Surgical robotic tools, data architecture, and use

A fault tolerant robotic surgical system comprising:

• a surgical tool having a surgical end effector and an interface;
• a manipulator assembly having a base and a tool holder for releasably engaging the interface;
• a plurality of tool engagement sensors coupled to the tool holder, each sensor producing a tool signal when the interface engages the holder;
• and
• a processor coupled to the tool engagement sensors, the processor having a tool change mode and a tissue manipulation mode, the processor requiring tool signals from each of the sensors before changing from the tool change mode to the tissue manipulation mode, the processor remaining in the tissue manipulation mode when at least one, but not all, of the tool signals is lost.

A robotic surgical system comprising:

• a manipulator assembly having a base and a tool holder which moves relative to the base, the tool holder having a plurality of drive elements;
• a sterile drape covering at least a portion of the manipulator;
• a sterile tool having a proximal interface and a distal end effector, the distal end effector having a plurality of degrees of motion relative to the proximal interface, the distal end effector coupled to driven elements of the interface;
• and
• an adapter disposed adjacent the sterile drape between the holder and the interface, the adapter comprising a plurality of movable bodies, each movable body having a first surface driven by the driven elements and a second surface driving the driven elements.

A robotic system comprising:

• a robotic manipulator having a tool holder, the manipulator moving the holder in response to signals from a processor;
• a tool having a surgical end effector;
• an adapter coupling the tool to the holder, the adapter maintaining sterile separation between the tool and holder;
• a first sensor disposed adjacent the holder, the first sensor transmitting a first signal to the processor in response to coupling of the adapter to the holder;
• and
• a second sensor disposed adjacent the holder, the second sensor transmitting a second signal to the processor in response to coupling of the tool to the adapter.

A robotic surgical system comprising:

• a tool having circuitry containing verification information;
• a coupler for coupling the tool;
• and
• at least one system processor for receiving the verification information from the tool when coupled to the coupler, said at least one processor further manipulating the information with an algorithm to produce output information, comparing the output information to predetermined data to verify compatibility of the tool with the robotic surgical system, and enabling the robotic surgical system to manipulate the tool if the output information matches the predetermined data.

A robotic surgical system comprising:

• a processor which directs movement of a tool;
• and
• a robotic surgical tool including a probe having a proximal end and a distal end;
• a surgical end effector disposed adjacent the distal end of the probe;
• an interface disposed adjacent the proximal end of the probe, the interface releasably coupleable with the tool holder;
• and circuitry mounted on the probe, the circuitry defining a signal for transmitting to the processor so as to indicate compatibility of the tool with the system;
• wherein the signal comprises unique tool identifier data;
• and the processor includes programming to manipulate the tool identifier data according to a predetermined function so as to derive verification data.