High-performance IC manufacturer headquartered in Massachussetts, Analog Devices has announced that the iMEMS high-performance inertial motion sensing technology has been selected by California-based medical devices company, OrthAlign for integration into the KneeAlign 2 System.
A transportable surgical navigation system, the KneeAlign 2 guides the surgeons during knee surgery by providing accurate tibial alignment. The iSensor digital inertial measurement unit (IMU) designed by Analog Devices enables the orthopedic surgeon to establish the femur of the patient’s center of rotation and computes the exact angles in which to cut the bone during the knee replacement surgery.
The palm-size KneeAlign 2 System combines the simplicity offered by traditional instrumentation with the accuracy of computer-assisted large surgical equipment. Compatible with most implant systems used in total knee arthroplasty, the compact unit and its cutting devices helps the surgeon to replace pieces of the knee with artificial implants.
The iSensor IMU uses three linear motion accelerometers and three angular motion capturing gyroscopes to support measurement of six degrees of freedom. It is capable of tracking the motion of an instrument along all axes irrespective of the operating conditions. The compact device provides dynamically compensated and calibrated sensor data through a digital SPI interface.
Statistics presented by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality indicates that in 2009, 675,000 patients had a knee replacement surgery in America. The figure is likely to reach 3.5 million by 2030. The President - Healthcare Group of Analog Devices, Patrick O’Doherty stated that the integration of the iSensor IMU into the KneeAlign 2 System provides unparalleled alignment precision thus resulting in knee alignment outcomes with 91% accuracy, while conventional replacement surgery provides an accuracy of around 68%.
Source: http://www.analog.com