as rotations about the Cartesian directions (e.g., pitch, roll, yaw). As discussed herein, the rotation and positioning of an instrument mounting portion may be based on the maintenance of an instrument within a change tolerance of an initial position and/or orientation. Accordingly, embodiments herein may have at least one redundant degree of freedom. For example, computer-assisted systems described herein may have seven or more degrees of freedom to allow for null space movement of the instrument mounting portion while maintaining a position and/or orientation of the instrument. In some embodiments, a plurality of joints of a manipulator arm may provide the manipulator arm with more degrees of freedom than the number of degrees of freedom associated with a single solution to a commanded motion, position, or orientation of the manipulator arm. Thus, a control system can cause an actuator system to cause the plurality of actuators to move the manipulator arm to achieve a targeted motion of an instrument mounting portion of the manipulator arm and a supported instrument, including maintaining the supported instrument at a target orientation and/or position within a change tolerance.

[0117] The above-described embodiments of the technology described herein can be implemented in any of numerous ways. For example, the embodiments may be implemented using hardware, software or a combination thereof. When implemented in software, the software code can be executed on any suitable processor or collection of processors, whether provided in a single computer or distributed among multiple computers. Such processors may be implemented as integrated circuits, with one or more processors in an integrated circuit component, including commercially available integrated circuit components known in the art by names such as CPU chips, GPU chips, microprocessor, microcontroller, or co-processor. Alternatively, a processor may be implemented in custom circuitry, such as an ASIC, or semicustom circuitry resulting from configuring a programmable logic device. As yet a further alternative, a processor may be a portion of a larger circuit or semiconductor device, whether commercially available, semi-custom or custom. As a specific example, some commercially available microprocessors have multiple cores such that one or a subset of those cores may constitute a processor. Though, a processor may be implemented using circuitry in any suitable format.

[0118] The terms “program” or “software” are used herein in a generic sense to refer to any type of computer code or set of computer-executable instructions that can be employed to program a computer or other processor to implement various aspects of the present disclosure as discussed above. Additionally, it should be appreciated that according to one aspect of this embodiment, one or more computer programs that when executed perform methods of the present disclosure need not reside on a single computer or processor, but may be distributed in a modular fashion amongst a number of different computers or processors to implement various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0119] Computer-executable instructions may be in many forms, such as program modules, executed by one or more computers or other devices. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Typically, the functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments.

[0120] Also, data structures may be stored in computer-readable media in any suitable form. For simplicity of illustration, data structures may be shown to have fields that are related through location in the data structure. Such relationships may likewise be achieved by assigning storage for the fields with locations in a computer-readable medium that conveys relationship between the fields. However, any suitable mechanism may be used to establish a relationship between information in fields of a data structure, including through the use of pointers, tags or other mechanisms that establish relationship between data elements. [0121] Various aspects of the present disclosure may be used alone, in combination, or in a variety of arrangements not specifically discussed in the embodiments described in the foregoing and is therefore not limited in its application to the details and arrangement of components set forth in the foregoing description or illustrated in the drawings. For example, aspects described in one embodiment may be combined in any manner with aspects described in other embodiments.

[0122] Also, the embodiments described herein may be embodied as a method, of which an example has been provided. The acts performed as part of the method may be ordered in any suitable way. Accordingly, embodiments may be constructed in which acts are performed in an order different than illustrated, which may include performing some acts simultaneously, even though shown as sequential acts in illustrative embodiments.

[0123] Further, some actions are described as taken by an “operator.” It should be appreciated that a “operator” need not be a single individual, and that in some embodiments, actions attributable to a “operator” may be performed by a team of individuals and/or an individual in combination with computer-assisted tools or other mechanisms.

[0124] While the present teachings have been described in conjunction with various embodiments and examples, it is not intended that the present teachings be limited to such embodiments or examples. On the contrary, the present teachings encompass various alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.

Claims

CLAIMS A computer-assisted system comprising: a manipulator arm comprising a plurality of links coupled by a plurality of joints in a kinematic chain, wherein a link of the plurality of links comprises an instrument mounting portion configured to support an instrument, wherein the manipulator arm is configured to rotate the instrument mounting portion about a first rotational axis, and wherein the manipulator arm or the instrument is configured to rotate the instrument relative to the instrument mounting portion and about a second rotational axis; a plurality of actuators drivable to move the manipulator arm and the instrument; and a control system comprising at least one processor, the control system configured to: receive an indication for instrument coupling or decoupling, in response to receiving the indication, determine one or more movements of the instrument and the manipulator arm to orient the instrument mounting portion for the instrument coupling or decoupling while limiting a change in a position or orientation of a distal portion of the instrument within a change tolerance, the one or more movements of the instrument and the manipulator arm comprising: a first rotation of the instrument mounting portion about the first rotational axis and a second rotation of the instrument about the second rotational axis, and cause the plurality of actuators to move the instrument and the manipulator arm based on the determined one or more movements. The computer-assisted system of claim 1, wherein: the instrument comprises a shaft having a roll axis, and an end effector coupled distally of the shaft; when the instrument mounting portion is supporting the instrument, the first rotational axis deviates from the roll axis by less than a first angular tolerance; and when the instrument mounting portion is supporting the instrument, the second rotational axis deviates from the roll axis by less than a second angular tolerance. The computer-assisted system of claim 1, wherein the change tolerance is no change in position and no change in orientation. The computer-assisted system of claim 1, wherein the first rotational axis is parallel to the second rotational axis when the instrument mounting portion is supporting the instrument, wherein the first rotation is in a first direction, and wherein the second rotation is in a second direction opposite the first direction. The computer-assisted system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of joints provides degrees of freedom to allow a range of joint states of the plurality of joints for a same state of the distal portion, wherein the first rotational axis is parallel to the second rotational axis, wherein the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis are not colinear and are offset from each other by an offset distance, and wherein the one or more movements include a movement of one or more joints in the plurality of joints located proximally to the instrument mounting portion in the kinematic chain. The computer-assisted system of claim 1, wherein: the control system is further configured to determine a location of an operator; and the control system is configured to determine the one or more movements by: determining one or more motions of the plurality of joints to orient the instrument mounting portion toward the determined location of the operator. The computer-assisted system of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to: cause the plurality of actuators to retract the instrument before causing the plurality of actuators to move the instrument and the manipulator arm based on the one or more movements of the instrument and the manipulator arm. The computer-assisted system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to determine the one or more movements by: determining the one or more movements to reduce an error between an orientation of the instrument mounting portion and a target orientation while keeping within a limit of the plurality of actuators. The computer-assisted system of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the manipulator arm is a first manipulator arm, wherein the plurality of links is a first plurality of links, wherein the plurality of joints is a first plurality of joints, wherein the instrument mounting portion is a first instrument mounting portion, wherein the instrument is a first instrument, wherein the one or more movements are one or more first movements, wherein the change tolerance is a first change tolerance, and wherein the computer-assisted system further comprises: a second manipulator arm comprising a second plurality of links coupled by a second plurality of joints in a second kinematic chain, wherein a link of the second plurality of links comprises a second instrument mounting portion configured to support a second instrument, wherein the second manipulator arm is configured to rotate the second instrument mounting portion about a third rotational axis, and wherein the second manipulator arm or the second instrument is configured to rotate a portion of the second instrument relative to the second instrument mounting portion and about a fourth rotational axis, wherein the plurality of actuators is further drivable to move the second manipulator arm and the second instrument, and wherein the control system is further configured to: in response to receiving the indication, further determine one or more second movements of the second instrument and the second manipulator arm to orient the second instrument mounting portion for the instrument coupling or decoupling while limiting a change in a position or orientation of a distal portion of the second instrument within a second change tolerance, and cause the plurality of actuators to move the second instrument and the second manipulator arm based on the determined one or more second movements. The computer-assisted system of claim 9, wherein the one or more first movements and the one or more second movements are configured to orient the first instrument mounting portion and the second instrument mounting portion within an angular tolerance from each other relative to an operator of the computer-assisted system. The computer-assisted system of claim 10, wherein the first instrument comprises a first instrument interface, wherein the second instrument comprises a second instrument interface, and wherein the one or more first movements and the one or more second movements are configured to orient the first instrument mounting portion and the second instrument mounting portion within an angular tolerance from each other by: orienting the first instrument interface and the second instrument interface to be actuatable by a same hand of an operator with a change in orientation of the hand by no more than 45 degrees. The computer-assisted system of claim 10, wherein the first manipulator arm and the second manipulator arm are configured to be located on opposite sides of a worksite of the computer-assisted system. The computer-assisted system of claim 9, wherein the control system is further configured to: determine whether the first manipulator arm is supporting the first instrument; determine whether the second manipulator arm is supporting the second instrument; not cause the plurality of actuators to move the first instrument and the second manipulator arm in response to receiving the indication, when it is determined that the first manipulator arm is not supporting the first instrument; and not cause the plurality of actuators to move the second instrument and the second manipulator arm in response to receiving the indication, when it is determined that the second manipulator arm is not supporting the second instrument. The computer-assisted system of any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the indication is from a command for instrument coupling or decoupling received from an operator. The computer-assisted system of any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the control system is further configured to: autonomously determine the indication based on an operating state or operating environment of the computer-assisted system or the instrument, and not based on a command for instrument coupling or instrument decoupling received from an operator. The computer-assisted system of claim 15, wherein the operating state or operating environment of the computer-assisted system or the instrument comprises at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of: a completed usage of a disposable item coupled to the instrument; an initial setup state of the computer-assisted system; the instrument not being supported by the manipulator arm; a completion of a procedure being performed by the computer-assisted system; a malfunction of the computer-assisted system; a malfunction of the instrument; an emergency condition; and a maintenance or service required of the instrument. A computer-assisted system comprising: a first manipulator arm comprising a first plurality of links coupled by a first plurality of joints in a first kinematic chain, wherein a link of the first plurality of links comprises a first instrument mounting portion configured to support a first instrument; a second manipulator arm comprising a second plurality of links coupled by a second plurality of joints in a second kinematic chain, wherein a link of the second plurality of links comprises a second instrument mounting portion configured to support a second instrument; a plurality of actuators drivable to move the first manipulator arm and the first instrument, and further drivable to move the second manipulator arm and the second instrument; and a control system comprising at least one processor, the control system configured to: receive an indication for instrument coupling or decoupling, in response to the indication, determine one or more first movements of the first manipulator arm and one or more second movements of the second manipulator arm to orient the first instrument mounting portion and the second instrument mounting portion within an angular tolerance from each other, and cause the plurality of actuators to move the first manipulator arm and the second manipulator arm based on the one or more first movements and the one or more second movements. The computer-assisted system of claim 17, wherein: the first manipulator arm is configured to rotate the first instrument mounting portion about a first rotational axis, and wherein the first manipulator arm or the first instrument is configured to rotate the first instrument relative to the first instrument mounting portion and about a second rotational axis; the second manipulator arm is configured to rotate the second instrument mounting portion about a third rotational axis, and wherein the second manipulator arm or the second instrument is configured to rotate the second instrument relative to the second instrument mounting portion and about a fourth rotational axis; the one or more first movements comprise a first rotation of the first instrument mounting portion about the first rotational axis and a second rotation of the instrument about the second rotational axis, and limit a change in a position or orientation of a first distal portion of the first instrument within a first change tolerance; and the one or more second movements comprise a third rotation of the second instrument mounting portion about the third rotational axis and a fourth rotation of the second instrument about the fourth rotational axis, and limit a change in a position or orientation of a second distal portion of the second instrument within a second change tolerance. The computer-assisted system of claim 17, wherein: the control system is further configured to determine a location of an operator; the control system is configured to determine the one or more first movements by: determining one or more motions of the first plurality of joints to orient the first instrument mounting portion toward the location of the operator; and the control system is configured to determine the one or more second movements by: determining one or more motions of the second plurality of joints to orient the second instrument mounting portion toward the location of the operator. The computer-assisted system of claim 17, wherein the first instrument comprises a first instrument interface, wherein the second instrument comprises a second instrument interface, and wherein the one or more first movements and the one or more second movements are configured to orient the first instrument mounting portion and the second instrument mounting portion within an angular tolerance from each other by: orienting the first instrument interface and the second instrument interface to be actuatable by a same hand of an operator with a change in orientation of the hand by no more than 45 degrees. The computer-assisted system of any of claims 17 to 20, wherein the control system is further configured to: determine whether the first manipulator arm is supporting the first instrument; determine whether the second manipulator arm is supporting the second instrument; not cause the plurality of actuators to move the first instrument and the first manipulator arm in response to receiving the indication, when it is determined that the first manipulator arm is not supporting the first instrument; and not cause the plurality of actuators to move the second instrument and the second manipulator arm in response to receiving the indication, when it is determined that the second manipulator arm is not supporting the second instrument. A method of controlling a computer-assisted system, the computer-assisted system comprising a manipulator arm comprising a plurality of links coupled by a plurality of joints in a kinematic chain, wherein a link of the plurality of links comprises an instrument mounting portion configured to support an instrument and a plurality of actuators configured to move the manipulator arm and the instrument, wherein the plurality of actuators is configured to rotate the instrument mounting portion about a first rotational axis, and wherein the manipulator arm or the instrument is configured to rotate the instrument relative to the instrument mounting portion and about a second rotational axis, the method comprising: receiving an indication for instrument coupling or decoupling; in response to receiving the indication, determining one or more movements of the instrument and the manipulator arm to orient the instrument mounting portion for the instrument coupling or decoupling while limiting a change in position or orientation of a distal portion of the instrument within a change tolerance, the one or more movements of the instrument and the manipulator arm comprising a first rotation of the instrument mounting portion about the first rotational axis and a second rotation of the instrument about the second rotational axis; and causing the plurality of actuators to move the instrument and the manipulator arm based on the determined one or more movements. The method of claim 22, wherein the first rotational axis is parallel to the second rotational axis, and wherein the first rotation is in a first direction, and the second rotation is in a second direction opposite the first direction. The method of claim 22, wherein the plurality of joints provides degrees of freedom to allow a range of joint states of the plurality of joints for a same state of the distal portion, wherein the first rotational axis is parallel to the second rotational axis, wherein the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis are not colinear and are offset from each other by an offset distance, and wherein the manipulator arm and wherein the one or more movements include a movement of one or more joints in the plurality of joints located proximally to the instrument mounting portion in the kinematic chain. The method of claim 22, further comprising: determining a location of an operator; and determining the one or more movements by determining one or more motions of the plurality of joints to orient the instrument mounting portion toward the determined location of the operator. The method of any one of claims 22 to 25, wherein the manipulator arm is a first manipulator arm, wherein the plurality of links is a first plurality of links, wherein the plurality of joints is a first plurality of joints, wherein the instrument mounting portion is a first instrument mounting portion, wherein the instrument is a first instrument, wherein the one or more movements are one or more first movements, wherein the change tolerance is a first change tolerance, wherein the method further comprises: in response to the indication, determining one or more second movements of a second instrument and a second manipulator arm to orient a second instrument mounting portion for coupling or decoupling the second instrument, while limiting a change in a position or orientation of a distal portion of the second instrument within a second change tolerance, and cause the plurality of actuators to move the second instrument and the second manipulator arm based on the determined one or more second movements. The method of claim 26, wherein the one or more first movements and the one or more second movements are configured to orient the first instrument mounting portion and the second instrument mounting portion within an angular tolerance from each other relative to an operator of the computer-assisted system. The method of claim 26, further comprising: determining whether the first manipulator arm is supporting the first instrument; determining whether the second manipulator arm is supporting the second instrument; not causing the plurality of actuators to move the first instrument and the first manipulator arm in response to the indication, when it is determined that the first manipulator arm is not supporting the first instrument; and not causing the plurality of actuators to move the second instrument and the second manipulator arm in response to the indication, when it is determined that the second manipulator arm is not supporting the second instrument. A method of controlling a computer-assisted system comprising a first manipulator arm, a second manipulator arm, and a plurality of actuators, wherein the first manipulator arm comprises a first plurality of links coupled by a first plurality of joints in a first kinematic chain, wherein a link of the first plurality of links comprises a first instrument mounting portion configured to support a first instrument, wherein the second manipulator arm comprises a second plurality of links coupled by a second plurality of joints in a second kinematic chain, wherein a link of the second plurality of links comprises a second instrument mounting portion configured to support a second instrument, wherein the plurality of actuators is drivable to move the first manipulator arm and the first instrument, and the second manipulator arm and the second instrument, the method comprising: receiving an indication for instrument coupling or decoupling; in response to the indication, determining one or more first movements of the first manipulator arm and one or more second movements of the second manipulator arm to orient the first instrument mounting portion and the second instrument mounting portion within an angular tolerance from each other; and causing the plurality of actuators to move the first manipulator arm and the second manipulator arm based on the one or more first movements and the one or more second movements. The method of claim 29, wherein: the first manipulator arm is configured to rotate the first instrument mounting portion about a first rotational axis, and wherein the first manipulator arm or the first instrument is configured to rotate the first instrument relative to the first instrument mounting portion and about a second rotational axis; the second manipulator arm is configured to rotate the second instrument mounting portion about a third rotational axis, and wherein the second manipulator arm or the second instrument is configured to rotate the second instrument relative to the second instrument mounting portion and about a fourth rotational axis; the one or more first movements comprise a first rotation of the first instrument mounting portion about the first rotational axis and a second rotation of the first instrument about the second rotational axis, and limit a change in a position or orientation of a first distal portion of the first instrument within a first change tolerance; and the one or more second movements comprise a third rotation of the second instrument mounting portion about the third rotational axis and a fourth rotation of the second instrument about the fourth rotational axis, and limit a change in a position or orientation of a second distal portion of the second instrument within a second change tolerance. The method of claim 29, wherein: the method further comprises: determining a location of an operator; determining the one or more first movements comprises determining one or more motions of the first plurality of joints to orient the first instrument mounting portion toward the location of the operator; and determining the one or more second movements comprises determining one or more motions of the second plurality of joints to orient the second instrument mounting portion toward the location of the operator. The method of claims 29 to 31, further comprising: determining whether the first manipulator arm is supporting the first instrument; determining whether the second manipulator arm is supporting the second instrument; not causing the plurality of actuators to move the first instrument and the first manipulator arm in response to receiving the indication, when it is determined that the first manipulator arm is not supporting the first instrument; and not causing the plurality of actuators to move the second instrument and the second manipulator arm in response to receiving the indication, when it is determined that the second manipulator arm is not supporting the second instrument. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor associated with a computer-assisted system, causes the at least one processor to perform the method of any of claims 22 to 32.