Flexible Optical Tracker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016354153-A1
Application number	US-201514733928-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 8, 2015
Priority date	Jun 10, 2014
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus and method for tracking the position of one or more connected rigid bodies using markers attached to the rigid bodies by flexible connectors. Systems based on this method are comprised of flexible connectors, a position tracking system and a data processing algorithm to determine the positions and orientations of the rigid bodies. Variations in the methods of attachment of the flexible connectors, the means by which flexibility in the connector is produced, and in the layout of the markers are presented.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A system for measuring the pose in space of one or more connected rigid bodies, said system comprising:
a. One or more flexible connectors, each of said flexible connectors comprising at least three components: i. A proximal portion comprising at least one marker ii. A flexible portion allowing angular deflection in at least one direction iii. A distal portion comprising an attachment element for attaching the said flexible connector to said rigid bodies b. Optionally, zero or more rigid connectors, each of said rigid connectors comprising at least one marker and attached to one of said rigid bodies c. A position tracking system for measuring at least the position in space of at least one of the markers attached to said flexible connectors or said optional rigid connectors d. A data processing system for estimating the pose of the said rigid bodies based on the measurements of the said markers reported by the said tracking system

2 . A system as described in claim 1 in which the said plurality of flexible connectors comprises at least three said flexible connectors, and the said plurality of flexible connectors comprises a minimum total of six said markers, provided that no more than three said markers are included in said minimum total from any individual said flexible connector

3 . A system as described in claim 1 in which the said data processing system uses an observer framework to estimate the pose of the said rigid body

4 . A system as described in claim 2 in which the said data processing system uses an observer framework to estimate the pose of the said rigid body

5 . A system as described in claim 1 in which the said data processing system uses an optimization algorithm to estimate the pose of the said rigid body

6 . A system as described in claim 2 in which the said data processing system uses an optimization algorithm to estimate the pose of the said rigid body

7 . A method of determining the pose of one or more connected rigid bodies, comprising the steps of:
attaching to the said rigid bodies one or more flexible connectors and zero or more rigid connectors, to each of which said flexible connectors and said rigid connectors is attached one or more trackable markers, using a position tracking system to measure the position and optionally the orientation of said trackable markers, and using a data processing system to generate an estimate of the pose of the said rigid bodies based on the measurements of the said trackable marker positions generated by the said position tracking system.

Assignees

• Hodgson Antony John
• Semple Mark Joseph
• Univ British Columbia

Inventors

• Hodgson Antony John
• Semple Mark Joseph

Classifications

• A61B2090/3991

  having specific anchoring means to fixate the marker to the tissue, e.g. hooks · CPC title

• A61B90/39 Primary

  Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers · CPC title

• A61B2090/3983

  Reference marker arrangements for use with image guided surgery · CPC title

• A61B2034/2055

  Optical tracking systems · CPC title

• A61B2019/5491

  Human Necessities · mapped topic