Robotic drill system and method of drilling with a robotic drill system

A method of drilling with a robotic drill system comprising:

• inserting a tool head of the robotic drill system within a hole defined in a drill template along an initial insertion trajectory with a robotic manipulator arm that is moved by at least one robotic actuator to produce a robotic insertion of the tool head, wherein (i) the robotic manipulator arm supports the tool head, (ii) the tool head comprises an expandable collet and an end effector, and (iii) the expandable collet is configured to expand between a retracted configuration for insertion into the hole of the drill template and an expanded configuration;
• detecting, with at least one binding sensor, a misalignment-induced binding of the tool head to a wall of the hole before the end effector reaches a specified position;
• in response to the detecting of the misalignment-induced binding of the tool head to the wall of the hole while inserting the tool head along the initial insertion trajectory, (i) stopping the robotic insertion of the tool head, and (ii) expanding the expandable collet to the expanded configuration to center the end effector in the hole in a corrected alignment;
• inserting the tool head further into the hole along an updated insertion trajectory, wherein the updated insertion trajectory is based on the corrected alignment;
• and
• activating the end effector of the tool head,
• wherein a retracted diameter of the expandable collet in the retracted configuration is at least 95%, but less than 100%, of a template hole diameter of the hole.

A robotic drill system comprising:

• a tool head comprising an expandable collet and an end effector, wherein the expandable collet is configured to expand between a retracted configuration for insertion into a hole defined in a drill template and an expanded configuration;
• a robotic manipulator arm to support the tool head;
• at least one robotic actuator to move the robotic manipulator arm to produce a robotic insertion of the tool head towards the hole of the drill template;
• and
• at least one binding sensor disposed on the at least one robotic actuator and configured to detect a misalignment-induced binding of the expandable collet to a wall of the hole of the drill template before the end effector reaches a specified position,
• wherein in response to detecting the misalignment-induced binding of the expandable collet within the hole, (i) the robotic insertion of the tool head is stopped, and (ii) the expandable collet is configured to expand to the expanded configuration to center the end effector in the hole.

A robotic drill system comprising:

• a tool head comprising an expandable collet and an end effector, wherein the expandable collet is configured to expand between a retracted configuration for insertion into a hole defined in a drill template and an expanded configuration;
• a robotic manipulator arm to support the tool head;
• at least one robotic actuator to move the robotic manipulator arm to produce a robotic insertion of the tool head towards the hole of the drill template;
• and
• at least one binding sensor disposed on the robotic manipulator arm and configured to detect a misalignment-induced binding of the expandable collet to a wall of the hole of the drill template before the end effector reaches a specified position, wherein in response to detecting the misalignment-induced binding of the expandable collet within the hole, (i) the robotic insertion of the tool head is stopped, and (ii) the expandable collet is configured to expand to the expanded configuration to center the end effector in the hole.