An access device for accessing an intervertebral disc having an outer shield comprising an access shield with a larger diameter (˜16-30 mm) that reaches from the skin down to the facet line, with an inner shield having a second smaller diameter (˜5-12 mm) extending past the access shield and reaches down to the disc level. This combines the benefits of the direct visual microsurgical/mini open approaches and the percutaneous, “ultra-MIS” techniques.

An access device for accessing an intervertebral disc having an outer shield comprising an access shield with a larger diameter (˜16-30 mm) that reaches from the skin down to the facet line, with an inner shield having a second smaller diameter (˜5-12 mm) extending past the access shield and reaches down to the disc level. This combines the benefits of the direct visual microsurgical/mini open approaches and the percutaneous, “ultra-MIS” techniques.

A computer assisted surgery system comprising an image capture apparatus, a display, a user interface and circuitry, wherein the circuitry is configured to: receive information indicating a surgical scenario and a surgical process associated with the surgical scenario; obtain an artificial image of the surgical scenario; output the artificial image for display on the display; receive permission information via the user interface indicating if there is permission for the surgical process to be performed if the surgical scenario is determined to occur.

A head stabilization device or HFD includes a plurality of integrated markers. The HFD may be in the form of a skull clamp, vacuum bag, combinations thereof, or other supporting structure. The integrated markers include MRI markers detectable by an MRI scanner and fiducial markers detectable by a registration tool of a navigation system. The markers provide a reference point relative to an operation site in a patient for use in a navigation guided procedure and aid in registering or calibrating the location of the patient with captured images used in the navigation guided procedure.

A head stabilization device or HFD includes a plurality of integrated markers. The HFD may be in the form of a skull clamp, vacuum bag, combinations thereof, or other supporting structure. The integrated markers include MRI markers detectable by an MRI scanner and fiducial markers detectable by a registration tool of a navigation system. The markers provide a reference point relative to an operation site in a patient for use in a navigation guided procedure and aid in registering or calibrating the location of the patient with captured images used in the navigation guided procedure.

The disclosure provides a dynamic interaction-oriented subject's limb time-varying stiffness identification method and device. The method includes: the combination of subject's limb displacement and measured force data or the combination of angle and measured torque data is collected; based on the time-varying dynamic system constructed based on a second-order impedance model, the linear parameter varying method is utilized to substitute the time-varying impedance parameters and reconstruct the restoring force/torque expression; iterative identification is performed on variable weights, dynamic interaction force/torque, and restoring force/torque by using time-varying dynamic parameters based on the dynamic interaction force/torque expression expanded from basis function; the time-varying stiffness is solved by using variable weights and dynamic interaction force/torque according to expression with substituted the time-varying impedance parameters. The disclosure not only improves the accuracy of the time-varying stiffness identification technology but also expands the application scenarios of the time-varying stiffness identification technology.

The present disclosure relates to a system and a computer-implemented medical method for manipulating at least one first, non-motorized medical carrier structure via a second, motorised medical carrier structure, wherein the second, motorized medical carrier structure is adapted to engage the first, non-motorized carrier structure to subsequently move a predefined section of the non-motorized carrier structure to a desired target position. The present disclosure further relates to a corresponding computer program and a corresponding medical system.

The present disclosure relates to a system and a computer-implemented medical method for manipulating at least one first, non-motorized medical carrier structure via a second, motorised medical carrier structure, wherein the second, motorized medical carrier structure is adapted to engage the first, non-motorized carrier structure to subsequently move a predefined section of the non-motorized carrier structure to a desired target position. The present disclosure further relates to a corresponding computer program and a corresponding medical system.

A surgical stabilizer arm includes a reusable base portion and a disposable arm portion. The articulating links that enable the arm to be positioned into arbitrary trajectories are included the disposable portion, thus eliminating the need to clean between the links after a surgical procedure. The disposable portion also includes a tool attachment mechanism and a cable. The reusable portion includes a retractor clamping mechanism, a top plate, a T-shaped base post, a main body, a nosepiece, a threaded drawbar, a thrust bearing assembly, and a threaded handle that can extend or retract the drawbar when rotated. The threaded drawbar may include a slot into which an end of the cable can be inserted, which allows tension to be applied to the cable when the handle is rotated to pull the drawbar into the body of the reusable portion and lock the articulating links in place.

A locator of a surgical port of a surgical robot system, the surgical robot system comprising an instrument attached to a robot arm, the instrument having an instrument shaft able to pass through the surgical port to a surgical site, the locator comprising: an interface configured to couple to the surgical port; a mechanism configured to permit relative linear and/or rotational motion of the interface and the instrument shaft; and a controller comprising a processor operable to estimate the position of a part of the robot arm, the controller configured to control the mechanism in dependence on the estimated position of the part of the robot arm such that as the robot arm retracts the instrument from the patient, the locator moves the port away from the robot arm and provides a reaction force to keep the port in place.