An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides an MRI-compatible robot comprising one or more fiducial markers, a first planar stage comprising a first joint configured to receive a surgical tool and a first mechanism configured to move the surgical tool, a second planar stage comprising a second joint configured to receive the surgical tool and a second mechanism configured to move the surgical tool, and wherein the second planar stage is generally parallel with the first planar stage.

Methods of improving a heart function in a heart of a subject having heart dysfunction are described. An exemplary embodiment includes accessing a pericardial cavity of the heart and advancing a cutting device within the pericardial cavity to a first incision point. At least a parietal layer of a pericardium of the heart is then pierced. A cutting device is placed against the parietal layer and retracted along a selected cut path so as to create a first incision having a selected length in at least the parietal layer to reduce pressure exerted on the heart by the pericardium. The above operations are repeated to create one or more additional incisions along respective additional cut paths.

An apparatus for training suturing techniques. The apparatus comprises: (i) a suturing cartridge presentation display with a first receptacle for demountably engaging therein a first suturing cartridge and a second receptacle for demountably engaging therein a second suturing cartridge, (ii) a microprocessor, a graphical user interface, and at least one software program for cooperating with the microprocessor for training, monitoring, reporting suturing techniques; and (iii) a housing for mounting therein the suturing cartridge presentation display, the microprocessor, and the graphical user interface. Each receptacle is associated with a pressure sensor and a plurality of LEDs. The suturing cartridges are fillable with semi-solid, resilient material into which suturing instruments may be inserted and withdrawn. The pressure sensors detect movements associated with manipulation of suturing instruments, while the LEDs provide guidance to suturing tasks and visual cues relating to acceptable and unacceptable manipulation of suturing instruments.

A surgical training model can have features for training surgical suturing techniques. The training model can be formed as a sheet of simulated tissue having at least one cut with markings arranged on either side of the cut. The markings can be formed of a first layer of resilient simulated tissue material having a color that contrasts with a color of the remainder of the sheet of simulated tissue material. The sheet of simulated tissue material can have several cuts having different configurations and orientations to facilitate suturing training for a variety of tissue orientations. The sheet of simulated tissue material can further include holes positioned to be mounted to a base of a surgical training system. The sheet of simulated tissue material can be manufactured by molding a marking layer and casting a tissue layer over the marking layer.

The invention relates to a method for registering a 3D medical image obtained by an X-ray imaging system with a registration phantom (1), wherein the registration phantom (1) is positioned onto the patient and comprises a set of radiopaque fiducials (10) having a known position in a coordinate system of said registration phantom (1), said set of radiopaque fiducials not being detectable in the 3D image, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining at least one 2D X-ray image acquired by the X-ray imaging system wherein at least three radiopaque fiducials (10) of the registration phantom (1) is detectable in each 2D image; for each of said at least one 2D image, registering the 2D X-ray image with the registration phantom (1) by detecting and determining the position of the at least three radiopaque fiducials (10) in the respective 2D image; registering each of said at least one 2D X-ray image with the 3D medical image based on the determined position of said radiopaque fiducials in each 2D image and on a projection matrix of the X-ray imaging system, and determining the position of said radiopaque fiducials in the 3D medical image; registering the registration phantom (1) with the 3D medical image using said positions of the at least three radiopaque fiducials in the 3D medical image.

A head-mounted device (HMD) for use with a navigation system. The navigation system includes a localizer and a bone tracker coupled to a physical bone. The localizer monitors the bone tracker to track a pose of the physical bone in a localizer coordinate system. Controller(s) obtain surgical plan data related to the physical bone. The surgical plan data includes a virtual model of the physical bone and cut volume data defining material to be removed from the physical bone in preparation for receiving an implant. The controller(s) register the HMD to the localizer coordinate system and provide, on the HMD display, computer-generated imagery representative of the surgical plan data, including the virtual model of the physical bone and the cut volume data. The controller(s) align and combine the computer-generated imagery with a real-world view of the physical bone.

Instruments, guides, systems and related methods for total ankle prostheses are disclosed. The instruments, guides, systems and related methods facilitate preparation of a tibia and/or talus of a patient for implantation of a total ankle prosthesis therein. The instruments, guides, systems and related methods also facilitate selection of a particular size of a tibial component, a talus component and/or a tibial insert of the total ankle prosthesis that suits the patient. The instruments, guides, systems and related methods include a tibial trial component, a talar trial component and tibial insert trial component that replicate one or more aspects of the tibial component, the talus component and the tibial insert, respectively, of the total ankle prosthesis. The talar trial component includes an articulation surface that articulates with the tibial insert trial component, and slots that facilitate chamfered resection of the patient's talus for the implantation of the talus component thereon.

A coordinate locating device comprising a support structure removably connectable to a wearable sensor device being worn by an individual. The support structure comprising a planar surface. The device includes a plurality of different fiducial marker components connected to the planar surface. The plurality of different fiducial marker components includes a set of fiducial markers connected to the planar surface in a non-collinear configuration relative to each other to define a three-dimensional (3D) space of pixels in an image. The plurality of different fiducial marker components includes a distance calibration fiducial marker connected to the planar surface and being configured to define a distance calibration length of pixels in the image, the distance calibration fiducial marker being perpendicular to the planar surface and defining a calibration length to locate a point of origin of motion sensing by the wearable sensor device. A system and method are also provided.

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and software for providing a virtual environment with enhanced visual textures and haptic detail. In some embodiments, a texture atlas and UV mapping is used to render virtual objects having multiple textures that can be manipulated in real time. In some cases, UV coordinates are used to provide enhanced haptic detail.

Instruments, guides, systems and related methods for total ankle prostheses are disclosed. The instruments, guides, systems and related methods facilitate preparation of a tibia and/or talus of a patient for implantation of a total ankle prosthesis therein. The instruments, guides, systems and related methods also facilitate selection of a particular size of a tibial component, a talus component and/or a tibial insert of the total ankle prosthesis that suits the patient. The instruments, guides, systems and related methods include a tibial trial component, a talar trial component and tibial insert trial component that replicate one or more aspects of the tibial component, the talus component and the tibial insert, respectively, of the total ankle prosthesis. The talar trial component includes an articulation surface that articulates with the tibial insert trial component, and slots that facilitate chamfered resection of the patient's talus for the implantation of the talus component thereon.