Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for optimizing an electromagnetic navigation system are provided. Multiple test signals corresponding to multiple combinations of phase offset values of a plurality of frequency components, respectively, are generated. Based on the test signals, a table including peak signal amplitudes associated with the respective test signals is generated. A minimum value of the stored peak signal amplitudes is identified in the table. Based on the table, a determination is made as to which combination of phase offset values is associated with the minimum value of the stored peak signal amplitudes. The determined combination of phase offset values is stored in a memory for use, during an electromagnetic navigation procedure, in generating a signal including the frequency components having the determined combination of phase offset values, respectively.

Abstract: An antenna assembly for radiating at least one electromagnetic field for electromagnetic navigation and an electromagnetic navigation system including such an antenna assembly are provided. The antenna assembly includes a substrate and a planar antenna including a trace that is deposited on the substrate and arranged in a plurality of loops. Respective distances between adjacent pairs of the loops increase in a direction from an innermost loop to an outermost loop.

Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying a location and/or an orientation of an electromagnetic (EM) sensor navigated within an EM volume are provided. Calculated EM field strengths at each gridpoint of a second set of gridpoints of the EM volume are retrieved from a memory. An EM field is generated by way of an antenna assembly. A measured EM field strength is received from the EM sensor. A first gridpoint among a first set of gridpoints of the EM volume is identified based on the measured EM field strength and a high density (HD) map. The location and/or the orientation of the EM sensor is identified based on the HD map, using the first gridpoint as an initial condition, with the second set of gridpoints also including the first set of gridpoints.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating a high density (HD) map for identifying a location and/or an orientation of an electromagnetic (EM) sensor within an EM volume in which an EM field is generated by way of an antenna assembly. A measured EM field strength at each gridpoint of a set of gridpoints of the EM volume are received from a measurement device. An EM field strength at each gridpoint of a second set of gridpoints of the EM volume is calculated based on a geometric configuration of an antenna of the antenna assembly. The HD map is generated based on the measured EM field strength at each gridpoint of the first set of gridpoints and the calculated EM field strength at each gridpoint of the second set of gridpoints.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for calibrating an electromagnetic navigation system are provided. A signal having a first magnitude value and a first phase value is received by way of a receiving antenna. A non-calibrated in-phase component and a non-calibrated quadrature component are computed based on the first magnitude value and the first phase value. A calibrated phase value is computed based on the non-calibrated in-phase component and the non-calibrated quadrature component, and a calibrated in-phase component is computed based on the calibrated phase value, the non-calibrated in-phase component, and the non-calibrated quadrature component. A calibrated quadrature component is computed based on the calibrated phase value, the non-calibrated in-phase component, and the non-calibrated quadrature component, and a calibrated magnitude value is computed based on the calibrated in-phase component.

Abstract: An antenna assembly and an electromagnetic navigation system including such an antenna assembly are provided. The antenna assembly includes a substrate and multiple groups of planar antennas. Each of the planar antennas includes a multiple-loop trace deposited on one of multiple layers of the substrate. Each group includes a first, second, and third planar antenna. For each group, an innermost loop of the first planar antenna has a first linear portion and a second linear portion approximately perpendicular to the first linear portion, an innermost loop of the second planar antenna has a first linear portion and a second linear portion approximately perpendicular to the first linear portion and longer than the first linear portion, an innermost loop of the third planar antenna has a first linear portion and a second linear portion approximately perpendicular to the first linear portion and longer than the first linear portion.

Abstract: A system for calibrating an electromagnetic navigation system is provided. The system includes an antenna assembly having a substrate, multiple pairs of transmit coils, multiple receive coils, multiple input terminals, and multiple output terminals. The substrate includes multiple layers, and each of the transmit coils is deposited on a respective one of the layers and each of the receive coils is deposited on another respective one of the layers. Each of the pairs of transmit coils corresponds to a respective one of the receive coils. Each of the transmit coils is coupled to a respective one of the input terminals, and each of the receive coils is coupled to a respective one of the output terminals.

Abstract: An apparatus for mapping and accuracy-testing an electromagnetic navigation system includes a sensor sensing electromagnetic vectors of an electromagnetic field, a carriage moving the sensor along a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction, a first position detector operatively associated with the sensor and detecting a first position of the sensor along the first direction, a second position detector operatively associated with the sensor and detecting a second position of the sensor along the second direction, and a controller operatively associated with the sensor and controlling movements of the carriage along the first and second directions and mapping the electromagnetic field based on the sensed electromagnetic vectors at predetermined positions in a coordinate system defined by the first direction, the second direction, and a third direction perpendicular to a plane defined by the first and second directions.