Teleoperated robotic system with payload stabilization

A teleoperated robotic system, comprising:

• a master control arm having at least two support members coupled together about a joint to form a degree of freedom corresponding to a degree of freedom of at least one of a shoulder, an elbow, and a wrist of a human arm;
• a first slave arm comprising at least two support members coupled together about one or more joints, and one or more actuators configured to actuate the one or more joints of the slave arm;
• a first end effector disposed at the end of the first slave arm;
• a first load sensor associated with the first end effector that measures a load applied by a payload on the first end effector in at least one degree of freedom and provides load data for the payload;
• and
• a general degree of freedom controller configured to move the first slave arm about one or more degrees of freedom and that utilizes the load data from the first load sensor to facilitate actuated movement of the first slave arm in response to the load applied to the first load sensor by the payload, and that causes the first slave arm to move in response to the load applied to the payload to stabilize the payload.

A method for controlling a first slave arm, the first slave arm comprising at least two support members coupled together about one or more joints and, wherein a first end effector is disposed at the end of the first slave arm, the method comprising:

• measuring a load applied by a payload on the first end effector in at least one degree of freedom using a first load sensor associated with the first end effector;
• generating load data associated with the payload;
• and
• actuating one or more actuators associated with one or more joints of the first slave arm to actuate movement of the first slave arm to stabilize the payload based on the load data received in response to the load measured by the first load sensor as applied by the payload.

A method for controlling a first slave arm and a second slave arm, the first slave arm comprising at least two support members coupled together about one or more joints, the second slave arm comprising at least two support members coupled together about one or more joints, wherein a first end effector is disposed at the end of the first slave arm and a second end effector is disposed at the end of the second slave arm, the method comprising:

• measuring loads applied by a payload on at least one of the first and second end effectors of the first and second slave arms in at least one degree of freedom using first and second load sensors associated with the first and second end effectors;
• generating load data associated with the payload;
• and
• actuating one or more actuators associated with one or more joints of at least one of the first slave arm and the second slave arm to stabilize the payload based on the load data received in response to the load measured by at least one of the first and second load sensors as applied by the payload.