Robotic arm module

A robotic system comprising:

• a host robot having a robotic gripping device;
• a robotic arm module electrically connected to the host robot and having an arm and an attachment structure for grasping by the gripping device to secure the host robot to the arm module, the arm having a plurality of actuators for articulating the arm, each actuator having a unique identifier for operating the actuator, an electrical interface of the arm module being configured to receive electrical signals in response to a user moving remote manipulators, the electrical signals causing the arm to mimic the movement of the user moving the remote manipulators;
• and
• a tool having at least one actuator for actuating the tool, the tool being grasped by the arm and being electrically connected to the arm module, the identifier of each arm actuator being mapped to a corresponding tool actuator upon electrical connection of the tool to the arm module such movement of the remote manipulators actuates the tool by sending electronic signals through the arm module.

A method of operating a robotic system comprising:

• providing a host robot having at least one gripping arm, each gripping arm having a plurality of actuators for articulating the gripping arm, an electrical interface of the host robot being configured to receive electronic signals in response to a user moving remote manipulators, the electronic signals causing the gripping arm to mimic the movement of the user moving the remote manipulators;
• providing a robotic arm module having at least one arm that includes a plurality of actuators for articulating the arm;
• grasping the robotic arm module with the at least one gripping arm;
• mapping a unique identifier associated with each gripping arm actuator of the host robot to a corresponding arm actuator of the arm module;
• and
• moving the remote manipulators to articulate the at least one arm of the arm module by sending electronic signals through the host robot to the arm module.