Abstract: A system includes a robotic manipulator and an end effector coupled to the robotic manipulator and being moveable for interacting with a target site in a manual mode and an autonomous mode of operation. A navigation system is configured to track a position of the end effector and the target site. One or more controllers are configured to define a virtual boundary relative to the target site, prevent the end effector from penetrating the virtual boundary in the autonomous mode, and allow the end effector to penetrate the virtual boundary in the manual mode.

Abstract: A surgical system including a surgical tool and a navigation system for tracking the position of the surgical tool. The surgical tool comprising a housing including a variable speed motor and control module disposed within the housing. The navigation system comprising a navigation console in communication with the control module of the surgical tool, the navigation console may be configured to communicate instructions to the control module of the surgical tool based on the position of the surgical tool relative to a defined zone. The navigation console may be configured to deactivate the surgical tool based on the position of the surgical tool relative to the defined zone. The navigation console may also be configured to provide a user-selectable override option to allow continued operation of the surgical tool within the defined zone.

Abstract: A camera and drape assembly for use with tracking elements of a surgical system includes a camera unit and a drape covering the camera unit. The camera unit includes a casing presenting a face for facing the tracking elements. Optical sensors are supported by the casing and are exposed through the casing for detecting the tracking elements. The drape covers the camera unit such that light signals from the tracking elements can be received by the optical sensors.

Abstract: A powered surgical tool system capable of providing energization signals to plural powered surgical handpieces. The system includes a console to which at least one footswitch is attached. The footswitch can be mapped to control any one of the handpieces connected to the console. The console includes a display on which representations of the footswitch and handpieces connected to the console are presented. The representations of the handpieces are in different colors. When the footswitch is mapped to a specific handpiece, the representation of the footswitch is presented in the same color as the representation of the handpiece to which the footswitch is mapped. When plural footswitches are attached to the console, the representation of each footswitch is presented in a color corresponding to the color of the representation of the handpiece to which the footswitch is mapped.

Abstract: A plate for attaching to an anatomic structure with fasteners. A body defines openings for receiving the fasteners, and includes a bottom surface that is concave. The plate includes bone pad surface, and a spike extends away from the bone pad surface. The bone pad surface is oriented at an angle relative to the bottom surface to prevent further penetration of the spike into the anatomic structure beyond a predetermined depth. The bone pad surface may be oriented at an obtuse angle relative to the bottom surface. The bone pad surfaces may be planar or concave, or contoured to a corresponding profile of the anatomic structure. The spikes may be pyramidal or conical. At least one side of the spike may be integral and continuous with the bottom surface. The side may have a radius of curvature equal to that of the bottom surface.

Abstract: A tracking device for a surgical navigational system. A tracking head includes tracking elements configured to communicate tracking information to the surgical navigation system. An extension arm is configured to be coupled to the tracking head, and a bone plate is configured to be coupled to the extension arm. The bone plate is further configured to be coupled to anatomic structure and includes openings each configured to receive a fastener. A central opening may be provided to receive an additional fastener for coupling the extension arm to the bone plate. A recess within the top surface may receive the base plate of the extension arm. Spikes of the bone plate are configured to penetrate the anatomic structure and, in conjunction with the fasteners, prevent movement of the tracking device. The bottom surface is concave between the spikes to define a space configured to accommodate portions of the anatomic structure.

Abstract: A system includes a robotic manipulator and an end effector coupled to the robotic manipulator and being moveable for interacting with a target site in a manual mode and an autonomous mode of operation. A navigation system is configured to track a position of the end effector and the target site. One or more controllers are configured to define a virtual boundary relative to the target site, prevent the end effector from penetrating the virtual boundary in the autonomous mode, and allow the end effector to penetrate the virtual boundary in the manual mode.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described in which a tracker is attached to an object and a localizer cooperates with the tracker to generate localizer data associated with the object. A vision device generates image data associated with the object and an environment surrounding the object within a field-of-view of the vision device. A navigation computer associates a virtual object with the object; determines a position and orientation of the virtual object in a coordinate system of the localizer based on the localizer data; combines the localizer data and the image data into a common coordinate system; merges the localizer data and the image data to identify data points in the image data having coordinates located outside of the virtual object; and associates a second virtual object with the identified data points, wherein the second virtual object defines a region that is to be avoided.

Abstract: A system includes a robotic manipulator comprising an arm and an end effector coupled to the arm and being moveable by the arm for interacting with a target site in a manual mode and an autonomous mode of operation. A navigation system is configured to track a position of the end effector and the target site. One or more controllers are configured to define a first virtual boundary relative to the target site, prevent the end effector from penetrating the first virtual boundary in the manual mode, and allow the end effector to penetrate the first virtual boundary in the autonomous mode.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed wherein a tracker is detected within a field-of-view of a localizer. In one example, a virtual line-of-sight boundary is generated based on the line-of-sight relationship between the tracker and localizer. Additionally or alternatively, a virtual field-of-view boundary is generated based on the field-of-view of the localizer. A virtual object is associated with a manipulator, a surgical tool coupled to the manipulator, or the tracker when coupled to manipulator and/or surgical tool. Controller(s) predictively determine whether a planned movement of the manipulator will cause a virtual collision between the virtual object and the virtual line-of-sight boundary and/or virtual field-of-view boundary. The controller(s) enable a response based on an outcome of predictively determining whether the planned movement will cause the virtual collision.

Abstract: System and methods for performing surgery at a target site defined by a virtual object. A surgical navigation system includes a patient tracker to be attached to a patient. A localizer cooperates with the patient tracker and generates localizer data associated with the target site during the surgery. The surgical navigation system also includes a vision device to generate image data associated with the target site and surfaces surrounding the target site. A navigation computer in communication with the localizer and the vision device is configured to determine a region to be avoided outside of the target site based on the localizer data and the image data. In some cases, a second virtual object is generated to define the region to be avoided so that a surgical instrument used during the surgery avoids the region.

Abstract: Navigation systems and methods for reducing tracking interruptions during a surgical procedure. A virtual boundary generator generates virtual boundaries associated with tracking devices and a localizer. A collision detector evaluates movement of virtual objects relative to the virtual boundaries to detect collisions between the virtual objects and the virtual boundaries. A feedback generator responds to the collision detection to reduce tracking interruptions between the tracking devices and the localizer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a navigation system configured to track an object. The navigation system comprises a tracker configured to couple to the object and a localization device configured to track the tracker. The tracker and the localization device are configured to wirelessly communicate using a first communication method operable on a first spectrum and to wirelessly communicate using a second communication method operable on a second spectrum different from the first spectrum. The localization device utilizes the first communication method to track the tracker and utilizes the first communication method to manage an operating parameter of the tracker with respect to the second communication method.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for bone preparation with designed areas having accurate tolerance profiles to enable improved initial fixation and stability for cementless implants and to improve long-term bone ingrowth/ongrowth to an implant. One method includes preparing a bone surface to receive a prosthetic implant thereon by resecting the bone surface using a first cutting path to create a first resected region and resecting the bone of the patient using a second cutting path to create a second resected region at least partially overlapping the first resection region. The second cutting path is different than the first cutting path and either manual or robotic cutting tools can be used for creating the first and second resected regions.

Abstract: A surgical system including a surgical tool and a navigation system for tracking the position of the surgical tool. The surgical tool comprising a housing including a variable speed motor and control module disposed within the housing. The navigation system comprising a navigation console in communication with the control module of the surgical tool, the navigation console may be configured to communicate instructions to the control module of the surgical tool based on the position of the surgical tool relative to a defined zone. The navigation console may be configured to deactivate the surgical tool based on the position of the surgical tool relative to the defined zone. The navigation console may also be configured to provide a user-selectable override option to allow continued operation of the surgical tool within the defined zone.

Abstract: Navigation systems and methods used to track objects moving in space. One navigation system and method employs trackers each having a light emitting diode that emits a colored light when obstruction of line-of-sight between tracking elements on the trackers and sensors or other errors are absent. When obstruction of line-of-sight between tracking elements on the trackers and sensors or other errors are generated, the light emitting diode is deactivated. Another navigation system and method employs trackers each having a light emitting diode that emits a colored light when obstruction of line-of-sight between tracking elements on the trackers and sensors or other errors are generated. When obstruction of line-of-sight between tracking elements on the trackers and sensors or other errors are absent, the light emitting diode is deactivated.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed involving an instrument, an instrument tracking device for tracking movement of the instrument, a first boundary tracking device for tracking movement of a first virtual boundary associated with an anatomy of a patient to be treated by the instrument, and a second boundary tracking device for tracking movement of a second virtual boundary associated with a periphery of an opening in the patient to be avoided by the instrument. One or more controllers receive information associated with the tracking devices including positions of the instrument relative to the first and second virtual boundaries, detect movement of the first and second virtual boundaries relative to one another, and generate a response upon detecting movement of the first and second virtual boundaries relative to one another.

Abstract: A method for managing inventory of components used during a surgical procedure involving a surgical device and a control unit coupled to the surgical device. Each component includes a circuit for storing identification data by the surgical device or control unit when the component is coupled to the surgical device. During a surgical procedure, the identification data are inductively read from the components Then, the inventor is managed based on the received identification data.

Abstract: High bandwidth, low latency hybrid communication techniques are disclosed for a navigation system. The navigation system comprises a tracker configured to couple to the object and a localization device configured to track the tracker. In one embodiment, the localization device is configured to utilize communication on a first spectrum to track the tracker and to manage an operating parameter of the tracker with respect to communication on a second spectrum. In another embodiment, the localization device is configured to utilize communication with a first modulation method to track the tracker and to manage an operating parameter of the tracker and to utilize communication with a second modulation method for receiving sensor data from the tracker.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for bone preparation with designed areas having accurate tolerance profiles to enable improved initial fixation and stability for cementless implants and to improve long-term bone ingrowth/ongrowth to an implant. A method of preparing a bone surface to receive a prosthetic implant thereon having an articular surface and a bone contacting surface includes resecting the bone surface at a first location to create a first resected region having a first tolerance profile with a first cross-section, resecting the bone surface at a second location to create a second resected region having a second tolerance profile with a second cross-section less dense than the first cross-section, and contacting the bone contacting surface of the prosthetic implant with the first resected region.