Digital Display Surgical Tracker for Dynamic Optical Markers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical trackers are complex, costly, and lack adaptability and intelligence, leading to tracking inaccuracies and limited functionality beyond object tracking, with no ability to communicate or interact with users.
Innovation Solution
A tracker system with a digital display screen and controller to present computer-generated trackable graphics, enabling dynamic tracking and communication of surgical information, and allowing interaction through a graphical user interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional optical markers are used, then tracking function is provided, but device complexity increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the tracking marker function with a digital display screen into a single integrated tracker device. The display screen serves dual purposes: providing surgical information to the user and serving as the tracking marker itself. This merging eliminates the need for separate optical markers and their associated mechanical support structures, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining tracking reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The tracker device is designed with multi-functionality, where the digital display screen simultaneously performs three functions: (1) displays surgical information to the user, (2) serves as the optical tracking marker, and (3) provides communication capabilities. This universal approach replaces multiple separate components with a single multifunctional device, directly reducing device complexity.
2Reliability
If conventional trackers are used, then object tracking is achieved, but adaptability to dynamic conditions is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The tracker device incorporates a digital display screen that can dynamically change its content based on real-time surgical conditions. The display can adapt to different surgical scenarios, provide updated information, and modify its tracking characteristics as needed. This dynamic capability allows the system to maintain tracking accuracy under varying conditions, unlike static conventional markers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system can change parameters of the tracking graphic displayed on the screen, such as size, position, or visual characteristics, to optimize tracking performance under different conditions. The controller can modify display parameters to ensure the tracker remains detectable and accurate regardless of surgical environment variations.
3Ease of manufacture
If fixed marker arrangements are used, then tracker manufacturing is simplified, but tracking precision deteriorates due to sub-optimal placement
Solution Approach 1:
The digital display screen allows for dynamic adjustment of marker appearance and position, compensating for placement variations. Even if the physical tracker is placed sub-optimally, the system can adapt the displayed graphic to maintain optimal tracking precision, bridging the gap between manufacturing simplicity and tracking accuracy.
4Reliability
If conventional trackers are used, then basic tracking is provided, but functionality beyond tracking is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The tracker device is designed as a universal platform that combines tracking functionality with communication and information display capabilities. The digital display screen enables the tracker to communicate surgical information, provide guidance, and interact with users, transforming it from a simple tracking device to a multifunctional surgical assistant.
Solution Approach 2:
The digital display screen acts as an intermediary between the tracking system and the user, providing a rich interface for communication. It can display text, graphics, video, and other information, serving as a mediator that enhances the interaction between the surgical team and the tracking system.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, non-transitory computer-readable mediums, and techniques involve a tracker system including a tracker device and a controller. The tracker device is attached or attachable to a surgical object. The tracker device includes a digital display screen. The controller is coupled to the tracker device and is configured to present, on the digital display screen, a computer-generated content, such as surgical information and/or a trackable graphic that is detectable by a tracking system to facilitate tracking of a pose of the surgical object.