| 摘要 |
A robot, e.g. a surgical robot, comprises a base 10 and a flexible arm 14, extending from the base 10. The flexible arm 14 has a plurality of joints 21, through which configuration of the arm can be altered, and a plurality of drivers arranged to drive the joints to move. The arm further comprises an attachment structure 32 for attaching a tool 33, such as a surgical tool, to the arm and a control unit. The control unit 50 controls the drivers and receives inputs from sensors 48, 49. Whilst a surgical tool 33 is attached to the attachment structure 32 and captive in a surgical port 60, the controller controls the drivers, permitting the arm to be reconfigured by the action of an external force applied to the arm, and the tool is retracted from the port along its longitudinal axis 65 Furthermore, on receiving sensor input indicating that the surgical tool 33 is being retracted from the port, the controller controls the drivers to reconfigure the arm so as to agitate, e.g. rotate, the tool transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tool 64. This reduces the friction between the tool and the port. |
