Virtual fixtures with autonomous error compensation for human-robot cooperative tasks

This paper presents a control strategy for Surgical interventions, applied oil a human-robot cooperative system, which facilitates the sharing of responsibilities between Surgeon and robot. The controller utilizes Virtual fixtures to constrain the movements of the end-effector into a predefined path or region. Possible deviation error can be compensated in two different ways: (a) manual compensation and (b) autonomous compensation. With manual compensation, the system defines both virtual fixtures and error compensation directions, but the Surgeon must apply manual forces himself/herself in order to generate end-effector motion. With autonomous compensation, a clear distribution Of responsibilities between Surgeon and robotic system is present, meaning the Surgeon has complete control of the end-effector along the preferred directions, while the robot autonomously compensates for any deviation along the non-preferred directions.