Estimation and compensation of tracking inaccuracies

A navigation system for computer-assisted surgery, comprising:

• a computer comprising a processor performing the steps of:
• a) acquiring, at the processor, a predetermined constraint information defining one or more relative or absolute positions and/or orientations of an object in space;
• b) acquiring, at the processor, orientation data of the object while the object is positioned or moved while fulfilling a predetermined constraint;
• and
• c) determining, by the processor, a compensation information based on the predetermined constraint information and the acquired orientation data of the object;
• a detection device for detecting an orientation of the object and supplying the orientation data to the computer;
• and
• a user interface for receiving data from the computer in order to provide information to a user, wherein the received data are generated by the computer on the basis of a result of processing performed by the computer.

A data processing method performed using a computer comprising a processor, for generating a compensation information for tracking or for determining the position and/or orientation of an object in space, the method comprising the following steps performed by a computer:

• a) acquiring, at the processor, a predetermined constraint information defining one or more relative or absolute positions and/or orientations of the object in space;
• b) acquiring, at the processor, orientation data of the object while the object is positioned or moved while fulfilling the predetermined constraint;
• and
• c) determining, by the processor, the compensation information based on the predetermined constraint information and the acquired orientation data of the object.

A data processing method for compensating a tracking or position or orientation data of an object in space, the method comprising the following steps performed by a computer comprising a processor:

• a) acquiring, at the processor, position and/or orientation data of the object;
• b) acquiring, at the processor, a compensation information generated according to one of the preceding claims, the compensation information being related or corresponding to the acquired position and/or orientation data of the object;
• and
• c) determining, by the processor, from the acquired position and/or orientation data of the object and the related or corresponding compensation information a compensated position and/or orientation data of the object.

A non-transistory computer readable program which, when running on a computer or when loaded onto a computer, causes the computer to perform the method steps:

• a) acquiring, at the processor, a predetermined constraint information defining one or more relative or absolute positions and/or orientations of an object in space;
• b) acquiring, at the processor, orientation data of the object while the object is positioned or moved while fulfilling the predetermined constraint;
• and
• c) determining, by the processor, the compensation information based on the predetermined constraint information and the acquired orientation data of the object.

A computer comprising a non-transistory computer readable program which, when running on a computer or when loaded onto a computer, causes the computer to perform the method steps:

• a) acquiring, at the processor, a predetermined constraint information defining one or more relative or absolute positions and/or orientations of the object in space;
• b) acquiring, at the processor, orientation data of the object while the object is positioned or moved while fulfilling the predetermined constraint;
• and
• c) determining, by the processor, the compensation information based on the predetermined constraint information and the acquired orientation data of the object.