Variable rigidity, conformable apparatus for non-invasively affixing surgical fiducials and surgical tools to patients

Abstract

An apparatus for supporting a medical device on a patient includes a mounting structure configured to be fitted onto the patient to encircle at least a portion of a body part of the patient. The mounting structure includes an inner layer and an outer layer that define a confinement. A jamming material is contained within the confmement. The jamming material is configured to flow within the confmement to conform to the shape of the body part of the patient onto which the mounting structure is fitted. The mass of jamming material is configured to harden and become rigid in its conformed shape in response to a vacuum being formed in the confinement.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.