Optical Fibre Tracker for Precise Surgical Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical navigation systems face challenges with trackers that require numerous light sources, leading to increased weight and complexity, which affects their efficiency and accuracy in determining the pose of surgical tools and patients.
Innovation Solution
A tracker comprising an optical fibre configured to emit light via its lateral surface, which can be coupled to a light source and attached to a patient or surgical tool using interfaces such as adhesives, clamps, or magnets, allowing for precise tracking without the need for multiple light sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a large number of light sources are used in the tracker, then the tracking precision and degree of freedom are improved, but the weight and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple light sources into a single integrated light source that illuminates the entire optical fiber. The optical fiber itself serves as the light-emitting element, eliminating the need for multiple separate light sources while maintaining tracking precision through the distributed light emission along the fiber length.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the optical fiber to copy and distribute light from a single source to multiple locations along the tracker. The fiber acts as a light guide that replicates the light source function at multiple points in space without requiring multiple physical light sources, thereby reducing complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
2Measurement precision
If a large number of light sources are used in the tracker, then the tracking precision and degree of freedom are improved, but the weight of the tracker increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple light sources into a single integrated light source that illuminates the entire optical fiber. The optical fiber itself serves as the light-emitting element, eliminating the need for multiple separate light sources while maintaining tracking precision through the distributed light emission along the fiber length.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the optical fiber to copy and distribute light from a single source to multiple locations along the tracker. The fiber acts as a light guide that replicates the light source function at multiple points in space without requiring multiple physical light sources, thereby reducing complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
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 enhances tracking accuracy and reduces system complexity by emitting light efficiently through its surface, enabling precise determination of the tracker's position and orientation, facilitating improved surgical navigation.
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
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2D
Figure 3A~3E
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.