SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SELECTIVELY ACTIVATING HAPTIC GUIDE ZONES

• US 20130169423A1
• Filed: 12/29/2011
• Published: 07/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MAKO Surgical Corporation (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MAKO Surgical Corporation (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Moses, Dennis, IORGULESCU, Radu, Granchi, Carinne Cecile, Wojcik, Jason Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,639,156 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/407.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2057 Details of tracking cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2068 using pointers, e.g. pointers having reference marks for determining coordinates of body points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

A method for activating a virtual haptic geometry based on a position of a portion of an instrument relative to a target feature comprises detecting a presence of a reference point of an instrument within a threshold distance of a target feature. A virtual haptic geometry corresponding to the target feature is activated in response to the detected presence of the reference point of the instrument within the threshold distance.

Claims

1. A method for activating a virtual haptic geometry based on a position of a portion of an instrument relative to a target feature, comprising:

detecting a presence of a reference point of an instrument within a threshold distance of a target feature; and

activating a virtual haptic geometry corresponding to the target feature in response to the detected presence of the reference point of the instrument within the threshold distance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the virtual haptic geometry includes selecting the virtual haptic geometry corresponding to the target feature from among a plurality of inactive virtual haptic geometries, each of which corresponds to a respective target feature.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual haptic geometry defines a surface at which a haptic force is applied to the instrument when the reference of the instrument interacts with the virtual haptic geometry.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual haptic geometry comprises a fixed geometry that is substantially funnel-shaped and provides a virtual path for guiding the reference point of the instrument to the target feature.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual haptic geometry comprises a variable geometry having a default geometry that is substantially funnel-shaped and provides a virtual path for guiding the reference point of the instrument to the target feature.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein detecting the presence of the reference point of the instrument comprises:

detecting the presence of the reference point within a volume defined by the virtual haptic geometry,

wherein upon determining that the position of the reference point of the instrument is within the volume defined by the virtual haptic geometry, decreasing the volume based on a detection of a corresponding decrease in an orientation angle of an instrument axis relative to a target axis.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking the position of the reference point relative to the target feature,

wherein after determining that the reference point has reached the target feature, deactivating the virtual haptic geometry.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

detecting the presence of the reference point within a threshold distance of a second target feature; and

activating a second virtual haptic geometry corresponding to the second target feature based on the detected presence of the reference point of the instrument.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking the position of the reference point relative to the target feature,

wherein after determining that the reference point has reached the target feature and that the reference point is not within a threshold distance of an engagement point, deactivating the virtual haptic geometry.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a presence of a reference point of an instrument within a threshold distance of a target feature comprises:

detecting the presence of the reference point within a volume defined by the virtual haptic geometry; and

determining that the reference point is within a threshold distance of one or more of a target axis and an engagement point associated with the target feature.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting the presence of the reference point within a volume defined by the virtual haptic geometry,

wherein upon determining that the position of the reference point of the instrument is within the volume defined by the virtual haptic geometry, decreasing the volume based on a detection of a corresponding decrease in an orientation angle of an instrument axis relative to a target axis.

11. A computer-implemented method for activating a virtual haptic geometry, comprising:

determining, by a processor associated with a computer, a position of a reference point of an instrument;

determining, by the processor, a distance between the reference point and each of a plurality of target features;

identifying, by the processor, the target feature that is closest to the reference point; and

activating, by the processor, a virtual haptic geometry associated with the identified target feature.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

tracking the position of the reference point relative to the target feature,

wherein after determining that the reference point has reached the target feature, deactivating the virtual haptic geometry.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting the presence of the reference point within a threshold distance of a second target feature; and

activating a second virtual haptic geometry corresponding to the second target feature in response to the detected presence of the reference point of the instrument.

15. A method for activating a virtual haptic geometry, comprising:

identifying a plurality of open target features associated with a surgical environment;

determining a position of a reference point of a surgical instrument relative to each of the identified open target features;

identifying a first open target feature that is closest to the reference point;

activating a virtual haptic geometry associated with the first open target feature that is closest to the reference point;

monitor a position of the reference point;

wherein after determining that the reference point has reached the first open target feature, deactivating the virtual haptic geometry.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein deactivating the virtual haptic geometry comprises closing the first open target feature, the method further comprising:

determining the position of the reference point of a surgical instrument relative to each of a plurality of open target features that have not been closed;

identifying a second open target feature that is closest to the reference point;

activating a second virtual haptic geometry, the second virtual haptic geometry associated with the second open target feature that is closest to the reference point;

monitor the position of the reference point;

wherein after determining that the reference point has reached the second open target feature, deactivating the second virtual haptic geometry associated with the second open target feature.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the virtual haptic geometry comprises a fixed geometry that is substantially funnel-shaped and provides a virtual path for guiding the reference point of the instrument to the target feature.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the virtual haptic geometry comprises a variable geometry having a default geometry that is substantially funnel-shaped and provides a virtual path for guiding the reference point of the instrument to the target feature.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

detecting the presence of the reference point within a volume defined by the virtual haptic geometry,

wherein upon determining that the position of the reference point of the instrument is within the volume defined by the virtual haptic geometry, decreasing the volume based on a detection of a corresponding decrease in an orientation angle of an instrument axis relative to a target axis.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein detecting a presence of a reference point of an instrument within a threshold distance of a target feature comprises determining that the reference point is within a threshold distance of one or more of a target axis and an engagement point associated with the target feature.

21. A computer-assisted surgery system comprising:

a surgical instrument for performing at least one task associated with a surgical procedure;

a processor, operatively coupled to the surgical instrument and configured to;

detecting a presence of a reference point of the surgical instrument within a threshold distance of a target feature; and

activating a virtual haptic geometry corresponding to the target feature based on the detected presence of the reference point of the instrument.

22. The computer-assisted surgery system of claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect the presence of the reference point within a volume defined by the virtual haptic geometry,

wherein upon determining that the position of the reference point of the instrument is within the volume defined by the virtual haptic geometry, decreasing the volume based on a detection of a corresponding decrease in an orientation angle of an instrument axis relative to a target axis.

23. The computer-assisted surgery system of claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured to:

track the position of the reference point relative to the target feature,

wherein after determining that the reference point has reached the target feature, deactivating the virtual haptic geometry.

24. The computer-assisted surgery system of claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured:

detect the presence of the reference point within a threshold distance of a second target feature; and

activate a second virtual haptic geometry corresponding to the second target feature based on the detected presence of the reference point of the instrument.

25. The computer-assisted surgery system of claim 22, further comprising:

track the position of the reference point relative to the target feature,

wherein after determining that the reference point has reached the target feature and that the reference point is not within a threshold distance of an engagement point, deactivating the virtual haptic geometry.

26. A computer-implemented method for activating a virtual haptic geometry, comprising:

displaying, by a processor on a display associated with a computer, a plurality of target features;

activating, by the processor, a virtual haptic geometry associated with one target feature of the plurality of target features based, at least in part, on a user selection of the one target feature from among the plurality of target features.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, wherein the virtual haptic geometry comprises a fixed geometry that is substantially funnel-shaped.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, further comprising:

tracking the position of the reference point relative to the target feature,

wherein after determining that the reference point has reached the target feature, deactivating the virtual haptic geometry.

29. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, further comprising:

tracking the position of the reference point relative to the target feature,

wherein after determining that the reference point has reached the target feature and that the reference point is not within a threshold distance of an engagement point, deactivating the virtual haptic geometry.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, further comprising removing, by the processor, the target feature associated with the de-activate haptic geometry from the display.

31. The computer-implemented method of claim 30, further comprising activating, by the processor, a second virtual haptic geometry associated with a second target feature of the plurality of target features based, at least in part, on a user selection of the second target feature from among the plurality of target features.