Non-contact Shape Characterization for Surgical Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current computer navigation systems require physical contact and calibration devices for determining the shape and orientation of rigid bodies, which can be impractical in sterile environments and for objects with non-axial shapes, and necessitate recalibration with each attachment change.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a sensing device to generate representations of a body, associating a tracking device with the body to determine its shape and orientation relative to a computer navigation system, employing multiple cameras and background images to estimate a composite bounding volume and process images for accurate positioning and orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If physical contact calibration devices are used to determine body shape and orientation, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and sterility maintenance become problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical contact-based calibration devices with an optical sensing system. Multiple cameras capture images of the body, and a computer processes these images to determine shape and orientation without physical contact. This substitution eliminates the need for complex mechanical calibration devices while maintaining measurement precision through computational analysis of visual data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates visual copies (images) of the body using multiple cameras instead of requiring physical contact with calibration devices. The sensing devices capture optical representations of the body from different angles, and the computer processes these copied visual information to determine shape and orientation, replacing the need for physical calibration artifacts.
2Measurement precision
If physical contact calibration devices are used, then shape determination accuracy is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to sterility requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical contact-based calibration with non-contact optical sensing. Multiple cameras capture images of the body without requiring the body or cameras to contact sterile fields. The computer processes these images to determine shape and orientation, eliminating the need to maintain sterility of calibration devices while preserving measurement accuracy through computational methods.
3Measurement precision
If traditional calibration methods are used for bodies with attachments, then measurement precision is maintained, but productivity decreases due to recalibration requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures visual copies of the entire body including attachments using multiple cameras. The computer processes these images to determine the shape and orientation of the body with attachments attached, eliminating the need for separate recalibration procedures. This approach maintains tracking accuracy while significantly improving productivity by removing repetitive recalibration steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal calibration approach that works for bodies with or without attachments. The optical sensing system captures and processes images of the body in its actual operational state, making the calibration process universal rather than requiring specific calibration procedures for different body configurations. This multi-functionality improves productivity by eliminating the need for separate recalibration protocols.
4Ease of operation
If non-axial shaped bodies are calibrated using traditional methods, then measurement precision is compromised, but ease of operation is improved by avoiding complex calibration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical calibration methods with optical sensing and computational processing. Multiple cameras capture images of non-axial shaped bodies from different angles, and the computer processes these images to accurately determine shape and orientation. This substitution enables precise characterization of complex geometries that were difficult to calibrate using traditional contact methods, while maintaining ease of operation through non-contact imaging.
Data Source
AI summary
The shape and orientation of rigid or nearly rigid moveable bodies are determined using a shape characterization. Sensors capture a plurality of representations of different perspectives of the body that are analyzed to determine a bounding volume of the body. The shape of the body is determined from the bounding volume. The position of the body is determined using tracking devices that sense the position of the body. The bounding volume and position information are combined to define the shape and orientation in space of the body, and in particular the position of a point of interest on the body.