True Digital Surgery’s RE3 robotic surgical exoscope uses multiple robotic arms and must maintain stability under a range of operating configurations. The current iteration uses large passive steel counterweights distributed throughout the base, making the robot unnecessarily difficult to move and expand upon when modifications are needed. As the RE3 continues to evolve, relying entirely on passive ballasts becomes a less attractive solution, since heavier arms or an expanded range of movement would require further increases in weight or a major redesign of the base.

To address this challenge, the Robot Root is designed to exhibit a lighter, more intelligent internal counterweight system for the RE3 robotic exoscope. Rather than depending on a fixed passive mass, the proposed design systematically moves an internal weight according to changes in loading and system configuration. Load cells constantly read the center of mass of the surgical exoscope, reducing the need to know specific locations of moving parts and focusing on shifting the internal weight to keep the exoscope from falling over. This approach improves maneuverability, simplifies future tuning of the platform, and supports a more modular design that can better accommodate customer-driven changes over time.