Surgical tool system and method

A surgical robot system comprising:

• a robot having a robot base, a robot arm coupled to the robot base, and an end-effector coupled to the robot arm, the end-effector including a guide tube for receiving at least one instrument;
• a handle attached to the robot base;
• a plurality of wheels attached to the robot base allowing three-axis movement of the robot in a general area of a plane;
• a plurality of spaced directional force sensors positioned to detect directional forces applied to the handle by the user for detecting a desired movement of the robot base;
• and
• a control system responsive to outputs from the plurality of sensors for controlling the three-axis movement of the robot base by actuating two or more of the plurality of wheels,
• wherein eight of the plurality of spaced directional force sensors are arranged elliptically for the control system to cause movement in an x-direction.

A surgical robot system comprising:

• a robot having a robot base and a robot arm coupled to the robot base;
• a handle attached to the robot base;
• a plurality of spaced directional force sensors positioned to detect directional forces applied to the handle by the user for detecting a desired movement of the robot base;
• and
• a plurality of omni-directional wheels affixed to the robot base adapted for multiple-axis movement of the robot, wherein each of the plurality of omni-directional wheels includes a central hub with a plurality of rollers mounted to the central hub;
• and
• a control system responsive to outputs from the plurality of sensors for controlling the multiple-axis movement of the robot by actuating two or more of the plurality of omni-directional wheels,
• wherein eight of the plurality of spaced directional force sensors are arranged elliptically for the control system to cause movement in an x-direction.