Fiber optic tracking system

Abstract

A fiber optic tracking system includes a light source, a first optical fiber, a second optical fiber, a sensing unit, and a controller operatively coupled to the sensing unit. Each optical fiber includes a plurality of sensing sections and has a fixed sensing point located along its respective length that is fixed relative to tissue. Each optical fiber is configured to receive an optical signal from the light source. The sensing sections are configured to modify the optical signals in response to a deformation of the respective optical fiber. The sensing unit is configured to receive modified optical signals from the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber. The controller is configured to determine locations in a working coordinate system of the fixed sensing points using the modified optical signals and determine a pose of the tissue based on the locations of the fixed sensing points.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fiber optic tracking system for tracking tissue, comprising:
 a light source;   a first optical fiber including a plurality of first sensing sections, wherein:
 the first optical fiber is configured to receive a first optical signal from the light source; 
 the plurality of first sensing sections are configured to modify the first optical signal in response to a deformation of the first optical fiber; and 
 the first optical fiber has a first fixed sensing point located along a length of the first optical fiber that is fixed relative to the tissue; 
   a second optical fiber including a plurality of second sensing sections, wherein:
 the second optical fiber is configured to receive a second optical signal from the light source; 
 the plurality of second sensing sections are configured to modify the second optical signal in response to a deformation of the second optical fiber; and 
 the second optical fiber has a second fixed sensing point located along a length of the second optical fiber that is fixed relative to the tissue; 
   a sensing unit configured to receive modified optical signals from the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber; and   a controller operatively coupled to the sensing unit, wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine locations in a working coordinate system of the first fixed sensing point and the second fixed sensing point using the modified optical signals, and 
 determine a pose of the tissue based on the locations of the first fixed sensing point and the second fixed sensing point. 
   
     
     
         2 . The fiber optic tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to represent the locations of the first fixed sensing point and the second fixed sensing point relative to a three-dimensional model of the tissue. 
     
     
         3 . The fiber optic tracking system of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a pose of a surface of the tissue relative to the first fixed sensing point and the second fixed sensing point using at least one of a tracked probe configured to contact the surface, an intraoperative imaging system, and a video recognition of the surface. 
     
     
         4 . The fiber optic tracking system of  claim 3 , further comprising a display operatively coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a pose of a surgical instrument in the working coordinate system, and wherein the display is configured to indicate to a user the pose of the tissue relative to the pose of the surgical instrument. 
     
     
         5 . The fiber optic tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue is hard tissue at least partially surrounded by soft tissue, wherein the first optical fiber is configured to be inserted through an incision in the soft tissue, and wherein the first optical fiber is configured to be coupled to the hard tissue such that the first fixed sensing point is located between the hard tissue and the soft tissue. 
     
     
         6 . The fiber optic tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue is hard tissue, and wherein at least one of the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber includes a rigid portion configured to extend inside of the hard tissue. 
     
     
         7 . The fiber optic tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein a section of the first optical fiber is configured to be held against a surface of the tissue such that the section of the first optical fiber conforms to a contour of the tissue, wherein the first optical fiber has a plurality of first fixed sensing points located within the section that are fixed relative to the tissue, and wherein the controller is configured to determine a shape of the tissue using the locations of the first fixed sensing point. 
     
     
         8 . The fiber optic tracking system of  claim 1 , further comprising an anchoring mechanism configured to be pressed into the tissue to couple the first optical fiber to the tissue, wherein the anchoring mechanism is inserted into an aperture defined by the first optical fiber, and wherein the anchoring mechanism is configured to be removed from the tissue by applying a tensile force to the first optical fiber. 
     
     
         9 . A fiber optic tracking system, comprising:
 a first anchor, the first anchor configured to anchor to a first piece of a tissue;   a second anchor, the second anchor configured to anchor to a second piece of the tissue;   a light source;   a first optical fiber arranged to receive a first optical signal from the light source, including a plurality of first sensing sections, and configured to couple to the first anchor;   a second optical fiber arranged to receive a second optical signal from the light source, including a plurality of second sensing sections, and configured to couple to the second anchor;   a sensing unit configured to receive modified optical signals from the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber; and   a controller operatively coupled to the sensing unit, wherein the controller is configured to determine a pose of the first piece of the tissue and the second piece of the tissue based on the modified optical signals.   
     
     
         10 . The fiber optic tracking system of  claim 9 , wherein the first anchor is coupled to the first optical fiber and the first piece of the tissue, and wherein the first anchor is configured to position the plurality of first sensing sections on the first piece of the tissue and prevent relative motion between the plurality of first sensing sections and the first piece of the tissue. 
     
     
         11 . The fiber optic tracking system of  claim 9 , further comprising a tool configured to pierce at least one of hard tissue or soft tissue, couple the first anchor to the first optical fiber, and couple the first piece of the tissue to the first anchor. 
     
     
         12 . The fiber optic tracking system of  claim 11 , wherein the tool comprises a tip and is configured to grasp the first optical fiber and the first anchor, insert the first optical fiber through a section of soft tissue, and selectively couple the first anchor to the first optical fiber and the first piece of the tissue. 
     
     
         13 . The fiber optic tracking system of  claim 11 , wherein the tool is configured to grasp the first optical fiber and the first anchor and selectively couple the first anchor to the first optical fiber and the first piece of the tissue, and wherein the first piece of the tissue is a section of soft tissue surrounding an incision. 
     
     
         14 . The fiber optic tracking system of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the first piece of the tissue is an outer surface of a bone and the second piece of the tissue is an inter-medullary canal of the bone; and   the plurality of first sensing sections and the plurality of second sensing sections are used to determine a pose of the bone.   
     
     
         15 . The fiber optic tracking system of  claim 9 , further comprising a surgical robot and a cutting instrument, wherein in response to determining the pose of the first piece of the tissue and the second piece of the tissue based on the modified optical signals, the controller is configured to control the surgical robot is to guide the cutting instrument to selectively cut the tissue. 
     
     
         16 . The fiber optic tracking system of  claim 9 , wherein the first anchor comprises a first barb and the second anchor comprises a second barb. 
     
     
         17 . A method of tracking an incision, comprising:
 coupling a first optical fiber to a first piece of a tissue such that a plurality of first fixed sensing points along a length of the first optical fiber are fixed relative to the first piece of the tissue;   coupling a second optical fiber to a second piece of the tissue such that a plurality of second fixed sensing points along a length of the second optical fiber are fixed relative to the second piece of the tissue;   providing optical signals through the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber;   receiving, at a sensing device, modified optical signals from the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber; and   tracking a pose of the tissue based on the modified optical signals.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first optical fiber includes a first anchor, and wherein coupling the first optical fiber to the first piece of the tissue comprises engaging the first piece of the tissue with the first anchor. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first anchor comprise a first barb, and wherein coupling the first optical fiber to the first piece of the tissue comprises engaging the first piece of the tissue with the first barb. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 grasping the first optical fiber and the first anchor;   piercing at least one of hard tissue or soft tissue using a tool; and   coupling the first anchor to the first optical fiber and the first piece of the tissue using the tool.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising determining a pose of a bone based on the plurality of first fixed sensing points and the plurality of second fixed sensing points. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising autonomously guiding a cutting instrument based on the pose of the first piece of the tissue and the second piece of the tissue.