Intelligent autonomous camera control for robotics with medical, military, and space applications

A system for autonomous camera control, the system comprising:

• a first robot having a surgical tool mounted as an end effector;
• a second robot having a camera mounted as an end effector;
• a controller for manipulating the second robot, wherein the controller stores a first kinematic model for the first robot and a second kinematic model for the second robot, the controller being configured to automatically manipulate the second robot to position the camera based on the second kinematic model and an expected position of the surgical tool according the first kinematic model of the first robot, wherein the controller is configured to identify a threshold angle from a viewing axis of the camera, calculate a tool angle from the viewing axis of the camera, moving camera closer to the surgical tool if the surgical tool angle is less than the threshold angle.

A method for autonomous camera control, the method comprising:

• storing a first kinematic model for a first robot and a second kinematic model for a second robot;
• identifying a threshold angle from a viewing axis of the camera, calculating a tool angle from the viewing axis of the camera, moving camera further away from the tool if the tool angle is greater than the threshold angle;
• automatically manipulating the second robot to position a camera based on the second kinematic model and an expected position of a surgical tool mounted on the first robot according the first kinematic model of the first robot.