Medical tracking system comprising multi-functional sensor device

A medical tracking system comprising:

• a first navigation sensor device which can be selectively positioned in a fixed position relative to an associated first target, the first navigation sensor device comprising a first housing, a first orientation sensor operatively coupled with the first housing, and a first position sensor operatively coupled with the first housing, the first navigation sensor device selectively behaving as either of a first marker device or as a first marker detection device;
• a second navigation sensor device which can be selectively positioned in a fixed position relative to an associated second target, the second navigation sensor device comprising a second housing different than the first housing, a second orientation sensor operatively coupled with the second housing, and a second position sensor operatively coupled with the second housing, the second navigation sensor device selectively behaving as either of a second marker device or as a second marker detection device;
• and
• a control unit configured to process a medical navigation workflow,
• wherein the control unit selects, based on a first step of the medical navigation workflow, a function of the first navigation sensor device as behaving as the first marker detection device in the first step of the medical navigation workflow, and a function of the second navigation sensor device as behaving as the second marker device in the first step of the medical navigation workflow,
• wherein the first navigation sensor device is responsive to a first control signal received from the control unit to behave as the first marker detection device in the first step of the medical navigation workflow, the first navigation sensor device when behaving as the first marker detection device transmitting to the control unit:
• position output data of the first position sensor of the first navigation sensor device imaging, while the first navigation sensor device is positioned in the fixed position relative to the associated first target, one or more optical markers displayed by the second marker device of the second navigation sensor device, and
• orientation output data of the first orientation sensor of the first navigation sensor device determining an orientation of the first navigation sensor device relative to a selected reference,
• wherein the second navigation sensor device is responsive to the first control signal received from the control unit to behave as the second marker device in the first step of the medical navigation workflow, the second navigation sensor device when behaving as the second marker device displaying, while the second navigation sensor device is positioned in the fixed position relative to the associated second target, the one or more optical markers comprising a plurality of optically detectable markers operatively coupled with the second housing and disposed in a predetermined spatial relationship relative to each other, and transmitting to the control unit:
• orientation output data of the second orientation sensor of the second navigation sensor device determining an orientation of the second navigation sensor device relative to the selected reference,
• wherein the control unit receives:
• i) the position output data of the first position sensor from the first navigation sensor device, ii) the orientation output data of the first orientation sensor from the first navigation sensor device, and iii) the orientation output data of the second orientation sensor from the second navigation sensor device, and determines a relative position between the first and second navigation sensor devices based on the position output data of the first position sensor of the first navigation sensor device, the orientation output data of the first orientation sensor of the first navigation sensor device, and the orientation output data of the second orientation sensor of the second navigation sensor device.