End Effector Marker Diffusers for Accurate Robotic Surgical Tracking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional light emitting diodes (LEDs) used in surgical navigation systems exhibit variations in light emission intensity and shape, leading to tracking inaccuracies and increased costs due to manufacturing inconsistencies, which affect the alignment of surgical tools relative to the patient's anatomy.
Innovation Solution
The surgical system incorporates an end effector tracker with markers featuring a light module and diffuser that emit and diffuse light consistently across an output surface, ensuring uniform intensity and visibility from various angles, allowing accurate tracking by the navigation system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional light emitting diodes are used in trackers, then the navigation system can track tool positions, but the light emission intensity and shape vary significantly from different angles, causing tracking inaccuracies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an optical diffuser as an intermediary component between the LED light source and the external environment. The diffuser scatter the light rays in multiple directions, transforming the directional light emission into omnidirectional emission. This allows the tracker to emit consistent light intensity from all angles, enabling accurate tracking regardless of the viewer's perspective.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the optical parameters of light emission by introducing a diffuser with specific optical properties. The diffuser modifies the light distribution pattern from highly directional to uniformly omnidirectional, and also changes the emission intensity parameter to be consistent across all viewing angles. This parameter transformation resolves the contradiction between tracking accuracy and light emission consistency.
2Illumination intensity
If conventional light emitting diodes with high emission intensity are used, then visibility is improved, but the localizer becomes washed out and tracking accuracy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different optical characteristics in different spatial directions. The diffuser ensures that light is emitted with uniform intensity in all directions (omnidirectional emission), rather than concentrating light in specific directions. This localized optimization of light distribution in each direction prevents any single direction from overwhelming the localizer while maintaining overall visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The diffuser acts as an intermediary that redistributes light energy uniformly across all directions. Instead of allowing intense directional light to wash out the localizer, the diffuser mediates the light emission to distribute intensity evenly, preventing localizer saturation while maintaining adequate visibility for tracking.
3Measurement precision
If light emitting diodes are manufactured with consistent emission characteristics, then tracking accuracy is improved, but manufacturing costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the need for expensive, precisely manufactured LEDs with a combination of a standard LED and an inexpensive optical diffuser. The diffuser, which can be manufactured as a simple plastic or glass component, compensates for the inherent variations in LED emission characteristics. This approach uses cheaper components that are easier to manufacture while achieving the same tracking accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach to achieving consistent light emission from manufacturing precision to optical design. Instead of requiring precise manufacturing of LEDs to achieve consistent emission parameters, the patent uses a diffuser to optically transform the emission characteristics. This parameter transformation through the diffuser makes the system less sensitive to manufacturing variations and reduces overall manufacturing costs.
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 solution ensures consistent light intensity for accurate tracking, preventing localizer washout and maintaining precise alignment of surgical tools, thereby enhancing navigation system accuracy and reliability during procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a diffuser supported adjacent to the outlet to diffuse light reflected by the inner bore surface emitted by the light module
Implementation Method 2
a light module supported adjacent to the inlet and arranged to emit light into reflection with the inner bore surface
Implementation Method 3
light reflected by the inner bore surface emitted by the light module
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical system includes a tool for engaging a target site, a navigation system including a localizer to track states of trackers, a patient tracker for attachment relative to the target site, a robotic arm to maintain alignment of the tool, and an end effector attached to the robotic arm to support the tool. The end effector includes an end effector tracker having markers each including a body having an inner bore surface defining a bore between an inlet and an outlet, a light module supported adjacent to the inlet and arranged to emit light into reflection with the inner bore surface, and a diffuser supported adjacent to the outlet to diffuse light reflected by the inner bore surface, the diffuser having an output surface arranged to present diffused light across the output surface detectable by the localizer of the navigation system to enable tracking states of the end effector.