Robotic Surgery Pathway Alignment Through 3D Patient Image Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for determining operation pathways in robotic surgery rely on fiducial marks that are not widely adopted, and existing systems lack efficient methods for aligning medical scans with real-time patient positioning for precise robotic arm control.
Innovation Solution
A method involving constructing a three-dimensional model from medical scans, using artificial intelligence to suggest optimal pathways, capturing facial features with two-dimensional optical devices, and transforming coordinates to align the robotic arm with the planned operation pathway.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional fiducial marks (glued or screwed in) are used for alignment, then the operation pathway can be planned, but the method is not widely adopted and lacks efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the fiducial marks from the patient's body after they serve their alignment purpose. The optical apparatus captures images of the patient with fiducial marks, performs coordinate transformation and alignment, then the fiducial marks are removed. This eliminates the need for permanent attachment and reduces complexity for future procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary computational process involving optical image capture, landmark point identification, and coordinate system transformation. This intermediary digital alignment process replaces the need for permanent physical fiducial marks, improving efficiency while maintaining accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If medical scans are used to plan operation pathways, then precise control can be achieved, but aligning scan perspective with real-time patient positioning is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical alignment methods with an optical-digital system. An optical apparatus captures images of the patient with fiducial marks, and a computing device performs automated coordinate transformation and alignment calculations, substituting manual mechanical positioning with automated optical measurement and computational geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy of the patient's anatomical structure from medical scans and aligns it with the real-time optical image. The coordinate system transformation effectively creates a virtual model that matches the physical patient position, enabling precise pathway determination without direct mechanical alignment.
3Manufacturing precision
If robotic arm control is implemented for precise operation, then surgical accuracy improves, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions into a unified robotic system. The robotic arm performs both the surgical operation and houses the optical apparatus for image capture. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by consolidating components rather than requiring separate alignment and surgical systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and a system to determine an operation pathway for a patient, and the method includes: constructing a three-dimensional model of the patient; obtaining image information of the patient; selecting a first set of two-dimensional feature points associated with the three-dimensional model and a second set of two-dimensional feature points associated with the image information; transforming the first set of two-dimensional feature points to a first set of three-dimensional feature points(250) and the second set of two-dimensional feature points to a second set of three-dimensional feature points(260); matching between the first set of three-dimensional feature points and the second set of three-dimensional feature points(270) to determine a relationship that aligns the first set of three-dimensional feature points and the second set of three-dimensional feature points; and determining the operation pathway(290) in a coordinate system associated with a robotic arm.