AR Marker Alignment Accuracy Transfer for Medical Imaging

Solution Overview

Problem

Augmented reality (AR) systems face challenges in accurately aligning virtual objects with the physical world, particularly in medical and scientific applications, due to limitations in positioning and alignment resolution, which can be time-consuming and inaccurate, especially when initial visible markers move, become obscured, or lose accuracy during procedures.

Innovation Solution

The use of additional visible markers with enhanced alignment accuracy, which are strategically placed on the body or attached to stable anatomical features, allowing the transfer of positional accuracy from initial markers, ensuring continued precise alignment of image data sets with the patient's body during medical procedures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual positioning and alignment processes are used to achieve greater positioning and alignment resolution, then alignment precision is improved, but time consumption and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidtime consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-placing multiple visible markers on the patient's body before the medical procedure begins. These markers are strategically positioned on stable anatomical features that are unlikely to move during the procedure. The AR headset continuously tracks these markers and maintains alignment accuracy throughout the procedure, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual repositioning and realignment operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If initial visible markers are used for alignment, then alignment is established quickly, but accuracy is lost when markers move or become obscured

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment speedVSAvoidalignment accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by distributing multiple visible markers across different locations on the patient's body, each with specific placement characteristics. Some markers are placed on areas less likely to move, while others are positioned to provide redundant tracking information. This localized distribution ensures that if some markers become obscured or displaced, other markers continue to provide accurate alignment data, maintaining both speed and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-placing multiple visible markers on the patient's body before the medical procedure begins. These markers are strategically positioned on stable anatomical features that are unlikely to move during the procedure. The AR headset continuously tracks these markers and maintains alignment accuracy throughout the procedure, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual repositioning and realignment operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If multiple additional visible markers are strategically placed on the body, then alignment accuracy is maintained when initial markers move, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment accuracyVSAvoidmarker system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies segmentation by dividing the alignment function across multiple independent visible markers distributed throughout the patient's body. Each marker independently contributes to the overall alignment accuracy, and the AR headset processes tracking data from multiple markers simultaneously. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high reliability through redundancy while managing complexity through modular, independent marker units that can be placed on stable anatomical features.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20230169696A1Transfer of Alignment Accuracy Between Visible Markers Used with Augmented Reality Displays

Publication Date: 2023.06.01 NOVARAD CORP

AI summary

A technology is described for using an augmented reality (AR) headset to co-localize an image data set with a body of a person. A method may include registering one or more initial visible markers attached to the body of the person, and the optical code may be located in a fixed position relative to the image visible marker. The coordinate system of the one or more initial visible markers may be transferred to the one or more additional visible markers. The use of the one or more additional visible markers may be emphasized to align of the image data set with the body of the person.