Optical fiber markers for active three-dimensional tracking

Abstract

Disclosed systems and methods include an active tracking system comprising a tracker and one or more optical fibers. Each of the one or more optical fibers is configured to receive light from a light source at a respective light-receiving end and output light at a respective light-emitting end. Each respective light-emitting end is disposed at a respective position on a surface of the tracker.

Description

OPTICAL FIBER MARKERS FOR ACTIVE THREE-DIMENSIONAL TRACKINGBACKGROUND

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 612,116, filed 19 December 2023, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] Current surgery technology and technology relating to other medical procedures rely on active tracking markers to enable localization and navigation of surgical devices and support equipment by camera systems. Conventional active tracking markers utilize light emitting diodes (LEDs) which offer greater precision and localization accuracy as compared to traditional retroreflective markers. However, during the sterilization process required before a surgical operation, LEDs and electronics included in such conventional active tracking markers are negatively impacted, resulting in limited lifespan, as well as loss of brightness or functionality. As a result, the use of such conventional active tracking markers near the sterile field is limited due to the limited lifespan caused by exposure to autoclave sterilization. For this reason, the utility of active tracking arrays is reduced, as conventional active tracking arrays are prone to early failure, require surgical draping to be placed over the arrays, or are used far away from the surgical field.BRIEF SUMMARY

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the design of active marker arrays for use in three- dimensional optical localization of objects within a surgical field. Active markers, conventionally designed with LEDs, offer greater precision and localization accuracy as compared to traditional retroreflective markers. However, the use of active tracking near the sterile field is limited due to the limited lifespan of LEDs after exposure to autoclave sterilization. As a result, the utility of active tracking arrays is reduced, as conventional active tracking arrays are prone to early failure, require surgical draping to be placed over the arrays, or are used far away from the surgical field.

[0004] As used herein, the term marker may refer to an element capable of reflecting or emitting light. The term active tracking marker may refer to a singular light emitting element. A marker may be an active tracking marker or a retro-reflecting marker. The term tracker (or marker array) may be used to describe an assembly containing one or more markers.

[0005] The disclosed systems and methods solve the above-discussed problem with conventional marker arrays by separating a marker array into two components, a non-sterile light source, and a sterilizable tracker. Light sources contained within the non-sterile component may be programmable and configurable. Light from the non-sterile light sources may be conducted to the sterile component through, for example, a fiber optic bundle, light pipe, or other light transfer mechanism, with light-emitting terminations at designated marker locations. Fiber optic bundles and other light transfer mechanisms can withstand much higher temperatures and allow for more precise positioning than current technologies. The light sources may be powered and controlled via direct connection to a navigation system or independently (battery, electronics, or other external power and control sources) depending on the precise application.

[0006] Embodiments of the present disclosure allow for creating a universal non-sterile light source that supports a wide variety of marker configurations. Additionally, modularity allows for increased reliability and durability, assembly redundancy, and overall lower costs to users compared to a conventional all in one solution. Marker arrays as described herein may be individually calibrated, further increasing navigation accuracy, with unique calibration information stored locally to the tracker connector.

[0007] While the disclosed systems and methods may support a variety of applications, marker arrays as described herein may be utilized in the context of a surgical navigation system in which the navigation system identifies the location of the active marker array in space to indicate the location of a surgical instrument or tool in the surgical field for precise positioning.Additionally, this marker array may be used to localize a robot, such that it may identify its location in space to move to positions in the surgical area or perform surgical actions. Using conventional active marker arrays, a drape is required to maintain a sterile field, which poses a significant limitation to marker localization accuracy and usability of the tracked device. The disclosed systems and methods improve upon conventional active marker arrays by enabling marker arrays to be sterilized and eliminating the need for draping, resulting in improved usability and navigation accuracy.

[0008] One or more of the embodiments of the present disclosure include utilizing a wireless battery-controlled light module comprising a light source and at least in some implementations a photosensor. The light module may be a non-sterile device separated from a sterilizable active tracking marker or tracker by a sterile barrier, such as a drape. The light module may be connected to the sterilizable active tracking marker tracker through the sterile barrier. Light may be conducted from the light source to one or more active tracking markers, such as markers on atracker, through a light pipe or optic fibers to terminations in pre-designated marker locations. This modular architecture will allow for the utilization of active tracking in more applications, while maintaining parts commonality across workflows.

[0009] Example aspects of the present disclosure include an active tracking system including a tracker and one or more optical fibers. Each of the one or more optical fibers is configured to receive light from a light source at a respective light-receiving end and output light at a respective light-emitting end. Each respective light-emitting end is disposed at a respective position on a surface of the tracker. The light-emitting end of each respective optical fiber may serve as an active tracking marker of the tracker.

[0010] Aspects of the above active tracking system include the active tracking system further comprising a connector, wherein the connector comprises the respective light-receiving end of each of the one or more optical fibers. Aspects of the above active tracking system include wherein the connector is configured to mate with a second connector through a drape or other surgical barrier. Aspects of the above active tracking system include wherein the active tracking system is configured to be sterilized and the second connector is comprised by a non-sterile device. Aspects of the above active tracking system include wherein the respective lightreceiving ends are configured to receive light via the connector. Aspects of the above active tracking system include wherein the connector is configured to mate with a tool-changer module. Aspects of the above active tracking system include the active tracking system further comprising a photosensor disposed at a position on the surface of the tracker. Aspects of the above active tracking system include wherein the tracker is configured to mount an external device. Aspects of the above active tracking system include wherein the optical fibers are configured to receive light from the external device via at least one light emitting diode configured to emit pulses of light. Aspects of the above active tracking system include wherein the surface of the tracker comprises a hole configured to align with a photosensor of an external device. Aspects of the above active tracking system include wherein the tracker is configured to mount to a surgical instrument. Aspects of the above active tracking system include wherein the instrument comprises a mechanism which connects to patient anatomy, such as a bone clamp, pin, or other fixation method. Aspects of the above active tracking system include wherein the tracker is configured to mount to a robotic arm. Aspects of the above active tracking system include wherein the output light is configured to be detected by one or more cameras. Aspects of the above active tracking system include wherein the one or more cameras include a three- dimensional camera. Aspects of the above active tracking system include wherein the one ormore cameras are used to determine a location of the tracker using the output light emitted from the optical fibers. Aspects of the above active tracking system include wherein the tracker comprises a geometric pattern comprising a plurality of points, wherein each light-emitting end is disposed at a unique point of the plurality of points. Aspects of the above active tracking system include further comprising including a memory device storing one or more of marker identification data and calibration data.

[0011] Example aspects of the present disclosure also include an active tracking system comprising: a tracker; one or more optical fibers, wherein each of the one or more optical fibers is configured to receive light from a light source at a respective light-receiving end and output light at a respective light-emitting end, wherein each respective light-emitting end is disposed at a respective position on a surface of the tracker; and a holder configured to fit a wireless active tracking light module comprising a power source, logic controller, and a light source configured to emit light to the one or more optical fibers.

[0012] Example aspects of the present disclosure also include a wireless active tracking light module comprising: a power source, logic controller, and a light source configured to emit light to one or more optical fibers of a tracker of an active tracking system. Aspects of the wireless active tracking light module include the module further comprising a photosensor. Aspects of the wireless active tracking light module include wherein the photosensor is positioned to align with a hole in a face of the tracker of the active tracking system. Aspects of the wireless active tracking light module include wherein the module is configured to fit within a sterile sleeve. Aspects of the wireless active tracking light module include wherein the module is configured to fit within a holder of the tracker of the active tracking system.

[0013] Aspects of the present disclosure also include any of the above aspects in combination with any one or more other aspects, any one or more of the features disclosed herein, any one or more of the features as substantially disclosed herein, any one or more of the features as substantially disclosed herein in combination with any one or more other features as substantially disclosed herein, any one of the aspects / features / embodiments in combination with any one or more other aspects, features, and / or embodiments, as well as the use of any one or more of the aspects or features as disclosed herein.

[0014] 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.

[0015] 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.

[0016] 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., Y1 and Zo).

[0017] 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.

[0018] 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 of the 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.

[0019] 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 herein.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] 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 aslimiting 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.

[0021] Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a tracker according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a light module according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Fig. 4 is an illustration of a light module and tracker according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Fig. 5 is an illustration of a light module and tracker according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Fig. 6 is an illustration of a connection system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Fig. 7 is an illustration of a tracker applied to an end of a robotic arm system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Fig. 8 is an illustration of a portion of an optical fiber according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figs. 9A and 9B are illustrations of a light module according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figs. 10A and 10B are illustrations of a tracker and light module system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0031] Figs. 11 and 12 are flowcharts of methods according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] 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 be performed in a different sequence, and / or may be added, merged, or left out altogether (e.g., alldescribed 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.

[0033] 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).

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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 arrangement of 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 isfor 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] During a surgical procedure, one or more surgical tools may be tracked and navigated using a navigation system such as, for example, an optical sensor system. Conventional active markers or active tracking markers use an LED that can be identified by the navigation system. However, active markers or active tracking markers used in surgical environments must be sterilized. Conventional active markers or active tracking markers including LEDs are either sterilized at the sake of the LEDs or are used behind a drape or other surgical barrier which separates the non-sterilized LEDs from the sterile surgical environment. The sterilization process for devices including LEDs negatively impacts the reliability and lifespan of the LEDs. Using active markers or active tracking markers including LEDs behind a drape or other surgical barrier may affect a refraction and / or diffraction of a source of the marker which may impact the accuracy of tracking the active markers, or the brightness and therefore visibility of the active tracking markers.

[0038] The systems and methods according to the present disclosure are provided to enable the sterilization of active markers or active tracking markers without negatively impacting the light sources and / or incurring any negative impact on the accuracy of tracking. In such systems and methods, the active tracking markers may comprise one or more optical fibers in which a respective light-emitting end of each fiber is positioned on a surface of a tracker. The active tracking tracker may be wireless and may comprise a light source, for example one or more LEDs, within a sterilized container which emits light through a light-receiving end of each fiber. In some implementations, the tracker may be connected to a light source via a connector which may be connected to a device containing the light source through a drape or other surgical barrier. Thus, the systems and methods enable active tracking markers to be sterilized withoutrequiring the sterilization of the light source, solving the above-discussed issues with conventional active markers or active tracking markers including LEDs.

[0039] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide technical solutions to one or more of the problems of the durability, reliability, and accuracy of sterilized trackers used in a surgical procedure. Turning first to Fig. 1, a block diagram of a system 100 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Various implementations described herein may contain only a portion of the components illustrated in Fig. 1. For example, a robot 114 and computing device 102 illustrated in Fig. 1 may be interchangeable. The functions described as being performed by the computing device 102 may be performed by the robot 114 and vice versa, though in some implementations, a system 100 may include both a robot 114 and a separate computing device 102. Furthermore, the illustrated interconnection of the components of the system 100 is provided for illustration purposes only. Any component of the system 100 may communicate with any one or more of the other components of the system 100. In this way, the illustrated connectivity of Fig. 1 should not be considered as limiting the disclosed systems and methods as requiring any particular connection and / or component of the system 100 illustrated in Fig. 1.

[0040] The system 100 may be used to identify one or more active tracking markers such as active tracking markers 138 and / or carry out one or more other aspects of one or more of the methods disclosed herein. The system 100 may comprise a computing device 102, one or more imaging devices 112, a robot 114, a navigation system 118, a database 130, one or more of the active tracking markers 138, a light module 136, 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 one or more of 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.

[0041] A computing device 102 as described herein may comprise 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.

[0042] 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 active tracking marker 138, the database 130, and / or the cloud 134.

[0043] 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 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 signal processing 120 and / or identification 122.

[0044] The signal processing 120 enables the processor 104 (or a process of the navigation system 118) to process signal data (received from, for example, the active tracking marker 138) for the purpose of, for example, identifying at least a frequency of the signal data. Other information may be identified from the signal data such as, for example, amplitude, type of signal, signal length, etc. The signal data may be, for example, light signal data, electrical signal data, infrared signal data, and / or electromagnetic signal data. The signal data may be obtained over a period of time from, for example, the active tracking marker 138.

[0045] The identification 122 enables the processor 104 to identify the active tracking marker 138 based on the frequency as output by, for example, the signal processing 120. The processor 104 may also receive at least one identification file 124 which may include information about one or more active tracking markers 138 and a corresponding frequency for each active tracking marker 138. Each active tracking marker 138 may be a part of the same or different trackers. For example, a tracker as described herein may include multiple active tracking markers 138. In some embodiments each active tracking marker 138 may have a different frequency from each other. In other embodiments, two or more active tracking markers 138 may have the same frequency. For example, in embodiments where a first active tracking marker 138 is disposed on a first unique tracker and a second active tracking marker 138 is disposed on a second unique tracker, the surfaces may be simply identified by their respective unique surfaces.

[0046] The identification 122 may also enable the processor 104 to identify a surgical tool, a face or surface of the surgical tool, a face or surface of the robot 114 and / or a robotic arm 116. More specifically, the identified active tracking marker 138 and the identification file 124 can be further used to identify a surface, such as a tracker or marker array, upon which the active tracking marker 138 is disposed on and / or a surgical tool (or a face of the surgical tool) uponwhich the active tracking marker 138 is disposed on, as will be described in detail below. The active tracking marker 138 can also be used to determine an orientation and / or position of a surgical tool, the robot 114, and / or the robotic arm 116.

[0047] 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, the robot 114, the database 130, and / or the cloud 134.

[0048] The memory 106 may also store the one or more identification file(s) 124. As described above, the one or more identification files 124 may include information about each active tracking marker 138 of a plurality of active tracking markers 138 and a corresponding frequency of each active tracking marker 138. The identification file(s) 124 may further include information about the active tracking marker 138 (or a frequency of the active tracking marker), and a corresponding tracker on which one or more active tracking markers 138 are mounted, a corresponding surgical tool, a corresponding face of the surgical tool, a corresponding face of the robot 114, a corresponding face of the robotic arm 116, and / or a corresponding sensor 132.Thus, the one or more identification file(s) 124 may be used to identify a corresponding surgical tool or face (whether of the robot 114, the robotic arm 116, or the surgical tool) based on the active tracking marker 138 and more specifically, based on the corresponding frequency of the active tracking marker 138.

[0049] 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, the robot 114, the active tracking marker 138, 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, the active tracking marker 138, 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 802.1 la / 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] An imaging device 112 as described herein 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 the data 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. 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. In someembodiments, a first imaging device 112 may be used to obtain first image data (e.g., a first image) at a first time, and a second imaging device 112 may be used to obtain second image data (e.g., a second image) at a second time after the first time. 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 O-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. The imaging device 112 may be contained entirely within a single housing or may comprise a transmitter / emitter and a receiver / detector that are in separate housings or are otherwise physically separated.

[0053] 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.

[0054] Data from the one or more imaging devices 112 may be received for processing by one or more of a computing device 102, a robot 114, and / or a navigation system 118. Such data may include image data which may be used to detect light emitted by one or more active tracking markers 138. Each active tracking marker 138 may be a part of a tracker 140. A tracker 140 may comprise a plurality of active tracking markers 138. The light emitted by the active tracking markers 138 may originate from one or more light modules 136 as described herein. The light modules 136 may be controlled by one or more of a computing device 102, a robot 114, and / or other components of a system 100.

[0055] An active tracking marker 138 may be configured to emit or output one or more signals. The active tracking marker 138 may include, for example, at least one optical fiber, plastic light guide, or other means of carrying light from a light source in a light module 136 mounted or connected to the active tracking marker 138 as described herein. The active tracking marker 138 may be positioned adjacent to or integrated with another component of the system 100 such as, for example, the robot 114, the robotic arm 116, and / or a surgical tool. The active tracking marker 138 may also be wirelessly connected to the light module 136 or connected to the light module 136 via a cable as described herein.

[0056] While the present disclosure describes particular example embodiments of navigation systems and devices capable of detecting light from an active tracking marker 138, it should be appreciated the active tracking markers 138 described herein may be tracked by any type of optical sensing system capable of detecting light. The present disclosure should not be considered as limited to the use of the active tracking markers 138 by any particular type of navigation and / or camera system.

[0057] In embodiments where there is a plurality of active tracking markers 138, such as markers 138 on a tracker or an array of markers 138, each active tracking marker 138 may have a different frequency from each other, may have a different number of or arrangement of optical fibers, or may contain identifying data stored in memory as described herein. In some implementations, a plurality of markers 138 may make up an array or group of markers associated with particular identifying data capable of being used by a navigation system 118, computing system 102, or other device to identify the array or group of markers for localization purposes. The plurality of active tracking markers 138 can be used to identify a surgical tool or medical device, a face of the surgical tool or medical device, and / or a face of the robot 114 and / or the robotic arm 116 based on a location of each active tracking marker 138. More specifically and in some embodiments, each the plurality of active tracking markers 138 can be positioned on a surface or face of a tracker so that each surface or face of the tracker can be identified based on the corresponding active tracking marker 138 combination. The identified surface(s) or face(s) of tracker(s) can be used to determine, for example, an orientation of as instrument, the robot 114, the robotic arm 116, and / or any object on which an active tracking marker 138 may be installed or attached. Instruments as described herein may include surgical tools and / or medical devices such as, for example, an imager, a microscope, an ultrasound, drill systems, and / or any other surgical tool or medical device which may be trackable. However, itshould be appreciated that the systems and methods described herein may be used to track any object, whether within the medical field or relating to non-medical use cases.

[0058] The light module 136 may be configured to emit light and can contain any type of light source emitting light of any spectrum. Light sources may include, for example, LED, incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, laser, or other types of light source capable of transmitting light through an optical fiber. Light emitted by such a light source may include light of one or more wavelengths, for example, infrared, visible light, and / or ultraviolet. The light emitted can cause one or more optical fibers within the active tracking marker 138 to react. The optical fibers can be used to identify one or more active tracking markers 138.

[0059] In some embodiments, one or more active tracking markers 138 or trackers including the active tracking markers 138 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 active tracking markers 138 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). In some embodiments, one or more active tracking markers 138 may be placed on the robot 114. More specifically, different active tracking markers 138 or trackers including one or more markers 138 may be placed on different surfaces or faces of the robot 114 so that each surface or face can be identified by the corresponding active tracking marker 138.

[0060] 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 active tracking markers 138 or other objects within the operating room or other room in which some or all of the system 100 is located. The one or more cameras may be optical 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, the robot 114 and / or robotic arm 116, the active tracking marker 138, and / or one or more surgical tools (or, more particularly, to track a pose of anavigated active tracking marker 138 attached directly or indirectly in fixed relation to the one or more of the foregoing).

[0061] 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, 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.

[0062] 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.

[0063] The light module 136 may in some implementations be controlled by the computing device 102 or another device. For example, a light source on or within the light module 136 may be operatively controlled by a processor 104 of the computing device 102 to emit light from one or more optical fibers of an active tracking marker 138 at a particular time and / or frequency. Light emitted from the optical fibers of the active tracking marker 138 may be used by the computing device 102 to track a location of the marker 138.

[0064] Fig. 2 is a block diagram of 140a tracker 140. The tracker 140 may be, for example, mounted to or placed near a surgical tool, a surgical instrument, the robot 114, and / or the robotic arm 116. As shown, the tracker 140 includes one or more optical fibers 202 and may include one or more of a mounting bracket 212, memory 210, and / or a connector 208 as described in greater detail below. Each emitting end 204 of the optical fiber(s) 202 may, as described below, serve as an active tracking marker 138 by emitting light provided at the receiving end 206.

[0065] A tracker 140 as described herein may include one or more optical fibers 202. Each optical fiber 202 includes a light-emitting end 204 and a light-receiving end 206. The lightreceiving end 206 of each optical fiber 202 may be configured to receive light from either a connector 208 connected to a light module 136 or from a light module 136 connected to the tracker 140 via a mounting bracket 212. Light received at a light-receiving end 206 of an opticalfiber 202 may be emitted from the light-emitting end 204 of the optical fiber 202. Each lightemitting end 204 of an optical fiber 202 may be disposed at a particular position on a surface of the tracker 140 as described herein. In some implementations, 140a tracker 140 may be connected to a light module 136 by one or more optical fiber cables or other cables capable of transporting light.

[0066] A memory 210 device may in some implementations store one or more of marker identification data and calibration data. For example, during a surgery multiple markers may be used. A single tracker 140 may include multiple markers and / or multiple trackers 140, each including one or more markers, may be utilized during a surgery. In order for the tracking system to differentiate different markers, on the same or different tracker 140, the tracking system may be configured to read one or more of marker identification data and calibration data and determine a difference between different markers. A tracker ID may comprise data such as a number of light-emitting ends 204 of optical fibers 202 on a given tracker 140, a tracker number, a configuration or arrangement of light-emitting ends 204 of optical fibers 202 on the tracker 140, and / or other information. One or more of the tracker identification data and the calibration data may be read by a computing device 102 to identify the tracker 140.

[0067] Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a light module 136. The light module 136 may be, for example, placed in a sterile container or wrapped in a surgical drape or other surgical barrier and mounted onto 140a tracker 140 using a mounting bracket 212 of the tracker 140 or connected to the tracker 140 by connecting a connector 308 of the light module 136 to a connector 208 of the tracker 140. The connector 308 of the light module 136 may be capable of being removably connected to the connector 208 of the tracker 140.

[0068] In some implementations, a light module 136 as described herein may include one or more logic circuits 300. A logic circuit 300 of a light module 136 may include one or more components capable of driving a light source 304 to emit light at a particular frequency, intensity, and / or pattern. For example, a logic circuit 300 may include circuitry configured to manage timing, duration, and sequence of flashes of the light source 304. Such circuitry may include, for example, one or more microcontrollers, CPUs, ASICs, FPGAs, or other components capable of driving the light source 304. In some implementations, the logic circuit 300 may be enabled to receive instructions from and / or be controlled by a computing device 102 via a communication system 310. The logic circuit 300 may be capable of applying power from a power supply 302 of the light module 136 to the light source 304 to cause the light source 304 to emit light.

[0069] A power supply 302 of the light module 136 may be a battery or other power source and may be used to power the light source 304 and optionally a photosensor 306. In some implementations, the power supply 302 may control the light source 304 and / or the photosensor 306 based on instructions received via a communication system 310, such as instructions received from a computing device 102 as illustrated in Fig. 1. In some implementations, data from the photosensor 306 may be output from the light module 136 such as via the communication system 310.

[0070] The light source 304 may be configured to emit light either into a connector 308 of the light module 136, to be received by a connector 208 of a tracker 140 or directly into one or more receiving ends 206 of optical fibers 202 of a tracker 140 when the light module 136 is mounted to 140a tracker 140. In some implementations the light module 136 may comprise multiple light sources 304. Each light source 304 may be capable of connecting to a different optical fiber 202 of the same or different trackers 140, enabling multiple active tracking markers 138. For example, in some implementations, multiple light sources 304 from a single light module 136 may be used to individually provide light to different optical fibers 202 of a single tracker 140.

[0071] Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate trackers 140a, 140b with differently shaped tracker bodies 400a, 400b and different numbers of optical fibers 202. As illustrated in Fig. 4, a tracker 140a may comprise four optical fibers 202 and may comprise a tracker surface 400a in a shape of a four- pointed star. Each optical fiber 202 may end with a light-emitting end 204 positioned at a different point of a four-pointed star. Each light-emitting end 204 of the tracker 140a may be used as a different active tracking marker.

[0072] The example tracker surface 400a illustrated in Fig. 4 comprises a geometry comprising four points. The example tracker surface 400b of Fig. 5 comprises a geometry of five points. Other shapes should be appreciated, and the present disclosure should not be considered as being limited to a tracker of any particular shape or of any particular number of light-emitting points. The light-emitting end 204 of each optical fiber 202 is disposed at a different point of the plurality of points.

[0073] The output light of each of the optical fibers 202 of the tracker 140 may be configured to be detected by one or more cameras. Such cameras may include a three-dimensional camera and may be used to determine a location of the marker using the output light emitted from the optical fibers. In some implementations, a tracker 140 may be configured to mount to a surgical instrument such as a bone mount, a handheld tool, or a robotic arm. The cameras may be used toprovide three-dimensional localization of the surgical instrument by tracking a location of each active tracking marker 138 on the tracker 140.

[0074] Each of the optical fibers 202 of the tracker 140a may be configured to receive light from a light source at a respective light- receiving end. For example, optical fibers may be configured to receive light from an external device, such as a light module 136 via at least one light source, such as an LED, which may be configured to emit pulses of light such as infra-red light.

[0075] The light-receiving ends of the optical fibers 202 may be in a bundle at a light-receiving end which may enable each of the optical fibers 202 to receive light from a single light source. In some implementations, the light-receiving ends of the optical fibers 202 may be disposed at a connector 208 and may be configured to receive light from a light source via the connector 208.

[0076] In some implementations, the connector 208 may be configured to mate with a connector of a cable such as an optical fiber cable, while in other implementations, the connector 208 may connect directly with another connector such as a connector 308 of a light module 136.

[0077] Data stored in memory 210 may be accessed by another system, such as a computing device 102 via the connector 308. For example, data stored in memory 210 may be ready by a processor 104 of a computing device 102 to identify each active tracking marker 138 and / or to associate each active tracking marker 138 with another object such as a tracker 140 or a surgical device. Data may also be written to the memory 210. Such data may include, for example, calibration data or program file information which may be used to operate components of the active tracking marker 138.

[0078] While not illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, a tracker 140 may in some implementations comprise a photosensor disposed at a position on the surface of the tracker 140. In such implementations, data from the photosensor may be sent from the tracker 140 via the connector 308.

[0079] The connector 208 of a tracker 140a, 140b as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 may be configured to connect to a connector 308 of a light module 136 as illustrated in Fig. 6. The connector 308 may include one or more light-emitting points 602. Each light-emitting point 602 may be an LED, a light-emitting optical fiber, or other light source which may emit light capable of being received by a light-receiving end of an optical fiber of a tracker 140.

[0080] In some implementations, the connector 308 may include a contact 604 configured to communicate with a memory 210 device such as illustrated in Figs. 2, 4, and 5, which may be mounted on a tracker surface 400 and / or within a connector 208. The contact 604 may beconfigured to read data from the memory 210, such as one or more of marker identification data, tracker identification data, and calibration data as described above.

[0081] Fig. 7 illustrates an exemplary implementation of a tracker 140 used in relation with a robotic arm 116. The tracker 140 may be mounted to the robotic arm 116 by way of a connector 208. The connector 208 may be operable to mate with connectors of a number of different devices. In this way, the connector 208 may serve as a tool changer module. In some implementations, one or both of the connector 308 of the light module 136 and the connector 208 of the tracker 140, such as illustrated in Fig. 7, may comprise and / or be capable of connecting, or mating, with a tool changer module. By comprising or mating with a tool changer module, a connector 308 of a light module 136 may be capable of connecting to a plurality of different types of surgical and / or non-surgical tools and devices. As a result, the connector 308 may enable a light source 304 to be used with a wide variety of different types of trackers 140 and other devices. By comprising or mating with a tool changer module, a connector 208 of a tracker 140 may be capable of connecting to a plurality of different types of surgical and / or non-surgical devices and / or different types of light modules. As a result, the connector 208 may enable a tracker 140 to be used with a wide variety of different types of light modules and other devices.

[0082] The robotic arm 116 may include a light module 136. The light module 136 may include a light source 304 and a connector 308. The connector 308 of the light module 136 may connect with the connector 208 of the tracker 140 through a surgical drape 702 or other surgical barrier in such a way as to form a light bridge 700 extending from the light module 136 into the tracker 140. Light from the light source 304 may emit through the light bridge 700 into one or more optical fibers 202 and emit from the tracker 140 via light-emitting ends 204 of the optical fibers 202.

[0083] Through the use of the surgical drape 702 or other surgical barrier, the tracker 140 may be sterilized and the light module 136 may be used without requiring sterilization and may be comprised by a non-sterile device such as the robotic arm 116.

[0084] Fig. 8 illustrates an optical fiber 202 emitting light 800 from a surface 802 of a tracker 140. In some implementations, an optical fiber 202 as described herein may be designed to emit light, denoted as light 800, from a surface 400 of a tracker 140. The optical fiber may in some implementations be characterized by a diameter represented as “d.” Additionally, the emitted light 800 may follow a defined cone of emission with an angular range represented as “a.” As should be appreciated, the optical fiber 202 illustrated in Fig. 8 is provided for illustrationpurposes only and should not be considered as limiting the shape or size of an optical fiber as described herein in any way.

[0085] Figs. 9A and 9B illustrate a wireless active tracking light module 900. Such a wireless active tracking light module 900 may be utilized in implementations in which the wireless active tracking light module 900 may be mounted to or otherwise attached to a tracker 140 such as via a mounting bracket as illustrated in Fig. 2 and described below in relation to Figs. 10A and 10B. Sterilization of the light module 900 may be avoided by inserting the light module 900 within a sanitized container or wrapping the light module 900 in a surgical drape or other surgical barrier as illustrated in Fig. 10A.

[0086] The wireless active tracking light module 900 may be designed with an integrated power source 302 such as a battery which may operate to provide power to one or more light sources 304 and one or more photosensors 306 in some implementations. For example, and as described above, an active tracking light module 900 as described herein may include one or more logic circuits 300 capable of driving a light source 304 to emit light at a particular frequency and / or pattern. In some implementations, the logic circuit 300 may be enabled to receive instructions from and / or be controlled by a computing device 102 via a communication system 310. The logic circuit 300 may be capable of applying power from a power supply 302 of the active tracking light module 900 to the light source 304 to cause the light source 304 to emit light.

[0087] A light source 304 of a wireless active tracking light module 900 may be configured to emit light to one or more optical fibers of a tracker of an active tracking system. For example, as illustrated in Fig. 10A, and described below, the light source 304 may, when the wireless active tracking light module 900 is mounted to a tracker 140, align with one or more light-receiving ends of optical fibers of the tracker 140. Similarly, a photosensor 306 of a wireless active tracking light module 900 may be configured to, when the wireless active tracking light module 900 is mounted to a tracker 140, be positioned to align with a hole in a surface of the tracker 140 as illustrated in Fig. 10A.

[0088] Figs. 10A and 10B illustrate an embodiment of a tracker 140 which includes a mounting bracket 212 configured to fit a wireless active tracking light module 900 as described above in relation to Figs. 9A and 9B.

[0089] The tracker 140 of Figs. 10A and 10B includes a plurality of optical fibers 202. Each of the optical fibers 202 is configured to receive light from a light source 304 of a wireless active tracking light module 900 inserted in the mounting bracket 212. The light may be received bythe optical fibers 202 at a respective light-receiving end and be output at a respective lightemitting end 204 on a surface 400 of the tracker 140. Each respective light-emitting end 204 may be disposed at a respective position on the surface 400 of the tracker 140.

[0090] The mounting bracket 212 may be a holder configured to fit a wireless active tracking light module 900 comprising a battery and at least a light source 304 configured to emit light to the one or more optical fibers 202 of the tracker 140.

[0091] The wireless active tracking light module 900 may be configured to fit within a sterile sleeve or container 1002. By being inserted within a sterile sleeve or container 1002, the wireless active tracking light module 900 may operate without requiring sterilization of the light source 304, improving upon the above-discussed deficiencies of conventional active tracking devices.

[0092] The surface 400 of the tracker 140 may in some implementations comprise a hole 1004 configured to align with a photosensor 306 of the wireless active tracking light module 900 inserting in the mounting bracket 212. The hole 1004 may enable the photosensor 306 to capture light information through the surface 400 of the tracker 140.

[0093] It will be appreciated that emitting light from one or more trackers 140 by projecting light through optical fibers of the trackers 140 by one or more light modules may be used in addition to other methodologies for identifying surgical tool(s), faces of the surgical tool(s), faces of the robot, faces of the robotic arm, and / or an orientation and / or position of the surgical tool(s), the robot, and / or the robotic arm. For example, the frequency information and a known pose of the robotic arm may be used to identify the orientation and / or position of the surgical tool.

[0094] As illustrated in Fig. 11, a method 1100 may be performed by a light module 136 in accordance with the systems described herein. At 1103, the light module 136 may receive light source instructions. Light source instructions may be stored in memory onboard the light module 136 and / or may be provided to the light module 136 by a computing system 102. A logic circuit 300 of the light module 136 may be configured to read the light source instructions or may be programmed based on light source instructions. Light source instructions may be capable of being used by a light module 136 to control a light source to operate at a particular frequency and / or pattern. In some implementations, a light module 136 may comprise multiple light sources and light source instructions may cause the light module 136 to control each light source at a different particular frequency and / or pattern. In some implementations, the lightsource instructions may cause the light source 304 to emit a solid light at a particular wavelength and / or brightness.

[0095] At 1106, the light module 136 may control a light source 304 of the light module 136 to emit light based on the light source instructions. Controlling the light source 304 may comprise applying power to the light source 304 from a power supply 302 at a particular frequency and / or pattern to cause the light source 304 to emit light based on the light source instructions. For example, based on the light source instructions, the light module 136 may manage the wavelength, brightness, timing, duration, and / or sequence of light flashes emitted by the light source 304.

[0096] At 1109, the light module 136 may output light from the light source 304 to one or more optical fibers. The optical fibers may for example be optical fibers 202 of a tracker 140. The light source 304 may be removably connected to the tracker 140 via a connection between a connector 208 of the tracker 140 and a connector 308 of the light module 136.

[0097] As illustrated in Fig. 12, a method 1200 may be performed by a tracker 140 in accordance with the systems described herein. At 1200, light from a light source 304 of a light module 136 may be emitted from the light module 136 into one or more optical fibers 202 of the tracker 140 such as described above in relation to Fig. 11. The light from the light module 136 may be received at light-receiving ends of one or more optical fibers of the tracker 140.

[0098] At 1206, light from the light module 136 may pass through the one or more optical fibers and be emitted at light-emitting ends of the one or more optical fibers and be emitted from the tracker 140. As described above, light emitted from a tracker 140 may be detected by a computing device 102. For example, the light may be captured using one or more imaging devices 128, 112 and signals from the imaging device(s) 128, 112 may be processed by a processor 104 of the computing device 102.

[0099] Using the light emitting from the one or more optical fibers 202, a location of the tracker 140 may be tracked. For example, the computing device 102 may triangulate a position of the tracker 140 and may estimate or determine the location of the tracker 140. In some implementations, the location of the tracker 140 may be tracked relative to one or more other markers, trackers, and / or objects.

[0100] 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 ofthe 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.

[0101] 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 to obtain 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.

[0102] The techniques of this disclosure may also be described in the following examples.

[0103] Example 1. A tracking system comprising: a tracker consisting of one or more optical fibers, wherein each of the one or more optical fibers is configured to receive light from a light source at a respective light-receiving end and output light at a respective light-emitting end, wherein each respective light-emitting end is disposed near a respective position on a surface of the tracker.

[0104] Example 2. The tracking system of example 1, further comprising a connector, wherein the connector comprises the respective light-receiving end of each of the one or more optical fibers.

[0105] Example 3. The tracking system of example 2, wherein the connector is configured to mate with a second connector through a sterile barrier.

[0106] Example 4. The tracking system of example 3, wherein the active tracking system is sterilized and the second connector is unsterilized.

[0107] Example 5. The tracking system of example 2, wherein the respective light-receiving ends receive light via the connector.

[0108] Example 6. The tracking system of example 2, wherein the connector mates with a tool-changer module.

[0109] Example 7. The tracking system of example 1, further comprising a photosensor disposed at a position on the surface of the tracker.

[0110] Example 8. The tracking system of example 1, wherein the tracker is mountable to an external device.

[0111] Example 9. The tracking system of example 8, wherein the one or more optical fibers receive light from the external device via at least one light emitting diode.

[0112] Example 10. The tracking system of example 8, wherein the surface of the tracker comprises a hole that aligns with a photosensor of the external device.

[0113] Example 11. The tracking system of example 1, wherein the tracker is mountable to a surgical instrument.

[0114] Example 12. The tracking system of example 1, wherein the tracker is mountable to a robotic arm.

[0115] Example 13. The tracking system of example 1, wherein the output light is detectable by one or more optical cameras.

[0116] Example 14. The tracking system of example 13, further comprising a surgical navigation system that determines a location of the tracker using the output light emitted from the optical fibers.

[0117] Example 15. The tracking system of example 1, wherein the tracker comprises a plurality of points, wherein each light-emitting end is disposed at a different point of the plurality of points.

[0118] Example 16. The tracking system of example 1, further comprising a memory device storing one or more of marker identification data and calibration data, wherein the one or more of the marker identification data and the calibration data are read by a computing system to identify the tracking system.

[0119] Example 17. A tracking device comprising: a tracker; one or more optical fibers, wherein each of the one or more optical fibers is configured to receive light from a light source at a respective light-receiving end and output light at a respective light-emitting end, wherein each respective light-emitting end is disposed at a respective position on a surface of the tracker; and a holder configured to fit a wireless active tracking light module comprising a battery and a light source configured to emit light to the one or more optical fibers.

[0120] Example 18. The tracking device of example 17, further comprising a connector, wherein the connector comprises the respective light-receiving end of each of the one or more optical fibers.

[0121] Example 19. The tracking device of example 18, wherein the connector is configured to mate with a second connector through a sterile barrier.

[0122] Example 20. A method comprising: providing, by a light source, light to one or more optical fibers of a tracker, wherein the light source is removably connected to the tracker via a connector; and using light emitted from the one or more optical fibers to track a location of the tracker.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A tracking system comprising: a tracker consisting of one or more optical fibers, wherein each of the one or more optical fibers is configured to receive light from a light source at a respective light-receiving end and output light at a respective light-emitting end, wherein each respective light-emitting end is disposed near a respective position on a surface of the tracker.

2. The tracking system of claim 1 , further comprising a connector, wherein the connector comprises the respective light-receiving end of each of the one or more optical fibers.

3. The tracking system of any of claims 1 to 2, wherein the connector is configured to mate with a second connector through a sterile barrier.

4. The tracking system of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the active tracking system is sterilized and the second connector is unsterilized.

5. The tracking system of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the respective light-receiving ends receive light via the connector.

6. The tracking system of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the connector mates with a toolchanger module.

7. The tracking system of any of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a photosensor disposed at a position on the surface of the tracker.

8. The tracking system of any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the tracker is mountable to an external device.

9. The tracking system of any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the one or more optical fibers receive light from the external device via at least one light emitting diode.

10. The tracking system of any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the surface of the tracker comprises a hole that aligns with a photosensor of the external device.

11. The tracking system of any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the tracker is mountable to a surgical instrument.

12. The tracking system of any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the tracker is mountable to a robotic arm.

13. The tracking system of any of claims 1 to 12, wherein the output light is detectable by one or more optical cameras.

14. A tracking device comprising: a tracker; one or more optical fibers, wherein each of the one or more optical fibers is configured to receive light from a light source at a respective light-receiving end and output light at a respective light-emitting end, wherein each respective light-emitting end is disposed at a respective position on a surface of the tracker; and a holder configured to fit a wireless active tracking light module comprising a battery and a light source configured to emit light to the one or more optical fibers.

15. A method comprising: providing, by a light source, light to one or more optical fibers of a tracker, wherein the light source is removably connected to the tracker via a connector; and using light emitted from the one or more optical fibers to track a location of the tracker.

Images