Systems And Methods For Identifying And Tracking Physical Objects During A Robotic Surgical Procedure

A method of operating a surgical system, the surgical system comprising a robotic device comprising a robotic arm configured to support and move a cutting instrument along a tool path to remove the material from a bone, a vision device attached to the robotic device or the cutting instrument such that the vision device is movable relative to the surgical site in response to movement of the cutting instrument along the tool path, and a control system coupled to the robotic device and the vision device, the method comprising:

• acquiring, with the control system, a plurality of vision data sets of the surgical site from the vision device, the vision data sets being captured from multiple perspectives as the vision device moves relative to the surgical site;
• determining, with the control system, a pose of a surface portion of the bone based on the vision data sets;
• and
• periodically updating, with the control system, the pose of the surface portion of the bone based on successive ones of the vision data sets acquired in response to continued movement of the cutting instrument along the tool path.

A method of removing material from a bone at a surgical site, the method comprising:

• operating a robotic device comprising a robotic arm supporting a cutting instrument;
• moving, with the robotic device, the cutting instrument along a tool path relative to the bone to remove material from the bone;
• moving a vision device attached to the robotic device or the cutting instrument relative to the surgical site in response to movement of the cutting instrument along the tool path;
• acquiring, with a control system coupled to the robotic device and the vision device, a plurality of vision data sets of the surgical site from the vision device, the vision data sets being captured from multiple perspectives;
• determining, with the control system and based on the vision data sets, a pose of a surface portion of the bone;
• and
• periodically updating, with the control system, the pose of the surface portion of the bone based on successive ones of the vision data sets acquired during continued movement of the cutting instrument along the tool path.