Medical robotics systems implementing axis constraints during actuation of one or more motorized joints

A machine-implemented method for robotic manipulation of a medical instrument, comprising:

• robotically facilitating movement of at least one robotic arm comprising a plurality of motors configured to cooperate to move a medical instrument, a first motor of the plurality of motors configured to rotate the medical instrument about a first axis, and a second motor of the plurality of motors configured to translate the medical instrument along a second axis, wherein the robotic arm is coupled to an elongated shaft coaxial with the first axis and adapted to deploy through a body opening of a patient;
• causing the at least one robotic arm to align the elongated shaft such that the elongated shaft passes through the body opening;
• determining a remote center location that corresponds to an intersection between the elongated shaft and the body opening;
• constraining the at least one robotic arm so that the second axis is fixed through the remote center location while the at least one robotic arm manipulates the medical instrument;
• and causing the at least one robotic arm to align the first axis to pass through the remote center location while being constrained with the second axis fixed through the remote center location.

A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a control unit, causes the control unit to perform operations, comprising:

• robotically facilitating movement of at least one robotic arm comprising a plurality of motors configured to cooperate to move a medical instrument, a first motor of the plurality of motors configured to rotate the medical instrument about a first axis, and a second motor of the plurality of motors configured to translate the medical instrument along a second axis, wherein the robotic arm is coupled to an elongated shaft coaxial with the first axis and adapted to deploy through a body opening of a patient;
• causing the at least one robotic arm to align the elongated shaft such that the elongated shaft passes through the body opening;
• determining a remote center location that corresponds to an intersection between the elongated shaft and the body opening;
• constraining the at least one robotic arm so that the second axis is fixed through the remote center location while the at least one robotic arm manipulates the medical instrument;
• and causing the at least one robotic arm to align the first axis to pass through the remote center location while being constrained with the second axis fixed through the remote center location.