SBIR Phase I: Novel Camera-Projector Device Leveraging Markerless Skin Registration and Projected Augmented Reality Software to Enable Navigation for Minimally Invasive Procedures

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is a novel projection-based platform, enabling direct visual mapping during surgical procedures. The project aims to develop a system that directly projects images that guide surgical intervention in real time onto the patient. By enabling direct visualization and by requiring minimal consumable components, the project aims to address usability and cost barriers that hinder adoption of current surgical mapping platforms. This product targets the spinal lumbar surgical market accounting for nearly 200,000 U.S. procedures each year. Spinal surgery requires high levels of accuracy, with inaccurate interventions resulting in reoperation rates of up to 16%, and readmissions costing nearly $15 billion in both direct and indirect costs, as well as poorer patient outcomes. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop and validate a novel, projection-based, surgical navigation platform. The system utilizes three dimensional sensors to non-invasively orient to each individual patient and project visual anatomical references and guidance onto their skin surface, aiding surgeons in real time. This project will develop and validate the hardware and software to repeatably and reliably detect and align radiological images onto patients. It will also develop and validate the core algorithms needed to ensure the required accuracy and system performance suitable for surgical use. The prototype will be tested on bench-top phantoms and its performance compared to the defined industry-standard accuracy measures required for lumbar spinal surgical procedures. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.