Methods and systems for directing movement of a tool in hair transplantation procedures
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of directing movement of a tool to harvest or implant hair grafts, the method comprising:
- recording first locations of a plurality of fiducials appearing in one or more images of a body surface;
updating and recording the updated locations of at least some of the plurality of the fiducials in an updated one or more images of the body surface;
determining an offset of the updated locations of the at least some of the plurality of the fiducials relative to their first locations;
automatically selecting a new follicular unit harvesting or implanting site based at least in part on the determined offset and a location of a previous procedure site; and
automatically instructing the tool to move to the selected new harvesting site or the selected new implanting site.
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Abstract
Methods and systems are provided useful in various procedures, including hair harvesting and implantation, and further including computer-implemented and/or robotic hair transplantation. Methodologies are provided which enable a tool, such as a hair harvesting or a hair implantation tool, to proceed at least under a partial computer control in a selected direction of travel along a donor or recipient area of the patient, as well as changing direction of travel based on desired harvesting and/or implantation criteria.
88 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of directing movement of a tool to harvest or implant hair grafts, the method comprising:
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recording first locations of a plurality of fiducials appearing in one or more images of a body surface; updating and recording the updated locations of at least some of the plurality of the fiducials in an updated one or more images of the body surface; determining an offset of the updated locations of the at least some of the plurality of the fiducials relative to their first locations; automatically selecting a new follicular unit harvesting or implanting site based at least in part on the determined offset and a location of a previous procedure site; and automatically instructing the tool to move to the selected new harvesting site or the selected new implanting site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of directing movement of a tool to perform a medical procedure, the method comprising:
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recording first locations of a plurality of fiducials appearing in one or more images; updating and recording the updated locations of at least some of the plurality of the fiducials in an updated one or more images; determining an offset of the updated locations of the at least some of the plurality of the fiducials relative to their first locations; automatically selecting a site on which to perform the medical procedure based at least in part on the determined offset; and instructing the tool to move to the selected medical procedure site taking into account an exclusion zone and/or a reserved region.
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24. A method of controlling a direction of travel of a tool relative to a body surface during a follicular unit transplantation procedure, the method comprising:
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processing one or more images of a body surface to determine locations of a plurality of distinctive fiducials appearing in the one or more images; operating a tool to harvest or implant a first follicular unit at a first location; identifying a direction of travel of the tool relative to a body surface based on the first location, previous harvesting or implanting location and on the locations of at least some of the plurality of the distinctive fiducials; causing the tool to travel in the identified direction of travel; and operating the tool to harvest or implant a second follicular unit at a second location on the body surface in the direction of travel. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification