| CPC A61B 34/30 (2016.02) [A61B 34/10 (2016.02); A61B 90/50 (2016.02); A61N 2/006 (2013.01); A61B 2034/304 (2016.02); A61B 2034/305 (2016.02)] | 19 Claims |

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1. An articulated positioning system for positioning a scientific or medical tool in at least one of a predetermined position and a predetermined orientation with respect to a head of a subject, the articulated positioning system being connectable to a support structure and comprising:
a spherical robot arm assembly defining an arm displacement sphere having a center, the spherical robot arm assembly comprising:
a proximal arm segment comprising a base-mounting end portion connectable to the support structure and an opposed distal segment-mounting end portion, the proximal arm segment forming a proximal arc of the arm displacement sphere; and
a distal arm segment comprising a proximal segment-mounting end portion pivotally mounted to the distal segment-mounting end portion of the proximal arm segment about an arm segment connection axis and an opposed tool-holding end portion, the distal arm segment forming a distal arc of the arm displacement sphere;
wherein the articulated positioning system further comprises a tool-holding assembly mounted to the tool-holding end portion of the distal arm segment, the tool-holding assembly comprising a tool-receiving portion and at least first and second tool-pivoting devices having respectively first and second tool-pivoting axes intersecting perpendicularly to each other, wherein when the scientific or medical tool is engaged with the tool-receiving portion, the scientific or medical tool is pivotable about the first and second tool-pivoting axes.
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