Methods and systems for directing movement of a tool in hair transplantation procedures

A system for a performing a procedure on a body surface of a patient, the system comprising:

• a robotic arm that controls a position of a tool relative to a body surface of a patient during a procedure;
• a camera positioned to capture images of the body surface during the procedure;
• and
• a computing system coupled to the robotic arm and the camera, and configured to control the robotic arm during the procedure, said computing system programmed to:
• provide, on a display screen, a user interface that includes functionality for a user to view the images and to interactively control movement of the tool relative to the body surface during the procedure,
• identify a first site already operated upon with the tool;
• generate and display, on the user interface, a circular region centered on the center of the first site;
• create an exclusion zone surrounding a new potential operating site, the exclusion zone having a shape that extends a greater distance from the new potential operating site in a direction of penetration of the tool than in other directions;
• determine that the first site is in the exclusion zone, said user interface configured to display a visual representation of the exclusion zone on a displayed image of the body surface;
• and
• based on determining that the first site is in the exclusion zone, select an alternative new operating site on the body surface and reposition the exclusion zone such that the exclusion zone surrounds the alternative new operating site and extends a greater distance from the alternative new potential operating site in a direction of penetration of the tool than in other directions, wherein the alternative new operating site is selected such that the first site is outside the exclusion zone, the exclusion zone partially overlaps the generated and displayed circular region, and the alternative new operating site is outside the generated and displayed circular region.