Articulated positioning system for a scientific or medical tool, robotized positioning assembly comprising same and corresponding method

A robotized positioning assembly for positioning a scientific or medical tool in at least one of a predetermined position and a predetermined orientation with respect to a head of a subject, the robotized positioning assembly being connectable to a support structure and comprising an articulated positioning system comprising:

• a spherical robot arm assembly defining an arm displacement sphere having a center, the spherical robot arm assembly comprising:
• a proximal arm segment comprising a base-mounting end portion connectable to the support structure and an opposed distal segment-mounting end portion, the proximal arm segment forming a proximal arc of the arm displacement sphere;
• and
• a distal arm segment comprising a proximal segment-mounting end portion pivotally mounted to the distal segment-mounting end portion of the proximal arm segment about an arm segment connection axis and an opposed tool-holding end portion, the distal arm segment forming a distal arc of the arm displacement sphere;
• a head position-determining system to determine a head position of the subject;
• a calculation device to determine target positions of the proximal and distal arm segments as a function of the head position and the at least one of a predetermined position and a predetermined orientation;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the articulated positioning system to position said proximal and distal arm segments in said determined target positions thereof wherein, when the scientific or medical tool is mounted to the tool-holding end portion of the distal arm segment, said scientific or medical tool is in said at least one of a predetermined position and a predetermined orientation with respect to the head of the subject.

A method for positioning a scientific or medical tool in at least one of a predetermined position and a predetermined orientation with respect to a head of a subject, the method comprising:

• providing an articulated positioning system connectable to a support structure and comprising a spherical robot arm assembly defining an arm displacement sphere having a center, the spherical robot arm assembly comprising:
• a proximal arm segment comprising a base-mounting end portion connectable to the support structure and an opposed distal segment-mounting end portion, the proximal arm segment forming a proximal arc of the arm displacement sphere;
• and
• a distal arm segment comprising a proximal segment-mounting end portion pivotally mounted to the distal segment-mounting end portion of the proximal arm segment about an arm segment connection axis and an opposed tool-holding end portion, the distal arm segment forming a distal arc of the arm displacement sphere;
• arranging the articulated positioning system for the head of the subject to be at least partially disposed within the arm displacement sphere;
• and
• displacing at least one of the proximal and distal arm segments for said scientific or medical tool to be in said at least one of a predetermined position and a predetermined orientation;
• wherein the articulated positioning system further comprises a tool-holding assembly mounted to the tool-holding end portion of the distal arm segment, the tool-holding assembly comprising a tool-receiving portion and first and second tool-pivoting devices having respectively first and second tool-pivoting axes intersecting perpendicularly to each other, wherein when the scientific or medical tool is engaged with the tool-receiving portion, the scientific or medical tool is pivotable about the first and second tool-pivoting axes,
• wherein the method further comprises engaging said scientific or medical tool with said tool-receiving portion;
• and
• actuating at least one of said first and second tool-pivoting devices to pivot said scientific or medical tool about the corresponding one of said first and second tool-pivoting axes.