Wearable Hand Tracking Device for Surgical Precision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hand tracking technologies are bulky, laborious to use during surgical procedures, and often impede a surgeon's ability to perform the procedure due to their rigid materials and non-intuitive operation.
Innovation Solution
A wearable tracking device comprising a hand covering with trackable regions and tracking features, a tracking unit with sensors, a processor, and a computer-readable medium that determines the position, orientation, and pose of the hand in real-time, allowing for intuitive control of surgical instruments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a tracking device is made bulky to ensure structural stability and sensor placement, then tracking reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates as it becomes laborious to carry on the hand during procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking device is divided into multiple articulated segments corresponding to different hand joints (wrist, metacarpophalangeal joints, interphalangeal joints). Each segment is independently trackable and can be placed on specific anatomical landmarks, allowing the hand to be tracked as a whole while maintaining flexibility in placement and minimizing bulk at any single location.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from tracking the hand as a single rigid object to tracking multiple articulated segments in three-dimensional space. This allows the hand to be represented as a series of connected poses, providing comprehensive tracking information while enabling more flexible and less bulky device placement on individual joints rather than requiring a bulky overall structure.
2Measurement precision
If a tracking device uses thick or rigid materials to ensure structural integrity, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates as it impedes the surgeon's ability to perform the surgical procedure
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking device utilizes thin-film flexible structures that conform to the contours of the hand and fingers. These flexible tracks can be placed on anatomical landmarks without adding significant bulk or rigidity that would impede surgical manipulation, while still providing precise positional data through the embedded sensors in the flexible membrane.
Solution Approach 2:
The device employs composite construction combining flexible substrates with embedded sensors and minimal structural elements. This composite approach allows the tracking system to maintain measurement precision through sophisticated sensor integration while using flexible, non-rigid materials that do not interfere with the surgeon's tactile sense or hand dexterity during procedures.
3Measurement precision
If existing hand tracking devices are made non-intuitive to ensure comprehensive tracking capability, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates as it requires training and focus to utilize properly
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically tracks hand position, orientation, and pose without requiring active participation or adjustment from the surgeon. The articulated segments passively follow the natural movement of the hand, and the system autonomously processes the sensor data to provide comprehensive pose information, eliminating the need for training or focused attention on the tracking mechanism itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides continuous real-time feedback on hand position and pose to the surgical navigation system, automatically updating the virtual model of the hand as it moves. This automated feedback loop eliminates the need for manual calibration or adjustment by the surgeon, making the system intuitive and requiring no special training to use properly.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for tracking a hand within a surgical environment is disclosed. The system comprises a hand covering including an opening to receive the hand and a plurality of trackable regions that each include at least one tracking feature. The system further comprises a tracking unit including one or more sensors configured to detect a location of each tracking feature. The system further comprises a processor configured to cause the system to receive the location of each tracking feature from the tracking unit, determine a position and an orientation of each trackable region of the hand covering, and calculate an overall position, orientation, and/or pose of the hand. Various actions or settings may be controlled within the surgical workspace by utilizing particular gestures or movements that are identified by the system via the processor.