Automated surgical and interventional procedures

A system for performing an automated surgical procedure, comprising:

• a sensor that provides information regarding a surgical field;
• a user interface configured to receive commands issued by a surgeon;
• a feedback device configured to relay information to the surgeon;
• a surgical tool having an end portion used for performing a surgical task;
• a surgical robot that is coupled to the surgical tool and that positions and orients the surgical tool;
• a track processing module implemented by processing hardware and configured to receive sensor data from the sensor,
• identify distinct points on at least two of a target tissue, surrounding tissues and the surgical tool end portion based on the sensor data, and
• generate tracking information by tracking the identified distinct points on the respective at least two of the target tissue, the surrounding tissues and the surgical tool end portion, the tracking including identifying a location of the identified distinct points with respect to a reference position over time even when the identified distinct points move with respect to the reference position;
• and
• a control module implemented by the processing hardware and configured to process the surgical field information received from the sensor, the tracking information received from the track processing module, and the commands received from the user interface using an automation program, to generate commands for the surgical robot based on the processing, and to send the commands to the surgical robot.