Surgical robot platform

Abstract

A medical robot system, including a robot coupled to an effectuator element with the robot configured for controlled movement and positioning. The system may include a transmitter configured to emit one or more signals, and the transmitter is coupled to an instrument coupled to the effectuator element. The system may further include a motor assembly coupled to the robot and a plurality of receivers configured to receive the one or more signals emitted by the transmitter. A control unit is coupled to the motor assembly and the plurality of receivers, and the control unit is configured to supply one or more instruction signals to the motor assembly. The instruction signals can be configured to cause the motor assembly to selectively move the effectuator element.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for calibrating to a medical image for use with a medical robot system, the medical robot system comprising a targeting fixture comprising a plurality of radio-opaque markers, a display, a robot arm, an end-effector coupled to the robot arm and controlled by at least one motor, and a computer, said method comprising:
 receiving, via the computer of the medical robot system, data associated with the medical image representative of the plurality of radio-opaque markers in an imaging coordinate system, wherein the display is configured to show the imaging coordinate system;   determining, via the computer, a geometrical center, in the imaging coordinate system, associated with each of the radio-opaque markers;   mapping, via the computer, each geometrical center to the associated radio-opaque marker; and   retaining in the computer, a center coordinate for each geometrical center in the imaging coordinate system,   wherein calibration of the targeting fixture to the imaging coordinate system occurs based upon the center coordinate for each geometrical center and wherein the center coordinate for each geometrical center is determined by analyzing pixels that reach a predetermined value, and   wherein a trajectory of the medical robot system relative to a patient is controlled based upon the calibration of the targeting fixture.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the geometrical center further comprises using image thresholding to define one or more edges of each radio-opaque marker and each geometrical center. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein image thresholding includes displaying pixels that satisfy a thresholding criterion at an intensity encountered at the edge of a radio-opaque marker to indicate a circular outline of each radio-opaque marker on the medical image. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein determining a geometrical center includes determining a mean x threshold position of each geometrical center and determining a mean y threshold position of each geometrical center. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein determining a geometrical center includes determining a two-dimensional (2D) center for each geometrical center by examining a slice for each of two orthogonal view for the associated radio-opaque marker. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 using a threshold setting for determining the geometrical center for each radio-opaque marker;   adjusting the threshold setting upon a determination that one or more geometrical centers cannot be identified.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of radio-opaque markers are disposed on a calibration fixture. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein mapping comprises implementing a sorting process to establish each geometric center with the associated radio-opaque marker, wherein the sorting process is configured to distinguish between the plurality of radio-opaque markers to establish each geometric center. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the sorting process includes distinguishing a particular one of the radio-opaque markers from other radio-opaque markers by measuring inter-marker distances from mean positions of the plurality of radio-opaque markers in the imaging coordinate system and comparing with retained pre-measured inter-marker distances of each of the plurality of radio-opaque markers based on the calibration fixture. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the targeting fixture and each center coordinate is used to track the position of the robot in the imaging coordinate system. 
     
     
         11 . A method for calibrating a targeting fixture containing a plurality of radio-opaque markers to a medical image for use with a surgical robot, said method comprising:
 receiving data associated with the medical image representative of the plurality of radio-opaque markers in an imaging coordinate system;   determining a geometrical center, in the imaging coordinate system, associated with each of the radio-opaque markers;   mapping each geometrical center to the associated radio-opaque marker; and   retaining in a computer of the surgical robot, a center coordinate for each geometrical center in the imaging coordinate system,   wherein the surgical robot comprises:
 the targeting fixture containing the plurality of radio-opaque markers; 
 the computer; 
 a display; and 
 a housing, wherein the housing further comprises a robot arm and an end-effectuator, 
 wherein calibration of the targeting fixture to the imaging coordinate system occurs based upon the center coordinate for each geometrical center and wherein the center coordinate for each geometrical center is determined by analyzing pixels that reach a predetermined value, and 
 wherein a trajectory of the robot arm and end-effectuator relative to a patient is controlled based upon the calibration of the targeting fixture. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein determining the geometrical center further comprises using image thresholding to define one or more edges of each radio-opaque marker and each geometrical center. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein image thresholding includes displaying pixels that satisfy a thresholding criterion at an intensity encountered at the edge of a radio-opaque marker to indicate a circular outline of each radio-opaque marker on the medical image. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein determining a geometrical center includes determining a mean x threshold position of each geometrical center and determining a mean y threshold position of each geometrical center. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein determining a geometrical center includes determining a two-dimensional (2D) center for each geometrical center by examining a slice for each of two orthogonal view for the associated radio-opaque marker. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 using a threshold setting for determining the geometrical center for each radio-opaque marker;   
       adjusting the threshold setting upon a determination that one or more geometrical centers cannot be identified. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of radio-opaque markers are disposed on a calibration fixture. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein mapping comprises implementing a sorting process to establish each geometric center with the associated radio-opaque marker, wherein the sorting process is configured to distinguish between the plurality of radio-opaque markers to establish each geometric center. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the sorting process includes distinguishing a particular one of the radio-opaque markers from other radio-opaque markers by measuring inter-marker distances from mean positions of the plurality of radio-opaque markers in the imaging coordinate system and comparing with retained pre-measured inter-marker distances of each of the plurality of radio-opaque markers based on the calibration fixture. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each center coordinate is used to track the position of the surgical robot in the imaging coordinate system.