Towards Constrained Teleoperation for Safe Long-Distance Robotic Surgical Operations

In this paper we present a predictive control strategy for teleoperating, through communication channels with unknown and possibly unbounded time-delay, a remotely located robotic system so as to avoid dangerous evolutions or the violation of prescribed operative or safety constraints. In particular, we consider the relevant case of putting bounds on the maximum end-effector tracking error (accuracy constraints) with respect to a nominal path while enforcing also constraints on the maximum contact force exchanged between the end-effector itself and the environment. In order to demonstrate its effectiveness, a master/slave teleoperation simulation is considered. It consists of teleoperating a two-links planar robot under contact force and accuracy constraints through a communication link affected by time-delays.