Robotic System Including A Link Tracker

A method of operating a surgical system, the surgical system comprising a robotic system including a base, a robotic arm coupled to the base and comprising a plurality of links and joints, a link tracker including a plurality of tracking elements located on a surface of at least one link of the plurality of links, and a mounting interface, an end effector configured to attach to the mounting interface of the robotic arm, the end effector comprising a surgical tool and an end effector tracker including at least one tracking element, and a tracking system comprising a localizer and a controller, the method comprising:

• detecting, with the localizer, the link tracker and the end effector tracker;
• combining, with the controller, signals from the plurality of tracking elements of the link tracker and the at least one tracking element of the end effector tracker for establishing a combined tracking geometry;
• and
• utilizing, with the controller, the combined tracking geometry for tracking or monitoring the robotic system.

A tracking system configured to monitor a robotic system, the robotic system including a base, a robotic arm coupled to the base and comprising a plurality of links and joints, and a mounting interface configured to receive and attached to and end effector that includes a surgical tool, the tracking system comprising:

• a link tracker including a plurality of tracking elements and being located on a surface of at least one link of the plurality of links;
• an end effector tracker including at least one tracking element and being located on the end effector;
• a localizer configured to detect the link tracker and the end effector tracker;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• combine signals from the plurality of tracking elements of the link tracker and the at least one tracking element of the end effector tracker to establish a combined tracking geometry;
• and
• utilize the combined tracking geometry to track or monitor the robotic system.