Surgical System And Method Of Evaluating The Extent To Which A Limb Is Held By A Limb Holder

A surgical system for treating a bone of a patient, the bone being part of a limb of the patient, and the limb being held by a limb holder, the surgical system comprising:

• a robotic manipulator configured to support and move a surgical instrument to apply a force to the limb and to treat the bone;
• and
• one or more controllers coupled to the robotic manipulator and being configured to:
• obtain the force applied to the limb by the surgical instrument;
• measure a displacement of the limb responsive to the force applied to the limb;
• obtain a mass of the limb;
• determine stiffness and damping characteristics of the limb based on the obtained force, the measured displacement, and the mass of the limb;
• and
• control the robotic manipulator to treat the bone with the surgical instrument in a manner that accounts for the stiffness and damping characteristics of the limb.

A method of operating a surgical system for treating a bone of a patient, the bone being part of a limb of the patient, and the limb being held by a limb holder, the surgical system including a robotic manipulator that supports a surgical instrument, and one or more controllers coupled to the robotic manipulator, the method comprising the one or more controllers performing the following steps:

• controlling the robotic manipulator to move the surgical instrument for applying a force to the limb;
• obtaining the force applied to the limb by the surgical instrument;
• measuring a displacement of the limb responsive to the force applied to the limb;
• obtaining a mass of the limb;
• determining stiffness and damping characteristics of the limb based on the obtained force, the measured displacement, and the mass of the limb;
• and
• controlling the robotic manipulator for treating the bone with the surgical instrument in a manner accounting for the stiffness and damping characteristics of the limb.