3D Vision System for Surgical Instrument Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing navigation systems for guiding surgical/diagnostic instruments in the body of a patient face challenges in maintaining clear optical paths, particularly when medical personnel obstruct the view of optical markers, leading to unreliable detection of marker positions and errors in three-dimensional reconstruction.
Innovation Solution
A three-dimensional vision system employing multiple optical vision devices with infrared lighting and converging cameras to detect and process the positions of patient and instrument markers, calculating marker errors and overall coordinates to ensure precise and reliable navigation, even in obstructed conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single optical sensor is used to track surgical instruments, then the system structure is simple, but the detection reliability deteriorates when medical personnel obstruct the optical path
Solution Approach 1:
The single optical sensor is divided into multiple optical sensors (first vision device and second vision device) positioned at different locations. Each sensor independently tracks optical markers, and their results are combined to determine instrument position, thereby eliminating single-point failure and improving detection reliability when one sensor's optical path is obstructed
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple vision devices with potentially conflicting measurements are merged through a processing unit that combines their data. The system integrates information from different optical paths and calculates a unified, more reliable position estimate that compensates for individual sensor obstructions
2Reliability
If multiple vision devices are deployed to eliminate blind spots, then the detection reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each vision device is designed as a multi-functional unit that simultaneously performs multiple tasks: tracking optical markers, calculating marker errors, determining instrument position, and providing redundancy against obstructions. This universal design reduces the need for separate specialized components
Solution Approach 2:
The system includes self-diagnostic capabilities where each vision device monitors its own optical path quality and automatically compensates for obstructions using other vision devices. The processing unit automatically detects and corrects for marker position errors without external intervention, making the system self-regulating
3Speed
If optical markers are used for real-time tracking, then the measurement speed is fast, but the measurement precision deteriorates when markers are obscured
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the detected position of optical markers and compares it with expected positions. When obstructions cause detection errors, the feedback mechanism triggers recalculation using alternative vision devices or previous valid positions, maintaining both real-time response and measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-calculates and stores the theoretical geometrical positions of optical markers before surgery begins. During surgery, when real-time detection is obscured, the system can reference these pre-established geometric relationships to maintain accurate tracking without requiring clear line-of-sight to all markers
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides an accurate and reliable method for detecting the positions of surgical/diagnostic instruments, enhancing the precision of three-dimensional navigation and reducing the risk of line-of-sight interruptions, thereby improving the accuracy of surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
each vision device being provided with a lighting device, in particular an infrared lighting device
Implementation Method 2
said first optical markers comprising a plurality of first reflecting members arranged in stable and predetermined positions with respect to one another and said second optical markers comprising a plurality of second reflecting members arranged in stable and predetermined positions with respect to one another
Data Source
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Figure 3~4
AI summary
A three-dimensional vision system for guiding a surgical/diagnostic instrument in the body of a patient, comprising a plurality of vision devices (3) of the optical type that can be arranged in different positions around a shared area of surgical intervention (5) in which there is arranged a patient on whom the procedure is to be performed, in order to observe the patient (6) from different viewpoints. Each vision device (3) achieves a stereoscopic vision system suitable to identify first optical markers (17) carried by a patient marker (18) which is arranged in a stable and predetermined position on the body of the patient (6) and second optical markers (19) carried by an instrument marker (20) which is carried by an instrument (21) used to perform a diagnostic/surgical procedure on the patient. The overall coordinates Cg of the instrument marker (20) are calculated taking into account the information processed by the different vision devices (3) operating in parallel; the overall coordinates Cg are made available to a virtual navigation system suitable to represent a three-dimensional image of the body of the patient (6) on which a three-dimensional model of the instrument (21) is represented, positioned and orientated based on the overall coordinates Cg thus determined.