Optical and non-optical sensor tracking of objects for a robotic cutting system

A method of operating a surgical system comprising a robotic device configured to support a cutting tool and to move the cutting tool in at least three degrees of freedom, a control system configured to command the robotic device to control or constrain movement of the cutting tool, a first tracker configured to be coupled to the robotic device, a second tracker configured to be coupled to an anatomy and the second tracker including three markers configured to generate optical signals and a non-optical sensor configured to generate non-optical signals, and a navigation system in communication with the control system and including at least one optical sensor, the method comprising:

• receiving, with the optical sensor of the navigation system, the optical signals from one or more of the three markers;
• receiving, with the navigation system, the non-optical signals from the non-optical sensor;
• and
• based on the received optical and non-optical signals, communicating, with the navigation system, position data indicative of a position of the anatomy to the control system to control the robotic device for cutting of the anatomy.

A navigation system adapted for a robotic device configured to support a cutting tool and to move the cutting tool in at least three degrees of freedom, and the navigation system being in communication with a control system configured to command the robotic device to control or constrain movement of the cutting tool, and the navigation system comprising:

• at least one optical sensor;
• a first tracker configured to be coupled to the robotic device;
• a second tracker configured to be coupled to an anatomy and the second tracker including three markers configured to generate optical signals and a non-optical sensor configured to generate non-optical signals;
• and
• a computing system including at least one processor configured to:
• receive, with the optical sensor, the optical signals from one or more of the three markers;
• receive the non-optical signals from the non-optical sensor;
• and
• based on the received optical and non-optical signals, communicate position data indicative of a position of the anatomy to the control system to enable the control system to control the robotic device for cutting of the anatomy.