Abstract: Apparatus for mounting in a bone of a patient, consisting of a rigid elongated member (42) having an axis of symmetry (74) and a distal section (50), a proximal section (58), and an intermediate section (56) connecting the distal and proximal sections. The apparatus has n helical blades (78), formed in the distal section, distributed symmetrically about the axis, each of the blades having a helix angle greater than zero and less than 45°. A cross-section of the distal section, taken orthogonally to the axis of symmetry, includes n mirror planes containing the axis of symmetry, wherein n is a whole number greater than one, and wherein the blades are configured to penetrate into the bone and engage stably therein. Adapters coupling the apparatus to different types of markers are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus for mounting in a bone of a patient, consisting of a rigid elongated member having an axis of symmetry and a distal section, a proximal section, and an intermediate section connecting the distal and proximal sections. The apparatus has n helical blades, formed in the distal section, distributed symmetrically about the axis, each of the blades having a helix angle greater than zero and less than 45°. A cross-section of the distal section, taken orthogonally to the axis of symmetry, includes n mirror planes containing the axis of symmetry, wherein n is a whole number greater than one, and wherein the blades are configured to penetrate into the bone and engage stably therein. Adapters coupling the apparatus to different types of markers are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus for mounting in a bone of a patient, consisting of a rigid elongated member having an axis of symmetry and a distal section, a proximal section, and an intermediate section connecting the distal and proximal sections. The apparatus has n helical blades, formed in the distal section, distributed symmetrically about the axis, each of the blades having a helix angle greater than zero and less than 45°. A cross-section of the distal section, taken orthogonally to the axis of symmetry, includes n mirror planes containing the axis of symmetry, wherein n is a whole number greater than one, and wherein the blades are configured to penetrate into the bone and engage stably therein. Adapters coupling the apparatus to different types of markers are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus for mounting in a bone of a patient, consisting of a rigid elongated member having an axis of symmetry and a distal section, a proximal section, and an intermediate section connecting the distal and proximal sections. The apparatus has n helical blades, formed in the distal section, distributed symmetrically about the axis, each of the blades having a helix angle greater than zero and less than 45°. A cross-section of the distal section, taken orthogonally to the axis of symmetry, includes n mirror planes containing the axis of symmetry, wherein n is a whole number greater than one, and wherein the blades are configured to penetrate into the bone and engage stably therein.

Abstract: A lock mechanism for engaging a hasp within a housing such that said hasp is lockably engagable within the housing, the mechanism comprising a processor, a power supply such as a battery cell, a memory, a transducer and an actuator, the transducer being operated by a dial such that the processor is designed to analyze the signals from the transducer and to send a signal to the actuator to engage and disengage the hasp when a signal comprising a sequence of forward and backward rotations, each consisting of chains of discrete clicks of the dial corresponds to a stored combination in the memory, and a method of use of same.