System and method for identifying one or more tracking devices

Abstract

Systems and methods for identifying one or more tracking devices are provided. A tracking device may transmit a signal having a frequency, and the signal may be received and processed to obtain frequency information of the tracking device corresponding to the frequency. The tracking device may be identified based on the frequency information.

Description

Background Technology

[0001] This disclosure relates in general to tracking devices, and more particularly to identifying one or more tracking devices.

[0002] Surgical robots can assist surgeons or other healthcare providers in performing surgical procedures, or they can autonomously complete one or more surgical procedures. Controllable, linked articulated components, capable of, for example, orienting and / or manipulating one or more tools, allow the surgical robot to reach areas of the patient's anatomy during various medical procedures. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Examples of aspects of this disclosure include:

[0004] A system for identifying a tracking device according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a processor; and a memory storing data for processing by the processor, the data causing the processor, when processed, to: cause the tracking device to emit a signal having a frequency; process the signal to obtain frequency information of the tracking device corresponding to the frequency; and identify the tracking device based on the frequency information.

[0005] In any of the aspects of this document, wherein the memory stores additional data for processing by the processor, the additional data, when processed, causes the processor to: receive at least one identification file, each identification file having information about a surgical tool and a corresponding tracking device; and identify the surgical tool based on the identified tracking device and the at least one identification file.

[0006] In any of the aspects of this document, the at least one identification file includes information about the surface and the corresponding tracking device, and the memory stores additional data for processing by the processor, which, when processed, causes the processor to identify the surface based on the identified tracking device and the at least one identification file.

[0007] Any aspect of this article, wherein the surface is at least one of a robotic surface or a surgical tool surface.

[0008] Any aspect of this document, wherein the signal includes at least one of an electrical signal, an optical signal, or an electromagnetic signal.

[0009] In any aspect of this document, the signal includes the optical signal, and the tracking device includes at least one light-emitting diode (LED).

[0010] In any of the aspects of this document, the tracking device includes a first tracking device, the signal includes a first signal, and the frequency includes a first frequency, wherein the memory stores additional data for processing by the processor, which, when processed, causes the processor to: cause a second tracking device to emit a second signal having a second frequency; process the second signal to obtain second frequency information of the second tracking device corresponding to the second frequency; and identify the second tracking device based on the second frequency information.

[0011] In any aspect of this article, the second frequency and the first frequency are uncoordinated.

[0012] In any of the aspects of this document, the second frequency and the first frequency are the same frequency, the first tracking device is disposed on the first surface and the second tracking device is disposed on the second surface, and the first surface has a different geometry than the second tracking device.

[0013] In any of the aspects of this document, wherein the memory stores additional data for processing by the processor, which, when processed, causes the processor to: cause a light source to emit light, identify the response of a photodiode to the light, the photodiode being located near the tracking device; identify the tracking device based on the response of the photodiode; and cause the identified tracking device to emit the signal.

[0014] A system for identifying one or more tracking devices according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a processor; and a memory storing data for processing by the processor, the data, when processed, causing the processor to: cause a first tracking device to emit a first signal having a first frequency and cause a second tracking device to emit a second signal having a second frequency; process the first signal to obtain first frequency information of the first tracking device corresponding to the first frequency, and process the second signal to obtain second frequency information of the second tracking device corresponding to the second frequency; and identify the first tracking device based on the first frequency information and identify the second tracking device based on the second frequency information.

[0015] In any aspect of this article, the second frequency and the first frequency are uncoordinated.

[0016] In any of the aspects of this document, the second frequency and the first frequency are the same frequency, the first tracking device is disposed on the first surface and the second tracking device is disposed on the second surface, and the first surface has a different geometry than the second tracking device.

[0017] Any aspect of this document, wherein each of the first signal and the second signal comprises at least one of an electrical signal, an optical signal, or an electromagnetic signal.

[0018] In any of the aspects described herein, each of the first signal and the second signal includes the optical signal, and the tracking device includes at least one light-emitting diode (LED).

[0019] In any aspect of this document, the memory stores additional data for processing by the processor, which, when processed, causes the processor to: receive at least one identification file, each identification file containing information about a surgical instrument and a corresponding tracking device; and identify a first surgical instrument based on the identified first tracking device and the at least one identification file, and identify a second surgical instrument based on the identified second tracking device and the at least one identification file.

[0020] A system for identifying a tracking device according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a first tracking device configured to transmit a first signal having a first frequency; a second tracking device configured to transmit a second signal having a second frequency; a processor; and a memory storing data for processing by the processor, the data, when processed, causing the processor to: cause the first tracking device to transmit the first signal; cause the second tracking device to transmit the second frequency; process the first signal to obtain first frequency information of the first tracking device corresponding to the first frequency, and process the second signal to obtain second frequency information of the second tracking device corresponding to the second frequency; and identify the first tracking device based on the first frequency information, and identify the second tracking device based on the second frequency information.

[0021] In any aspect of this document, each of the first tracking device and the second tracking device is wireless.

[0022] In any aspect of this document, the system further includes: a first photodiode and a second photodiode, the first photodiode being disposed near the first tracking device and the second photodiode being disposed near the second tracking device.

[0023] In any aspect of this document, the memory stores additional data for processing by the processor, which, when processed, causes the processor to: cause a light source to emit light, identify the response of at least one of the first photodiode or the second photodiode to the light; identify the first tracking device or the at least one of the second tracking devices based on the response of the at least one of the first photodiode or the second photodiode; and cause the identified at least one first tracking device or the second tracking device to emit a corresponding first signal or second signal.

[0024] Any one aspect can be combined with any one or more other aspects.

[0025] Any one or more of the features disclosed in this article.

[0026] This article generally discloses one or more of the features.

[0027] Any one or more of the features generally disclosed in this article are combined with any one or more other features generally disclosed in this article.

[0028] Any aspect / feature / implementation may be combined with any one or more other aspects / features / implementations.

[0029] Use any one or more of the aspects or features disclosed herein.

[0030] It should be understood that any feature described herein may be combined with any other feature as described herein to claim protection, regardless of whether the feature comes from an implementation of the same description.

[0031] Details of one or more aspects of this disclosure are set forth in the following drawings and description. Other features, objects, and advantages of the technology described in this disclosure will be apparent from the description, drawings, and claims.

[0032] The phrases “at least one,” “one or more,” and “and / or” are open-ended expressions that possess both connective and disjoint qualities in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B, and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” and “A, B, and / or C” means only A, only B, only C, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together. When each of A, B, and C in the above expressions refers to elements such as X, Y, and Z or element classes such as X1-Xn, Y1-Ym, and Z1-Zo, the phrase is intended to refer to a single element selected from X, Y, and Z, a combination of elements selected from the same class (e.g., X1 and X2), and a combination of elements selected from two or more classes (e.g., Y1 and Zo).

[0033] The term "a" refers to one or more of the same entity. Therefore, the terms "a," "one or more," and "at least one" are used interchangeably herein. It should also be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," and "having" are used interchangeably.

[0034] The foregoing is a simplified overview of this disclosure to provide an understanding of some aspects thereof. This summary is neither a broad nor an exhaustive overview of this disclosure and its various aspects, embodiments, and configurations. It is not intended to identify key or essential elements of this disclosure, nor to define its scope, but rather to present the concepts of this disclosure in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description presented below. It should be understood that other aspects, embodiments, and configurations of this disclosure may utilize one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below, individually or in combination.

[0035] Many additional features and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the embodiments described below. Attached Figure Description

[0036] The accompanying drawings are incorporated in and form part of this specification to illustrate several examples of this disclosure. These drawings, together with the description, explain the principles of this disclosure. The drawings illustrate only preferred and alternative examples of how to implement and use this disclosure, and these examples should not be construed as limiting this disclosure solely to the illustrated and described examples. Further features and advantages will become apparent from the following more detailed description of various aspects, embodiments, and configurations of this disclosure, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings referenced below.

[0037] Figure 1 It is a block diagram of a system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0038] Figure 2A This is a schematic diagram of the object in the first position;

[0039] Figure 2B This is a schematic diagram of the object in the second position;

[0040] Figure 3 It is a flowchart of at least one embodiment according to this disclosure;

[0041] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0042] Figure 5 It is a flowchart of at least one embodiment according to this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0043] It should be understood that the various aspects disclosed herein can be combined with combinations different from those specifically presented in the specification and drawings. It should also be understood that, depending on the example or embodiment, certain actions or events of any process or method described herein may be performed in a different order, and / or may be added, combined, or omitted entirely (e.g., implementing the disclosed technology may not require all described actions or events depending on the different embodiments of this disclosure). Furthermore, although some aspects of this disclosure are described as being performed by a single module or unit for clarity, it should be understood that the technology of this disclosure can be performed by a combination of units or modules associated with, for example, computing devices and / or medical devices.

[0044] In one or more examples, the described methods, processes, and techniques may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the function may be stored as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium and executed by a hardware-based processing unit. Alternatively or additionally, the function may be implemented using machine learning models, neural networks, artificial neural networks, or combinations thereof (instructions alone or in combination). The computer-readable medium may include a non-transitory computer-readable medium that corresponds to a tangible medium, such as a data storage medium (e.g., RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory, or any other medium that can be used to store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and is accessible by a computer).

[0045] Instructions may be executed by one or more processors, such as one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), general-purpose microprocessors (e.g., Intel Core i3, i5, i7, or i9 processors; Intel Celeron processors; Intel Xeon processors; Intel Pentium processors; AMD Ryzen processors; AMD Athlon processors; AMD Phenom processors; Apple A10 or 10X Fusion processors; Apple A11, A12, A12X, A12Z, or A13 Bionic processors; or any other general-purpose microprocessors), graphics processing units (e.g., Nvidia GeForce RTX 2000 series processors, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3000 series processors, AMD Radeon RX 5000 series processors, AMD Radeon RX 6000 series processors, or any other graphics processing units), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable logic arrays (FPGAs), or other equivalent integrated or discrete logic circuits. Therefore, the term "processor" as used herein may refer to any of the foregoing structures or any other physical structures suitable for implementing the described techniques. Furthermore, these techniques may be fully implemented in one or more circuit or logic elements.

[0046] Before explaining any embodiment of this disclosure in detail, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited in its application to the construction details and component arrangements set forth in the following description or illustrated in the accompanying drawings. This disclosure can have other embodiments and can be practiced or implemented in various ways. Furthermore, it should be understood that the wording and terminology used herein are for descriptive purposes and should not be considered limiting. The use of “comprising,” “including,” or “having,” and variations thereof, is intended to cover items listed thereafter and their equivalents, as well as additional items. In addition, this disclosure may use examples to illustrate one or more aspects thereof. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the use or listing of one or more examples (which may be indicated by “for example,” “by means of an example,” “such as,” or similar language) is not intended to, and does not limit, the scope of this disclosure.

[0047] The terms proximal and distal are used in this disclosure in their usual medical sense, with the proximal being closer to the operator or user of the system and further away from the patient's body or surgical area of ​​concern, and the distal being closer to the patient's body or surgical area of ​​concern and further away from the operator or user of the system.

[0048] During surgical procedures, navigation systems (such as, for example, optical measurement systems) can be used to track and navigate one or more surgical instruments. Navigation systems can use, for example, an NDI camera and near-infrared (IR) light to calculate the three-dimensional position of markers positioned on or integrated with each surgical instrument. Conventional marking or tracking devices can be passive (using a reflective material that covers the marker and reflects IR light back to an IR sensor mounted on a camera from which the IR light is emitted) or active (using a separate source of IR light (e.g., an LED) of appropriate wavelength that can be identified by the navigation system).

[0049] Conventional methods for distinguishing different surgical tools and / or, for example, different faces of a robot or robotic arm, include using markers with unique geometries. These markers are designed to satisfy several geometric constraints such that each tool will have a unique marker arrangement sufficiently different from one tool to another, allowing the navigation system and navigation algorithms to identify each distinct tool. Another conventional method involves using tools wired in a control loop to an NDI camera. The navigation system can then individually illuminate each marker in a specific order via wires. This light sequencing can be used to determine the location of each marker and, consequently, the orientation of each tool. In either method, the navigation system has a file containing the coordinates of all markers and their corresponding tools.

[0050] However, as the number of navigation tools increases, designing new tools and adding them to the toolset becomes difficult. For example, there are several geometric constraints defined by NDI that allow the navigation system to distinguish between different tools. Furthermore, several navigation tools exist for each surgical procedure, making it difficult to design tools and achieve unique geometries relative to other tools. In other words, the more tools there are, the more complex it becomes to design new ones. Moreover, wired solutions that circumvent the need for unique geometries are limited and sometimes undesirable because they require a physical electrical connection between the tool and the navigation system.

[0051] Therefore, systems and methods according to this disclosure are provided that enable the identification of one or more tracking devices based on the unique frequency of each tracking device. In such systems and methods, the tracking devices may be wireless and may include, for example, LEDs. During identification, all LEDs may be activated simultaneously. Each LED may have a different flashing frequency, and the frequency information may be used with a tool file (which includes the frequency information) to identify the tool associated with one or more LEDs. Thus, the system and method enable the identification of tracking devices similar to wired tools without the use of wires. Furthermore, the tracking devices do not need to have a unique geometry.

[0052] The embodiments disclosed herein provide technical solutions to one or more of the following problems: (1) wirelessly identifying one or more tracking devices, (2) wirelessly identifying one or more surgical instruments without using markers with unique geometries, and (3) reducing the number of components used in surgical procedures.

[0053] First go to Figure 1 This diagram illustrates a block diagram of a system 100 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. System 100 can be used to identify one or more tracking devices, such as tracking device 136, and / or to implement one or more other aspects of one or more methods disclosed herein. System 100 includes a computing device 102, one or more imaging devices 112, a robot 114, a navigation system 118, a database 130, one or more tracking devices from tracking device 136, a light source 126, and / or a cloud or other network 134. Systems according to other embodiments of the present disclosure may include more or fewer components than system 100. For example, system 100 may not include imaging device 112, robot 114, navigation system 118, light source 124, one or more components of computing device 102, database 130, and / or cloud 134.

[0054] The computing device 102 includes a processor 104, a memory 106, a communication interface 108, and a user interface 110. Other embodiments of the computing device according to this disclosure may include more or fewer components than computing device 102.

[0055] The processor 104 of computing device 102 may be any processor described herein or any similar processor. Processor 104 may be configured to execute instructions stored in memory 106 that enable processor 104 to perform one or more computational steps using or based on data received from imaging device 112, robot 114, navigation system 118, tracking device 136, database 130 and / or cloud 134.

[0056] Memory 106 may be or include RAM, DRAM, SDRAM, other solid-state memory, any memory described herein, or any other tangible non-transitory memory used to store computer-readable data and / or instructions. Memory 106 may store information or data that can be used to perform any steps of, for example, methods 300, 400, and / or 500 described herein, or any other method. Memory 106 may store, for example, instructions and / or machine learning models that support one or more functions of robot 114. For example, memory 106 may store content (e.g., instructions and / or machine learning models) that, when executed by processor 104, implement signal processing 120 and / or identification 122.

[0057] Signal processing 120 enables processor 104 (or the process of navigation system 118) to process signal data (received from, for example, tracking device 136) for purposes such as, at least identifying the frequency of the signal data. Other information, such as amplitude, signal type, signal length, etc., can be identified from the signal data. The signal data can be, for example, optical signal data, electrical signal data, infrared signal data, and / or electromagnetic signal data. The signal data can be acquired from, for example, tracking device 136 over a period of time.

[0058] Identifier 122 enables processor 104 to identify tracking device 136 based on frequencies, such as those output by signal processing 120. Processor 104 may also receive at least one identification file 124, which may include information about one or more tracking devices 136 and the corresponding frequencies of each tracking device 136. In some embodiments, each tracking device 136 may have different frequencies from each other. In other embodiments, two or more tracking devices 136 may have the same frequency. For example, in an embodiment where a first tracking device is disposed on a first unique surface and a second tracking device is disposed on a second unique surface, the surfaces may be simply identified by their respective unique surfaces.

[0059] The identifier 122 also enables the processor 104 to identify surgical instruments, faces or surfaces of surgical instruments, and faces or surfaces of the robot 114 and / or robot arm 116. More specifically, the identified tracking device 136 and identifier document 124 can also be used to identify surfaces on which the tracking device 136 is disposed and / or surgical instruments (or faces of surgical instruments) on which the tracking device 136 is disposed, as will be described in detail below. The tracking device 136 can also be used to determine the orientation and / or position of the surgical instruments, the robot 114 and / or robot arm 116.

[0060] In some implementations, such content may be organized into one or more applications, modules, packages, layers, or engines, if provided as instructions. Alternatively or additionally, memory 106 may store other types of content or data (e.g., machine learning models, artificial neural networks, deep neural networks, etc.) that can be processed by processor 104 to implement the various methods and features described herein. Therefore, although the various contents of memory 106 may be described as instructions, it should be understood that the functions described herein can be implemented using instructions, algorithms, and / or machine learning models. This data, algorithms, and / or instructions enable processor 104 to manipulate data stored in memory 106 and / or data received from or via imaging device 112, robot 114, database 130, and / or cloud 134.

[0061] The memory 106 may also store one or more identification files 124. As described above, the one or more identification files 124 may include information about each of the plurality of tracking devices 136 and the corresponding frequency of each tracking device. The identification file 124 may also include information about the tracking device 136 (or the frequency of the tracking device) and the corresponding surgical instrument, the corresponding facet of the surgical instrument, the corresponding facet of the robot 114, the corresponding facet of the robot arm 116, and / or the corresponding photodiode 128. Thus, one or more identification files 124 can be used to identify a corresponding surgical instrument or facet (whether it is the robot 114, the robot arm 116, or the facet of the surgical instrument) based on the tracking device 136 and more specifically based on the corresponding frequency of the tracking device 136.

[0062] The computing device 102 may also include a communication interface 108. The communication interface 108 can be used to receive image data or other information from external sources (such as imaging device 112, robot 114, tracking device 136, navigation system 118, database 130, cloud 134, and / or any other system or component not part of system 100), and / or to send instructions, images, or other information to external systems or devices (e.g., another computing device 102, imaging device 112, tracking device 136, robot 114, navigation system 118, database 130, cloud 134, and / or any other system or component not part of system 100). The communication interface 108 may include one or more wired interfaces (e.g., USB port, Ethernet port, FireWire port) and / or one or more wireless transceivers or interfaces (configured to send and / or receive information, for example, via one or more wireless communication protocols such as 802.11a / b / g / n, Bluetooth, NFC, ZigBee, etc.). In some implementations, the communication interface 108 can be used to enable the device 102 to communicate with one or more other processors 104 or computing devices 102, whether to reduce the time required to complete computationally intensive tasks or for any other reason.

[0063] The computing device 102 may also include one or more user interfaces 110. User interface 110 may be or include a keyboard, mouse, trackball, monitor, television, screen, touchscreen, and / or any other device for receiving information from a user and / or providing information to a user. User interface 110 may be used, for example, to receive user selections or other user input regarding any step of any method described herein. Nevertheless, any required input for any step of any method described herein may be automatically generated by system 100 (e.g., by processor 104 or another component of system 100) or received by system 100 from a source external to system 100. In some embodiments, user interface 110 may be used to allow a surgeon or other user to modify instructions to be executed by processor 104, and / or modify or adjust settings displayed on user interface 110 or corresponding to other information on user interface 110, according to one or more embodiments of this disclosure.

[0064] Although user interface 110 is shown as part of computing device 102, in some embodiments, computing device 102 may utilize user interface 110 which is housed separately from one or more other components of computing device 102. In some embodiments, user interface 110 may be located near one or more other components of computing device 102, while in other embodiments, user interface 110 may be located away from one or more other components of computing device 102.

[0065] Imaging device 112 is operable to image anatomical features (e.g., bones, veins, tissues, etc.) and / or other aspects of a patient's anatomy to produce image data (e.g., image data depicting or corresponding to bones, veins, tissues, etc.). As used herein, "image data" refers to data generated or captured by imaging device 112, including data in machine-readable, graphical / visual, and any other form. In various examples, image data may include data corresponding to a patient's anatomical features or a portion thereof. The image data may be or include preoperative images, intraoperative images, postoperative images, or images taken independently of any surgical procedure. In some embodiments, first imaging device 112 may be used to acquire first image data (e.g., a first image) at a first time, and second imaging device 112 may be used to acquire second image data (e.g., a second image) at a second time after the first time. Imaging device 112 may be capable of capturing 2D or 3D images to produce image data. Imaging device 112 may be or include, for example, an ultrasound scanner (which may include, for example, physically separate transducers and receivers, or a single ultrasound transceiver), an O-arm, C-arm, G-arm, or any other device utilizing X-ray-based imaging (e.g., a fluorescence microscope, CT scanner, or other X-ray machine), a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, an optical coherence tomography (OCT) scanner, an endoscope, a microscope, an optical camera, a thermal imaging camera (e.g., an infrared camera), a radar system (which may include, for example, a transmitter, a receiver, a processor, and one or more antennas), or any other imaging device 112 adapted to obtain images of a patient's anatomical features. Imaging device 112 may be entirely contained within a single housing, or may include transmitters / transmitters and receivers / detectors located in separate housings or otherwise physically separated.

[0066] In some embodiments, imaging device 112 may include more than one imaging device 112. For example, a first imaging device may provide first image data and / or a first image, and a second imaging device may provide second image data and / or a second image. In yet other embodiments, the same imaging device may be used to provide both first image data and second image data and / or any other image data described herein. Imaging device 112 may be used to generate an image data stream. For example, imaging device 112 may be configured to use an open shutter operation or to use shutter operations that alternate continuously between open and closed to capture a series of images. For the purposes of this disclosure, unless otherwise specified, if the image data represents two or more frames per second, the image data may be considered continuous and / or provided as an image data stream.

[0067] Tracking device 136 is configured to transmit or output a signal having at least one frequency. Tracking device 136 may include, for example, at least one light-emitting diode (LED), infrared (IR) transmitter, and / or electromagnetic (EM) transmitter. It should be understood that in other embodiments, tracking device 136 may be any device capable of transmitting a signal having at least one frequency. The signal may be an electrical signal, an optical signal, an infrared signal, and / or an electromagnetic signal. Tracking device 136 may be positioned adjacent to or integrated with another component of system 100, such as, for example, robot 114, robotic arm 118, and / or surgical tools. Tracking device 136 may also be wireless.

[0068] In embodiments where multiple tracking devices 136 exist, each tracking device 136 may have a different frequency from each other. In embodiments where the tracking device 136 includes an LED, the frequency may be the blinking frequency of the LED. In embodiments where the multiple tracking devices 136 each have a different frequency from each other, each tracking device 136 has a frequency that is not coordinated with each other. In other words, the frequency of one tracking device 136 is not a coordinated frequency of another tracking device 136. The multiple tracking devices 136 can be used to identify surgical instruments, the faces of surgical instruments, and / or the faces of robot 114 and / or robot arm 116 based on each tracking device 136 having a different frequency. More specifically, and in some embodiments, each of the multiple tracking devices 136 may be positioned on a surface or face such that each surface or face can be identified based on the corresponding tracking device 136. The identified surfaces or faces can be used to determine, for example, the orientation of surgical instruments, robot 114, and / or robot arm 116.

[0069] Light source 126 is configured to emit light and can be any light source 126, such as, for example, an IR lamp, incandescent lamp, fluorescent lamp, LED, and / or laser. The emitted light can cause one or more photodiodes 128 to respond. Photodiodes 128 can be used to identify one or more tracking devices 136, such that a subset of tracking devices 136 can be activated instead of all tracking devices 136. By activating a subset of tracking devices 136 instead of all tracking devices 136, the amount of power required or used during surgical procedures can be reduced.

[0070] A subset of tracking devices 136 can be identified by positioning photodiode 128 adjacent to or near a corresponding tracking device 136. Then, light source 126 can emit light from or near navigation system 118, and photodiode 128 responding to the light can be detected. The detected photodiode 128 can be used to identify a subset of tracking devices 136 to be activated (using, for example, identification file 124). Thus, photodiode 128 identifies tracking devices 136 that can be detected or identified by navigation system 118.

[0071] Robot 114 can be any surgical robot or surgical robot system. Robot 114 can be, or includes, for example, Mazor X. ™ Stealth robot guidance system. Robot 114 can be configured to position imaging device 112 in one or more precise locations and orientations, and / or return imaging device 112 to the same location and orientation at a later point in time. Robot 114 may additionally or alternatively be configured to manipulate surgical tools (whether or not based on guidance from navigation system 118) to perform or assist surgical tasks. In some embodiments, robot 114 may be configured to hold and / or manipulate anatomical elements during or in conjunction with surgical procedures. Robot 114 may include one or more robotic arms 116. In some embodiments, robotic arms 116 may include a first robotic arm and a second robotic arm, but robot 114 may include more than two robotic arms. In some embodiments, one or more robotic arms 116 may be used to hold and / or manipulate imaging device 112. In embodiments where imaging device 112 includes two or more physically separate components (e.g., transmitters and receivers), one robotic arm 116 may hold one such component, and another robotic arm 116 may hold another such component. Each robotic arm 116 can be positioned independently of other robotic arms. Robotic arms 116 can be controlled in a single shared coordinate space or in a separate coordinate space.

[0072] The robot 114, together with the robotic arm 116, may have, for example, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, or more degrees of freedom. Furthermore, the robotic arm 116 can be or is capable of being positioned in any pose, plane, and / or focal position. This pose includes position and orientation. Therefore, an imaging device 112, surgical instrument, or other object held by the robot 114 (or more specifically, by the robotic arm 116) can be precisely positioned in one or more desired and specific locations and orientations.

[0073] The robotic arm 116 may include one or more sensors that enable the processor 104 (or the processor of the robot 114) to determine the precise pose of the robotic arm (and any object or element held or attached to the robotic arm) in space.

[0074] In some embodiments, reference markers (i.e., navigation markers) may be placed on robot 114 (including, for example, on robotic arm 116), imaging device 112, or any other object in the surgical space. The reference markers may be tracked by navigation system 118, and the results of the tracking may be used by the operator of robot 114 and / or system 100 or any component thereof. In some embodiments, navigation system 118 may be used to track other components of the system (e.g., imaging device 112), and the system may operate without using robot 114 (e.g., a surgeon manually manipulating imaging device 112 and / or one or more surgical instruments, for example, based on information and / or instructions generated by navigation system 118). In some embodiments, one or more tracking devices 136 may be placed on robot 114. More specifically, different tracking devices 136 may be placed on different surfaces or faces of robot 114, such that each surface or face can be identified by a corresponding tracking device 136. In some embodiments, the tracking device 136 may be the same as the reference marker.

[0075] During operation, navigation system 118 can provide navigation for the surgeon and / or surgical robot. Navigation system 118 can be any navigation system currently known or developed in the future, including, for example, Medtronic StealthStation. ™The S8 surgical navigation system or any successor system thereof. Navigation system 118 may include one or more cameras or other sensors for tracking one or more reference markers, navigation trackers, or other objects within the operating room or other room where part or all of system 100 is located. The one or more cameras may be optical cameras, infrared cameras, or other cameras. In some embodiments, navigation system 118 may include one or more electromagnetic sensors. In various embodiments, navigation system 118 may be used to track the position and orientation (e.g., pose) of imaging device 112, robot 114 and / or robotic arm 116, tracking device 136 and / or one or more surgical tools (or more specifically, for tracking the pose of navigation trackers directly or indirectly attached in a fixed relationship to one or more of the foregoing). Navigation system 118 may include a display for displaying one or more images from an external source (e.g., computing device 102, imaging device 112, or other sources), or for displaying images and / or video streams from one or more cameras or other sensors of navigation system 118. In some embodiments, system 100 may operate without using navigation system 118. The navigation system 118 may be configured to provide guidance to the surgeon or other users of the system 100 or its components, to the robot 114, or to any other element of the system 100 regarding, for example, the pose of one or more anatomical elements, whether the tool is in the appropriate trajectory, and / or how to move the tool into the appropriate trajectory to perform the surgical task in accordance with the preoperative or other surgical plan.

[0076] Database 130 may store information relating one coordinate system to another (e.g., relating one or more robot coordinate systems to a patient coordinate system and / or a navigation coordinate system). Database 130 may additionally or alternatively store, for example, one or more surgical plans (including, for example, pose information about the target and / or image information about the anatomical structures of the patient at and / or proximal to the surgical site, for use by the user of robot 114, navigation system 118, and / or computing device 102 or system 100); one or more images that can be used in conjunction with surgical procedures performed by or with the assistance of one or more other components of system 100; and / or any other useful information. Database 130 may be configured to provide any such information to computing device 102 or any other device of system 100 or any other device outside system 100, whether directly or via cloud 134. In some embodiments, database 130 may be or include part of a hospital image storage system, such as a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), a Health Information System (HIS), and / or another system for collecting, storing, managing, and / or transmitting electronic medical records including image data. In some embodiments, database 130 may also store one or more identification files 124.

[0077] Cloud 134 can be or represents the Internet or any other wide area network. Computing device 102 can connect to cloud 134 via communication interface 108 using a wired connection, a wireless connection, or both. In some embodiments, computing device 102 can communicate with database 130 and / or external devices (e.g., computing devices) via cloud 134.

[0078] System 100 or similar systems may be used, for example, to implement one or more aspects of any of the methods 300, 400 and / or 500 described herein. System 100 or similar systems may also be used for other purposes.

[0079] Figure 2A and Figure 2B Schematic examples of an object 200 in a first position and a second position, and one or more tracking devices 136A to 136F disposed on the object 200, are illustrated respectively. The object 200 may be, for example, a surgical tool, surgical instrument, robot 114, and / or robotic arm 116. As shown, the tracking devices 136A to 136F can be used to determine the pose (e.g., position and orientation) of the object 200 after it has moved from the first position to the second position. More specifically, when the object 200 is in such a position... Figure 2A In the first position shown, each of one or more tracking devices 136A to 136F can be identified, and the relative position of each tracking device 136A to 136F can be identified. Then, when object 200 is in the position shown... Figure 2B When the second position is shown, each of one or more tracking devices 136A to 136F can be identified, and the pose of the object 200 in the second position can be determined based on the relative positions of the tracking devices 136A to 136F.

[0080] Figure 3 A method 300 is described that can be used, for example, to identify the face of a tracking device (such as tracking device 136) to identify the face of a robot (such as robot 114), the face of a robotic arm (such as robotic arm 116), a surgical instrument or tool, and / or the face of a surgical instrument or tool.

[0081] Method 300 (and / or one or more steps thereof) may be implemented by, for example, at least one processor or otherwise performed. The at least one processor may be the same as or similar to processor 104 of the computing device 102 described above. The at least one processor may be part of a robot (such as robot 114) or a navigation system (such as navigation system 118). Method 300 may also be performed using processors other than any processor described herein. The at least one processor may perform method 300 by executing elements stored in memory (such as memory 106). Elements stored in memory and executed by the processor may cause the processor to perform one or more steps of the function shown in method 300. One or more portions of method 300 may be performed by the processor executing any content of the memory (such as sensor processing (such as sensor processing 120) and / or tracking device identifiers (such as identifier 122)).

[0082] Method 300 includes causing the tracking device to emit a signal (step 304). The tracking device may be the same as or similar to tracking device 136 and may be configured to emit a signal having at least one frequency. As previously described, the tracking device may include, for example, at least one LED, IR transmitter, and / or EM transmitter. It should be understood that in other embodiments, the tracking device may be any device capable of emitting a signal having at least one frequency. The signal may be an electrical signal, an optical signal, and / or an electromagnetic signal. The tracking device may be positioned adjacent to or integrated with another component of the system, such as, for example, a robot, a robotic arm, and / or a surgical instrument. More specifically, the tracking device may be positioned on the surface or face of a surgical instrument, a surgical tool, or a robot (such as robot 114) or a robotic arm (such as robotic arm 116) to identify the surgical instrument or surface or face. The tracking device may also be used to determine the orientation and / or position of the surgical instrument, the robot, or the robotic arm.

[0083] Method 300 also includes processing the signal to obtain frequency information (step 308). The signal emitted by the tracking device can be detected or received by, for example, a navigation system (such as navigation system 118). In some embodiments, a processor (such as processor 104, the processor of the navigation system, or any other processor) can perform signal processing (such as signal processing 120) to process the signal data from the signal, thereby obtaining frequency information. It should be understood that in addition to frequency information, other information, such as amplitude, signal type, signal length, etc., can also be obtained from the signal processing.

[0084] Method 300 further includes receiving at least one identification file (step 312). The identification file may be the same as or similar to identification file 124. The identification file may include information about one or more tracking devices and the corresponding frequency of each tracking device. The one or more identification files may alternatively or additionally include information about the tracking device (or the frequency of the tracking device) and the corresponding surgical tool, the corresponding face of the surgical tool, the corresponding face of the robot, and / or the corresponding face of the robot arm. Thus, one or more identification files can be used to identify the corresponding surgical tool or face (whether it is a robot, a robot arm, or a face of a surgical tool) based on the tracking device and more specifically based on the corresponding frequency of the tracking device.

[0085] Method 300 further includes identifying the tracking device based on frequency information (step 316). The tracking device can be identified based on frequency information and at least one identification file. As previously described, each of a plurality of tracking devices may have a different frequency than another tracking device, making it possible to identify the tracking device based on frequency information. In such embodiments, each tracking device has a frequency that is not coordinated with each other. In other words, the frequency of one tracking device is not a coordinated frequency of another tracking device.

[0086] The processor can execute identifiers (such as identifier 122) to identify the tracking device based on frequency information and an identifier file.

[0087] Method 300 further includes identifying surgical tools and / or surfaces (step 320). The surgical tools and / or surfaces or faces on which the tracking devices are positioned can be determined by the processor performing identification to identify the surgical tools, the surfaces of the surgical tools, and / or the surfaces of the robot and / or the robot arm. In some embodiments, step 320 may also include determining the orientation and / or position of the surgical tools, the robot, and / or the robot arm. Determining the orientation and / or position may include: determining the relative positions of multiple tracking devices disposed on the surgical tools, the robot, and / or the robot arm, and using known relative positions of the tracking devices (which may be obtained from, for example, an identification document) to determine the orientation and / or position.

[0088] This disclosure covers embodiments of method 300 that include more or fewer steps than those described above and / or one or more steps that are different from those described above.

[0089] Figure 4 A method 400 is described that can be used, for example, to identify the face of a tracking device (such as tracking device 136) to identify the face of a robot (such as robot 114), the face of a robotic arm (such as robotic arm 116), a surgical instrument or tool, and / or the face of a surgical instrument or tool.

[0090] Method 400 (and / or one or more steps thereof) may be implemented by, for example, at least one processor or otherwise performed. The at least one processor may be the same as or similar to processor 104 of the computing device 102 described above. The at least one processor may be part of a robot (such as robot 114) or a navigation system (such as navigation system 118). Method 400 may also be performed using processors other than any processor described herein. The at least one processor may perform method 400 by executing elements stored in memory (such as memory 106). Elements stored in memory and executed by the processor may cause the processor to perform one or more steps of the function shown in method 400. One or more portions of method 400 may be performed by the processor executing any content of the memory (such as sensor processing (such as sensor processing 120) and / or tracking device identifiers (such as identifier 122)).

[0091] Method 400 includes: causing a first tracking device to transmit a first signal, and causing a second tracking device to transmit a second signal (step 404). Step 404 may be the same as or similar to step 304 of method 300 described above. The first tracking device and the second tracking device may be the same as or similar to tracking device 136. The first signal may have a frequency different from the frequency of the second signal. Furthermore, the frequency of the first signal may be an uncoordinated frequency of the second signal. In other words, the frequency of the first signal may not be a coordinated frequency of the second signal.

[0092] The first and second tracking devices may be positioned on or integrated with surgical instruments, robots (such as robot 114) and / or robotic arms (such as robotic arm 116). Additionally, the second tracking device may be spaced apart from the first tracking device, and the position of the first tracking device relative to the second tracking device can be used to determine the orientation and / or position of the surgical instruments, robots, and / or robotic arms. In other embodiments, the first and second tracking devices may be positioned on a first and a second tool, respectively, such that the first and second tracking devices can be used to identify the first and second tools.

[0093] Method 400 further includes: processing a first signal to obtain first frequency information, and processing a second signal to obtain second frequency information (step 408). Step 408 may be the same as or similar to step 308 of method 300 described above, and further includes: a processor (such as processor 104) using signal processing (such as signal processing 120) to process the second signal to obtain second frequency information.

[0094] Method 400 further includes receiving at least one identification file (step 412). Step 412 may be the same as or similar to step 312 of method 300 described above.

[0095] Method 400 further includes identifying the first tracking device and the second tracking device (step 416). Step 416 may be the same as or similar to step 316 of method 300 described above, and further includes: the processor executing an identification (such as identification 122) to identify the second tracking device based on the second frequency information and the identification file.

[0096] Method 400 further includes identifying a first surgical tool and / or a first surface and a second surgical tool and / or a second surface (step 420). Step 420 may be the same as or similar to step 320 of method 300 described above. In embodiments of identifying the first and second surgical tools, the tracking device provides a simple and unobstructed means of identifying different surgical tools because the tracking device does not use a large amount of space on the tools and can be wireless.

[0097] This disclosure covers embodiments of method 400 that include more or fewer steps than those described above and / or one or more steps that are different from those described above.

[0098] Figure 5 A method 500 is described, which can be used, for example, to identify one or more tracking devices 136 to be activated. It should be understood that method 500 may be performed prior to methods 300 and / or 400 to determine a subset of the tracking devices to be activated (compared to activating all tracking devices at once). By determining a subset of the tracking devices to be activated, power used for activating the tracking devices can be saved or reduced.

[0099] Method 500 (and / or one or more steps thereof) may be implemented by, for example, at least one processor or otherwise performed. The at least one processor may be the same as or similar to processor 104 of the computing device 102 described above. The at least one processor may be part of a robot (such as robot 114) or a navigation system (such as navigation system 118). Method 500 may also be performed using processors other than any processor described herein. The at least one processor may perform method 500 by executing elements stored in memory (such as memory 106). Elements stored in memory and executed by the processor may cause the processor to perform one or more steps of the function shown in method 500. One or more portions of method 500 may be performed by the processor executing any content of the memory (such as sensor processing (such as sensor processing 120) and / or tracking device identifiers (such as identifier 122)).

[0100] Method 500 includes causing a light source to emit light (step 504). This light source may be the same as or similar to light source 126. The light source is configured to emit light and can be any light source, such as, for example, an IR, incandescent, fluorescent, LED, and / or laser. The emitted light may cause one or more photodiodes (such as photodiode 128) to respond. The photodiodes may be used to identify one or more tracking devices (which may be the same as or similar to tracking device 136), such that a subset of the tracking devices can be activated instead of all tracking devices. As previously described, by activating a subset of the tracking devices instead of all tracking devices, the amount of power required or used during the surgical procedure can be reduced.

[0101] Method 500 also includes identifying the photodiode's response to light (step 508). The photodiode's response can be identified by a navigation system (such as navigation system 118). More specifically, the photodiode's response can be detected or identified using an imaging device of the navigation system (which may be the same as imaging device 112). When identifying one or more photodiodes, a subset of tracking devices can also be identified. A subset of tracking devices can be identified by positioning photodiodes adjacent to or near their corresponding tracking devices. Different photodiodes can be positioned next to each tracking device. The detected photodiodes can then be used to identify the subset of tracking devices to be activated.

[0102] Method 500 further includes identifying the tracking device (step 512). The tracking device may be identified by a photodiode positioned adjacent to or near the tracking device. In some embodiments, an identification file (such as identification file 124) may include information about the photodiode and the corresponding tracking device. In such embodiments, the identification file can be used to identify the tracking device based on the photodiode identified, for example, in step 508. More specifically, a processor (such as processor 104) may execute identification (such as identification 122) to identify the tracking device based on the identified photodiode and the identification file.

[0103] Method 500 further includes causing the identified tracking device to transmit a signal (step 516). Step 516 may be the same as or similar to step 304 of method 300 described above.

[0104] As previously described, method 500 may be performed prior to method 300 and / or 400 to determine a subset of tracking devices to be activated (compared to activating all tracking devices at once) in order to reduce or save power used by the tracking devices.

[0105] This disclosure covers embodiments of method 500 that include more or fewer steps than those described above and / or one or more steps that are different from those described above.

[0106] It should be understood that, among other methods, the unique frequency information of one or more tracking devices can be used to identify surgical instruments, the faces of surgical instruments, the faces of robots, the faces of robotic arms, and / or the orientation and / or position of surgical instruments, robots, and / or robotic arms. For example, the orientation and / or position of surgical instruments can be identified using frequency information and the known pose of the robotic arm.

[0107] As stated above, this disclosure covers those having a higher degree of... Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 (and the corresponding descriptions of methods 300, 400, and 500) all steps identified in the methods with fewer steps, as well as those exceeding the steps in Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 (and the corresponding descriptions of methods 300, 400, and 500) are methods of additional steps identified in these methods. This disclosure also covers methods that include one or more steps from one method described herein and one or more steps from another method described herein. Any correlation described herein may be or includes registration or any other correlation.

[0108] The foregoing is not intended to limit this disclosure to the one or more forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing specific embodiments, for example, for the purpose of simplifying this disclosure, various features of this disclosure are grouped together in one or more aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations. Features of aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations of this disclosure may be combined in alternative aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations other than those discussed above. The approach of this disclosure should not be construed as reflecting an intention that the claims require more features than expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as reflected in the following claims, aspects of the invention lie in fewer than all the features of a single foregoing aspect, embodiment, and / or configuration. Therefore, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this specific embodiment, wherein each claim exists independently as a separate preferred embodiment of this disclosure.

[0109] Furthermore, while the foregoing has already included descriptions of one or more aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations, as well as certain variations and modifications, other variations, combinations, and modifications may be made within the scope of this disclosure, for example, within the skill and knowledge of those skilled in the art, upon understanding of this disclosure. It is intended to obtain, to the permissible extent, rights including alternative aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations, including alternative, interchangeable, and / or equivalent structures, functions, scopes, or steps of those claimed, regardless of whether such alternative, interchangeable, and / or equivalent structures, functions, scopes, or steps are disclosed herein, and not to disclose for use in any patentable subject matter.

[0110] Example 1. A system for identifying tracking devices, the system comprising:

[0111] processor; and

[0112] The memory stores data for processing by the processor, which, when processed, causes the processor to:

[0113] To cause the tracking device to emit a signal with a frequency;

[0114] Process the signal to obtain frequency information corresponding to the frequency of the tracking device; and

[0115] The tracking device is identified based on this frequency information.

[0116] Example 2. The system according to Example 1, wherein the memory stores additional data for processing by the processor, which, when processed, causes the processor to:

[0117] Receive at least one identification file, each identification file containing information about the surgical instrument and the corresponding tracking device; and

[0118] The surgical tool is identified based on the identified tracking device and the at least one identification file.

[0119] Example 3. The system according to Example 2, wherein the at least one identification file includes information about the surface and the corresponding tracking device, and wherein the memory stores additional data for processing by the processor, which, when processed, causes the processor to:

[0120] The surface is identified based on the identified tracking device and the at least one identification file.

[0121] Example 4. The system according to Example 3, wherein the surface is at least one of a robotic face or a surgical tool face.

[0122] Example 5. The system according to Example 1, wherein the signal includes at least one of an electrical signal, an optical signal, or an electromagnetic signal.

[0123] Example 6. The system according to Example 5, wherein the signal includes the optical signal, and the tracking device includes at least one light-emitting diode (LED).

[0124] Example 7. The system according to Example 1, wherein the tracking device includes a first tracking device, the signal includes a first signal, and the frequency includes a first frequency, wherein the memory stores additional data for processing by the processor, the additional data causing the processor to:

[0125] The second tracking device is made to transmit a second signal with a second frequency;

[0126] Processing the second signal to obtain second frequency information of the second tracking device corresponding to the second frequency; and

[0127] The second tracking device is identified based on this second frequency information.

[0128] Example 8. The system according to Example 7, wherein the second frequency and the first frequency are uncoordinated.

[0129] Example 9. The system according to Example 7, wherein the second frequency and the first frequency are the same frequency, wherein the first tracking device is disposed on the first surface and the second tracking device is disposed on the second surface, and wherein the first surface has a different geometry than the second tracking device.

[0130] Example 10. The system according to Example 1, wherein the memory stores additional data for processing by the processor, which, when processed, causes the processor to:

[0131] Make the light source emit light,

[0132] The photodiode is positioned near the tracking device to indicate the photodiode's response to the light.

[0133] The tracking device is identified based on the response of the photodiode; and

[0134] This causes the identified tracking device to emit the signal.

[0135] Example 11. A system for identifying one or more tracking devices, the system comprising:

[0136] processor; and

[0137] The memory stores data for processing by the processor, which, when processed, causes the processor to:

[0138] The first tracking device is made to transmit a first signal with a first frequency, and the second tracking device is made to transmit a second signal with a second frequency;

[0139] Processing the first signal to obtain first frequency information of the first tracking device corresponding to the first frequency, and processing the second signal to obtain second frequency information of the second tracking device corresponding to the second frequency; and

[0140] The first tracking device is identified based on the first frequency information, and the second tracking device is identified based on the second frequency information.

[0141] Example 12. The system according to Example 11, wherein the second frequency and the first frequency are uncoordinated.

[0142] Example 13. The system according to Example 11, wherein the second frequency and the first frequency are the same frequency, wherein the first tracking device is disposed on the first surface and the second tracking device is disposed on the second surface, and wherein the first surface has a different geometry than the second tracking device.

[0143] Example 14. The system according to Example 11, wherein each of the first signal and the second signal includes at least one of an electrical signal, an optical signal, or an electromagnetic signal.

[0144] Example 15. The system according to Example 14, wherein each of the first signal and the second signal includes the optical signal, and the tracking device includes at least one light-emitting diode (LED).

[0145] Example 16. The system according to Example 11, wherein the memory stores additional data for processing by the processor, which, when processed, causes the processor to:

[0146] Receive at least one identification file, each identification file containing information about the surgical instrument and the corresponding tracking device; and

[0147] The first surgical tool is identified based on the identified first tracking device and the at least one identification file, and the second surgical tool is identified based on the identified second tracking device and the at least one identification file.

[0148] Example 17. A system for identifying tracking devices, the system comprising:

[0149] A first tracking device, the first tracking device being configured to transmit a first signal having a first frequency;

[0150] A second tracking device is configured to transmit a second signal having a second frequency;

[0151] processor; and

[0152] The memory stores data for processing by the processor, which, when processed, causes the processor to:

[0153] The first tracking device is made to transmit the first signal;

[0154] The second tracking device is made to transmit the second frequency;

[0155] Processing the first signal to obtain first frequency information of the first tracking device corresponding to the first frequency, and processing the second signal to obtain second frequency information of the second tracking device corresponding to the second frequency; and

[0156] The first tracking device is identified based on the first frequency information, and the second tracking device is identified based on the second frequency information.

[0157] Example 18. The system according to Example 17, wherein each of the first tracking device and the second tracking device is wireless.

[0158] Example 19. The system according to Example 17, the system further includes:

[0159] A first photodiode, the first photodiode being disposed near the first tracking device; and

[0160] A second photodiode is disposed near the second tracking device.

[0161] Example 20. The system according to Example 19, wherein the memory stores additional data for processing by the processor, which, when processed, causes the processor to:

[0162] Make the light source emit light,

[0163] The response of at least one of the first photodiode or the second photodiode to the light is indicated.

[0164] The first tracking device or at least one of the second tracking devices is identified based on the response of the first photodiode or the second photodiode; and

[0165] The first or second tracking device identified is caused to transmit a corresponding first or second signal.

Claims

1. A system for identifying tracking devices, the system comprising: Processor (104); and Memory (106), the memory storing data for processing by the processor, the data causing the processor to: The tracking device (126) is made to emit a signal with a frequency; The signal is processed to obtain frequency information of the tracking device corresponding to the frequency; as well as The tracking device is identified based on the frequency information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory stores additional data for processing by the processor, the additional data causing the processor, when processed, to: Receive at least one identification file, each identification file containing information about the surgical instrument and the corresponding tracking device; and The surgical tool is identified based on the identified tracking device and the at least one identification file.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one identification file includes information about the surface and the corresponding tracking device, and wherein the memory stores additional data for processing by the processor, the additional data causing the processor to: The surface is identified based on the identified tracking device and the at least one identification file.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the surface is at least one of a robotic surface or a surgical tool surface.

5. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the signal includes at least one of an electrical signal, an optical signal, or an electromagnetic signal.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the signal includes the optical signal, and the tracking device includes at least one light-emitting diode (LED).

7. The system according to any preceding claim, wherein the tracking device includes a first tracking device, the signal includes a first signal, and the frequency includes a first frequency, wherein the memory stores additional data for processing by the processor, the additional data causing the processor to: The second tracking device is made to transmit a second signal with a second frequency; The second signal is processed to obtain second frequency information of the second tracking device corresponding to the second frequency; as well as The second tracking device is identified based on the second frequency information.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the second frequency and the first frequency are uncoordinated.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the second frequency and the first frequency are the same frequency, wherein the first tracking device is disposed on the first surface and the second tracking device is disposed on the second surface, and wherein the first surface has a different geometry than the second tracking device.

10. The system according to any preceding claim, wherein the memory stores additional data for processing by the processor, the additional data causing the processor, when processed, to: Make the light source emit light, The photodiode is positioned near the tracking device to indicate the response of the photodiode to the light. The tracking device is identified based on the reaction of the photodiode; as well as The identified tracking device is then instructed to transmit the signal.

11. A system for identifying one or more tracking devices, the system comprising: Processor (104); and Memory (106), the memory storing data for processing by the processor, the data causing the processor to: The first tracking device (136) is made to transmit a first signal with a first frequency, and the second tracking device (136) is made to transmit a second signal with a second frequency; The first signal is processed to obtain first frequency information of the first tracking device corresponding to the first frequency, and the second signal is processed to obtain second frequency information of the second tracking device corresponding to the second frequency; as well as The first tracking device is identified based on the first frequency information, and the second tracking device is identified based on the second frequency information.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the second frequency and the first frequency are uncoordinated.

13. The system of claim 11 or 12, wherein the second frequency and the first frequency are the same frequency, wherein the first tracking device is disposed on the first surface and the second tracking device is disposed on the second surface, and wherein the first surface has a different geometry than the second tracking device.

14. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each of the first signal and the second signal comprises at least one of an electrical signal, an optical signal, or an electromagnetic signal.

15. The system according to any preceding claim, wherein the memory stores additional data for processing by the processor, the additional data causing the processor, when processed, to: Receive at least one identification file, each identification file containing information about the surgical instrument and the corresponding tracking device; and The first surgical tool is identified based on the identified first tracking device and the at least one identification file, and the second surgical tool is identified based on the identified second tracking device and the at least one identification file.

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