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pciBIRD™

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DC Magnetic tracker with an electronics card powered by the PCI bus on your personal computer. pciBIRD works with 1 or 2 sensors, either 8mm or 25 mm in diameter.

Click here to download the product brochure (PDF).



Mid-Range Transmitter
Range:

Up to +4 ft
(1.2 m)
coverage

Set-up & Use:

Our mid-range transmitter is ideal for desktop applications in environments containing conductive metals.

Short-Range
Transmitter
Range:

Up to +3 ft
(0.9 m) coverage

Set-up & Use:

This small, light-weight transmitter is often mounted on an articulated arm that can be brought close to its sensors. Especially useful for high accuracy medical applications.

  • Head/Hand/Object Tracking
    • Virtual Reality
    • Telerobotics/Telepresence
    • Simulation & Training
    • Scientific Visualization
    • Medical Imaging
  • Biomechanical/ Human Factors Analysis
  • 3D Reconstruction of Ultrasound Images
  • Surgical Planning & Intervention
  • Intra-body navigation
  • 3D Graphics Control & Manipulation

August 8, 2003: Ascension Releases Next Generation pciBIRD 3 Tracker for Ultrasound Applications


Pulsed DC magnetic tracking
  • Five times less susceptible to distortion caused by nearby metal than AC technology.
  • No occlusion - can track through tissue and bone.
Track 25mm or 8mm sensor
  • Custom solutions for your project .
Multiple 8 mm sensor configuration
  • Small footprint permits tracking in confined spaces.


  • Two sensors on one card is cost-effective.


  • Miniaturized for use with instruments and the human body.
Full-size pci card
  • Easily integrated to OEM computers.
Position & orientation measurements
  • Precise tracking of medical instruments, scopes, probes, and body parts in real time.
1 mm accuracy
  • Highly accurate tracking gives confidence to end-user.


  • Allows precise quantitative measurements in 3D ultrasound.


  • Assists in precise navigation in surgery and biopsy needle tracking.
Sub-millimeter accuracy in smaller volumes
  • High accuracy gives confidence to medical users.
Class B radiated EMI, IEC 60601-1 and 60601-1-2 compliant
  • Safe and appropriate for hospital/clinic/laboratory use.


  • Easy to integrate to OEM application.
Windows API
  • Easy command functions to simplify connectivity to your software.


  • API interface receives and processes data from either sensor (in dual 8mm sensor configuration).
ISO 9001 compliance
  • Confidence in consistency of quality and established credibility.

TECHNICAL
Degrees of Freedom: 6 (Position and Orientation)
Translation range: ±76.2cm in any direction
Angular range: All Attitude: ±180° Azimuth & Roll; ±90° Elevation
Static Accuracy
Position*:
(25mm Sensor)
1.0mm RMS
Static Accuracy
Position*:
(8mm Sensor)
1.4mm RMS
Static Accuracy
Orientation*:
(25mm Sensor)
0.15° RMS
Static Accuracy
Orientation*:
(8mm Sensor)
0.5° RMS
Static Resolution Position: 0.5mm @ 30.5cm
Static Resolution Orientation: 0.1° @ 30.5cm
Update rate: Up to 105 measurements/ sec 
Outputs: X,Y,Z positional coordinates, orientation angles, orientation matrix
Interface: PCI v. 2.1 compliant when standard I/O locations used at rear of card. Requires power supply Molex power connector to meet power needs.
Format: Binary
Modes: Point or stream
PHYSICAL
Transmitter: Mid-Range: 9.6cm cube with 3.05m cable
25mm Sensor: 25mm x 25mm x 20mm cube, 3m cable
Weight: 21 g (0.7 oz) without cable, 169 g (6 oz) with cable
8mm Sensor: 18mm x 8mm x 8mm, 3m cable
Weight: 1.2 g (.04 oz) without cable, 126 g (4.4 oz) with cable
PCI Card: Standard full length board, 339.73mm in length. The host computer must have slot(s) that can accept full length PCI card(s).
Power: +12V at 1.85amps nominal standard transmitter, 2.5A max +5V 1.7A nominal
Operating Temp: 15° C to 35° C
Warm-up: System shall meet accuracy specifications after 5 min.

* Accuracy verified over range from 20.3cm to 76.2cm

pciBIRD is a general-purpose motion tracker suitable for many applications. Biomedical references in this document are examples of what medical companies have done with Ascension trackers after obtaining all necessary medical certifications. Ascension trackers are not certified for use in medicine without the end user/OEM complying with all pertinent FDA/CE regulatory requirements.


  • EMC: 
    - EN60601-1-2
    · CISPR 11 Class B limit
    - FCC
    · 47 CFR: Part 15; Subpart B; Class B limit
  • Safety
    - EN60601-1
    · Class I medical device
    · Type B Applied part

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Medical & Medical Simulation
  Simulation & Training
Biomechanics
Virtual Reality & Visualization

Click here to obtain pricing for this product, or call 
(802) 893-6657.


© 2007 Ascension Technology Corporation.  All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 527 Burlington, VT 05402, USA.
For inquiries, call (802) 893-6657 or e-mail ascension@ascension-tech.com.