A method of operating a robotic control system comprising a master apparatus in communication with a plurality of input devices having respective handles capable of translational and rotational movement and a slave system having a tool positioning device corresponding to each respective handle, each tool positioning device holding a respective tool having an end effector whose position and orientation is determined in response to a position and orientation of a corresponding handle. The method involves causing at least one processor circuit associated with the master apparatus to produce desired new end effector positions and desired new end effector orientations of respective the end effectors, in response to current positions and current orientations of corresponding respective handles. The method further involves causing the at least one processor circuit to use the desired new end effector positions and orientations determine distances from each point of a first plurality of points along a first tool positioning device to each point of a plurality of points along at least one other tool positioning device and causing the at least one processor circuit to determine whether any of the distances meets a proximity criterion. The method still further involves causing the at least one processor circuit to notify an operator of the handles associated with tool positioning devices associated with the any distance that meets the proximity criterion to indicate that the proximity criterion has been met.La présente invention concerne un procédé de fonctionnement dun système de commande robotique comprenant un appareil maître en communication avec une pluralité de dispositifs dentrée ayant des poignées respectives aptes à effectuer un mouvement de translation et de rotation et un système esclave comportant un dispositif de positionnement doutil correspondant à chaque poignée respective, chaque dispositif de positionnement doutil maintenant un outil respectif ayant un effect
