Robot Camera Registration for Surgical Navigation Line of Sight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current registration methods for surgical navigation systems are inefficient and prone to errors, especially when patients are in a prone position, leading to line-of-sight issues and increased complexity and risk during surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
The use of an optical robot camera mounted on a robot arm for precise patient registration, combined with a tracking system and a robot-kinematics tracking system, allows for continuous and uninterrupted navigation and registration, even in prone positions, by maintaining visual contact and determining pose without direct line of sight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual registration with a followed pointer or video camera is used, then registration can be performed, but the line of sight between the tracking camera and the followed pointer/camera is blocked when the patient is in prone position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical pointer system with an automated robot arm system that carries the tracking camera. The robot arm automatically positions and orients the camera to maintain unobstructed line of sight to the patient's face in prone position, eliminating the need for manual intervention and ensuring reliable visual contact throughout the registration process.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot arm system dynamically adjusts the position and orientation of the tracking camera in real-time to maintain optimal viewing angles and unobstructed line of sight. This dynamic positioning capability allows the system to adapt to the patient's prone position and surgical field constraints, ensuring continuous reliable detection without blocking.
2Reliability
If the navigation camera is repositioned several times to establish visual contact, then line of sight can be restored, but the intervention procedure is delayed and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual camera repositioning operations with an automated robot arm that continuously maintains optimal visual contact. The robot arm's automated positioning eliminates the need for repeated manual interventions to restore line of sight, thereby preventing procedure delays and reducing safety risks associated with frequent repositioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot arm system ensures continuous unobstructed visual contact with the patient's face throughout the registration process. By maintaining constant line of sight without interruption or repositioning, the system eliminates time loss and ensures continuous reliable detection, allowing the surgical procedure to proceed without delays.
3Reliability
If the patient is registered in supine or lateral position and then turned to prone position, then registration can be performed with clear line of sight, but the surgical procedure complexity and risk greatly increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the need to reposition the patient by using a robot arm system that can dynamically adjust the tracking camera's position and orientation. This automated system maintains clear line of sight to the patient's face in prone position without requiring patient repositioning, thereby eliminating the added complexity and risks associated with changing patient positioning during surgery.
4Productivity
If manual registration is performed by different persons, then registration can be completed, but the quality of registration varies depending on individual skills and experience
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual registration operations performed by different personnel with an automated robot arm system that executes standardized registration procedures. This automation eliminates variations in skill and experience levels, ensuring consistent high-quality registration results while maintaining efficient completion of the registration process.
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
This approach significantly improves registration precision and reproducibility, reduces the burden on surgeons, and enhances the safety and efficiency of surgical interventions by allowing automatic and precise registration at any time during the procedure.
Implementation Method 1
a robot-kinematics tracking system (20) adapted to determine a pose of the robot head (8) with the robot camera (10)
Data Source
AI summary
A method for automatic registration of a patient for surgical navigation includes detecting a pose of a robot head with a robot camera by a tracking camera of a navigation system and following the robot camera; controlling and moving a robot arm such that the robot camera is directed to a region of interest of the patient, and creating an image; checking whether there is a visual connection between the tracking camera and robot head with the robot camera; detecting, when a visual connection is present, a pose of the robot head via the tracking camera, or detecting, when the visual connection is missing, interrupted or reduced, a pose of the robot head via a robot-kinematics tracking system; and executing a registration of the patient with respect to the navigation system. The registration method can be used with a surgical navigation system and a computer-readable storage medium.