Path planning based on work volume mapping

A device for planning a path comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• a memory storing data for processing by the at least one processor that, when processed, the data causes the at least one processor to:
• map a work volume and one or more no-fly zones, the work volume defining a volume which a robot may access and each of the one or more no-fly zones defining at least one volume which the robot is restricted from accessing;
• receive information about a position of at least one instrument;
• receive an image of an incision;
• process the image to determine dimensions of the incision based on the image;
• calculate a void volume based on the position of the at least one instrument and the dimensions of the incision;
• update the one or more no-fly zones to remove the void volume;
• and
• calculate a path for a robotic arm of the robot from outside a patient anatomy to within the patient anatomy that avoids the one or more no-fly zones,
• wherein calculating the void volume is further based on known dimensions of the at least one instrument obtained from measurements of the at least one instrument received from a database.

A system for orienting a robotic arm comprising:

• a robotic arm;
• at least one processor;
• and
• a memory storing data for processing by the at least one processor that, when processed, the data causes the at least one processor to:
• map a work volume and one or more no-fly zones, the work volume defining a volume which the robotic arm may access and each of the one or more no-fly zones defining at least one volume which the robotic arm is restricted from accessing;
• receive information about a position of at least one instrument;
• receive an image of an incision;
• process the image to determine dimensions of the incision based on the image;
• calculate a void volume based on the position of the at least one instrument and the dimensions of the incision;
• update the work volume to include the void volume to yield an updated work volume;
• calculate a path for the robotic arm from outside a patient anatomy to within the patient anatomy based on the updated work volume and that avoids the one or more no-fly zones;
• and
• cause the robotic arm to move along the path,
• wherein calculating the void volume is further based on known dimensions of the at least one instrument obtained from measurements of the at least one instrument received from a database.