713 results about "Fiducial marker" patented technology

A robot system for use in surgical procedures has two movable arms each carried on a wheeled base with each arm having a six of degrees of freedom of movement and an end effector which can be rolled about its axis and an actuator which can slide along the axis for operating different tools adapted to be supported by the effector. Each end effector including optical force sensors for detecting forces applied to the tool by engagement with the part of the patient. A microscope is located at a position for viewing the part of the patient. The position of the tool tip can be digitized relative to fiducial markers visible in an MRI experiment. The workstation and control system has a pair of hand-controllers simultaneously manipulated by an operator to control movement of a respective one or both of the arms. The image from the microscope is displayed on a monitor in 2D and stereoscopically on a microscope viewer. A second MRI display shows an image of the part of the patient the real-time location of the tool. The robot is MRI compatible and can be configured to operate within a closed magnet bore. The arms are driven about vertical and horizontal axes by piezoelectric motors.

A system and method for servoing robot marks using fiducial marks and machine vision provides a machine vision system having a machine vision search tool that is adapted to register a pattern, namely a trained fiducial mark, that is transformed by at least two translational degrees and at least one mon-translational degree of freedom. The fiducial is provided to workpiece carried by an end effector of a robot operating within a work area. When the workpiece enters an area of interest within a field of view of a camera of the machine vision system, the fiducial is recognized by the tool based upon a previously trained and calibrated stored image within the tool. The location of the work-piece is derived by the machine vision system based upon the viewed location of the fiducial. The location of the found fiducial is compared with that of a desired location for the fiducial. The desired location can be based upon a standard or desired position of the workpiece. If a difference between location of the found fiducial and the desired location exists, the difference is calculated with respect to each of the translational axes and the rotation. The difference can then be further transformed into robot-based coordinates to the robot controller, and workpiece movement is adjusted based upon the difference. Fiducial location and adjustment continues until the workpiece is located the desired position with minimum error.

The present invention provides video and audio assisted surgical techniques and methods. Novel features of the techniques and methods provided by the present invention include presenting a surgeon with a video compilation that displays an endoscopic-camera derived image, a reconstructed view of the surgical field (including fiducial markers indicative of anatomical locations on or in the patient), and/or a real-time video image of the patient. The real-time image can be obtained either with the video camera that is part of the image localized endoscope or with an image localized video camera without an endoscope, or both. In certain other embodiments, the methods of the present invention include the use of anatomical atlases related to pre-operative generated images derived from three-dimensional reconstructed CT, MRI, x-ray, or fluoroscopy. Images can furthermore be obtained from pre-operative imaging and spacial shifting of anatomical structures may be identified by intraoperative imaging and appropriate correction performed.

A Catheter Guidance Control and Imaging (CGCI) system whereby a magnetic tip attached to a surgical tool is detected, displayed and influenced positionally so as to allow diagnostic and therapeutic procedures to be performed is described. The tools that can be so equipped include catheters, guidewires, and secondary tools such as lasers and balloons. The magnetic tip performs two functions. First, it allows the position and orientation of the tip to be determined by using a radar system such as, for example, a radar range finder or radar imaging system. Incorporating the radar system allows the CGCI apparatus to detect accurately the position, orientation and rotation of the surgical tool embedded in a patient during surgery. In one embodiment, the image generated by the radar is displayed with the operating room imagery equipment such as, for example, X-ray, Fluoroscopy, Ultrasound, MRI, CAT-Scan, PET-Scan, etc. In one embodiment, the image is synchronized with the aid of fiduciary markers located by a 6-Degrees of Freedom (6-DOF) sensor. The CGCI apparatus combined with the radar and the 6-DOF sensor allows the tool tip to be pulled, pushed, turned, and forcefully held in the desired position by applying an appropriate magnetic field external to the patient's body. A virtual representation of the magnetic tip serves as an operator control. This control possesses a one-to-one positional relationship with the magnetic tip inside the patient's body. Additionally, this control provides tactile feedback to the operator's hands in the appropriate axis or axes if the magnetic tip encounters an obstacle. The output of this control combined with the magnetic tip position and orientation feedback allows a servo system to control the external magnetic field.

A tracking and navigation system is provided. The system includes an imaging or treatment device, a tracker device, and a fiducial marker. At least part of the imaging or treatment device is movable relative to a patient. The tracker device is mounted on the imaging or treatment device and is movable therewith relative to the patient. The fiducial marker may be fixed relative to the patient to define a patient coordinate system. The fiducial marker is detectable by the tracker device to substantially maintain registration between the tracker device and the patient coordinate system. A tracking and navigation kit including the tracker device and at least one fiducial marker may also be provided, for example, for retrofitting to existing imaging or treatment devices

A method for measuring three-dimensional devices in a wafer comprises the step of obtaining a plurality of cross-sectional images of a corresponding plurality of three-dimensional devices in the wafer. The plurality of three-dimensional devices have essentially identical geometries. Each cross-sectional image is obtained from a plane in the corresponding three-dimensional device at a predetermined distance from a fiducial mark thereof. The predetermined distance is different for each of the plurality of cross-sectional images. The method further comprises the step of determining the geometries of the plurality of three-dimensional devices based on the cross-sectional images thereof.

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods of improved medical device navigation. Certain embodiments include acquiring a first image of a patient anatomy, a second image of patient anatomy, and creating a registered image based on the first and second images. Certain preferred embodiments teach systems and methods of automated image registration without the use of fiducial markers, headsets, or manual registration. Thus the embodiments teach a simplified method of image registration that allows a medical device to be navigated within a patient anatomy. Furthermore, the embodiments teach navigating a medical device in a patient anatomy with reduced exposure to ionizing radiation. Additionally, the improved systems and methods of image registration provide for improved accuracy of the registered images.

An ablation system including an image database storing a plurality of computed tomography (CT) images of a luminal network and a navigation system enabling, in combination with an endoscope and the CT images, navigation of a locatable guide and an extended working channel to a point of interest. The system further includes one or more fiducial markers, placed in proximity to the point of interest and a percutaneous microwave ablation device for applying energy to the point of interest.

A surgical navigation system for navigating a region of a patient includes a non-invasive dynamic reference frame and/or fiducial marker, sensor tipped instruments, and isolator circuits. The dynamic reference frame may be repeatably placed on the patient in a precise location for guiding the instruments. The instruments may be precisely guided by positioning sensors near moveable portions of the instruments. Electrical sources may be electrically isolated from the patient.

Fiducial markers are printed patterns detected by algorithms in imagery from image sensors for applications such as automated processes and augmented reality graphics. The present invention sets forth extensions and improvements to detection technology to achieve improved performance, and discloses applications of fiducial markers including multi-camera systems, remote control devices, augmented reality applications for mobile devices, helmet tracking, and weather stations.

A radiosurgery system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, other disorders or tissues of a body are treated with the dose of radiation. In some embodiments, the target tissues are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, the target tissues inside the global coordinate system lead to direction of an automated positioning system that is directed based on the target tissues within the coordinate system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial marker is used to identify the location of the target tissues. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments.

An apparatus having an insertable portion for holding a position sensor is disclosed. The position sensor can transmit a signal indicative of its position with respect to a field generator. The insertable portion of the catheter has fiducial markings that are detectable by an imaging modality when the insertable portion is inserted into the anatomical body. The fiducial markings are asymmetrical about at least a first axis of the insertable portion. After the insertable portion has been inserted into the anatomical body, the fiducial markings can be detected to facilitate registration of the position sensor held in the insertable portion to the anatomical body. The apparatus also has a fixing mechanism for releasably fixing the insertable portion to the anatomical body. The non-symmetrical fiducial markings facilitate unambiguous registration of the insertable portion to the anatomical body. When the insertable portion is inserted into the anatomical body to a location of interest, the fixing mechanism substantially rigidly fixes the insertable portion of the catheter to a part of the anatomical body near the location of interest.

An imaging system comprising:

• • a scanner comprising:
    • scanning components for creating an image of the interior portion of an object;
    • an outer cover disposed over the scanning components;
    • an opening formed in the outer cover; and
    • a rigid mount which is rigidly mounted to the scanning components and extends through the opening formed in the outer cover.

A solar cell device and method of making are provided. The device includes a silicon substrate including a preexisting dopant. A homogeneous lightly doped region is formed on a surface of the silicon substrate to form a junction between the preexisting dopant and the lightly doped region. A heavily doped region is selectively implanted on the surface of the silicon substrate. A seed layer is formed over the heavily doped region. A metal contact is formed over the seed layer. The device can include an anti-reflective coating. In one embodiment, the heavily doped region forms a parabolic shape. The heavily doped regions can each be a width on the silicon substrate a distance in the range 50 to 200 microns. Also, the heavily doped regions can be laterally spaced on the silicon substrate a distance in the range 1 to 3 mm from each other. The seed layer can be a silicide. The silicon substrate can include fiducial markers configured for aligning the placement of the heavily doped regions during an ion implantation process.

The invention discloses an alignment system applied in a lithography device, which uses three periods phase grating with crude precision combination in a substrate marker or a substrate station reference marker, uses a first order diffraction light of the three periods as an alignment signal, simultaneously realizes a big capture range and gets high alignment precision, gets labeled deformation information and other useful information, and through the optimum design of the match and/or the layout of the three periods, the influence on an alignment position by asymmetrical deformation of the marker is effectively reduced.

The present invention provides a patient couch top or device for quickly and accurately positioning a patient during simulation and treatment by placing a series of small fiducial markers in discrete locations on the couch top or device. With use of the fiducial markers, the present invention allows for the correction for misalignment and deformation of patient positioning equipment which occurs due in part to a patient's size and weight. The present invention also provides a method for positioning a patient and correcting for deformation of the couch top or device.

Defects in an image forming system may give rise to visible streaks, or one-dimensional defects in an image that run parallel to the process direction. One known method for compensating for streaks introduces a separate tone reproduction curve for each pixel column in the process direction. A compensation pattern according to this invention has a plurality of halftone regions that are lead by, trained by, and separated by rows of fiducial marks. The fiducial marks allow the printer pixel grid and a scanning pixel grid to be correlated. The gray level in each pixel column of each gray level portion is measured and analyzed to produce a local tone reproduction curve for each pixel column and associated line width. The local tone reproduction curves are then used to compensate for the streak defect when printing.

An exposure apparatus for exposing mask patterns on a sensitive plate comprises a set (for X and Y direction) of a laser interferometer for measuring a position of a wafer stage and satisfying Abbe's condition with respect to a projection lens and a set (for X and Y direction) of the laser interferometer and satisfying Abbe's condition with respect to off-axis alignment system. When a fiducial mark on the wafer stage is positioned directly under the projection lens, a presetting is performed so that measuring values by the two sets of laser interferometers are equal to each other.

An apparatus and method for verifying the location of an area of interest within a sample are disclosed. An imaging system includes an optical system and a stage movable relative to the optical system. A computer server is in communication with the imaging system and with a review station. The imaging system is capable of spatially locating a datum mark on the sample and determining a spatial offset value of the mark relative to a nominal position thereof. The coordinate systems of a respective one of the imaging system and the review station can be standardized. The method includes locating a datum mark on the sample, and identifying an area of interest within the sample. The method further includes determining the location of the area of interest relative to the mark. The method further includes locating again the datum, and checking that a dimensional error in locating the datum mark is less than a tolerance value to verify location of the area of interest.