Smart Mechatronic Driver

During an operation, the surgeon must withstand high mental and physical stress. Smart sensor-based instruments can help the surgeon focus on essential aspects of the work task. In previous research a functional model of a smart mechatronic driver was developed to support the application of pedicle screws. A guiding sleeve is used to insert the screws into the bone along a predetermined path. The required position of the guidance is calculated based on attached infrared markers. The corresponding screw position is calculated and transmitted to the smart mechatronic driver. Adjusting the guidance sleeve can be performed by simply placing the smart mechatronic driver in the screws of the guiding sleeve.

While the first iteration was based on counting screw rotations, further work is aimed at measuring the applied torque, offering live data to the surgeon while drilling or tightening screws. The possibility of introducing further sensor data and a suitable way of presenting the data to the surgeon is investigated. By allowing a connection to an IEEE 11073 SDC workstation, information concerning the current operation can be transmitted to the device. This way device parameters can be altered accordingly. This principle could allow for a more universal usage of the smart mechatronic driver.