Systems and methods for registering a target anatomical element

Abstract

Systems and methods for registering a target anatomical element are provided. An image of patient anatomy including the target anatomical element and target pose information of the target anatomical element from the imaging device may be received. Robot pose information of a robotic arm supporting the imaging device may also be received. The target pose information and the robot pose information may be inputted into a registration model configured to register a robot coordinate system of the robot to a patient coordinate system based on the target pose information, the robot pose information, and the image.

Description

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REGISTERING A TARGET ANATOMICAL ELEMENTBACKGROUND

[0001] The present disclosure is generally directed to registration, and relates more particularly to a registration process minimizing use of ionizing radiation.

[0002] Surgical robots may assist a surgeon or other medical provider in carrying out a surgical procedure, or may complete one or more surgical procedures autonomously. Imaging may be used by a medical provider for diagnostic and / or therapeutic purposes. Patient anatomy can change over time, particularly following placement of a medical implant in the patient anatomy.BRIEF SUMMARY

[0003] Example aspects of the present disclosure include:

[0004] A system for registering a target anatomical element according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises an imaging device; a robot having a robotic arm, the robotic arm configured to support the imaging device; a processor; and a memory storing data for processing by the processor, the data, when processed, causing the processor to: receive an image of a patient anatomy including the target anatomical element; receive target pose information of the target anatomical element from the imaging device; receive robot pose information of the robotic arm from the robot; and input the target pose information and the robot pose information into a registration model, the registration model configured to register a robot coordinate system of the robot to a patient coordinate system based on the target pose information, the robot pose information, and the image.

[0005] Any aspect herein, wherein the target pose information is obtained from the imaging device free of ionizing radiation.

[0006] Any aspect herein, wherein the target pose information is a first target pose information, the robotic pose information is a first robot pose information, and the target anatomical element is a first target anatomical element, and wherein the memory stores further data for processing by the processor that, when processed, causes the processor to: receive second target pose information of a second target anatomical element from the imaging device; receive second robot pose information of the robotic arm from the robot; and input the second target pose information and the second robot pose information into the registration model, the registration model configured toregister the robot coordinate system to a patient coordinate system based on the second target pose information, the second robot pose information, and the image.

[0007] Any aspect herein, wherein the first robot pose information is the same as the second robot pose information.

[0008] Any aspect herein, wherein the first robot pose information is different from the second robot pose information.

[0009] Any aspect herein, wherein the imaging device comprises a three-dimensional (3D) scanner configured to obtain a scan of the target anatomical element, the scan including the pose information.

[0010] Any aspect herein, wherein the 3D scanner uses at least one of infrared light, structured light, light detection and ranging (LIDAR), ultrasonic waves, or short wave radio.

[0011] Any aspect herein, wherein the imaging device is positioned and operated by a user.

[0012] Any aspect herein, wherein the imaging device is automatically positioned and operated by the robotic arm.

[0013] Any aspect herein, wherein the target anatomical element comprises at least one vertebra.

[0014] Any aspect herein, wherein the memory stores further data for processing by the processor that, when processed, causes the processor to: receive updated target pose information of the target anatomical element from the imaging device; and compare the updated target pose information with the target pose information, wherein a pose of the target anatomical element is validated when the updated target pose information matches the target pose information.

[0015] A system for registering a target anatomical element according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises an imaging device; a robot having a robotic arm configured to support the imaging device; a marker disposed on the imaging device; a navigation system configured to track the reference marker; a processor; and a memory storing data for processing by the processor, the data, when processed, causing the processor to: receive an image of a patient anatomy including the target anatomical element; receive target pose information of the target anatomical element from the imaging device; receive marker pose information from the navigation system; and input the target pose information and the marker pose information into a registration model, the registration model configured to register a robotic coordinate system of the robot with a patient coordinate system based on the marker pose information, the target pose information, and the image.

[0016] Any aspect herein, wherein the imaging device is positioned and operated by a user.

[0017] Any aspect herein, wherein the imaging device is automatically positioned and operated by the robotic arm.

[0018] Any aspect herein, wherein the target anatomical element comprises at least one vertebra.

[0019] Any aspect herein, herein the target pose information is obtained from the imaging device free of ionizing radiation.

[0020] Any aspect herein, wherein the target pose information is a first target pose information, the marker pose information is a first marker pose information, and the target anatomical element is a first target anatomical element, and wherein the memory stores further data for processing by the processor that, when processed, causes the processor to: receive second target pose information of a second target anatomical element from the imaging device; receive second marker pose information from the navigation system; and input the second target pose information and the second marker pose information into the registration model, the registration model configured to register the robotic coordinate system with the patient coordinate system based on the second target pose information, the second marker pose information, and the image.

[0021] Any aspect herein, wherein the imaging device comprises a 3D scanner configured to obtain a scan of the target anatomical element, the scan including the pose information.

[0022] Any aspect herein, wherein the 3D scanner uses at least one of infrared light, structured light, light detection and ranging (LIDAR), ultrasonic waves, or short wave radio.

[0023] A system for registering a target anatomical element according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises an imaging device; a processor; and a memory storing data for processing by the processor, the data, when processed, causing the processor to: receive an image of a patient anatomy including the one or more target anatomical elements; receive first target pose information of the first target anatomical element from the imaging device; receive first robot pose information of the robotic arm from the robot; input the first target pose information and the first robot pose information into a registration model, the registration model configured to register a robot coordinate system of the robot to a patient coordinate system based on the first target pose information, the first robot pose information, and the image; receive second target pose information of a second target anatomical element from the imaging device; receive second robot pose information of the robotic arm from the robot; and input the second target pose information and the second robot pose information into the registration model, the registration model configured toregister the robot coordinate system to a patient coordinate system based on the second target pose information, the second robot pose information, and the image.

[0024] Any aspect in combination with any one or more other aspects.

[0025] Any one or more of the features disclosed herein.

[0026] Any one or more of the features as substantially disclosed herein.

[0027] Any one or more of the features as substantially disclosed herein in combination with any one or more other features as substantially disclosed herein.

[0028] Any one of the aspects / features / embodiments in combination with any one or more other aspects / features / embodiments .

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

[0030] It is to be appreciated that any feature described herein can be claimed in combination with any other feature(s) as described herein, regardless of whether the features come from the same described embodiment.

[0031] The details of one or more aspects of the disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the techniques described in this disclosure will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

[0032] The phrases “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and / or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive 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 A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together. When each one of A, B, and C in the above expressions refers to an element, such as X, Y, and Z, or class of elements, such as XI -Xn, Yl-Ym, and Zl- 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., XI and X2) as well as a combination of elements selected from two or more classes (e.g., Y 1 and Zo).

[0033] The term “a” or “an” entity refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. It is also to be noted that the terms “comprising”, “including”, and “having” can be used interchangeably.

[0034] The preceding is a simplified summary of the disclosure to provide an understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. This summary is neither an extensive nor exhaustive overview ofthe disclosure and its various aspects, embodiments, and configurations. It is intended neither to identify key or critical elements of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of the disclosure but to present selected concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description presented below. As will be appreciated, other aspects, embodiments, and configurations of the disclosure are possible utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below.

[0035] Numerous additional features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the embodiment descriptions provided hereinbelow.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] The accompanying drawings are incorporated into and form a part of the specification to illustrate several examples of the present disclosure. These drawings, together with the description, explain the principles of the disclosure. The drawings simply illustrate preferred and alternative examples of how the disclosure can be made and used and are not to be construed as limiting the disclosure to only the illustrated and described examples. Further features and advantages will become apparent from the following, more detailed, description of the various aspects, embodiments, and configurations of the disclosure, as illustrated by the drawings referenced below.

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

[0038] Fig. IB is a schematic diagram of a system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0039] Fig. 2 is a flowchart according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0040] Fig. 3 is a flowchart according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0041] Fig. 4 is a flowchart according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0042] Fig. 5 is a flowchart according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] It should be understood that various aspects disclosed herein may be combined in different combinations than the combinations specifically presented in the description and accompanying drawings. It should also be understood that, depending on the example or embodiment, certain acts or events of any of the processes or methods described herein may beperformed in a different sequence, and / or may be added, merged, or left out altogether (e.g., all described acts or events may not be necessary to carry out the disclosed techniques according to different embodiments of the present disclosure). In addition, while certain aspects of this disclosure are described as being performed by a single module or unit for purposes of clarity, it should be understood that the techniques of this disclosure may be performed by a combination of units or modules associated with, for example, a computing device and / or a medical device.

[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 functions 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, functions may be implemented using machine learning models, neural networks, artificial neural networks, or combinations thereof (alone or in combination with instructions). Computer-readable media may include non-transitory computer-readable media, which corresponds to a tangible medium such as data storage media (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 that can be accessed 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 Al l, 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 circuitry. Accordingly, the term “processor” as used herein may refer to any of the foregoing structure or any other physical structure suitable for implementation of the described techniques. Also, the techniques could be fully implemented in one or more circuits or logic elements.

[0046] Before any embodiments of the disclosure are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangementof components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Further, the present disclosure may use examples to illustrate one or more aspects thereof. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the use or listing of one or more examples (which may be denoted by “for example,” “by way of example,” “e.g.,” “such as,” or similar language) is not intended to and does not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0047] The terms proximal and distal are used in this disclosure with their conventional medical meanings, proximal being closer to the operator or user of the system, and further from the region of surgical interest in or on the patient, and distal being closer to the region of surgical interest in or on the patient, and further from the operator or user of the system.

[0048] In order to perform a robotic guided surgery in which a robot autonomously performs one or more surgical procedures or assists a surgeon in performing one or more surgical procedures, the robotic system is registered to a patient anatomy. In other words, the robotic system must know where target anatomical elements are relative to the robotic system. Conventional methods for registering the robotic system to the patient anatomy include using, for example, two X-ray photos (obtained from, for example, a C-arm) or an 0-arm scan. However, such procedures are time consuming and expose the patient and surgical team to ionizing radiation.

[0049] Embodiments of the present disclosure provides for systems and methods for registering directly to a robotic axis and registering without the use of ionizing radiation in the surgical room, which can save time during the surgical procedures and can result in a more accurate registration as a target anatomy is registered directly to the robotic axis and / or through a reference marker. This may result in an improved user experience as the registration process may be faster without the use of C-arm or 0-arm imaging devices and the registration process may be safer by reducing or eliminating exposure of the patient and / or the surgical team to ionizing radiation.

[0050] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide technical solutions to one or more of the problems of (1) performing one or more registration processes free of ionizing radiation, (2) performing multiple registration processes during the same surgical operation, (3) reducing anoperating time of one or more surgical procedures, and (4) increasing safety of the patient and surgical team.

[0051] Turning first to Fig. 1, a block diagram of a system 100 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The system 100 may be used to register a target anatomical element and / or carry out one or more other aspects of one or more of the methods disclosed herein. The system 100 comprises a computing device 102, one or more imaging devices 112, a robot 114, a navigation system 118, a database 130, and / or a cloud or other network 134. Systems according to other embodiments of the present disclosure may comprise more or fewer components than the system 100. For example, the system 100 may not include the imaging device 112, the robot 114, the navigation system 118, one or more components of the computing device 102, the database 130, and / or the cloud 134.

[0052] The computing device 102 comprises a processor 104, a memory 106, a communication interface 108, and a user interface 110. Computing devices according to other embodiments of the present disclosure may comprise more or fewer components than the computing device 102.

[0053] The processor 104 of the computing device 102 may be any processor described herein or any similar processor. The processor 104 may be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory 106, which instructions may cause the processor 104 to carry out one or more computing steps utilizing or based on data received from the imaging device 112, the robot 114, the navigation system 118, the database 130, and / or the cloud 134.

[0054] The memory 106 may be or comprise RAM, DRAM, SDRAM, other solid-state memory, any memory described herein, or any other tangible, non-transitory memory for storing computer- readable data and / or instructions. The memory 106 may store information or data useful for completing, for example, any step of the methods 200, 300, 400, and / or 500 described herein, or of any other methods. The memory 106 may store, for example, instructions and / or machine learning models that support one or more functions of the robot 114. For instance, the memory 106 may store content (e.g., instructions and / or machine learning models) that, when executed by the processor 104, enable image processing 120 and / or registration model 122.

[0055] The image processing 120 enables the processor 104 to process image data of an image (obtained from, for example, the imaging device 112, 152) for the purpose of, for example, identifying information about anatomical elements (e.g., vertebrae) and / or objects (e.g., reference markers) depicted in the image. The information may comprise, for example, identification of hardtissue and / or soft tissues, a boundary between hard tissue and soft tissue, a boundary of hard tissue and / or soft tissue, etc. The image processing 120 may, for example, identify hard tissue, soft tissue, and / or a boundary of the hard tissue and / or soft tissue by determining a difference in or contrast between colors or grayscales of image pixels. For example, a boundary between the hard tissue and the soft tissue may be identified as a contrast between lighter pixels and darker pixels. The processed image data can be used to determine, for example, a pose of the anatomical elements and / or objects.

[0056] The registration model 122 enables the processor 104 to register a coordinate system (e.g., a robotic coordinate system) with another coordinate system (e.g., a patient coordinate system) by correlating pose information and / or an image of a target anatomical element with another image of the patient anatomy. The registration model 122 may enable the processor 104 to also correlate identified anatomical elements and / or individual objects in one image with identified anatomical elements and / or individual objects in another image. The registration model 122 may enable information about the anatomical elements and the individual objects (such as, for example, one or more reference markers) to be obtained and measured. For example, a pose of the target anatomical element relative to an end effector of the robotic arm 116 may be determined by the processor 104 using the registration model 122.

[0057] Such content, if provided as in instruction, may, in some embodiments, be organized into one or more applications, modules, packages, layers, or engines. Alternatively or additionally, the 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 the processor 104 to carry out the various method and features described herein. Thus, although various contents of memory 106 may be described as instructions, it should be appreciated that functionality described herein can be achieved through use of instructions, algorithms, and / or machine learning models. The data, algorithms, and / or instructions may cause the processor 104 to manipulate data stored in the memory 106 and / or received from or via the imaging device 112, 152, the robot 114, the database 130, and / or the cloud 134.

[0058] The computing device 102 may also comprise a communication interface 108. The communication interface 108 may be used for receiving image data or other information from an external source (such as the imaging device 112, 152, the robot 114, the navigation system 118, the database 130, the cloud 134, and / or any other system or component not part of the system 100),and / or for transmitting instructions, images, or other information to an external system or device (e.g., another computing device 102, the imaging device 112,152, the robot 114, the navigation system 118, the database 130, the cloud 134, and / or any other system or component not part of the system 100). The communication interface 108 may comprise one or more wired interfaces (e.g., a USB port, an Ethernet port, a Firewire port) and / or one or more wireless transceivers or interfaces (configured, for example, to transmit and / or receive information via one or more wireless communication protocols such as 802.11a / b / g / n, Bluetooth, NFC, ZigBee, and so forth). In some embodiments, the communication interface 108 may be useful for enabling the device 102 to communicate with one or more other processors 104 or computing devices 102, whether to reduce the time needed to accomplish a computing-intensive task or for any other reason.

[0059] The computing device 102 may also comprise one or more user interfaces 110. The user interface 110 may be or comprise a keyboard, mouse, trackball, monitor, television, screen, touchscreen, and / or any other device for receiving information from a user and / or for providing information to a user. The user interface 110 may be used, for example, to receive a user selection or other user input regarding any step of any method described herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any required input for any step of any method described herein may be generated automatically by the system 100 (e.g., by the processor 104 or another component of the system 100) or received by the system 100 from a source external to the system 100. In some embodiments, the user interface 110 may be useful to allow a surgeon or other user to modify instructions to be executed by the processor 104 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, and / or to modify or adjust a setting of other information displayed on the user interface 110 or corresponding thereto.

[0060] Although the user interface 110 is shown as part of the computing device 102, in some embodiments, the computing device 102 may utilize a user interface 110 that is housed separately from one or more remaining components of the computing device 102. In some embodiments, the user interface 110 may be located proximate one or more other components of the computing device 102, while in other embodiments, the user interface 110 may be located remotely from one or more other components of the computer device 102.

[0061] The imaging device 112 may be operable to image anatomical feature(s) (e.g., a bone, veins, tissue, etc.) and / or other aspects of patient anatomy to yield image data (e.g., image data depicting or corresponding to a bone, veins, tissue, etc.). “Image data” as used herein refers to thedata generated or captured by an imaging device 112 including in a machine-readable form, a graphical / visual form, and in any other form. In various examples, the image data may comprise data corresponding to an anatomical feature of a patient, or to a portion thereof. For example, the image data may comprise data corresponding to a target anatomical element such as a target anatomical element 146 of a patient anatomy such as a patient anatomy 144 (shown in Fig. IB). Information such as pose information of the target anatomical element 146 can be obtained from the image data.

[0062] An image or image data from the imaging device 112 may depict a reference marker such as the reference marker 142. In some embodiments, the reference marker 142 may have markers visible to an optical camera, an infrared camera, or any type of camera. For example, the reference marker 142 may comprise metal balls that are detectable and / or trackable using an X-ray imaging device (including, for example, a C-arm, an 0-arm, a fluoroscope), and infrared-reflecting spheres that are detectable and / or trackable by the navigation system 118. In some embodiments, the reference marker 142 may be affixed to a robotic arm such as the robotic arm 116 or to any portion of a robot such as the robot 114.

[0063] The image data may be or comprise a preoperative image, an intraoperative image, a postoperative image, or an image taken independently of any surgical procedure. The imaging device 112 may be capable of taking a 2D image or a 3D image to yield the image data. The imaging device 112 may be or comprise, for example, an ultrasound scanner (which may comprise, for example, a physically separate transducer and receiver, or a single ultrasound transceiver), an 0-arm, a C-arm, a G-arm, or any other device utilizing X-ray-based imaging (e.g., a fluoroscope, a 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 thermographic camera (e.g., an infrared camera), a radar system (which may comprise, for example, a transmitter, a receiver, a processor, and one or more antennae), or any other imaging device 112 suitable for obtaining images of an anatomical feature of a patient. In some embodiments, the imaging device 112 may be any 3D scanner capable of obtaining a 3D scan free of ionizing radiation such as, for example, infrared light, structured light, light detection and ranging (LIDAR), ultrasonic waves, or shortwave radio to obtain a 3D scan of the target anatomical element. The imaging device 112 may be contained entirely within a single housing, or maycomprise a transmitter / emitter and a receiver / detector that are in separate housings or are otherwise physically separated.

[0064] In some embodiments, the imaging device 112 may comprise 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 still other embodiments, the same imaging device may be used to provide both the first image data and the second image data, and / or any other image data described herein. The imaging device 112 may be operable to generate a stream of image data. For example, the imaging device 112 may be configured to operate with an open shutter, or with a shutter that continuously alternates between open and shut so as to capture successive images. For purposes of the present disclosure, unless specified otherwise, image data may be considered to be continuous and / or provided as an image data stream if the image data represents two or more frames per second.

[0065] The robot 114 may be any surgical robot or surgical robotic system. The robot 114 may be or comprise, for example, the Mazor X™ Stealth Edition robotic guidance system. The robot 114 may be configured to position an imaging device 152 (which may be the same as or similar to the imaging device 112) at one or more precise position(s) and orientation(s), and / or to return the imaging device 152 to the same position(s) and orientation(s) at a later point in time. The robot 114 may additionally or alternatively be configured to manipulate a surgical tool (whether based on guidance from the navigation system 118 or not) to accomplish or to assist with a surgical task. In some embodiments, the robot 114 may be configured to hold and / or manipulate an anatomical element during or in connection with a surgical procedure. The robot 114 may comprise one or more robotic arms 116. In some embodiments, the robotic arm 116 may comprise a first robotic arm and a second robotic arm, though the robot 114 may comprise more than two robotic arms. In some embodiments, one or more of the robotic arms 116 may be used to hold and / or maneuver the imaging device 152. In embodiments where the imaging device 152 comprises two or more physically separate components (e.g., a transmitter and receiver), one robotic arm 116 may hold one such component, and another robotic arm 116 may hold another such component. Each robotic arm 116 may be positionable independently of the other robotic arm. The robotic arms 116 may be controlled in a single, shared coordinate space, or in separate coordinate spaces.

[0066] 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. Further, the robotic arm 116 may be positionedor positionable in any pose, plane, and / or focal point. The pose includes a position and an orientation. As a result, the imaging device 152, a surgical tool, or other object held by the robot 114 (or, more specifically, by the robotic arm 116) may be precisely positionable in one or more needed and specific positions and orientations.

[0067] The robot 114 also comprises one or more sensors 154. The sensor 154 may be a position sensor, a proximity sensor, a magnetometer, or an accelerometer. In some embodiments, the sensor 154 may be a linear encoder, a rotary encoder, or an incremental encoder. Other types of sensors may also be used as the sensor 154. Data from the sensor(s) 154 may be provided to a processor of the robot 114, to the processor 104 of the computing device 102, and / or to the navigation system 118. The data may be used to calculate a position in space of the robotic arm 116 relative to one or more coordinate systems (e.g., patient coordinate system, navigation coordinate system, robot coordinate system, etc.). The calculation may be based not just on data received from the sensor(s) 154, but also on data or information (such as, for example, physical dimensions) about, for example, a robot 114 or a portion thereof, or any other relevant object, which data or information may be stored, for example, in the memory 106 of the computing device 102 or in any other memory.

[0068] In some embodiments, reference markers (e.g., navigation markers) such as the reference marker 142 (shown in Fig. IB) may be placed on the robot 114 (including, e.g., on the robotic arm 116), the imaging device 112, or any other object in the surgical space. The reference markers 142 may be tracked by the navigation system 118, and the results of the tracking may be used by the robot 114 and / or by an operator of the system 100 or any component thereof. In some embodiments, the navigation system 118 can be used to track other components of the system (e.g., imaging device 112) and the system can operate without the use of the robot 114 (e.g., with the surgeon manually manipulating the imaging device 112 and / or one or more surgical tools, based on information and / or instructions generated by the navigation system 118, for example).

[0069] The navigation system 118 may provide navigation for a surgeon and / or a surgical robot during an operation. The navigation system 118 may be any now-known or future-developed navigation system, including, for example, the Medtronic StealthStation™ S8 surgical navigation system or any successor thereof. The navigation system 118 may include one or more cameras or other sensor(s) for tracking one or more reference markers, navigated trackers, or other objects within the operating room or other room in which some or all of the system 100 is located. The oneor more cameras may be optical cameras, infrared cameras, or other cameras. In some embodiments, the navigation system 118 may comprise one or more electromagnetic sensors. In various embodiments, the navigation system 118 may be used to track a position and orientation (e.g., a pose) of the imaging device 112, 152, the robot 114 and / or robotic arm 116, and / or one or more surgical tools (or, more particularly, to track a pose of a navigated tracker attached, directly or indirectly, in fixed relation to the one or more of the foregoing). The navigation system 118 may include a display for displaying one or more images from an external source (e.g., the computing device 102, imaging device 112, 152 or other source) or for displaying an image and / or video stream from the one or more cameras or other sensors of the navigation system 118. In some embodiments, the system 100 can operate without the use of the navigation system 118. The navigation system 118 may be configured to provide guidance to a surgeon or other user of the system 100 or a component thereof, to the robot 114, or to any other element of the system 100 regarding, for example, a pose of one or more anatomical elements, whether or not a tool is in the proper trajectory, and / or how to move a tool into the proper trajectory to carry out a surgical task according to a preoperative or other surgical plan.

[0070] The database 130 may store information that correlates one coordinate system to another (e.g., one or more robotic coordinate systems to a patient coordinate system and / or to a navigation coordinate system). The database 130 may additionally or alternatively store, for example, one or more surgical plans (including, for example, pose information about a target and / or image information about a patient’s anatomy at and / or proximate the surgical site, for use by the robot 114, the navigation system 118, and / or a user of the computing device 102 or of the system 100); one or more images useful in connection with a surgery to be completed by or with the assistance of one or more other components of the system 100; and / or any other useful information. The database 130 may be configured to provide any such information to the computing device 102 or to any other device of the system 100 or external to the system 100, whether directly or via the cloud 134. In some embodiments, the database 130 may be or comprise 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.

[0071] The cloud 134 may be or represent the Internet or any other wide area network. The computing device 102 may be connected to the cloud 134 via the communication interface 108,using a wired connection, a wireless connection, or both. In some embodiments, the computing device 102 may communicate with the database 130 and / or an external device (e.g., a computing device) via the cloud 134.

[0072] The system 100 or similar systems may be used, for example, to carry out one or more aspects of any of the methods 200, 300, 400 and / or 500 described herein. The system 100 or similar systems may also be used for other purposes.

[0073] Turning to Fig. IB, a block diagram of a system 150 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The system 150 includes the computing device 102, the navigation system 118, and the robot 114. The system 150 may be used with any other component of the system 100. Systems according to other embodiments of the present disclosure may comprise more or fewer components than the system 150. For example, the system 150 may not include the navigation system 118.

[0074] As illustrated, the robot 114 includes the robotic arm 116 (which may comprise one or more members 116A connected by one or more joints 116B) extending from a base 140. The base 140 may be stationary or movable. In some embodiments, the robot 114 may include one robotic arm or two or more robotic arms. In embodiments where the robot 114 includes more than two robotic arms, the robotic arms may operate in a shared or common coordinate space. By operating in the common coordinate space, the robotic arms avoid colliding with each other during use, as a position of each robotic arm is known to each other.

[0075] As shown, the imaging device 152 may be disposed on or near the robotic arm 116 (e.g., at an end of the robotic arm 116). The imaging device 152 may be used to, for example, image patient anatomy 144 of a patient 148 to obtain pose information of a target anatomical element 146. The target anatomical element 146 may comprise, for example, a vertebra. As will be discussed in detail in Figs. 3-4, the pose information of the target anatomical element 146 and robot pose information or marker pose information can be used to register a robotic coordinate system of the robot 114 to a patient coordinate system of the patient 148. In some instances, the target anatomical element 146 may change during a surgical operation and the registration may be updated based on the new or updated target anatomical element 146. For example, a first surgical procedure may be performed on a first target anatomical element and a second surgical procedure may be performed on a second target anatomical element. In such examples, a first registration process may beperformed on the first target anatomical element and a second registration process may be performed on the second target anatomical element.

[0076] Fig. 2 depicts a method 200 that may be used, for example, for generating a registration model 122 is provided.

[0077] The method 200 comprises generating a registration model 122 (step 204). A processor such as the processor 104 may generate the model. The registration model 122 may be generated to facilitate and enable, for example, identification of one or more anatomical elements and / or objects depicted in image data and registration of the one or more anatomical elements.

[0078] The method 200 also comprises training the registration model 122 (step 208). In embodiments where the registration model 122 is trained prior to a surgical procedure, the registration model 122 may be trained using historical data from a number of patients such as, for example, image data from patients (e.g., CT scans, 3D scans, etc.) from one or more imaging devices such as the imaging devices 112, 152. In some embodiments, the historical data may be obtained from patients that have similar patient data to a patient on which a surgical procedure is to be performed. In other embodiments, the historical data may be obtained from any patient.

[0079] In other embodiments, the registration model 122 may be trained in parallel with use of another registration model 122. Training in parallel may, in some embodiments, comprise training a registration model 122 using input received during, for example, or prior to a surgical procedure, while also using a separate registration model 122 to receive and act upon the same input. Such input may be specific to a patient undergoing the surgical procedure. In some instances, when the registration model 122 being trained exceeds the registration model 122 in use (whether in efficiency, accuracy, or otherwise), the registration model 122 being trained may replace the registration model 122 in use. Such parallel training may be useful, for example, in situations, where a registration model 122 is continuously in use (for example, when an input (such as, for example, an image) is continuously updated) and a corresponding registration model 122 may be trained in parallel for further improvements.

[0080] In some embodiments, it will be appreciated that the registration model 122 trained using historical data may be initially used as a primary registration model 122 at a start of a surgical procedure. A training registration model 122 may also be trained in parallel with the primary registration model 122 using patient-specific input until the training registration model 122 issufficiently trained. The primary registration model 122 may then be replaced by the training registration model 122.

[0081] The method 200 also comprises storing the registration model 122 (step 212). The registration model 122 may be stored in memory such as the memory 106 and / or a database such as the database 130 for later use. In some embodiments, the registration model 122 is stored in the memory when the registration model 122 is sufficiently trained. The registration model 122 may be sufficiently trained when the registration model 122 produces an output that meets a predetermined threshold, which may be determined by, for example, a user, or may be automatically determined by a processor such as the processor 104.

[0082] The present disclosure encompasses embodiments of the method 200 that comprise more or fewer steps than those described above, and / or one or more steps that are different than the steps described above.

[0083] Fig. 3 depicts a method 300 that may be used, for example, for registering a target anatomical element.

[0084] The method 300 (and / or one or more steps thereof) may be carried out or otherwise performed, for example, by at least one processor. The at least one processor may be the same as or similar to the processor(s) 104 of the computing device 102 described above. The at least one processor may be part of a robot (such as a robot 114) or part of a navigation system (such as a navigation system 118). A processor other than any processor described herein may also be used to execute the method 300. The at least one processor may perform the method 300 by executing elements stored in a memory such as the memory 106. The elements stored in memory and executed by the processor may cause the processor to execute one or more steps of a function as shown in method 300. One or more portions of a method 300 may be performed by the processor executing any of the contents of memory, such as an image processing 120 and / or a registration model 122.

[0001] The method 300 comprises receiving an image of patient anatomy (step 304). The image may be received via a user interface such as the user interface 110 and / or a communication interface such as the communication interface 108 of a computing device such as the computing device 102, and may be stored in a memory such as the memory 106 of the computing device. The image may also be received from an external database or image repository (e.g., 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 transmittingelectronic medical records including image data), and / or via the Internet or another network. In other embodiments, the image may be received or obtained from an imaging device such as the imaging device 112, which may be any imaging device such as an MRI scanner, a CT scanner, any other X-ray based imaging device, or an ultrasound imaging device. The image may also be generated by and / or uploaded to any other component of a system such as the system 100. In some embodiments, the image may be indirectly received via any other component of the system or a node of a network to which the system is connected.

[0002] The image may be a 2D image or a 3D image or a set of 2D and / or 3D images. The image may depict a patient anatomy such as the patient anatomy 144400 or a portion thereof. The image may also depict one or more target anatomical elements such as the target anatomical element 146. In some embodiments, the image may be captured preoperatively (e.g., before surgery) and may be stored in a system (e.g., a system 100) and / or one or more components thereof (e.g., a database 130). The stored image may then be received (e.g., by a processor 104), as described above, preoperatively (e.g., before the surgery) and / or intraoperatively (e.g., during surgery). In some embodiments, the image may depict multiple anatomical elements associated with the patient anatomy, including incidental anatomical elements (e.g., ribs or other anatomical objects on which a surgery or surgical procedure will not be performed) in addition to the target anatomical element(s) 146 (e.g., vertebrae or other anatomical objects on which a surgery or surgical procedure is to be performed). The image may comprise various features corresponding to the patient’s anatomy and / or anatomical elements (and / or portions thereof), including gradients corresponding to boundaries and / or contours of the various depicted anatomical elements, varying levels of intensity corresponding to varying surface textures of the various depicted anatomical elements, combinations thereof, and / or the like. The image may depict any portion or part of patient anatomy and may include, but is in no way limited to, one or more vertebrae, ribs, lungs, soft tissues (e.g., skin, tendons, muscle fiber, etc.), a patella, a clavicle, a scapula, combinations thereof, and / or the like.

[0003] Each image may be processed by a processor such as the processor 104 using an image processing such as the image processing 120 to identify anatomical elements in the image. In some embodiments, feature recognition may be used to identify a feature of the anatomical element or the tracking device. For example, a contour of a vertebrae, femur, or other bone may be identifiedin the image. In other embodiments, the image processing may use artificial intelligence or machine learning to identify the anatomical element and / or the tracking device.

[0004] The method 300 also comprises receiving target pose information (step 308). The target pose information may be received from, for example, an imaging device such as the imaging device 152. The imaging device may comprise a 3D scanning device using, for example, infrared light, structured light, light detection and ranging (LIDAR), ultrasonic waves, or short wave radio to obtain a 3D scan of the target anatomical element. In such embodiments, the 3D scan may be obtained without the use of ionizing radiation thereby preventing exposure of the patient and the surgical team to the ionizing radiation such as, for example, X-ray waves. Pose information (e.g., a position and orientation) of the target anatomical element can be obtained from the 3D scan. For example, the 3D scan can be processed by the processor using the image processing to obtain the pose information.

[0085] The imaging device may be supported by a robotic arm such as the robotic arm 116 of a robot such as the robot 114. The imaging device may be automatically positioned and / or operated by the robotic arm. In other instances, the imaging device may be positioned and / or operated by a user (whether the imaging device is supported by the robotic arm or not).

[0086] In some embodiments, the imaging device may be a different imaging device from the imaging device used to generate the image in the step 304, described above. In other embodiments, the imaging device may be used to generate the image received in the step 304.

[0087] It will be appreciated that in some embodiments the target pose information may be obtained from, for example, a mechanical probe configured to obtain target pose information or an object and that may be oriented and / or operated by the robotic arm and / or a user. The mechanical probe may also have a reference marker tracked by a navigation system such as the navigation system 118.

[0005] The method 300 also comprises receiving robot pose information (step 312). The robot pose information may be received from sensor(s) such as the sensor(s) 154 of the robot. The sensor may comprise, for example, a position sensor, a proximity sensor, a magnetometer, an accelerometer, a linear encoder, a rotary encoder, an incremental encoder. Other types of sensors may also be used as the sensor. The robot pose information may be a pose in which the robot is supporting the imaging device (such as the imaging device 152) and is thus in contact with theimaging device. Such a pose may be useful, for example, to permit determination of a pose of the imaging device when the imaging device images or scan the target anatomical element.

[0006] The method 300 also comprises inputting the target pose information and the robot pose information into a registration model (step 316). The registration model may be the same as or similar to the registration model 122. The registration model may transform, map, or create a correlation between the target anatomical element based on the target pose information and the robot pose information and the target anatomical element in the image of the patient anatomy receive in the step 304. In other words, the registration model may correlate a coordinate system (e.g., a robotic coordinate system) with another coordinate system (e.g., a patient coordinate system) by correlating pose information and / or an image of a target anatomical element with another image of the patient anatomy. The registration may then be used by a system (e.g., a system 100) and / or one or more components thereof (e.g., a navigation system 118) to translate one or more coordinates in the patient coordinate space to one or more coordinates in a coordinate space of a robot (e.g., a robot 114) and / or vice versa.

[0007] The method 300 also comprises receiving second target pose information (step 320). The step 320 may be the same as or similar to the step 308 except that the second target pose information correlates to a second target anatomical element. In such instances, the target pose information of the step 308 may comprise first target pose information of a first target anatomical element. The second target pose information may be obtained when a user such as, for example, a surgeon has completed a first surgical step on the first target anatomical element and will be performing a second surgical step (or any subsequent surgical step) on a second target anatomical element. Thus, it may be desirable to reregister or update the registration based on the second target anatomical element, particularly in cases where the first surgical step may cause one or more other anatomical elements (potentially including the second target anatomical element) to move.

[0088] The method 300 also comprises receiving second robot pose information (step 324). The step 324 may be the same as or similar to the step 312 except that the second robot pose information correlates to the second target anatomical element. In such instances, the robot pose information of the step 312 may comprise first robot pose information of the first target anatomical element. In some embodiments, the second robot pose information may be the same as the first robot pose information. For example, the 3D scan obtained by the imaging device may include both the firsttarget anatomical element and the second anatomical element. In other embodiments, the second robot pose information may be different than the first robot pose information.

[0089] The method 300 also comprises inputting the second target pose information and the second robot pose information into the registration model (step 328). The step 328 may be the same as or similar to the step 316.

[0090] It will be appreciated that the method may not include the steps 320-328. It will also be appreciated that the method may repeat the steps 320-328 for any number of target anatomical elements or for any number of times. For example, a surgical operation may include three or more target anatomical elements and the registration may be completed for each target anatomical element.

[0091] The present disclosure encompasses embodiments of the method 300 that comprise more or fewer steps than those described above, and / or one or more steps that are different than the steps described above.

[0092] Fig. 4 depicts a method 400 that may be used, for example, for registering a target anatomical element.

[0093] The method 400 (and / or one or more steps thereof) may be carried out or otherwise performed, for example, by at least one processor. The at least one processor may be the same as or similar to the processor(s) 104 of the computing device 102 described above. The at least one processor may be part of a robot (such as a robot 114) or part of a navigation system (such as a navigation system 118). A processor other than any processor described herein may also be used to execute the method 400. The at least one processor may perform the method 400 by executing elements stored in a memory such as the memory 106. The elements stored in memory and executed by the processor may cause the processor to execute one or more steps of a function as shown in method 400. One or more portions of a method 400 may be performed by the processor executing any of the contents of memory, such as an image processing 120 and / or a registration model 122.

[0094] The method 400 comprises receiving an image of patient anatomy (step 404). The step 404 may be the same as or similar to the step 304 of the method 300 described above.

[0095] The method 400 also comprises receiving target pose information (step 408). The step 408 may be the same as or similar to the step 308 of the method 300 described above. As described above, an imaging device such as the imaging device 112 or the imaging device 152 (as supported by a robotic arm such as the robotic arm 116 of a robot such as the robot 114) may be used to obtaina 3D scan of a target anatomical element such as the target anatomical element 146. The 3D scan can be processed by a processor such as the processor 104 using imaging processing such as the image processing 120 to obtain pose information of the anatomical element.

[0096] The imaging device may be tracked using a reference marker such as the reference marker 142. In such embodiments, the reference marker may be disposed on the imaging device. In other embodiments, the reference marker may be disposed on the robotic arm or any portion of the robot. The imaging device can be oriented and operated by a user as a standalone component or as supported by a robotic arm such as the robotic arm 116. In embodiments where the imaging device is supported by the robotic arm, the imaging device can be automatically oriented and / or operated by the robotic arm.

[0097] It will be appreciated that in some embodiments the target pose information may be obtained from, for example, a mechanical probe configured to obtain target pose information or an object and that may be oriented and / or operated by the robotic arm and / or a user. The mechanical probe may also have a reference marker tracked by a navigation system such as the navigation system 118.

[0098] The method 400 also comprises receiving marker pose information (step 412). The step 412 may be the same as or similar to the step 312 of the method 300 described above, except that the marker pose information may be obtained from, for example, the navigation system 118 tracking the reference marker. It will be appreciated that the navigation system can track more than one reference marker and can correlate a pose of one component relative to another component. For example, the navigation system 118 can track a pose of the reference marker disposed on the imaging device or the robotic arm relative to, for example, a stationary reference marker disposed on a base such as the base 140 of the robot.

[0099] The method 400 also comprises inputting the target pose information and the marker pose information into a registration model (step 416). The step 416 may be the same as or similar to the step 316 of the method 300 described above.

[0100] The method 400 also comprises receiving second target pose information (step 420). The step 420 may be the same as or similar to the step 320 of the method 300 described above.

[0101] The method 400 also comprises receiving second marker pose information (step 424). The step 424 may be the same as or similar to the step 342 of the method 300 described above.

[0102] The method 400 also comprises inputting the second target pose information and the second market pose information into the registration model (step 428). The step 428 may be the same as or similar to the step 328 of the method 300 described above.

[0103] It will be appreciated that the methods 300 and 400 enables registration of a target anatomical element prior to a surgical procedure on such target anatomical element without the use of ionizing radiation, thereby preventing exposure of the patient and the surgical team to the ionizing radiation. Thus, the registration process can be safely completed prior to performing a surgical step or procedure on the target anatomical element, thus ensuring an accurate registration of the target anatomical element. As described above, the registration process can be completed for multiple target anatomical elements. For example, once a surgeon has completed a first surgical step on a first vertebra, the registration process can be completed on a second vertebra on which a second surgical step is to be performed. Thus, multiple registrations can take place without the use of ionizing radiation throughout a surgical operation, thereby ensuring an accurate registration for multiple target anatomical elements.

[0104] Fig. 5 depicts a method 500 that may be used, for example, for validating a pose of a target anatomical element.

[0105] The method 500 (and / or one or more steps thereof) may be carried out or otherwise performed, for example, by at least one processor. The at least one processor may be the same as or similar to the processor(s) 104 of the computing device 102 described above. The at least one processor may be part of a robot (such as a robot 114) or part of a navigation system (such as a navigation system 118). A processor other than any processor described herein may also be used to execute the method 500. The at least one processor may perform the method 500 by executing elements stored in a memory such as the memory 106. The elements stored in memory and executed by the processor may cause the processor to execute one or more steps of a function as shown in method 500. One or more portions of a method 500 may be performed by the processor executing any of the contents of memory, such as an image processing 120 and / or a registration model 122.

[0106] The method 500 comprises receiving target pose information (step 504). The step 504 may be the same as or similar to the step 308 of the method 300 described above.

[0107] The method 500 also comprises receiving updated target pose information (step 508). The step 504 may be the same as or similar to the step 308 of the method described above (or the step 504). The updated target pose information may be obtained during a single surgical step orprocedure to, for example, validate a pose of a target anatomical element such as the target anatomical element 146. Such validation may be useful for verifying that the target anatomical element has not moved. In the case that the target anatomical element has moved, then the target anatomical element can be reregistered.

[0108] The method 500 also comprises comparing the updated target pose information with the target pose information (step 512). Comparing the updated target pose information with the target pose information can compare a difference between one or more coordinates of the updated target pose information and the target pose information. In some embodiments, a notification may be generated when the difference meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold, which may indicate that the target anatomical element has moved, as described further below.

[0008] The method 500 also comprises generating a notification (step 516). The notification may be a visual notification, an audible notification, or any type of notification communicated to a user. The notification may be communicated to the user via a user interface such as the user interface 110 or by a navigation system such as the navigation system 118. In some embodiments, the notification may be automatically generated by a processor such as the processor 104. In other embodiments, the notification may be automatically generated by any component of a system such as the system 100 or the system 150.

[0009] In some embodiments, the notification is based a predetermined threshold for the difference between the updated target pose information and the target pose information compared in the step 512. The predetermined threshold may correlate to a maximum allowable difference between the target pose information and the updated target pose information and the notification may be generated when the difference meets or exceeds the predetermine threshold. The predetermine threshold may be determined automatically using artificial intelligence and training data (e.g., historical cases) in some embodiments. In other embodiments, the predetermine threshold may be or comprise, or be based on, surgeon input received via the user interface. In further embodiments, the predetermine threshold may be determined automatically using artificial intelligence, and may thereafter be reviewed and approved (or modified) by a surgeon or other user. The notification may alert a surgeon or user of an unexpected difference that the surgeon or other user may wish to avoid or otherwise mitigate.

[0109] It will be appreciate that the method 500 may not include the step 516. For example, the difference as compared in the step 512 may not meet or exceed the predetermined threshold and thus, the notification may not be generated.

[0110] The present disclosure encompasses embodiments of the method 500 that comprise more or fewer steps than those described above, and / or one or more steps that are different than the steps described above.

[0111] The present disclosure encompasses embodiments of the method 400 that comprise more or fewer steps than those described above, and / or one or more steps that are different than the steps described above.

[0112] As noted above, the present disclosure encompasses methods with fewer than all of the steps identified in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 (and the corresponding description of the methods 200, 300, 400, and 500), as well as methods that include additional steps beyond those identified in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 (and the corresponding description of the methods 200, 300, 400, and 500). The present disclosure also encompasses methods that comprise 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 comprise a registration or any other correlation.

[0113] The foregoing is not intended to limit the disclosure to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description, for example, various features of the disclosure are grouped together in one or more aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The features of the aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations of the disclosure may be combined in alternate aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations other than those discussed above. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claims require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed aspect, embodiment, and / or configuration. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the disclosure.

[0114] Moreover, though the foregoing has included description of one or more aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations and certain variations and modifications, other variations, combinations, and modifications are within the scope of the disclosure, e.g., as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended toobtain rights which include alternative aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and / or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable and / or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A system for registering a target anatomical element comprising: an imaging device; a robot having a robotic arm, the robotic arm configured to support the imaging device; a processor; and a memory storing data for processing by the processor, the data, when processed, causing the processor to: receive an image of a patient anatomy including the target anatomical element; receive target pose information of the target anatomical element from the imaging device; receive robot pose information of the robotic arm from the robot; and input the target pose information and the robot pose information into a registration model, the registration model configured to register a robot coordinate system of the robot to a patient coordinate system based on the target pose information, the robot pose information, and the image.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the target pose information is obtained from the imaging device free of ionizing radiation.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the target pose information is a first target pose information, the robotic pose information is a first robot pose information, and the target anatomical element is a first target anatomical element, and wherein the memory stores further data for processing by the processor that, when processed, causes the processor to: receive second target pose information of a second target anatomical element from the imaging device; receive second robot pose information of the robotic arm from the robot; and input the second target pose information and the second robot pose information into the registration model, the registration model configured to register the robot coordinate system to apatient coordinate system based on the second target pose information, the second robot pose information, and the image.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first robot pose information is the same as the second robot pose information.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the first robot pose information is different from the second robot pose information.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the imaging device comprises a three-dimensional (3D) scanner configured to obtain a scan of the target anatomical element, the scan including the pose information.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the 3D scanner uses at least one of infrared light, structured light, light detection and ranging (LIDAR), ultrasonic waves, or short wave radio.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the imaging device is positioned and operated by a user.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the imaging device is automatically positioned and operated by the robotic arm.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the target anatomical element comprises at least one vertebra.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory stores further data for processing by the processor that, when processed, causes the processor to: receive updated target pose information of the target anatomical element from the imaging device; and compare the updated target pose information with the target pose information, wherein a pose of the target anatomical element is validated when the updated target pose information matches the target pose information.

12. A system for registering a target anatomical element comprising: an imaging device; a robot having a robotic arm configured to support the imaging device; a marker disposed on the imaging device; a navigation system configured to track the reference marker; a processor; and a memory storing data for processing by the processor, the data, when processed, causing the processor to: receive an image of a patient anatomy including the target anatomical element; receive target pose information of the target anatomical element from the imaging device; receive marker pose information from the navigation system; and input the target pose information and the marker pose information into a registration model, the registration model configured to register a robotic coordinate system of the robot with a patient coordinate system based on the marker pose information, the target pose information, and the image.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the imaging device is positioned and operated by a user.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the imaging device is automatically positioned and operated by the robotic arm.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the target anatomical element comprises at least one vertebra.

16. The system of claim 11, herein the target pose information is obtained from the imaging device free of ionizing radiation.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the target pose information is a first target pose information, the marker pose information is a first marker pose information, and the target anatomical element is a first target anatomical element, and wherein the memory stores further data for processing by the processor that, when processed, causes the processor to:receive second target pose information of a second target anatomical element from the imaging device; receive second marker pose information from the navigation system; and input the second target pose information and the second marker pose information into the registration model, the registration model configured to register the robotic coordinate system with the patient coordinate system based on the second target pose information, the second marker pose information, and the image.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the imaging device comprises a 3D scanner configured to obtain a scan of the target anatomical element, the scan including the pose information.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the 3D scanner uses at least one of infrared light, structured light, light detection and ranging (LIDAR), ultrasonic waves, or short wave radio.

20. A system for registering one or more target anatomical elements comprising: an imaging device; a processor; and a memory storing data for processing by the processor, the data, when processed, causing the processor to: receive an image of a patient anatomy including the one or more target anatomical elements; receive first target pose information of the first target anatomical element from the imaging device; receive first robot pose information of the robotic arm from the robot; input the first target pose information and the first robot pose information into a registration model, the registration model configured to register a robot coordinate system of the robot to a patient coordinate system based on the first target pose information, the first robot pose information, and the image; receive second target pose information of a second target anatomical element from the imaging device; receive second robot pose information of the robotic arm from the robot; andinput the second target pose information and the second robot pose information into the registration model, the registration model configured to register the robot coordinate system to a patient coordinate system based on the second target pose information, the second robot pose information, and the image.

Images