# US 11,439,471 B2 · Surgical tool system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,439,471 B2 - Document ID: US11439471B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/161,672 - Filed: 2018-10-16 - Published: 2019-02-14 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2012-06-21 - Assignees: Globus Medical, Inc. - Applicants: Globus Medical, Inc. - Inventors: Norbert Johnson; Robert Stevens; Hisham Salem; Yuan Cheng - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439471B2 ## CPC - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - A61B 5/061: {Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body (A61B1/00158 takes precedence)} - A61B 5/062: {using magnetic field} - A61B 34/10: Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations - A61B 34/20: Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis - A61B 34/74: {Manipulators with manual electric input means} - A61B 90/98: using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders - B25J 5/007: {mounted on wheels} - B25J 13/065: {comprising joy-sticks} - B60B 19/003: {Multidirectional wheels} - A61B 2017/00212: {using remote controls} - A61B 2034/2046: {Tracking techniques} - A61B 2034/2051: {Electromagnetic tracking systems} - A61B 2034/2055: {Optical tracking systems} - A61B 2034/742: {Joysticks} - A61B 2090/064: {for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension} - A61B 2090/3979: {infrared} - A61B 2090/3983: {Reference marker arrangements for use with image guided surgery} - B60B 2200/26: Medical appliances - 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}) - B60B: VEHICLE WHEELS (making wheels or wheel parts by rolling B21H1/00, by forging, hammering or pressing B21K1/28); CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION ## Abstract Devices, Systems, and Methods for controlled movement of the robot system. The surgical robot system may include a robot having a robot base, a robot arm coupled to the robot base, and an end-effector coupled to the robot arm. The robot may include a plurality of omni-directional wheels affixed to the robot base allowing multiple-axis movement of the robot. The robot may further include sensors for detecting a desired movement of the robot base and a control system responsive to 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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 plurality of tracking markers detectable by at least one camera; a plurality of wheels affixed to the robot base allowing multiple-axis movement of the robot; 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 control system responsive to outputs from the plurality of directional force sensors for controlling the multiple-axis movement of the robot 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of wheels includes a central hub with a plurality of rollers mounted to the central hub. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The surgical robot system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of rollers are mounted at an angle relative to a central axis of the central hub. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the multiple axis movement is selected from the group consisting of: movement in a plane; movement in a 2-D coordinate system; and three axis movement in a forward-backward direction, movement in a side direction and rotation about a defined axis perpendicular to the forward-backward and side directions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors for detecting a desired movement are selected from the group consisting of a strain gauge, force-sensing resistor, a piezoelectric sensor, a piezo capacitive pressure sensor, a piezo resistor and a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) micro-scale strain gauge. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors for detecting a desired movement are mounted in left-and-right handles of the robot base. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors for detecting a desired movement are mounted in a joystick of the robot base, and wherein the desired movement is indicated by a movement of the joystick. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors are operable to sense a desired front left wheel force in a forward/backward direction, a desired rear left wheel force in the forward/backward direction, a desired rear left wheel force in a side direction, a desired front right wheel force in a forward/backward direction, a rear right wheel force in a side direction and a rear right wheel force in a backward/forward direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a sensor array mounted in a planar configuration selected from the group consisting of a generally circular array, a generally elliptical array, a generally rectangular array and a generally square array. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The surgical robot system of claim 1, further comprising at least one motor under control of the control system for providing power to each of the plurality of wheels. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of tracking markers in the end-effector are active markers having an active state and an inactive state, the active state emitting an infrared signal detected by the at least one camera, and the inactive state not emitting the infrared signal such that the plurality tracking markers are not detected by the at least one camera. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The surgical robot system of claim 1, further comprising a surgical instrument having one or more tracking markers to be tracked by the robot system, the surgical instrument configured to be positioned in the end-effector in order to align the surgical instrument along a given trajectory for a surgical procedure. ### Claim 13 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. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The surgical robot system of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of wheels includes a central hub with a plurality of rollers mounted to the central hub. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The surgical robot system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of sensors for detecting a desired movement are selected from the group consisting of a strain gauge, force-sensing resistor, a piezoelectric sensor, a piezo capacitive pressure sensor, a piezo resistor and a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) micro-scale strain gauge. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The surgical robot system of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of motors, one motor for each of the plurality of wheels, each motor controlled by the control system for independently powering one of the plurality of wheels. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The surgical robot system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of sensors are operable to sense a desired front left wheel force in a forward/backward direction, a desired rear left wheel force in the forward/backward direction, a desired rear left wheel force in a side direction, a desired front right wheel force in a forward/backward direction, a rear right wheel force in a side direction and a rear right wheel force in a backward/forward direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The surgical robot system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a sensor array mounted in a planar configuration selected from the group consisting of a generally circular array, a generally elliptical array, a generally rectangular array and a generally square array. ### Claim 19 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. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The surgical robot system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of rollers are mounted at an angle to a central axis of the central hub.