Key Techniques of an AR-based Spine Surgical Navigation System

10/2020-02/2022

McGill University: Master Thesis Project, Supervisor: Dr. Mark Driscoll, Co-supervisor: Dr. Jorge Angeles, Dr. Ahmed Aoude

Accuracy Assessment of CT-based Spine Bone Reconstruction using *FaroArm*
Accuracy Assessment of CT-based Spine Bone Reconstruction using *FaroArm*

Proposed a coordinate-measurement solution using the FaroArm, a high-precision measuring robotic arm, to evaluate the accuracy of the virtual lumbar spine model reconstructed from CT images. A landmark registration algorithm was used for calibration. The error from the reconstruction procedures for the virtual model were quantified.

Framework of AR based Spine Surgical Navigation System
Framework of AR based Spine Surgical Navigation System

Developed an AR-based surgical navigation system for high-quality visualization and accurate navigation during the spine surgery. This includes the calibration of HoloLens and surgical instruments using Polaris NDI (a surgical tool tracking device), the registration between real and virtual models

Part 1: This part is the registration procedure linking the coordinate systems of virtual spine in CT image data with real patient. Landmark registration can be used if corresponding fiducial markers are selected. Surface registration is another approach by sliding the probe on the surface of bone to collect a seires of points. Others registration methods depend on X-ray/DRR registration using C-arm or O-arm.

Part 2: The calibration of the surgical instruments. We use the tip of the probe to touch the tip of the drill and keep their axis aligned with each other.

Part 3: Automatic segmentation of vertebra using deep learning (variations of U-net) and then 3D reconstruction.

Part 4: The calibration of HoloLens. A calibration cube was 3d printed and the dual quaternion can serve as a quick calibration algorithm. An UWP is deployed into HoloLens which receives only real-time data and does not get involved in the computation.

Screenshot of the navigation software under development:

AR-based Surgical Navigation Software
AR-based Surgical Navigation Software

Automatic Surgical Routes Planning for Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty

12/2020-08/2021

Shanghai Jiao Tong University: Master Project, Supervisor: Dr. Xiaojun Chen

RTSA Surgical Navigation Software
RTSA Surgical Navigation Software