Surgical Instrument Calibration Device for Tool Tip Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current computer-assisted surgical systems face challenges in accurately tracking the position of the tip of a movable surgical tool due to the difficulty in mounting a trackable marker on the tool tip, which affects the precision of surgical operations.
Innovation Solution
A calibration device and method that includes a rigid body and stabilization members to define the default kinematic state of a robotically controlled manipulator, allowing for the tracking of the surgical tool tip by utilizing a connection sensing mechanism and spatial sensor system to determine the tool's position based on control signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a trackable marker is mounted on the tool tip, then the position tracking precision is improved, but the device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to the difficulty of mounting and adjusting the marker
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a calibration device as an intermediary component that couples between the tracking system and the surgical instrument. This calibration device includes a calibration body with multiple calibration points that can be detected by the tracking system, eliminating the need to directly mount markers on the tool tip. The calibration device mediates the tracking process by providing reference points that allow the system to calculate tool tip position through mathematical transformation, thereby resolving the mounting complexity while maintaining tracking precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical marker mounting approach with a mathematical transformation approach. Instead of physically attaching markers to the tool tip, the system uses a calibration device with known geometric relationships between calibration points. The tracking system detects these calibration points and uses coordinate transformation algorithms to calculate the tool tip position, substituting mechanical marker attachment with computational geometry methods.
2Measurement precision
If a trackable marker is mounted on the tool tip, then the position tracking precision is improved, but the ease of operation worsens due to the difficulty of aligning the marker with the tool tip
Solution Approach 1:
The calibration device serves as an intermediary that eliminates the need for direct marker-to-tool-tip alignment. The calibration body with multiple calibration points is attached to a reference structure rather than the tool tip itself, allowing the tracking system to establish a coordinate transformation relationship. This intermediary approach removes the alignment difficulty while maintaining the ability to precisely track tool tip position through mathematical calculation.
3Manufacturing precision
If the kinematic state of the manipulator is calibrated, then the surgical operation accuracy is improved, but the loss of time increases due to the calibration process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary calibration action by performing the kinematic calibration of the manipulator before the actual surgical procedure. The calibration device is positioned and calibrated in advance to establish the coordinate transformation relationships and default kinematic states. This preliminary action ensures that the calibration is completed once before surgery, minimizing repeated calibration time during the procedure while maintaining high surgical accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The calibration system incorporates self-service features through automatic detection and calculation capabilities. The tracking system automatically detects the calibration points on the calibration device and computes the transformation relationships without requiring manual intervention for each measurement point. This automation reduces the time required for calibration while ensuring accurate results.
Data Source
AI summary
A calibration device for a computer-assisted surgical instrument includes a rigid body, stabilization members, and references structurally or mechanically complementary to the stabilization members and disposed on opposite sides of a manipulator of the instrument. Kinematic state of the manipulator is defaulted when the calibration device is connected to the instrument by the stabilization members passing through the rigid body and removably attaching to the references. A calibration method for a computer-assisted surgical instrument implemented by a computer system includes the steps of: prompting a user to connect the calibration device to the instrument; determining if the calibration device is properly connected to the instrument; and generating default kinematic information of the manipulator of the instrument if the calibration device is properly connected to the instrument. The calibration device and method effectively improve accuracy and precision of computer-assisted surgeries.