A system for performing minimally invasive cardiac procedures. The system includes
a pair of surgical instruments that are coupled to a pair of robotic arms. The
instruments have end effectors that can be manipulated to hold and suture tissue.
The robotic arms are coupled to a pair of master handles by a controller. The handles
can be moved by the surgeon to produce a corresponding movement of the end effectors.
The movement of the handles is scaled so that the end effectors have a corresponding
movement that is different, typically smaller, than the movement performed by the
hands of the surgeon. The scale factor is adjustable so that the surgeon can control
the resolution of the end effector movement. The movement of the end effector can
be controlled by an input button, so that the end effector only moves when the
button is depressed by the surgeon. The input button allows the surgeon to adjust
the position of the handles without moving the end effector, so that the handles
can be moved to a more comfortable position. The robotic arm may contain a passive
joint that provides an additional degree of freedom. Additionally, the system may
include a disconnect input device that decouples the arm from an input device such
as the handles.
