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.

Disclosed herein is a method for multimodal imaging during a medical procedure using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Raman optical imaging which involves administering an MRI imaging contrast agent that a chemical structure having charge-transfer electronic transitions. The tissue is imaged using and MRI device and the tissue is illuminated with excitation light that has spectral components that are approximately tuned close to one of the charge-transfer electronic transitions thereby producing enhanced Raman optical signals which are analyzed to produce Raman imaging data followed by registering the MRI and Raman imaging data. The present disclosure also provides a method for ionizing laser plumes through atmospheric pressure chemical ionization.

A detection system and method uses an implantable magnetic marker comprising at least one piece of a large Barkhausen jump material (LBJ). The marker is deployed to mark a tissue site in the body for subsequent surgery, and the magnetic detection system includes a handheld probe to excite the marker below the switching field for bistable switching of the marker causing a harmonic response to be generated in a sub-bistable mode that allows the marker to be detected and localised. The marker implanted may also be shorter than the critical length required to initiate bistable switching of the LBJ material.

There is described a system and a method for assisting a user manipulating an object during a surgery, the method comprising: tracking the object in a sterile field in which surgery is being performed at a location using a tracking device which generates tracking data; processing the tracking data using a processing device located outside the sterile field to generate position and orientation information related to the object; and sending the position and orientation information related to the object to a displaying device positioned in the sterile field adjacent to the location at which the surgery is being performed, for display to the user.

An apparatus for generating a magnetic field for tracking of an object can include a localized magnetic field generator that is configured to generate a magnetic field and to control the magnetic field in an area of interest and configured to control the magnetic field in a separate area. The separate area can be displaced from the area of interest and can include a magnetic field-disrupting component. The object can be located in the area of interest.

A computer-implemented method plans a position of a tracking reference device for referencing a position in a medical environment. The method includes a determination of avoidance regions in which a tracking reference device should not be placed so as to safeguard proper tracking of the tracking reference device and/or an instrument tracking reference device which is attached to a medical instrument. The avoidance region is a region lying, from the point of view of a tracking device for tracking the tracking reference device, in the shadow of an envelope surrounding at least one medical instrument. Additionally or alternatively, an avoidance region may lie in between the position of the tracking device and the envelope to avoid a shadowing, by the tracking reference device, of an instrument tracking reference device attached to the medical instrument. Information describing the position of the at least one avoidance region is displayed to a user, and also information about the position of a region which is suitable for placement of the tracking reference device can be displayed to the user.

Surgical systems and methods for tracking physical objects near a target site during a surgical procedure are provided, the surgical system employs a navigation system and a surgical instrument; an instrument tracker is provided on the surgical instrument and a patient tracker is provided on the patient's target tissue; the system and method is configured to detect an error condition compromising accuracy of the navigation guidance and to track and monitor a tool-to-bone offset.

Fiducial marker devices and systems that facilitate improved tracking in surgical environments are disclosed. In one example, this technology includes a fiducial marker device having active and backing layers in which the backing layer includes beacon(s) or a printed visual pattern. The adhesive layer includes an adhesive material to facilitate adhesion of the fiducial marker device when in contact with fluid associated with an anatomical structure. In another example, a fiducial marker stamp pen includes a body and a shaft disposed within an inner lumen of the body and coupled to a slider. The slider is advanced to move the shaft to deposit a material, via cutouts in a tip of the body or embossed features extending from a tip of the shaft, on an anatomical structure. In yet another example, a fiducial marker deformable applicator assembly is configured to deposit a pattern that can represent a fiducial marker.

A system and method for determining a location for a surgical jig in a surgical procedure includes providing a mixed reality headset, a 3D spatial mapping camera, an infrared or stereotactic camera, and a computer system configured to transfer data to and from the mixed reality headset and the 3D spatial mapping camera. The system and method also include attaching a jig to a bone, mapping the bone and jig using the 3D spatial mapping camera, and then identifying a location for the surgical procedure using the computer system. Then the system and method use the mixed reality headset to provide a visualization of the location for the surgical procedure.

An example method includes registering, via a visualization device, a virtual model of a portion of an anatomy of an ankle of a patient to a corresponding portion of the anatomy of the ankle viewable via the visualization device, the virtual model obtained from a virtual surgical plan for an ankle arthroplasty procedure to attach a prosthetic to the anatomy. The example method also comprises displaying, via the visualization device and overlaid on the portion of the anatomy, a virtual guide that guides at least one of preparation of the anatomy for attachment of the prosthetic or attachment of the prosthetic to the anatomy.