Coordinate Registration for Robotic Surgical Navigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current tracking and navigation systems in surgical procedures require time-consuming registration of instrument positions between different coordinate systems, which can hinder efficient navigation during surgical operations.

Innovation Solution

A method is developed to dynamically register a robotic coordinate system to an image coordinate system, allowing for indirect registration to a navigation coordinate system without separate registration to the image space, utilizing a dynamic reference tracking device and snapshot tracking system to enhance precision and efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional registration methods are used to register instrument positions between coordinate systems, then registration accuracy can be achieved, but procedural time is significantly increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveregistration accuracyVSAvoidprocedural time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary registration of the robotic coordinate system to the image coordinate system before the actual surgical navigation. By pre-establishing this coordinate transformation relationship through tracking a reference device at multiple positions, the system eliminates the need for time-consuming registration operations during the surgical procedure, thus reducing procedural time while maintaining registration accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an image coordinate system as an intermediary between the robotic coordinate system and the navigation coordinate system. Instead of directly registering the robotic system to the navigation system, the image coordinate system serves as a mediator that simplifies the registration process and enables indirect registration, thereby reducing the time required for coordinate system alignment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If separate registration to image space is performed, then complete navigation accuracy is achieved, but device complexity and procedural steps are increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenavigation accuracyVSAvoidregistration process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the registration of the robotic coordinate system and the navigation coordinate system by using a common image coordinate system as the reference. Instead of performing separate registration operations for each coordinate system, the system combines them into a unified registration process, simplifying the overall procedure while maintaining complete navigation accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The image coordinate system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a reference for both the robotic coordinate system and the navigation coordinate system, enabling indirect registration for both systems. This multi-functional approach reduces the number of registration steps required while ensuring complete navigation accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3908221B1Method for registration between coordinate systems and navigation
Publication Date: 2023.11.15 MEDTRONIC NAVIGATION INC
  • EP3908221B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3908221B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3908221B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is a method to form a dynamic array with a trackable member, comprising: removably fixing a robotic system in a volume; moving a trackable member with a moveable portion of the robotic system to a first position; moving the trackable member with the moveable portion of the robotic system to a second position; performing a navigation system tracking by (i) tracking the first position of the trackable member with a navigation system in a navigation coordinate system and (ii) tracking the second position of the trackable member with the navigation system in the navigation coordinate system; performing a robotic system tracking by (i) tracking the first position with a robotic tracking system in a robotic coordinate system separate from the navigation system and (ii) tracking the second position with the robotic tracking system in the robotic coordinate system; defining a virtual array with the trackackable member by moving the trackable member between the first position and a second position; and correlating the navigation system tracking and the robotic tracking system.