System and method for real-time localization
Inventors
Duplat, Bertrand • FRANCOIS, Quentin • HALIYO, SINAN • MARCHIANO, Régis • Regnier, Stéphane
Assignees
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique CNRS • Sorbonne Universite • Robeaute SAS
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Publication Number
US-12133767-B2
Publication Date
2024-11-05
Expiration Date
Abstract
This system for real-time localization of a millimetric or submillimetric object, such as a microrobot, in a viscoelastic medium, in particular in an organ of a subject such as a brain, a liver or a pancreas, includes: at least one bubble configured to be attached to said object, the or each bubble having a hermetic envelope filled with a gas; at least one ultrasound transducer configured to emit initial ultrasound signals and to detect deflected ultrasound signals deflected at the surface of the bubble(s); a processing unit in communication with the ultrasound transducers and configured to generate localization data of the object from localization data of the bubble(s) based on the deflected ultrasound signals detected by the ultrasound transducers.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a system for real-time localization of a millimetric or submillimetric object in a viscoelastic medium based on an acoustic resonance of at least two distinct bubbles. At least two distinct bubbles are attached to the object, and each bubble comprises a hermetic envelope filled with a gas. At least one ultrasound transducer emits initial ultrasound signals and detects deflected ultrasound signals deflected at the surfaces of the bubbles.
A processing unit in communication with the ultrasound transducer generates localization data of the object from localization data of the bubbles based on the detected deflected ultrasound signals. Localization of the at least two distinct bubbles enables the processing unit to determine a spatial position and an orientation of the object. The system therefore infers both position and orientation of the object in the viscoelastic medium from bubble localization.
In the described embodiments, the system uses ultrasound with a frequency near bubble resonance. The bubble localization may be computed using trilateration based on time-of-flight and may include attenuation and intensity considerations, and the localization data may be registered to anatomical images such as MRI, CT, fluoroscopy, or ultrasound.
Claims Coverage
The document provides two independent claims, a system claim and a method claim. The main inventive features are centered on real-time ultrasound localization using at least two distinct gas-filled resonant bubbles attached to the object, with processing that converts bubble deflected-signal localization into object spatial position and orientation.
Real-time ultrasound localization using acoustic resonance bubbles
A system for real-time localization of a millimetric or submillimetric object in a viscoelastic medium based on an acoustic resonance of at least two distinct bubbles.
Hermetic gas-filled bubbles attached to the object
At least two distinct bubbles are attached to the object, each bubble comprising a hermetic envelope filled with a gas.
Ultrasound transducer emits initial signals and detects deflected bubble signals
At least one ultrasound transducer is configured to emit initial ultrasound signals and to detect deflected ultrasound signals deflected at the surface of the at least two distinct bubbles.
Processing unit generates object localization data from bubble deflected signals
A processing unit in communication with the ultrasound transducer is configured to generate localization data of the object from localization data of the at least two distinct bubbles based on the deflected ultrasound signals detected by the at least one ultrasound transducer.
Bubbles localization enables position and orientation determination
The at least two distinct bubbles are attached to the object in such a way that the localization of the at least two distinct bubbles enables the processing unit to determine a spatial position and an orientation of the object.
Real-time ultrasound localization method using acoustic resonance bubbles
A method for real-time localization of a millimetric or submillimetric object in a viscoelastic medium based on an acoustic resonance of at least two distinct bubbles, where at least two bubbles are attached to the object and each bubble comprises a hermetic envelope filled with a gas.
Ultrasound transducer produces initial signals and detects deflected bubble signals
Producing, by means of at least one ultrasound transducer, emitted initial ultrasound signals and detecting deflected ultrasound signals deflected at the surface of the at least two distinct bubbles.
Processing unit generates object localization data and determines position and orientation
Generating, by means of a processing unit in communication with the at least one ultrasound transducer, localization data of the object from localization data of the at least two distinct bubbles based on the deflected ultrasound signals detected, wherein localization of the at least two distinct bubbles enables determining a position and an orientation of the object.
Across the two independent claims, the core coverage is ultrasound-based real-time localization in a viscoelastic medium using at least two hermetic gas-filled resonant bubbles attached to the object. The ultrasound transducer detects deflected signals from bubble surfaces, and a processing unit converts bubble localization data into the object’s spatial position and orientation.
Stated Advantages
Real-time localization of a millimetric or submillimetric object in a viscoelastic medium.
Determination of both spatial position and orientation of the object from localization of at least two distinct bubbles.
Documented Applications
Localization of a microrobot in an organ of a subject, including brain, liver, and pancreas, using real-time ultrasound localization.
Registration of bubble localization data to anatomical images including MRI, CT, fluoroscopy, or ultrasound.
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