Methods for performing medical procedures using a surgical robot

A method for removing bone with a robot system comprising:

• providing an end effectuator to which a drill has been attached;
• receiving a defined perimeter on a desired trajectory through the anatomy to be drilled;
• retrieving a slice plane from a 3-D CT image scan volume, the retrieved slice plane being a two-dimensional slice lateral to a longitudinal axis of the drill attached to the end effectuator and being near the distal end of the drill;
• and
• controlling the drill to remove bone from the desired trajectory in the intersection of the defined perimeter and the slice plane;
• continuously retrieve a slice plane distally down the desired trajectory;
• for each retrieved slice plane, performing the following steps:
• repositioning the end effectuator such that the each retrieved slice plane is near the distal end of the drill;
• and
• controlling the drill to remove bone from the desired trajectory in the intersection of the defined perimeter and the each retrieved slice plane,
• wherein the each retrieved slice plane is a reformatted slice of the 3-D CT image scan volume, and
• wherein every one of the each retrieved slice plane is the two-dimensional slice perpendicular to the desired trajectory.