Robotic system and method for reorienting a surgical instrument moving along a tool path

A robotic system for positioning an energy applicator extending from a surgical instrument, said system comprising:

• a surgical manipulator having a plurality of links and a plurality of actuators for moving said plurality of links to position the energy applicator with respect to target tissue;
• and
• at least one controller configured to:
• control operation of said surgical manipulator in a manual mode or a semi-autonomous mode;
• model the surgical instrument and the energy applicator as a virtual rigid body;
• and
• determine forces and torques to apply to the virtual rigid body to advance the energy applicator along a tool path in said semi-autonomous mode, wherein the energy applicator is constrained along the tool path for removing a predefined section of the target tissue;
• and
• a force/torque sensor coupled to said surgical manipulator and configured to generate an output representing forces and torques,
• said surgical manipulator configured to:
• move the energy applicator along the tool path in said semi-autonomous mode;
• monitor said output of said force/torque sensor as the energy applicator moves along the tool path;
• and
• reorient the surgical instrument based on said output in response to a user applying reorienting forces and torques to the surgical instrument while the energy applicator moves along the tool path, said surgical manipulator configured to reorient the surgical instrument simultaneously with moving the energy applicator along the tool path.