Optical Fibre Tracker Layout for Precise Surgical Pose Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical navigation systems face challenges with trackers that require a large number of light sources, leading to increased weight and complexity, which affects the efficiency and accuracy of pose determination.
Innovation Solution
A tracker using an optical fibre with a longitudinal extension that emits light via its lateral surface, allowing for precise tracking with fewer light sources, and optionally includes a carrier for flexibility and adhesion to the patient or surgical tool.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a large number of light sources are used in the tracker, then the pose determination accuracy is improved, but the weight and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The optical fibre is divided into multiple light emitting portions that are spaced apart along its longitudinal extension. Each portion can emit light independently, creating multiple detectable points without requiring separate light sources. This segmentation allows the system to determine pose with multiple reference points while using a single light source, thereby improving measurement precision without increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from using multiple discrete light sources in three-dimensional space to using a single light source that creates distributed light emitting portions along the longitudinal dimension of the optical fibre. This dimensional transformation allows the system to achieve multiple detection points along the fibre's length, improving pose determination capability while maintaining a simple single-source architecture.
2Measurement precision
If a large number of light sources are used in the tracker, then the pose determination accuracy is improved, but the tracker weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the function of multiple light sources into a single light source that illuminates the optical fibre. The optical fibre then acts as a distributed array of light emitting portions, combining the roles of multiple independent light sources into one integrated system. This merging significantly reduces the tracker weight while maintaining the capability to provide multiple reference points for accurate pose determination.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using multiple physical light sources, the patent uses a single light source to create multiple virtual light sources along the optical fibre. The light emitting portions are essentially copies of the light source's emission pattern, distributed along the fibre's length. This copying approach provides multiple detection points without the weight penalty of multiple actual light sources.
3Measurement precision
If multiple light sources are used to determine pose, then the tracking precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of multiple discrete light sources with an optical system consisting of a single light source and an optical fibre. The optical fibre's ability to guide and emit light along its length substitutes for the mechanical arrangement of multiple light sources, simplifying the tracker structure while maintaining or improving tracking precision through the distributed light emitting portions.
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 optical fibre tracker provides accurate and efficient tracking with reduced weight and complexity, enabling precise determination of pose and movement, particularly in complex surgical environments.
Implementation Method 1
an optical fibre having a longitudinal extension and configured to be optically coupled to a light source such that the optical fibre transmits light emitted by the light source
Implementation Method 2
The optical fibre has a lateral surface along its longitudinal extension and is configured to emit light via at least a portion of the lateral surface
Data Source
AI summary
A tracker, a surgical tool system, a surgical navigation system, and a method for operating a surgical navigation system are provided. The tracker is configured to be associated with a patient or a surgical tool that is to be tracked by the surgical navigation system. The tracker comprises an optical fibre having a longitudinal extension and configured to be optically coupled to a light source such that the optical fibre transmits light emitted by the light source. The optical fibre has a lateral surface along its longitudinal extension and is configured to emit light via at least a portion of the lateral surface.