A control unit (120, 140) for a medical device (110, 130), the control unit comprising: one or more processors (122, 142); and an interface coupling the control unit (120, 140) to the medical device (110, 130); wherein the control unit (120, 140) is configured to: determine a position of a first movable segment (210, 220, 230) of the medical device (110, 130), a volume occupied by the first movable segment (210, 220, 230) being approximated by one or more first virtual collision objects (VCOs) (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420); adjust, based on the position and motion goals for the medical device (110, 130), one or more properties of the one or more first VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420) by at least one of: increasing a size of one or more of the one or more first VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420) according to an increase in a velocity or momentum of the first movable segment (210, 220, 230) to introduce an additional safety margin about the first movable segment (210, 220, 230); or increasing a coefficient of resiliency of one or more of the one or more first VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420) in a direction of movement of the first movable segment (210, 220, 230) to provide a higher virtual displacing force along the direction of movement; determine, based on the position and the properties, first geometries of the one or more first VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420); receive second geometries of one or more second VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420) associated with a second segment (210, 220, 230) of a second device (110, 130); determine relationships between the one or more first VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420) and the one or more second VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420); and adjust, based on the relationships, a motion plan for the medical device (110, 130). one or more processors (122, 142); and an interface coupling the control unit (120, 140) to the medical device (110, 130); wherein the control unit (120, 140) is configured to: determine a position of a first movable segment (210, 220, 230) of the medical device (110, 130), a volume occupied by the first movable segment (210, 220, 230) being approximated by one or more first virtual collision objects (VCOs) (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420); adjust, based on the position and motion goals for the medical device (110, 130), one or more properties of the one or more first VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420) by at least one of: increasing a size of one or more of the one or more first VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420) according to an increase in a velocity or momentum of the first movable segment (210, 220, 230) to introduce an additional safety margin about the first movable segment (210, 220, 230); or increasing a coefficient of resiliency of one or more of the one or more first VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420) in a direction of movement of the first movable segment (210, 220, 230) to provide a higher virtual displacing force along the direction of movement; determine, based on the position and the properties, first geometries of the one or more first VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420); receive second geometries of one or more second VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420) associated with a second segment (210, 220, 230) of a second device (110, 130); determine relationships between the one or more first VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420) and the one or more second VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420); and adjust, based on the relationships, a motion plan for the medical device (110, 130). determine a position of a first movable segment (210, 220, 230) of the medical device (110, 130), a volume occupied by the first movable segment (210, 220, 230) being approximated by one or more first virtual collision objects (VCOs) (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420); adjust, based on the position and motion goals for the medical device (110, 130), one or more properties of the one or more first VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420) by at least one of: increasing a size of one or more of the one or more first VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420) according to an increase in a velocity or momentum of the first movable segment (210, 220, 230) to introduce an additional safety margin about the first movable segment (210, 220, 230); or increasing a coefficient of resiliency of one or more of the one or more first VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420) in a direction of movement of the first movable segment (210, 220, 230) to provide a higher virtual displacing force along the direction of movement; increasing a size of one or more of the one or more first VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420) according to an increase in a velocity or momentum of the first movable segment (210, 220, 230) to introduce an additional safety margin about the first movable segment (210, 220, 230); or increasing a coefficient of resiliency of one or more of the one or more first VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420) in a direction of movement of the first movable segment (210, 220, 230) to provide a higher virtual displacing force along the direction of movement; determine, based on the position and the properties, first geometries of the one or more first VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420); receive second geometries of one or more second VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420) associated with a second segment (210, 220, 230) of a second device (110, 130); determine relationships between the one or more first VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420) and the one or more second VCOs (241-248, 251, 252, 410, 420); and adjust, based on the relationships, a motion plan for the medical device (110, 130).