# US 11,076,918 B2 · Robotically-assisted constraint mechanism > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,076,918 B2 - Document ID: US11076918B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/785,939 - Filed: 2020-02-10 - Published: 2020-06-04 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2002-03-06 - Assignees: MAKO Surgical Corp. - Applicants: MAKO Surgical Corp. - Inventors: Arthur E. Quaid, III - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11076918B2 ## CPC - A61B 34/10: Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations - A61B 17/1703: {using imaging means, e.g. by X-rays} - A61B 17/3403: {Needle locating or guiding means} - A61B 34/20: Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis - A61B 34/25: {User interfaces for surgical systems} - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - A61B 34/32: operating autonomously - A61B 34/35: for telesurgery - A61B 34/37: Leader-follower robots (A61B34/35 takes precedence) - A61B 34/70: {Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery} - A61B 34/74: {Manipulators with manual electric input means} - A61B 34/76: {Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback} - A61B 34/77: {Manipulators with motion or force scaling} - A61B 90/03: {Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety} - A61B 90/06: {Measuring instruments not otherwise provided for} - A61B 90/36: {Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for} - A61B 90/39: {Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers} - B25J 9/0081: {with leader teach-in means} - B25J 13/025: {comprising haptic means} - A61B 17/1757: {for the spine} - A61B 17/1767: {for the patella} - A61B 2017/00022: {Sensing or detecting at the treatment site} - A61B 2017/00119: {alarm; indicating an abnormal situation} - A61B 2017/00128: {related to intensity or progress of surgical action} - A61B 2017/00199: {with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display} - A61B 2017/00212: {using remote controls} - A61B 2017/00398: {using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids} - A61B 2017/3405: {using mechanical guide means} - A61B 2034/104: {Modelling the effect of the tool, e.g. the effect of an implanted prosthesis or for predicting the effect of ablation or burring} - A61B 2034/105: {Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones} - A61B 2034/107: {Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions} - A61B 2034/2055: {Optical tracking systems} - A61B 2034/2068: {using pointers, e.g. pointers having reference marks for determining coordinates of body points} - A61B 2034/2072: {Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient} - A61B 2034/252: {indicating steps of a surgical procedure} - A61B 2034/254: {being adapted depending on the stage of the surgical procedure} - A61B 2090/031: {torque limiting} - A61B 2090/064: {for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension} - A61B 2090/365: {augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image} - A61B 2090/3945: {Active visible markers, e.g. light emitting diodes} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) ## Abstract A surgical system includes a robotic arm, a constraint mechanism coupled to the robotic arm, and a computer system configured to control the robotic arm to constrain manual movement of the constraint mechanism to a plane. The computer system is also configured to control the robotic arm to lock the constraint mechanism in a desired pose when the constraint mechanism is moved to the desired pose via manual movement in the plane. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A surgical system, comprising: a foot pedal; a touchscreen; a robotic arm; a constraint mechanism coupled to the robotic arm; and a computer system configured to: control the robotic arm to constrain manual movement of the constraint mechanism to a plane; and control the robotic arm to lock the constraint mechanism in a desired pose in response to the constraint mechanism moving to the desired pose via constrained manual movement in the plane and occurrence of both a user interacting with the foot pedal and the user providing input via the touchscreen. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the constraint mechanism is a drill guide. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The surgical system of claim 1, wherein controlling the robotic arm to lock the constraint mechanism in the desired pose comprises controlling hardware brakes of the robotic arm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The surgical system of claim 1, wherein controlling the robotic arm to lock the constraint mechanism in the desired pose comprises controlling a servo of the robotic arm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is further configured to control the robotic arm to counteract an effect of gravity on the constraint mechanism. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the plane is defined relative to an anatomical feature. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The surgical system of claim 6, further comprising a tracking system configured to provide tracking data indicative of a pose of the anatomical feature to the computer system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The surgical system of claim 7, wherein the tracking system comprises a marker configured to be coupled to the anatomical feature and a camera configured to determine a location of the marker. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The surgical system of claim 8, wherein the computer system is configured to cause the touchscreen to display information superimposed over one or more images of the anatomical feature based on a position of the constraint mechanism. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the touchscreen is configured to display instructions for executing a surgical procedure using the surgical system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the plane is defined based on x-ray images of a joint of a patient. ### Claim 12 A computer-assisted surgery system, comprising: a processor; storage media coupled to the processor and storing instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform operations comprising: controlling a robotic arm to counteract an effect of gravity on a constraint mechanism coupled to the robotic arm while allowing manual movement of the constraint mechanism; and controlling the robotic arm to constrain the manual movement to a plane; and controlling the robotic arm to lock the constraint mechanism in a desired pose in response to the constraint mechanism moving to the desired pose and occurrence of both a user interacting with a foot pedal and the user providing input via a touchscreen. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The computer-assisted surgery system of claim 12, wherein the constraint mechanism is on the plane when in the desired pose. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The computer-assisted surgery system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise defining the plane relative to an anatomical feature of a patient. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The computer-assisted surgery system of claim 14, wherein defining the plane relative to the anatomical feature comprises receiving x-ray images of the anatomical feature of the patient. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The computer-assisted surgery system of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise receiving tracking data indicative of a pose of the anatomical feature from a tracking system and determining a position of the plane based on the tracking data. ### Claim 17 A method of operating a computer-assisted surgery system, comprising: planning a bone resection to obtain a plane defined in relation to a position of an anatomical feature; controlling mobility of a constraint mechanism mounted on a robotic arm by: causing the robotic arm to limit manual movement of the constraint mechanism to the plane; and manually manipulating the robotic arm to translate the constraint mechanism along the plane to a desired pose; and causing the robotic arm to lock the constraint mechanism at the desired pose in response to the constraint mechanism moving to the desired pose via manual movement in the plane and the occurrence of a plurality of satisfaction indicators comprising two or more of a user interacting with a button, the user interacting with a foot pedal, the user interacting with a keyboard, the user interacting with a mouse, or the user providing input via a touch screen. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the constraint mechanism is a drill guide. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising causing the robotic arm to counteract effects of gravity on the constraint mechanism and the robotic arm. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein defining the plane in relation to the position of the anatomical feature comprises planning an alignment of a knee implant.