AUTOMATED SYSTEM FOR HARVESTING OR IMPLANTING FOLLICULAR UNITS

• US 20070106306A1
• Filed: 04/28/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Venus Concept, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Restoration Robotics, Inc. (Venus Concept, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bodduluri, Mohan, Gildenberg, Philip, Caddes, Donald
• Granted Patent: US 7,962,192 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/133
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32053 Punch like cutting instruments, e.g. using a cylindrical or oval knife A61B17/326 takes precedence; trepans A61B17/1695; for use on the cornea A61F9/007
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3468 for implanting or removing devices, e.g. prostheses, implants, seeds, wires devices for implanting seeds A61M37/0069
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00752 Hair removal or transplantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/363 Use of fiducial points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/371 with simultaneous use of two cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/32 operating autonomously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0076 Tattooing apparatus apparatus for marking animals A01K11/00; vaccine applicators having needles or other puncturing means A61B17/205

Abstract

An automated system for harvesting or implanting follicular units, including a moveable arm; a harvesting and/or implantation tool mounted on the moveable arm; one or more cameras mounted on the moveable arm; a processor configured to receive and process images acquired by the one or more cameras; and a controller operatively associated with the processor and configured to position the moveable arm based, at least in part, on processed images acquired by the one or more cameras, wherein the moveable arm is positionable such that the tool may be positioned at a desired orientation relative to an adjacent body surface.

Claims

1. An automated system for harvesting or implanting follicular units, comprising:

a moveable arm;

a tool mounted on the moveable arm;

one or more cameras mounted on the moveable arm;

a processor configured to receive and process images acquired by the one or more cameras; and

a controller operatively associated with the processor and configured to position the moveable arm based, at least in part, on processed images acquired by the one or more cameras, wherein the moveable arm is positionable such that the tool may be positioned at a desired orientation relative to an adjacent body surface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated system is a robotic system, and wherein the moveable arm is a robotic arm.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more cameras comprises a single camera, and wherein the processor is configured to register a reference coordinate system of the camera with a tool frame reference coordinate system of the robotic arm.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor registers the camera reference coordinate system with the tool frame reference coordinate system based on images of a fixed calibration target acquired as the robotic arm is moved along one or more axes of the tool frame reference coordinate system.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more cameras comprises a pair of cameras mounted to the robotic arm, and wherein the processor is configured to register respective reference coordinate systems of the cameras with each other and with a tool frame reference coordinate system of the robotic arm.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor registers the respective camera reference coordinate systems with the tool frame reference coordinate system based on images of a fixed calibration target acquired as the robotic arm is moved along one or more axes of the tool frame reference coordinate system.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more cameras comprises respective first and second pairs of cameras mounted to the robotic arm, the first pair focused to acquire images of a first field of view, and the second pair focused to acquire images of a second field of view substantially narrower than the first field of view.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to register respective reference coordinate systems of the first and second pairs of cameras with each other and with a tool frame reference coordinate system of the robotic arm.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor registers the respective camera reference coordinate systems with the tool frame reference coordinate system based on images of a fixed calibration target acquired as the robotic arm is moved along one or more axes of the tool frame reference coordinate system.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool comprises a follicular unit harvesting tool.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool comprises a follicular unit implantation tool.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool comprises both a follicular unit harvesting and a follicular unit implantation tool.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to identify approximate physical boundaries of a follicular unit in an image acquired by the one or more cameras.

14. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor and controller are configured for positioning the tool by visual servoing of the robotic arm.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured for identifying approximate physical boundaries of a follicular unit captured in an acquired image, including a subcutaneous base region embedded in the body surface and a distal tip region extending away from the body surface.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the images include subcutaneous images.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising an air jet carried on the moveable arm for directing an air stream at the body surface.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface for allowing a user to input instructions to one or both of the processor and controller regarding one or more of a location, position, orientation, and depth of a follicular unit to be implanted.

19. An automated system for harvesting or implanting follicular units, comprising:

a moveable arm;

a tool mounted on the moveable arm;

a pair of cameras;

a processor configured to receive and process images acquired by the cameras, wherein the processor is configured to register respective reference coordinate systems of the cameras with each other; and

a controller operatively associated with the processor and configured to position the moveable arm based, at least in part, on processed images acquired by the cameras, wherein the moveable arm is positionable such that the tool may be positioned at a desired orientation relative to an adjacent body surface.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the automated system is a robotic system, the moveable arm is a robotic arm, and the processor is further configured to register the respective camera reference coordinate systems with a tool frame reference coordinate system of the robotic arm.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor registers the respective camera reference coordinate systems with the tool frame reference coordinate system based on images of a fixed calibration target acquired as the robotic arm is moved along one or more axes of the tool frame reference coordinate system.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the tool comprises one or both of a follicular unit harvesting tool and a follicular unit implantation tool.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor and controller are configured for positioning the tool by visual servoing of the robotic arm.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured for identifying approximate physical boundaries of a follicular unit captured in an acquired image, including a subcutaneous base region embedded in the body surface and a distal tip region extending away from the body surface.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the images include subcutaneous images.

26. The system of claim 19, further comprising an air jet carried on the moveable arm for directing an air stream at the body surface.

27. The system of claim 19, further comprising a user interface for allowing a user to input to one or both of the processor and controller instructions regarding one or more of a location, position, orientation, and depth of a follicular unit to be implanted.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the processor and controller are configured for positioning the tool by visual servoing of the robotic arm.

28. An automated system for harvesting or implanting follicular units, comprising:

a moveable arm;

a tool mounted on the moveable arm;

first and second pairs of cameras mounted to the moveable arm, the first pair focused to acquire images of a first field of view, and the second pair focused to acquire images of a second field substantially narrower than the first field of view;

a processor configured to receive and process images acquired by the respective pairs of cameras, wherein the processor is configured to register respective reference coordinate systems of the camera pairs with each other; and

a controller operatively associated with the processor and configured to position the moveable arm based, at least in part, on processed images acquired by the respective pairs of cameras, wherein the moveable arm is positionable such that the tool may be positioned at a desired orientation relative to an adjacent body surface.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the automated system is a robotic system, the moveable arm is a robotic arm, and the processor is further configured to register the respective camera reference coordinate systems with a tool frame reference coordinate system of the robotic arm.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the processor registers the respective camera focal plane reference coordinate systems with the tool frame reference coordinate system based on images of a fixed calibration target acquired as the robotic arm is moved along one or more axes of the tool frame reference coordinate system.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the tool comprises one or both of a follicular unit harvesting tool and a follicular unit implantation tool.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein the processor is configured for identifying approximate physical boundaries of a follicular unit captured in an acquired image, including a subcutaneous base region embedded in the body surface and a distal tip region extending away from the body surface.

34. The system of claim 28, wherein the images include subcutaneous images.

35. The system of claim 28, further comprising an air jet carried on the moveable arm for directing an air stream at the body surface.

36. The system of claim 28, further comprising a user interface for allowing a user to input to one or both of the processor and controller instructions regarding one or more of a location, position, orientation, and depth of a follicular unit to be implanted.