Abstract: A medical robot system, including a robot coupled to an effectuator element with the robot configured for controlled movement and positioning. The system may include a transmitter configured to emit one or more signals, and the transmitter is coupled to an instrument coupled to the effectuator element. The system may further include a motor assembly coupled to the robot and a plurality of receivers configured to receive the one or more signals emitted by the transmitter. A control unit is coupled to the motor assembly and the plurality of receivers, and the control unit is configured to supply one or more instruction signals to the motor assembly. The instruction signals can be configured to cause the motor assembly to selectively move the effectuator element.

Abstract: A position is determined for each fiducial marker of a plurality of fiducial markers in an image volume. Based on the determined positions, a position and orientation of the registration fixture with respect to the anatomical feature is determined. A position is determined for each tracked marker of a first plurality of tracked markers on the registration fixture and a second plurality of tracked markers on the robot arm in a tracking data frame. Based on the determined positions of tracked markers, a position and orientation of the registration fixture and the robot arm of a surgical robot with respect to the tracking space are determined.

Abstract: A system and method for bending a surgical rod using an automated bending system includes receiving an indication of a plurality of line segments defined on the rod and an indication of an angle measurement to be formed between at least two adjacent ones of the plurality of line segments. Bending parameters to perform on the rod to form the angle measurement between the at least two adjacent ones of the plurality of line segments are determined and operation of the automated bending system is controlled using the bending parameters to create an angle having the angle measurement between the at least two adjacent ones of the plurality of line segments.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for aiding insertion of a surgical implant by providing a threaded guide tube configured to engage a threaded surgical instrument such that an end-effector of a robot may provide force to drive the surgical implant into a patient. In addition, devices, systems, and methods relating to a dilator system for use with a robotic system that allows independent and separate control of tools within the dilator system.

Abstract: A medical robot system, including a robot coupled to an effectuator element with the robot configured for controlled movement and positioning. The system may include a transmitter configured to emit one or more signals, and the transmitter is coupled to an instrument coupled to the effectuator element. The system may further include a motor assembly coupled to the robot and a plurality of receivers configured to receive the one or more signals emitted by the transmitter. A control unit is coupled to the motor assembly and the plurality of receivers, and the control unit is configured to supply one or more instruction signals to the motor assembly.

Abstract: System and method for automatically bending a surgical rod are provided. The system includes a linear movement device configured to axially feed the surgical rod, a rotational movement device configured to rotate the surgical rod as it is axially fed, and a bending device including a roller to impose bending forces against the rod. The rod is free from contact with the bending device after it is axially fed past the roller.

Abstract: System and method of more efficiently identifying and segmenting anatomical structures from 2-D cone beam CT images, rather than from reconstructed 3-D volume data, is disclosed. An image processing system receives, from a cone beam CT device, at least one 2-D x-ray image, which is part of a set of x-ray images taken from a 360 degree scan of a patient with a cone beam CT imaging device. The x-ray image contains at least one anatomical structure such as vertebral bodies to be segmented. The received x-ray is then analyzed in order to identify and segment the anatomical structure contained in the x-ray image based on a stored model of anatomical structures. Once the 360 degree spin is completed, a 3-D image volume from the x-ray image set is created. The identification and segmentation information derived from the x-ray image is then added to the created 3-D image volume.

Abstract: A surgical implant planning computer is connectable to a fluoroscopy imager, a marker tracking camera, and a robot having a robot base coupled to a robot arm that is movable by motors relative to the robot base. Operations include performing a registration setup mode that determines occurrence of a first condition indicating the marker tracking camera can observe to track reflective markers that are on a fluoroscopy registration fixture of the fluoroscopy imager, and determines occurrence of a second condition indicating the marker tracking camera can observe to track dynamic reference base markers attached to the robot arm and/or an end-effector connected to the robot arm. While both of the first and second conditions occur, operations are allowed to be performed to obtain a first intra-operative fluoroscopic image of a patient along a first plane and to obtain a second intra-operative fluoroscopic image of the patient along a second plane that is orthogonal to the first plane.

Abstract: A system for robotic surgery makes use of an end-effector which has been configured so that any selected one of a group of surgical tools may be selectively connected to such end-effector. The end-effector makes use of a tool-insert locking mechanism which secures a selected one of the surgical tools at not only a respective, predetermined height and angle of orientation, but also at a rotational position relative to an anatomical feature of the patient. The tool-insert locking mechanism may include interchangeable inserts to interconnect multiple tools to the same end-effector. In this way, different robotic operations may be accomplished with less reconfiguration of the end-effector. The end-effector may also include a tool stop which has a sensor associated with a moveable stop mechanism which may be positioned to selectively inhibit tool insertion or end-effector movement.

Abstract: A surgical implant planning computer positions an implant device relative to a bone of a patient. An initial image of a bone is obtained. An initial location data structure is obtained that contains data defining mapping between locations on the implant device and corresponding locations relative to the bone in the initial image. A target image of the bone of the patient is obtained. A transformation matrix is generated that transforms a contour of a portion of the bone in the initial image to satisfy a defined rule for conforming to a contour of a corresponding portion of the bone in the target image. A transformed location data structure is generated based on applying the transformation matrix to the initial location data structure. A graphical representation of the implant device is displayed overlaid at locations on the target image of the bone determined based on the transformed location data structure.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for a robot-assisted surgery. Navigable instrumentation, which are capable of being navigated by a surgeon using the surgical robot system, and navigation software allow for the navigated placement of interbody fusion devices or other surgical devices.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for automatically exchanging a first end-effector on a robot arm with a second end-effector housed in a docking station. The first end-effector has a clamp that either engages or disengages the robot arm based upon an application of force of the robot arm onto the end-effector. The clamp has a spring loaded clip that disengages the first end-effector to allow the robot arm to move away from the released first end-effector. The robot arm is configured to automatically move to a port of a docking station housing the desired second end-effector using magnetic coils on the robot arm and the docking station to guide the robot arm.

Abstract: A medical robot system, including a robot coupled to an effectuator element with the robot configured for controlled movement and positioning. The system may include a transmitter configured to emit one or more signals, and the transmitter is coupled to an instrument coupled to the effectuator element. The system may further include a motor assembly coupled to the robot and a plurality of receivers configured to receive the one or more signals emitted by the transmitter. A control unit is coupled to the motor assembly and the plurality of receivers, and the control unit is configured to supply one or more instruction signals to the motor assembly.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for aiding insertion of a surgical implant by providing a threaded guide tube configured to engage a threaded surgical instrument such that an end-effector of a robot may provide force to drive the surgical implant into a patient. In addition, devices, systems, and methods relating to a dilator system for use with a robotic system that allows independent and separate control of tools within the dilator system.

Abstract: A medical robot system, including a robot coupled to an effectuator element with the robot configured for controlled movement and positioning. The system may include a transmitter configured to emit one or more signals, and the transmitter is coupled to an instrument coupled to the effectuator element. The system may further include a motor assembly coupled to the robot and a plurality of receivers configured to receive the one or more signals emitted by the transmitter. A control unit is coupled to the motor assembly and the plurality of receivers, and the control unit is configured to supply one or more instruction signals to the motor assembly.

Abstract: A medical imaging system includes a movable station having a C-arm, a collector, an X-ray beam emitter, and a controller. The collector is attached to a first end of the C-arm. The X-ray beam emitter faces the collector to emit an X-ray beam in a direction of the collector and is attached to a second end of the C-arm. The controller moves one of the X-ray beam emitter and the collector to a first offset position along a lateral axis orthogonal to the arc, and obtains a first set of images by rotating the collector and the X-ray beam emitter along the arc about a scanned volume. The controller moves the one of the X-ray beam emitter and the collector to a second offset position along the lateral axis, and obtains a second set of images. The controller combines the first and second set of images to generate a three-dimensional image of the scanned volume.

Abstract: A camera tracking system for computer assisted navigation during surgery. The camera tracking system includes a processor operative to receive streams of video frames from tracking cameras which image a plurality of physical objects arranged as a reference array. For each of the physical objects imaged in a sequence of the video frames, that processor determines a set of coordinates for the physical object over the sequence of the video frames. For each of the physical objects, the processor generates an arithmetic combination of the set of coordinates for the physical object. The processor generates an array template identifying coordinates of the physical objects based on the arithmetic combinations of the sets of coordinates for the physical objects, and tracks pose of the physical objects of the reference array over time based on comparison of the array template to the reference array imaged in the streams of video frames.

Abstract: A medical robot system, including a robot coupled to an effectuator element with the robot configured for controlled movement and positioning. The system may include a transmitter configured to emit one or more signals, and the transmitter is coupled to an instrument coupled to the effectuator element. The system may further include a motor assembly coupled to the robot and a plurality of receivers configured to receive the one or more signals emitted by the transmitter. A control unit is coupled to the motor assembly and the plurality of receivers, and the control unit is configured to supply one or more instruction signals to the motor assembly.

Abstract: A fixture for a fluoroscopic x-ray imaging system is discussed, wherein the fluoroscopic imaging system includes a C-arm, an x-ray source at a first end of the C-arm, and an x-ray detector at a second end of the C-arm. The fixture includes a processor and memory coupled with the processor. The memory includes instructions that are executable by the processor so that the processor is configured to detect an x-ray emission from the x-ray source toward the x-ray detector, determine an offset of the x-ray source relative to the x-ray detector responsive to detecting the x-ray emission, and provide an indication of the offset of the x-ray source to a medical navigation system. Related methods and robotic systems are also discussed.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for automatically exchanging a first end-effector on a robot arm with a second end-effector housed in a docking station. The first end-effector has a clamp that either engages or disengages the robot arm based upon an application of force of the robot arm onto the end-effector. The clamp has a spring loaded clip that disengages the first end-effector to allow the robot arm to move away from the released first end-effector. The robot arm is configured to automatically move to a port of a docking station housing the desired second end-effector using magnetic coils on the robot arm and the docking station to guide the robot arm.