Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080204004 | Coil arrangement for electromagnetic tracking method and system - An electromagnetic tracking coil arrangement, comprising three co-planar electromagnetic sensors and a fourth electromagnetic sensor that is not co-planar with the three co-planar sensors, wherein the three co-planar electromagnetic sensors and the fourth electromagnetic sensor are each located at a vertex of a tetrahedron. | 08-28-2008 |
20080238413 | Electromagnetic tracking method and system - Provided is an electromagnetic tracking system, comprising a coil arrangement comprising a first coil configured to generate a first magnetic field and a second coil configured to generate a second magnetic field and a drive unit configured to provide a first drive current to the first coil and to provide a second drive current to the second coil, wherein the first drive current and the second drive current are at about the same frequency, wherein the frequency is below 60 Hz, and wherein the first electromagnetic field and the second magnetic field are generated out of phase. Also provided is a method of electromagnetic tracking comprising generating a first electromagnetic field at a frequency, generating a second electromagnetic field at about the frequency, wherein the frequency is below 60 Hz and wherein the first electromagnetic field and the second magnetic field are generated out of phase, sensing the first electromagnetic field and the second electromagnetic field and processing a waveform indicative of a combination of the sensed first electromagnetic field and the sensed second electromagnetic field. | 10-02-2008 |
20080287771 | SURGICAL NAVIGATION SYSTEM WITH ELECTROSTATIC SHIELD - A surgical navigation system is disclosed herein. The surgical navigation system includes a tracking system, a field generator operatively connected to the tracking system, a field sensor operatively connected to the tracking system, and an electrostatic shield circumscribing the field sensor. The electrostatic shield is adapted minimize capacitive coupling between the field generator and the field sensor. | 11-20-2008 |
20080287860 | SURGICAL NAVIGATION SYSTEM WITH A TRACKABLE ULTRASOUND CATHETER - A surgical navigation system including an ultrasound catheter is disclosed herein. The ultrasound catheter includes a flexible catheter housing defining a distal end, a transducer array disposed at least partially within the catheter housing, and a motor coupled with the transducer array. The motor is configured to rotate the transducer array in order to image a three-dimensional volume. The ultrasound catheter also includes a tracking element adapted to provide an estimate of a position and/or orientation of the distal end of the catheter housing. The tracking element is disposed within the catheter housing and immediately adjacent to the distal end. | 11-20-2008 |
20090002968 | APPARATUS FOR UNIVERSAL ELECTROMAGNETIC NAVIGATION TARGET FOR FLUOROSCOPIC SYSTEMS - Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a system for an electromagnetic shield assembly for use with C-arms. In an embodiment, the system may include a ring shield configured to encompass an x-ray detector. The ring shield may have a first window opening to receive x-rays. The system may also include a window shield configured to shield the first window opening of the ring shield. Certain embodiments of the present invention may provide a system for a universal navigation target. In an embodiment, the system may include a radiolucent calibration target and an electromagnetic shield. The electromagnetic shield may include a ring shield having a first window opening to receive x-rays and a window shield configured to shield the first window opening of the ring shield. | 01-01-2009 |
20090062739 | Catheter Guidewire Tracking System and Method - Provided in certain embodiments is a tracking system, having a transformer-coupled guidewire system, having a coil comprising a primary winding, configured to enable a guidewire including a secondary winding to be inductively coupled to the primary winding, and configured to enable a catheter to be slid over the guidewire while the secondary winding is inductively coupled to the primary winding. Also provided is a tracking method, including positioning a primary winding about a first coil that is integral to a first end of a guidewire, inductively coupling the primary winding and the first coil, transferring the energy between the first coil and a second coil integral to a second end of the guidewire, passing a catheter over the guidewire, and tracking the guidewire while the catheter is slid over the guidewire. | 03-05-2009 |
20090069671 | Electric Motor Tracking System and Method - Provided is a tracking system, including a motor coupled to a medical instrument and configured to generate at least one magnetic field, and at least one receiver coil configured to sense the magnetic field. Also provided is a method of tracking, including rotating a rotor of a motor, wherein the rotor comprises a permanent magnet that generates a rotating magnetic field when the rotor is rotated, sensing the rotating magnetic field with at least one receiver, transmitting to a processor a signal indicative of the rotating magnetic field, and processing the signal to determine a position of the motor. Further provided is a method of tracking, comprising energizing a stator coil of a motor to generate at least one magnetic field, sensing the at least one magnetic field with at least one receiver, transmitting to a processor a signal indicative of the at least one magnetic field, and processing the signal to determine a position of the motor. | 03-12-2009 |
20090079426 | ELECTROMAGNETIC TRACKING EMPLOYING SCALAR-MAGNETOMETER - Provided is an electromagnetic tracking system, including at least one electromagnetic field receiver having at least one scalar-magnetometer, at least one electromagnetic field transmitter, and tracker electronics. Also provided is a method for electromagnetic tracking, including generating at least one magnetic field, sensing the at least one magnetic field with at least one scalar-magnetometer, and determining a relative position of the at least one scalar-magnetometer based on the sensed at least one magnetic field. | 03-26-2009 |
20090085559 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MINIMIZING ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD DISTORTION IN AN ELECTROMAGNETIC TRACKING SYSTEM - A system and method of minimizing the electromagnetic field distortion in an electromagnetic tracking system. The system and method comprising a transmitter or receiver coil arrangement comprising at least two coils connected in series and symmetrically about opposite ends of an object to be tracked. The object to be tracked may be a medical device, implant or instrument that may be made of a magnetic field distorting electrically conductive material. | 04-02-2009 |
20090085807 | COIL ARRAY FOR AN ELECTROMAGNETIC TRACKING SYSTEM - An electromagnetic tracking system comprising a transmitter coil array with two or more transmitter coils and a receiver coil array with one or more ferrite rod antennas. A transmitter or receiver coil array for an electromagnetic tracking system comprising a plurality of ferrite rod antennas positioned on a plane at different locations, with different orientations, and pointing in different directions. | 04-02-2009 |
20090096443 | COIL ARRANGEMENT FOR AN ELECTROMAGNETIC TRACKING SYSTEM - An electromagnetic tracking system comprising at least one electromagnetic transmitter assembly or at least one electromagnetic receiver assembly with two coils attachable to a trackable object to be tracked. The two coils including a first large coil and a second small coil, with the second small coil positioned asymmetrically with respect to the first large coil. The electromagnetic tracking system enables a medical professional to continually track the position and orientation of the object during a medical procedure. | 04-16-2009 |
20090115406 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MINIMIZING MUTUAL INDUCTANCE COUPLING BETWEEN COILS IN AN ELECTROMAGNETIC TRACKING SYSTEM - A system and method of minimizing the mutual inductance coupling between two or more coils of a coil array of an electromagnetic tracking system. The system involves a geometric arrangement of two or more coils, which significantly reduces any mutual inductance coupling between the two or more coils. The method involves characterization of two or more coils and compensating for mutual inductance coupling between the characterized two or more coils. | 05-07-2009 |
20090118620 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRACKING AN ULTRASOUND CATHETER - A surgical navigation system including an ultrasound catheter is disclosed herein. The ultrasound catheter includes a flexible catheter housing defining a distal end, a transducer array disposed at least partially within the catheter housing, and a motor coupled with the transducer array. The motor is configured to rotate the transducer array in order to image a three-dimensional (3D) volume. The ultrasound catheter also includes at least one tracking element adapted to provide an estimate of a position and orientation of the distal end of the catheter housing. The at least one tracking element is disposed within the catheter housing and located immediately adjacent to the distal end. | 05-07-2009 |
20090184825 | RFID Transponder Used for Instrument Identification in an Electromagnetic Tracking System - A system and method for instrument identification in an electromagnetic tracking system. The system and method comprising at least one electromagnetic transmitter and receiver assembly; at least one medical device or instrument removably coupled to the at least one electromagnetic transmitter or receiver assembly; and an RFID transponder attached to the medical device or instrument. The RFID transponder is programmed with data including a unique identifier for identifying the medical device or instrument it is attached to. The at least one electromagnetic receiver or transmitter assembly is configured to read data including the unique identifier from the RFID transponder for identifying the medical device or instrument removably coupled to the to the at least one electromagnetic transmitter or receiver assembly. | 07-23-2009 |
20100069741 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION BY AMORPHOUS SILICON X-RAY DETECTOR FOR METAL DETECTION IN X-RAY IMAGING - Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a method for detecting an electromagnetic field in an imaging system including emitting an electromagnetic field with an electromagnetic transmitter, sensing an electromagnetic field with an imaging system detector, and reading a field image from the detector based at least in part on the electromagnetic field. The imaging system detector is capable of reading an object image and a field image. The detector may be an amorphous silicon flat panel x-ray detector. The electromagnetic transmitter may be used in surgical navigation. The position of a surgical device, instrument, and/or tool may be determined based in part on the field image. The detector may be coordinated to acquire the field image when the electromagnetic transmitter is emitting an electromagnetic field. The detector may be coordinated to acquire the object image when the electromagnetic transmitter is not emitting an electromagnetic field. | 03-18-2010 |
20100113917 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRACKING OBJECT - In one embodiment, a position transponder for operation inside the body of a subject is provided. The transponder comprises a variable resistor and a magneto resistor coupled to the variable resistor. The variable resistor comprises an electronic device having a gate terminal, a source terminal and a drain terminal and a sensor coil coupled to the electronic device between the gate terminal and the source terminal. | 05-06-2010 |
20100113918 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRACKING OBJECT - In one embodiment, a position transponder for operation inside the body of a subject is provided. The transponder comprises a sensor coil and a magneto resistor coupled in series to the sensor coil. | 05-06-2010 |
20100301841 | ELECTROMAGNETIC TRACKING METHOD AND SYSTEM - Provided is an electromagnetic coil arrangement comprising a set of electromagnetic sensors at fixed locations with respect to each other, each of the electromagnetic sensors comprising a planar coil coupled to a conductive layer, the planar coil comprising non-concentric rings. Further, provided is an electromagnetic tracking system, comprising an electromagnetic coil arrangement, at least one complementary electromagnetic sensor and a processor configured to process a signal comprising data indicative of a mutual inductance between the at least one complementary electromagnetic sensor and each of the set of the electromagnetic sensors of the electromagnetic coil arrangement. Also, provided are a method of tracking and a method of manufacturing an electromagnetic coil arrangement. | 12-02-2010 |
20140276010 | Systems and Methods for Tracking Objects Using Magnetoresistance - Tracking systems and associated methods for tracking the position and orientation of an object in the body using magnetoresistance are described. They include a position transponder located in an object to be tracked. The transponder contains a sensor coil configured to sense a voltage drop when an electromagnetic field is applied to the object containing the transponder, the electromagnetic field being applied from a transmitter external to the body and a magnetoresistive sensor coupled in series to the sensor coil via a single twisted pair or a coaxial cable. The transponder can transmit an output signal indicative of the position of the transponder within the object. The transponder can be part of a tracking system containing transmitters for applying the electromagnetic field and a signal processing unit for processing and optionally displaying the output signal. The tracking system can be used as part of a surgical navigation system. | 09-18-2014 |