Method and apparatus for intraoperative measurements of anatomical orientation

A method for determining at least one of an orientation or position of a medical instrument or an orientation or position of an anatomical feature on a patient, the method comprising:

• coupling an electronic device to the medical instrument or the anatomical feature of the patient, the electronic device being selected from among a plurality of electronic devices each configured to detect at least one of an orientation or a position of the electronic device with respect to earth's frame of reference, each of the plurality of electronic devices comprising a coupler configured to removeably couple each electronic device to one another and the plurality of electronic devices being removeably coupled to one another in at least one of a similar orientation or a similar position and in physical proximity of one another;
• and
• determining at least one of the orientation or position of the medical instrument or the orientation or position of the anatomical feature of the patient based on the orientation or the position detected by the electronic device coupled thereto,
• wherein an internal power source of the electronic device is configured to be deactivated when at least a portion of the coupler of another electronic device is in proximity to the electronic device.