Abstract: A method of selecting a bone resection plan includes generating a virtual bone model from a medical image taken of a bone and applying a plurality of resection plans to the virtual bone model each having at least one virtual control boundary and having at least one complexity factor and at least one benefit factor associated therewith. The complexity factor and the benefit factor are determined in the background of a resection planning application. The method also includes determining a complexity score for each of the resection plans based on the at least one complexity factor and determining a benefit score for each of the resection plans based on the at least one benefit factor. An optimal resection plant is selected from the plurality of resection plans based on the complexity and benefit scores of the plurality of resection plans for execution in the surgical procedure.

Abstract: Multi-component systems and methods for determining the proximity of surgical tools to key anatomical features are provided. The inventive systems and methods can be applied in any surgical procedure requiring precision to avoid damage to key anatomical features such as nerves, with a particular example being the robotic cochlear implantation minimally invasive approach to cochlear implantation. Use of purpose built surgical robots, electromyography and tissue impedance, stereotactic tracking and drilling force/bone density measurements are all key components, with inputs from these various modalities being dynamically weighted. In the example of robotic cochlear implantation, the inventive concepts are used to provide key surgical guidance so as to avoid damage to the facial nerve and the chorda tympani, among other anatomical features.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for estimating the spatial position (pose) of a tool (2) within an object (1), particularly in the form of a human bone that is to be machined with said tool, comprising: a sensor (21) being designed to be coupled to said tool (2), which sensor (21) is further designed to generate an sensor output signal (31) upon machining of said object (1) along an actual trajectory (30), which sensor output signal (31) depends on a material property of said object along said actual trajectory (30), an analyzing means being designed to determine a correlation between said sensor output signal (31) upon machining said object (1) and a plurality of pre-determined candidate output signals (42), each candidate output signal (42) being generated in beforehand using said material property along an associated model trajectory (40) in a model of said object (1), and wherein said analyzing means is designed to estimate a spatial position of the tool (2) within the object (1) using the model traject

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for estimating the spatial position (pose) of a tool (2) within an object (1), particularly in the form of a human bone that is to be machined with said tool, comprising: a sensor (21) being designed to be coupled to said tool (2), which sensor (21) is further designed to generate an sensor output signal (31) upon machining of said object (1) along an actual trajectory (30), which sensor output signal (31) depends on a material property of said object along said actual trajectory (30), an analyzing means being designed to determine a correlation between said sensor output signal (31) upon machining said object (1) and a plurality of pre-determined candidate output signals (42), each candidate output signal (42) being generated in beforehand using said material property along an associated model trajectory (40) in a model of said object (1), and wherein said analyzing means is designed to estimate a spatial position of the tool (2) within the object (1) using the model traject

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for estimating the spatial position (pose) of a tool (2) within an object (1), particularly in the form of a human bone that is to be machined with said tool, comprising: a sensor (21) being designed to be coupled to said tool (2), which sensor (21) is further designed to generate an sensor output signal (31) upon machining of said object (1) along an actual trajectory (30), which sensor output signal (31) depends on a material property of said object along said actual trajectory (30), an analyzing means being designed to determine a correlation between said sensor output signal (31) upon machining said object (1) and a plurality of pre-determined candidate output signals (42), each candidate output signal (42) being generated in beforehand using said material property along an associated model trajectory (40) in a model of said object (1), and wherein said analyzing means is designed to estimate a spatial position of the tool (2) within the object (1) using the model traject

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for estimating the spatial position (pose) of a tool (2) within an object (1), particularly in the form of a human bone that is to be machined with said tool, comprising: a sensor (21) being designed to be coupled to said tool (2), which sensor (21) is further designed to generate an sensor output signal (31) upon machining of said object (1) along an actual trajectory (30), which sensor output signal (31) depends on a material property of said object along said actual trajectory (30), an analyzing means being designed to determine a correlation between said sensor output signal (31) upon machining said object (1) and a plurality of pre-determined candidate output signals (42), each candidate output signal (42) being generated in beforehand using said material property along an associated model trajectory (40) in a model of said object (1), and wherein said analyzing means is designed to estimate a spatial position of the tool (2) within the object (1) using the model traject

Abstract: A seed guard that is detachably securable to any bird cage and which deflects thrown seeds back into the cage. The guard includes as many flat, cuttable sheets as there are sides to the cage. The opposite ends of each cuttable sheet are engaged by corner members that are detachably secured to the corner bars of the cage. The seed guard is provided in kit form so that the cage owner may assemble the corner members, attach them to the cage, cut the guard members to size, and slide the guard members into position by inserting the opposite ends of the guard members into detents provided by the corner members.