Bone Clamping Registration Marker for Mixed Reality Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Challenges exist in accurately positioning prosthetics during surgical joint repair procedures due to difficulties in selecting appropriately sized and shaped prosthetics and ensuring precise placement, which can be improved with enhanced surgical guidance tools.

Innovation Solution

A clamping tool with a registration marker is used to securely attach to bone, providing a reference for transformation matrices in mixed reality systems, enhancing the accuracy of surgical steps by aligning virtual and physical objects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a registration marker is attached directly to bone during surgical procedures, then the reference for transformation matrix alignment is established, but the attachment may be insecure leading to movement or rotation that compromises surgical accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment securityVSAvoidsurgical guidance accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The clamping tool serves as an intermediary device between the registration marker and the bone. It securely attaches to the bone surface using opposable bearing surfaces and locking mechanisms, then holds the registration marker in a fixed position relative to the bone, preventing movement that would compromise surgical guidance accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system is divided into separate functional components: the clamping tool with bone-attachment features, the registration marker with identification features, and the mixed reality system. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the clamping tool for secure attachment, the marker for accurate identification, and the system for precise alignment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If virtual visualization tools are used to guide surgical procedures, then the alignment between virtual and physical objects depends on registration marker position, but any movement or rotation of the marker compromises the accuracy of surgical steps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurgical guidanceVSAvoidvirtual-physical alignment accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The clamping tool acts as a stable intermediary that anchors the registration marker to the bone. Its locking mechanism and bearing surfaces prevent marker movement, ensuring that the transformation matrix derived from the marker remains accurate throughout the surgical procedure, thereby maintaining precise alignment between virtual and physical objects

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The mixed reality system continuously monitors the position of the registration marker through the clamping tool. If any movement or rotation occurs, the system can detect this through the transformation matrix calculations and provide feedback to alert the surgeon, allowing for correction to maintain surgical guidance accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12558138B2Clamping tool mounted registration marker for orthopedic surgical procedures

Publication Date: 2026.02.24 HOWMEDICA OSTEONICS CORP

AI summary

An example system includes a clamping tool including opposable surfaces configured to rest on and bear against a surface of a bone; and a registration marker of a mixed reality surgery system, the registration marker attached to the clamping tool.