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January 5th, 2007
Title:
Development and Testing of
a New Magnetic-Tracking Device
for Image Guidance
Authors:
Charles P. Stevens; Mark R.
Schneider
Company:
Ascension Technology
Corporation; www.ascension-tech.com
Conference Details:
http://spie.org/Conferences/Calls/07/mi/conferences/index.cfm
Abstract:
Optical tracking
systems pioneered the use
of position sensors in surgical
navigation. The requirement
to maintain a clear line-of-sight
between the emitters and detectors,
however, renders them unsuitable
for tracking flexible invasive
instruments. As a result there
is little justification for
design improvements in next
generation optical systems.
On the other hand, advances
in electromagnetic tracking
systems suggest a key-enabling
role in image-guided procedures.
Nevertheless the limitations
of first-generation magnetic
systems present a significant
challenge for tracker designers
to improve both performance
and acceptance. Troublesome
magnetic problems include
inaccuracies due to the presence
of metallic distorters in
the tracking volume and to
dynamic motion of the tracked
object.
A new magnetic tracker (3D
Guidance), from Ascension
Technology, addresses these
problems. Employing third-generation
pulsed-DC magnetic tracking
technology and new signal
processing techniques, the
new tracker overcomes the
distorting effects of non-magnetic
conductive metals (300-series
stainless steel, titanium
and aluminum). A planar (flat)
transmitter with a permeable
metal shield has been developed
to negate ferrous metal distortion
emanating from procedural
tables. Dynamic accuracy has
been significantly improved
with the implementation of
time-skew corrections and
Kalman based algorithms. These
implementations reduce dynamic
position errors to 1.0 – 1.5
mm RMS. Further characterization
of the dynamic error by binning
records relative to the velocity
of the tracked sensors, produces
errors of < 1 mm RMS for
movements up to 200 mm/sec.
Test results will be reported.
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December
18th, 2006
Ascension
OEM Wins Coveted Award
for New Medical Product
Frost
& Sullivan, the
market research company,
has awarded its 2006
European Technology
Innovation of the Year
Award to Trig Medical
Ltd. of Israel (www.trigmed.com)
in recognition of its
development of Labor
Pro. Ascension’s
new 3D Guidance tracker
with a flat transmitter
is the key enabling
technology in this innovative
new labor monitoring
system.
Labor Pro
combines ultrasound,
simultaneous tracking
of 6 micro-miniaturized
sensors, and fetal monitoring
technology for accurate,
objective, and non-invasive
determination of fetal
head station and position.
Simple and easy-to-use,
Labor Pro benefits the
mother, the unborn baby,
and the obstetrician
during childbirth.
Trig
Medical’s Labor
Pro -- a breakthrough
in labor management
-- is the 2006 Winner
of Frost & Sullivan’s
European Technology
of the Year Award. Ascension
sensors are used to
track the ultrasound
scanhead, the maternal
cervix, the baby’s head,
and fiducial points
for quantification and
display of the progress
of human labor.
According to Frost
and Sullivan’s Research
Analyst, Sangeeth Prabakar,
“LaborPro
will help plug the under
met needs of end users
in terms of information
on fetal head station
and position in relation
to the pelvic inlet.
It provides objective
and accurate information
on the progress of labor
by employing non-invasive
ultrasound technology.
This will help physicians
make better decisions,
while enhancing the
safety and comfort of
the mother and baby,
and improving clinical
outcomes.”
Currently head station
and position during
labor are assessed by
a manual vaginal exam,
which is inaccurate,
invasive and uncomfortable
for the mother. This
complicates labor decision-making
processes, while causing
unwanted results, especially
an increase in the caesarean
section rate. LaborPro
addresses these key
issues by allowing easier
and more accurate determination
of fetal head station
and position during
labor.
“To achieve this, the
system employs a combination
of an off-the-shelf
ultrasound, a personal
computer-based controller,
and Ascension magnetic
position sensors to
track fetal station
and position,” says
Ms. Prabakar. “Using
the position sensors
and proprietary algorithms,
the maternal pelvis
is mapped, and the spatial
position of the pelvic
inlet is determined.”
An abdominal ultrasound
transducer is calibrated
with the positioning
system, and the fetal
head position and station
are assessed by marking
the bi-parietal diameter
and occipitofrontal
diameter, or by marking
scalp tip and other
landmarks such as eyes
or nose bridge, in relation
to the pelvic inlet.
“The LaborPro
is staff and mother-friendly
and requires only basic
training in ultrasound
usage, obviating the
need for an obstetric
ultrasound expert,”
adds Ms. Prabakar. “Moreover,
the technology employs
non-invasive, radiation-free
pelvimetry as well as
a single-step computerized
digital examination.
All labor progress tracking
data including the fetal
heart rate monitor are
integrated in the LaborPro
display and automatically
recorded by the system,
which helps reduce staff
workload.”
LaborPro
has gained the European
CE Mark and clinical
studies for US FDA clearance
are underway. To boost
commercialization prospects,
Trig Medial has established
collaborations with
several leaders in the
field of obstetrics.
Frost & Sullivan’s
Technology Innovation
Award (www.frost.com)
is bestowed annually
on a company that has
carried out new research
with the potential of
making significant contribution
to its industry in terms
of adoption, change,
and competitive posture.
For further information
about Labor Pro, contact:
Amir Rippel
VP Marketing and Sales
Trig Medical Ltd.
T: +972 4 820 4101
amir@trigmed.com |
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October
31, 2006
Ascension
Engineer Accepts R&D
100 Product of the Year
Award
Senior Design Engineer,
Don Odell (pictured
here) accepts the prestigious
R&D 100 Award for
his invention of phasorBIRD
at the 44th annual awards
banquet in Chicago.
The award honors “the
100 most technologically
significant products
introduced to the marketplace”
over the past year.
phasorBIRD is a breakthrough
in pilot head tracking
that significantly improves
helmet-mounted targeting
in air and ground combat
vehicles. Selected by
an independent judging
panel of technical experts
and R&D Magazine’s
editors, the award winning
products are based on
their “importance, uniqueness
and usefulness” and
sometimes are referred
to as the “Oscars of
Invention.”
Mr. Odell conceptualized
and built the first
phasorBIRD feasibility
model and provided critical
support to the design
team, headed by project
engineer Vladimir Kogan,
that moved the model
to practical reality.
phasorBIRD precisely
tracks a pilot’s head
over a wide field of
view, at high speed,
with line-of-sight accuracy
better than 0.1°
-- a hard requirement
for use in emerging
helmet-mounted display
systems. It significantly
overcomes the limitations
of previous generation
magnetic helmet trackers
and enables a pilot
to aim weapons, acquire
mission-critical information,
and receive self-protection
prompts simply by looking
at a target through
a reticle (graphical
icon) superimposed on
his visor.
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August 18, 2006
U.S. Senator
Patrick Leahy Visits Ascension
Technology
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U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy
(D-VT) visited Ascension on
August 17 to see firsthand
the new military helmet tracker,
phasorBIRD, whose development
he helped fund. The new tracker
is a highly accurate and fast
optical tracking device that
closes the loop between the
pilot and weapons systems.
Leahy played a key role in
the recent award of a $910,000
U.S. Air Force contract to
start development of a flight
worthy system. Once fully
qualified, aircraft pilots
and vehicle commanders will
use phasorBIRD to aim weapons
through natural head movements.
It also will enable them to
visualize external threats
by the superimposition of
graphical cues on a helmet
visor.
In a short address to employees,
Leahy lauded Ascension as
“a jewel” of a company that
one usually finds in a large
urban center, not a small
rural state.
April 4,
2006
MotionStar Performs at Electronic
Games Extravaganza
Ascension’s MotionStar
recently performed “on stage”
in “Otronicon – The Ultimate
Video Game Experience” – at
the Orlando Science Center,
January 20-29, 2006. The 10-day
event attracted more than
16,000 people and offered
an eye-opening line-up of
exhibits, special demonstrations,
and 100 gaming stations to
show recent advances in the
electronic gaming, simulation,
and digital media industries.
Ascension sensors were used
as part a popular live motion
capture show presented by
the DAVE School (The Digital
Animation and Visual Effects
School; www.daveschool.com)
which allowed visitors, through
their own movements to personally
animate 3D characters.
January 16, 2006
Ascension Celebrates
20th Anniversary
Ascension co-founders, Ernie
Blood, right, and Jack Scully,
left, were today honored by
employees on the occasion
of the company’s 20th anniversary.
On this date in 1986, they
left the employment of Polhemus
Inc., to start a new company
dedicated to serving commercial
markets for short-range tracking
devices.
In the ensuing years, Ascension
has sold over 10,000 tracking
devices for use in flight
simulation, virtual reality,
3D character animation, biomechanics
and medicine.
Today, Ascension is recognized
as the world leader in developing
3D tracking solutions for
its customers.
The plaque in their hands
reads: Some people dream of
success, while others wake-up
and work hard at it. Because
of your vision, Ascension
was born…Happy Anniversary.
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