Homing of a cable-driven surgical tool in a surgical robotic system

A surgical robotic system for homing, the surgical robotic system comprising:

• a surgical tool connected by a first number of cables to a respective number of actuators;
• first sensors configured to sense force applied by the actuators;
• and
• a processor configured to control the actuators to apply pressures to the cables without movement of the surgical tool, the pressure sensed by the first sensors, and the processor configured to determine a home position of the actuators for a home position of the surgical tool using the pressures, the processor configured to articulate the cables until collision with an obstacle and define updated positions in response to the obstacle,
• wherein the surgical tool is positioned based on the updated positions.

A method for homing a cable-driven instrument of a surgical robotic system, the method comprising:

• engaging the cable-driven instrument with a tool driver of a surgical robotic arm;
• positioning, after the engaging, motors of the tool driver to first calibrated positions for a home configuration of the cable-driven instrument;
• applying tensions to cables of the cable-driven instrument by the motors, the applying removing any slack in the cables at the home configuration of the cable-driven instrument;
• articulating the cables until collision with an obstacle;
• determining second calibrated positions in response to the obstacle;
• and
• controlling the cable-driven instrument in surgery based on the second calibrated positions.