Enhanced illumination device and method

1. A light source to illuminate a field of interest comprising:

an illumination module that projects illumination light to the field of interest;

a light projector that projects data light and is associated with the illumination module; and

an input device associated with the light projector; wherein the input device sends signals to the light projector and the illumination module that cause the light projector simultaneously to project data light comprising surgical procedure information along with the illumination light to the field of interest; and

wherein the illumination light comprises adequate ambient illumination light for viewing the field of interest during a procedure, and the data light is brighter than the ambient illumination light.

2. The light source of claim 1 where the data light displays the location of an instrument relative to a point within the field of interest.

3. The light source of claim 1 wherein the field of interest is a surgical field, and the data light displays pre-operative surgical procedure plan information and intra-operative tool guidance information on the field of interest.

4. The light source of claim 3 that includes a camera system to determine the location of an object within the surgical field.

5. The light source of claim 3 that includes a surface scanning module.

6. The light source of claim 5 wherein the surface scanning module includes a camera system to facilitate video optical scanning and localization of objects based on the scan information.

7. The light source of claim 5 that includes at least one video camera to facilitate video-optical scanning.

8. The light source of claim 4 where the camera system can detect infrared light from markers placed within the surgical field.

9. The light source of claim 8 where the markers emit infrared light.

10. The light source of claim 8 where the markers reflect infrared light.

11. The light source of claim 3 where the data light displays a surgical target.

12. The light source of claim 11 where the surgical target was determined pre-operatively from a pre-operative scan.

13. The light source of claim 3 where the data light displays a surgical approach.

14. The light source of claim 13 where the data light displays information about the location of an instrument relative to the surgical approach.

15. The light source of claim 3 where the data light displays anatomical structures.

16. The light source of claim 3 where the data light displays physiological data.

17. The light source of claim 16 where the physiological data includes at least one of blood flow, blood pressure, electrical fields, metabolism, electrolyte levels respiration rate, pulse rate, or temperature.

18. The light source of claim 3 where the data light displays physiological activity.

19. The light source of claim 3 where the data light displays information relating to life support systems and parameters.

20. The light source of claim 3 where the data light displays the progress of the surgical procedure.

21. The light source of claim 3 where the data light displays the data relative to attainment of a surgical goal.

22. The light source of claim 3 where the data light displays reference information.

23. The light source of claim 3 where the data light automatically updates the displays based on the position of the instrument within the surgical field.

24. The light source of claim 1 where the data light is displayed using digital light projection.

25. The light source of claim 3 where the data light displays data from a surgical navigation system.

26. The light source of claim 3 where the data light displays information specific to a particular surgical instrument being used.

27. The light source of claim 1 where the data light displays information in a three dimensional form.

28. The light source of claim 1 where the light projector comprises a matrix of light projection devices.

29. The light source of claim 28 where the light projector is capable of projecting colored light.

30. The light source of claim 1 that includes an adjustable support structure.

31. The light source of claim 30 where the support structure is remotely controlled.

32. The light source of claim 30 where the support structure is adapted automatically to achieve best line of sight or perpendicular light projection rays.

33. The light source of claim 1 wherein the data light is projected directly onto a surgical field.

34. The light source of claim 1 wherein the data light is projected onto a reflective surface within a surgical field.

35. The light source of claim 1 wherein visual information delivered by the data light is manipulated to conform to the shape of the surface onto which the visual information is projected.

36. The light source of claim 35 wherein the visual information is manipulated to conform to changes made to the surface onto which the visual information is projected.

37. The light source of claim 35 wherein the data light is calibrated by stereophotogrammetry using a calibration pattern.

38. The light source of claim 1 where the input device is a computer.

39. The light source of claim 38 where the computer is connected to a network.

40. The light source of claim 1 where the light source has control code and the code is upgradeable.

41. A light source to illuminate a field of interest comprising:

an illumination module comprising a series of digital light projectors, wherein at least a first of the digital light projectors projects ambient illumination light to the field of interest adequate for viewing the field of interest during a procedure and at least a second of the digital light projector is capable of projecting data light; and an input device associated with the illumination module;

wherein the input device sends signals to the illumination module that cause the first and second digital light projectors of the illumination module simultaneously to project data light along with the illumination light to the field of interest, and wherein the data light shows procedure plan information and instrument guidance information for conformance with the procedure plan.

42. The light source of claim 41 where the field of interest is a surgical field.

43. The light source of claim 42 that includes a camera system to determine the location of an object within the surgical field.

44. The light source of claim 42 where the data light displays a marker to identify a surgical target according to the procedure plan information.

45. The light source of claim 43 where the data light displays data from a surgical navigation system.

46. The light source of claim 42 where the light projector comprises a matrix of light projection devices.

47. The light source of claim 41 where the data light displays information in a three dimensional form.

48. The light source of claim 41 wherein visual information delivered by the data light is manipulated to conform to the shape of the surface onto which the visual information is projected.

49. The light source of claim 48 wherein the visual information is manipulated to conform to changes made to the surface onto which the visual information is projected.

50. The light source of claim 48 wherein the data light is calibrated by stereophotogrammetry using a calibration pattern.

51. The light source of claim 41 further comprising means for automatically moving the light source in response to feedback acquired through a navigation system to optimize the line of sight or the projection of the light.

52. A method of providing light to a field of interest during a procedure comprising the steps of:

sending control signals from an input device to an illumination module and a light projection module to simultaneously produce illumination light and data;

projecting the illumination light from the illumination module onto the field of interest;

projecting the data onto the field of interest from the light projection module associated with the illumination module simultaneously with the illumination light;

wherein the data comprises surgical procedure information;

capturing surface data from within the field of interest; and

indicating a direction to move an instrument during the procedure in the field of interest using the projected data.

53. The method of claim 52 that includes the step of registering the surface data to the data projected from the light projection module.

54. The method of claim 52 that includes the step of tracking the location of the surface data.

55. The method of claim 52 that includes the step of updating the projected data.

56. The method of claim 52 wherein the light projection module is integral with the illumination module.

57. The method of claim 52 wherein the field of interest is a surgical site.

58. The method of claim 57 that includes the steps of modifying the data projected based on detection of a surgical instrument.

59. The method of claim 52 that includes the step of automatically adjusting the illumination light and the data light to optimize the line of sight or the projection of the illumination light or the data light in response to tracking information received from an external tracking system during the procedure.

60. The method of claim 52 that includes the step of calibrating the data projection using stereophotogrammetry.

61. The method of claim 57 , further comprising the step of projecting planned instrument trajectory information onto the field of interest using the projected data.

62. The method of claim 61 , further comprising the step of projecting information that indicates whether an instrument has reached a planned target point in the field of interest using the projected data.