Image Guided Technologies, Inc.

Other

Boulder Innovation Group Inc.

Howmedica Leibinger Inc.

Ivan Faul

Faul, Ivan

Waldean Allen Schulz

Dennis John Toms

Ronald M Pasquini

Daniel J Harrison

Juris George Melkis

Timothy L Feaver

Jesse Dean Paylor

Brett R Skelton

Russell Dahl

Martin D Chader

Waldean A Schulz

Systems and methods improve the accuracy of spatial coordinate measurements by optical digitizers by obtaining a separate distance measurement, which may be via direct ranging rather than triangulation, and combining the distance measurement with the spatial coordinate measurements to improve the accuracy of the three-dimensional spatial coordinate measurement.

Optical digitizer with improved distance measurement capability

A simplified system and method for synchronizing a three dimensional digitizers is disclosed. Various three dimensional digitizers utilize detected light sequences received from a probe as a synchronization signal negating the need for complex synchronization circuitry and communication signals. One embodiment utilizes no transmitted synchronization signal, but relies on embedded, high-stability clocks to maintain synchronization after initial one-time synchronization of the clocks. In this manner the design of the three dimensional digitizer may be simplified.

Methods and systems for realizing reduced complexity in three-dimensional digitizer systems

A system for determining a location on a 2D surface or in a 3D volume. The system includes a probe and a tracker. The probe includes a marker, an indicator, and a reflective surface, wherein the probe is configured so the reflective surface forms a virtual image of the marker having an apparent location coincident to a location of the indicator. The tracker configured to measure the apparent location of the virtual image of the marker.

System for determining a location on a 2D surface or in a 3D volume

A probe for use in a coordinate digitizing system includes an indicator, such as a pointing tip or crosshairs, and a marker, the location of which can be determined by a marker tracking system relative to a coordinate system. The probe is configured to effectively place the marker's virtual image&#x2014;as seen by the tracker&#x2014;at the same location as the indicator without blocking a user's view of the indicator.

Probe with a virtual marker

During preprogrammed medical treatment and remote controlled surgery tracking the movements of the body being treated and integrating those tracked movements with the preprogrammed/remote controlled treatment to arrive at an integrated modified treatment track and following that modified track during the treatment. The treating instrument may be a solid scalpel or high-energy radiation, such as X-rays, ultra sound, laser beams or the like.

Means of tracking movement of bodies during medical treatment

During preprogrammed medical treatment and remote controlled surgery tracking the movements of the body being treated and integrating those tracked movements with the preprogrammed/remote controled treatment to arrive at an integrated modified treatment track and following that modified track during the treatment. The treating instrument may be a solid scalpel or high-energy radiation, such as X-rays, ultra sound, laser beams or the like.

Systems for acquiring an approximation of the surface geometry of a 3-dimensional object include a self-powered wireless, non-contact optical scanner, the location and orientation of which may be tracked with respect to an object coordinate system, and a processor configured for projecting a pattern of structured light on the object, moving the pattern with respect to the object, acquiring images of the intersection of the light on the object over time, determining local coordinates of points on the intersection with respect to the pattern, tracking the position of the pattern, transforming the local coordinates to object coordinates, and accumulating the points as a model of the surface of the object. The systems may wirelessly and possibly compactly transmit geometrical data which characterizes an intersection for a given position of the scanner with respect to the object.

Wireless methods and systems for three-dimensional non-contact shape sensing

Methods for acquiring an approximation of the surface geometry of a 3-dimensional object include projecting pattern of structured light on the object, moving the pattern with respect to the object, acquiring images of the intersection of the light on the object over time, determining local coordinates of points on the intersection with respect to the pattern, tracking the position of the pattern, transforming the local coordinates to object coordinates, and accumulating the points as a model of the surface of the object. The methods include a step for wirelessly and possibly compactly transmitting geometrical data which characterizes an intersection for a given position of the scanner with respect to the object. Systems for embodying the method include a self-powered wireless, non-contact optical scanner, the location and orientation of which may be tracked with respect to an object coordinate system.

Improved point source electromagnetic radiation emitters including a dispersing element that radiates electromagnetic radiation over a vary wide conical angle of approaching about 180&#xb0;. This light dispersing element can be in any one or more of several illustrated forms such as a light diffusing spherical or hemispherical element, a planar diffusing plate, a tapered light guide, a piano-concave lens, a convex mirror, a light pipe with a large numerical aperture, or the like. The emitter of this invention may be fixed to an object and tracked in a 3-dimensional volume by a system using electro-optical position sensors in order to determine the spatial location of the emitters and therefore to determine, by geometry, the position or orientation of the object. The electromagnetic radiation generator is preferably disposed remote from the emitter and is electrically and magnetically isolated from the emitter. A common optical fiber provides transmission of the radiation from the generator to the emitter. The emitted radiation more nearly resembles point source of radiation and therefore enables more accurate determination of the location of the radiating element, and thereby more accurate determination of the position and orientation of the object on which the emitters reside. The preferred electromagnetic radiation generator is an LED, most preferably a laser diode.

Optical fiber probe for position measurement

This invention is a system that tracks the 3-dimensional position and orientation of one or more bodies ( ) in a volume by a light based as well as at least one non-light based mensuration sub-system. This overcomes the limitation of light based mensuration systems to the necessity of the bodies ( ) to be in constant line-of-sight of its light based position sensors ( ). The invention possesses most of the accuracy and stability of its light based position measurement sub-system ( ), but can also work without direct line of sight either for short periods of time or within certain parts of the volume. It does so by incorporating other sensors ( ), such as inertial or magnetic, which are frequently recalibrated against the light based sub-system ( ) while the bodies ( ) are visible by the light based sub-system ( ).

Hybrid 3-D probe tracked by multiple sensors

Disclosed is a wireless instrument tracking system. The wireless instrument tracking system is used for determining the location of at least one point relative to the instrument in a three-dimensional space relative to a three-dimensional coordinate tracking system. Advantageously, a first wireless instrument can be placed into the optical field with the wireless instrument including a wireless receiver and at least one optical position indicator. The optical position indicator is typically light emitting diodes ( ) and communicates with corresponding measurement sensors ( ) across a wireless optical link. The wireless optical link is time multiplexed with repetitive time frames divided into time slots. Each LED ( ) emits an infrared signal or flashes in a respective time slot of a time frame. The measurement sensors ( ) are preferably CCD cameras. The LEDs ( ) are synchronized with the cameras and once synchronized each LED ( ) flashes in a different time slot in synchronization with the camera frame rate.

Wireless optical instrument for position measurement and method of use therefor

A system for calibrating an error between the location of a feature of an object as determined by indirect calculation compared to as determined by physical measurement in order to be able to use this determined error to correct the location of the feature as determined by calculation in actual use in the field. This error is found by calculating the position and orientation of the object, having energy emitters disposed thereon, in a plurality of orientations and positions relative to a reference frame, but with the feature in a substantially constant position relative to the reference frame; calculating the locations of the feature of the object from these calculated positions and orientations; averaging these calculated locations; determining the location of the feature by physical measurement thereof in relation to the physical locations of the emitters; and comparing the calculated average location with the physically measured loacation to arrive at the error.

Calibration of an instrument

An assembly adapted to emit electromagnetic radiation made up of an emitter of electromagnetic radiation; a non-reflective ceramic support for the emitter; a substantially transparent crown mounted on the support to define and enclose a space that houses the emitter; and leads attached to the emitter through the support. The combination of the non-reflective support and the transparent crown, and the location of the emitter in the enclosed space enables the emitter to emit electromagnetic radiation in a conical radiation pattern. The radiation pattern appears to have a centroid. This centroid appears to be in a more constant spatial position regardless of the viewing angle as compared with the apparent position of this centroid with other assemblies.

Optical tracking system

Improved point source electromagnetic radiation emitters including a dispersing element that radiates electromagnetic radiation over a very wide conical angle of approaching about 180.degree.. This light dispersing element can be in any one or more of several illustrated forms such as a light diffusing spherical or hemispherical element, a planar diffusing plate, a tapered light guide, a plano-concave lens, a convex mirror, a light pipe with a large numerical aperture, or the like. The emitter of this invention may be fixed to an object and tracked in a 3-dimensional volume by a system using electro-optical position sensors in order to determine the spatial location of the emitters and therefore to determine, by geometry, the position and orientation of the object. The electromagnetic radiation generator is preferably disposed remote from the emitter and is electrically and magnetically isolated from the emitter. A common optical fiber provides transmission of the radiation from the generator to the emitter. The emitted radiation more nearly resembles point source of radiation and therefore enables more accurate determination of the location of the radiating element, and thereby more accurate determination of the position and orientation of the object on which the emitters reside. The preferred electromagnetic radiation generator is an LED, most preferably a laser diode.

The invention provides an improved imaging system and method. The imaging system is of the type having a medical instrument including a source for emitting detectable energy and an instrument body having a work portion. The imaging system further includes detector for detecting the energy and a processor for determining the location of the medical instrument based on the detected energy. Such an imaging system is improved by providing a storage device on or in the medical instrument for storing initialization information, such as the location of the energy-emitting means relative to the instrument body. A transfer device is provided for transferring the initialization information from the storage device to the processor upon connection of the medical instrument to the processor. In this manner, the processor may then configure itself according to the attached instrument so that the system may track the location of the instrument body in three-dimensional space upon detection of the emitted energy.

Growing community of inventors

Boulder, CO, United States of America

Ivan Faul