Uniform Marker Tracking Device for Surgical Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing navigated surgery systems require unique marker geometries to identify positions, leading to increased spacing and size of tracking devices, which is undesirable for size or weight-constrained devices.
Innovation Solution
A surgical navigation system with a tracking device having a plurality of faces that can generate a signal upon activation, utilizing a face activation module, visibility module, and face switching module to determine and activate the appropriate face for tracking, allowing for geometrically uniform marker patterns without the need for unique geometries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If unique marker geometries are used to identify tracking device positions, then tracking accuracy is improved, but device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between multiple faces of the tracking device based on visibility conditions. Each face can be activated or deactivated depending on which face is visible to the imaging device, allowing the use of uniform marker geometries while maintaining tracking accuracy through temporal dynamics rather than spatial uniqueness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic activation of different faces of the tracking device. By cycling through multiple faces with uniform geometries and using temporal information about which face is active, the system maintains measurement precision without requiring larger unique geometries on each face.
2Reliability
If multiple faces with unique marker patterns are used, then tracking reliability is improved, but device weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking device uses uniform marker geometries across all faces rather than unique patterns. Combined with the face activation module that tracks which face is currently visible, this homogeneous design reduces the total amount of material needed while maintaining tracking reliability through the addition of temporal visibility information.
3Measurement precision
If light emitting objects are spaced further apart to form unique patterns, then face identification accuracy is improved, but face area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system adds a temporal dimension to face identification by tracking which face is currently active or visible. This allows the use of uniform, compact marker geometries on each face while maintaining identification accuracy through the combination of spatial marker patterns with temporal visibility data from the face activation module.
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
Enables accurate tracking of devices in navigated surgery with smaller, more ergonomic designs by using uniform marker geometries, improving the usability of size or weight-constrained instruments and implants.
Implementation Method 1
Each marker can typically include a light emitting or light reflecting object
Implementation Method 2
Each marker can typically include a light emitting or light reflecting object
Data Source
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AI summary
A system (10) and method for tracking a tracking device for use with a surgical navigation system is provided. The system and method can include at least one tracking device (41) having a plurality of faces (202a - f ). The faces can be operable to generate a signal upon activation. Also included is a face activation module (236) that activates a selected one of the faces upon receipt of an activation signal. The system can also include a visibility module (234) that generates the activation signal and receives the signal from the face to generate tracking data for the tracking device, along with a face switching module (238) that generates a face control signal to activate a different face based on the tracking data.