AR Surgical Trajectory Alignment With Dynamic Navigation Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical planning and navigation systems rely heavily on two-dimensional and three-dimensional medical images, requiring surgeons to mentally construct a 3D model, which can lead to suboptimal decision-making due to the limitations of these image types.
Innovation Solution
The Trajectory Alignment Engine generates a 3D virtual medical model with a dynamic navigation guide that adjusts based on instrument pose and position changes, providing real-time alignment and guidance through augmented reality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional 2D and 3D medical images are used for surgical planning, then surgeons can access medical data, but the surgeon must mentally construct a 3D model which reduces decision-making accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the patient's anatomy from medical images and displays it as an augmented reality overlay in the surgeon's field of view. This virtual anatomical model serves as a direct visual copy that eliminates the need for mental construction, allowing the surgeon to see the 3D structure directly overlaid on the actual surgical site.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms 2D medical images into a 3D virtual anatomical model that is displayed in the surgeon's augmented reality field of view. This dimensional transformation allows the surgeon to perceive depth and spatial relationships directly without needing to mentally reconstruct the anatomy from flat images.
2Measurement precision
If surgical navigation is conducted without real-time instrument tracking, then the surgical process is simpler, but trajectory alignment precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements real-time tracking of surgical instruments using optical or electromagnetic fields, continuously monitoring instrument position and orientation. This feedback is immediately displayed as augmented reality overlays showing the instrument's location relative to the virtual anatomical model and planned trajectory, allowing the surgeon to maintain precise alignment through continuous visual feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical navigation systems with optical or electromagnetic tracking fields that non-invasively monitor instrument position. This substitution eliminates complex mechanical linkages and contact-based tracking, using instead field-based detection methods that are less intrusive and provide continuous real-time data.
3Ease of operation
If augmented reality display with dynamic navigation guide is implemented, then real-time alignment guidance is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the virtual anatomical model, instrument tracking data, and navigation guidance into a single augmented reality display overlay. All these separate systems (image processing, tracking, rendering) are combined into one integrated visual interface that the surgeon views through augmented reality glasses or a heads-up display, eliminating the need for multiple separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The augmented reality display serves multiple functions simultaneously: it displays the virtual anatomical model, tracks instrument position, shows the planned trajectory, and provides real-time alignment guidance. This multi-functional display eliminates the need for separate systems for each function, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive surgical navigation capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of an apparatus, methods, systems and computer program products described herein are directed to a Trajectory Alignment Engine that generates within a unified three-dimensional (3D) coordinate space: (i) a 3D virtual medical model positioned according to a model pose, (ii) a virtual trajectory extending from a target point associated with a selected portion of the 3D virtual medical model and (iii) a dynamic navigation guide virtual object. The Trajectory Alignment Engine detects one or more changes in an instrument pose and/or an instrument position of a physical instrument in the 3D coordinate space. The Trajectory Alignment modifies the display of the dynamic navigation guide virtual object in the AR display at least in part on one or more of: the instrument pose changes and the instrument position changes.