Metal-Tolerant MicroTracking Device for 3D Localization in Robotic Medical Procedures

A critical constraint in computer-assisted robotic procedures is limited 3D visualization. Besides presenting health risks, X-ray and fluoroscopy permit 2D vision only and cannot always meet precise localization requirements. A real-time 3D tracking device is needed to solve key localization issues in robotic and image-guided procedures. A DC magnetic tracking device with miniaturized sensors, tolerant of nearby metals, can be developed to meet this requirement. Once inserted in a catheter or robotically controlled end-effector, its measurements will provide a 3D reference point that can be superimposed on previously imaged body parts or provide guidance to intelligent systems whose parts might otherwise collide with one another. Such a device, equipped with five or six degrees of freedom (5-6DOF) sensors, can be used to: synchronize instrument tip location with internal anatomy, map and locate anatomical features, navigate to pre-identified locations, provide instantaneous feedback to robotic operators, and to deliver therapies to targets inside the body.