Medical Navigation System Safety Zone Definition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical navigation systems are cumbersome, provide inaccurate tracking, and fail to prevent accidental collisions between robotic arms and personnel in the operating room, leading to potential harm and interference with medical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A medical navigation system that tracks instruments relative to a reference point to define a safety zone within the operating room, restricting the movement of robotic arms and preventing collisions by detecting changes in instrument location and storing data to extrapolate the safety zone, allowing users to intuitively define areas where the robotic arm should not enter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional surgical navigation systems are used to track instruments, then tracking capability is provided, but the systems are cumbersome and provide inaccurate tracking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical tracking systems with a camera-based optical tracking system. The system uses a camera to capture images of the surgical site and processes these images to determine instrument positions, eliminating the need for cumbersome mechanical arms and complex mechanical tracking infrastructure while improving tracking accuracy.
2Manufacturing precision
If robotic arms are used in surgical procedures, then surgical precision is improved, but accidental collisions with personnel may occur causing harm
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements real-time feedback by continuously monitoring the surgical environment with a camera and processing images to detect the positions of both the robotic arm and personnel. When the system detects that personnel are entering the safety zone or that the robotic arm is approaching unsafe positions, it provides feedback signals to alert the surgical team and can automatically adjust the robotic arm's position to prevent collisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary safety monitoring system that acts as a mediator between the robotic arm and personnel. This system processes visual information from the camera and generates safety zone definitions that serve as an intermediary layer, automatically managing the spatial relationship between the robotic arm and personnel to prevent harmful interactions.
3Reliability
If safety zones are defined to restrict robotic arm movement, then collision prevention is improved, but the system requires complex tracking and monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical tracking systems with a camera-based optical tracking system. The system uses a camera to capture images of the surgical site and processes these images to determine instrument positions, eliminating the need for cumbersome mechanical arms and complex mechanical tracking infrastructure while improving tracking accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and devices for identifying and defining a safety zone for restricting movement of a robotic arm in an operating room during a medical procedure are disclosed. The disclosed method utilizes medical navigation system, which receives an initiation input indicating initiation of defining of the safety zone. In response to receiving the initiation input, the system tracks an instrument and determines the location of the tracked instrument relative to a reference point. The system detects changes in the location of the tracked instrument until a termination input is received at the medical navigation system. The termination input indicates the termination of the defining of the safety zone. The system stores, in memory, change data indicative of the changes in the location of the tracked instrument. The data identifies the safety zone relative to the reference point.