Robotic joint testing apparatus and coordinate systems for joint evaluation and testing

1. A knee examination method comprising the steps of:

situating a patient on a patient support adjacent a robotic knee testing apparatus having a motion tracking system;

setting up the robotic knee testing apparatus including defining a world coordinate system based on a fixed location of a transmitter of the motion tracking system;

further setting up the patient including determining one or more local coordinate systems each based on setting up the patient and using a sensor coupled to, and in communication with, the transmitter; and

operating the robotic knee testing apparatus to manipulate a leg of the patient.

2. A knee examination method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of further setting up further includes a step of securing at least a first sensor of the motion tracking system to a first tibia of the leg of the patient whereby the first sensor is used to define a first local coordinate system for the first tibia.

3. A knee examination method according to claim 2 , wherein, in the step of securing, the first sensor is a circular sensor.

4. A knee examination method according to claim 2 , wherein the step of securing includes the step of further securing a second sensor of the motion tracking system to a second tibia of a second leg of the patient whereby the second sensor is used to define a second local coordinate system for the second tibia.

5. A knee examination method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of further setting up includes identifying and recording one or more anatomical points on the leg of the patient using a pointer having the sensor.

6. A knee examination method according to claim 5 , wherein the step of identifying and recording includes identifying one or more bony landmarks on the leg of the patient using the pointer, the one or more bony landmarks selected from a tibial tubercle, a midpoint between a medial tibial plateau and a lateral tibial plateau, a medial-lateral midpoint of an anterior proximal tibia and posterior proximal tibia, and a midpoint of a medial malleolus and a lateral malleolus of the leg of the patient.

7. A knee examination method according to claim 5 , wherein the step of examining includes calculating a relationship between a coordinate system determined using the one or more bony landmarks and the world coordinate system.

8. A knee examination method according to claim 1 , wherein, in the step of setting up, the motion tracking system is an electromagnetic tracking system.

9. A knee examination method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of capturing motion data of the leg and assessing the motion data relative to the world coordinate system.

10. A knee examination method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of capturing motion data of the leg and assessing the motion data relative to the one or more local coordinate systems.

11. A knee examination method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of capturing motion data of the leg and assessing the motion data relative to both the world coordinate system and the one or more local coordinate systems.

12. A knee examination method according to claim 1 , further comprising performing each of the steps of setting up the robotic knee testing apparatus, further setting up the patient, and operating the robotic knee testing apparatus for both legs of the patient.

13. A knee examination method according to claim 12 , further comprising the step of obtaining data for a world view perspective for both legs of the patient using the world coordinate system and also obtaining data for a local perspective for each leg using the one or more local coordinate systems.

14. A knee examination method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of further setting up the patient includes defining a tibial coordinate system of the one or more local coordinate systems for the leg using the motion tracking system whereby a Z axis of the tibial coordinate system extends in a direction of a tibia of the leg.

15. A knee examination method according to claim 14 , wherein the step of defining a tibial coordinate system includes defining an origin of the tibial coordinate system as a midpoint between points taken on a medial tibial plateau and a lateral tibial plateau of the leg.

16. A knee examination method according to claim 14 , wherein the step of further setting up the patient includes defining a femoral coordinate system of the one or more local coordinate systems for the leg using the motion tracking system whereby the Z axis of the tibial coordinate system is also used as a Z axis of the femoral coordinate system.

17. A knee examination method comprising the steps of:

situating a patient on a patient support adjacent a robotic knee testing apparatus having a motion tracking system;

setting up the robotic knee testing apparatus including defining a world coordinate system based on a fixed location of a transmitter of the motion tracking system;

further setting up the patient including determining one or more local coordinate systems each based on setting up the patient and on one or more robot based points; and

operating the robotic knee testing apparatus to manipulate a leg of the patient,

wherein the step of further setting up includes the step of defining a robot based femoral coordinate system for the leg of the patient including marking one or more fixed points on a knee stabilizer of the robotic knee testing apparatus.

18. A knee examination method according to claim 17 , wherein the step of defining a robot based femoral coordinate system includes marking one point at a midpoint of the knee stabilizer above the knee and marking two points laterally spaced apart on the knee stabilizer below the knee.

19. A knee examination method comprising the steps of:

situating a patient on a patient support adjacent a robotic knee testing apparatus having a motion tracking system;

setting up the robotic knee testing apparatus including defining a world coordinate system based on a fixed location of a transmitter of the motion tracking system;

further setting up the patient including determining one or more local coordinate systems each based on setting up the patient and using a sensor in communication with the transmitter; and

operating the robotic knee testing apparatus to manipulate a leg of the patient,

wherein the step of further setting up the patient includes defining a tibial coordinate system of the one or more local coordinate systems for the leg using the motion tracking system whereby a Z axis of the tibial coordinate system extends in a direction of a tibia of the leg,

wherein the step of defining a tibial coordinate system includes defining an origin of the tibial coordinate system as a midpoint between points taken on a medial tibial plateau and a lateral tibial plateau of the leg, and

wherein the step of defining an origin of the tibial coordinate system includes adjusting the origin anteriorly or posteriorly to a midpoint of a thickness of proximal end of the tibia.

20. A knee examination method comprising the steps of:

situating a patient on a patient support adjacent a robotic knee testing apparatus having a motion tracking system;

setting up the robotic knee testing apparatus including defining a world coordinate system based on a fixed location of a transmitter of the motion tracking system;

further setting up the patient including determining one or more local coordinate systems each based on setting up the patient and on one or more robot based points; and

operating the robotic knee testing apparatus to manipulate a leg of the patient,

wherein the step of further setting up the patient includes defining a femoral coordinate system of the leg using the motion tracking system whereby an origin of the femoral coordinate system is central to a triangle defined by taking three points on a portion of the robotic knee testing apparatus surrounding the knee of the leg.

21. A knee examination method according to claim 20 , wherein, in the step of defining a femoral coordinate system, the portion of the robotic knee testing apparatus is a knee stabilizer holding the knee of the patient in a substantially fixed position.

22. A knee examination method according to claim 20 , wherein the step of defining a femoral coordinate system includes defining a Z axis of a femur of the leg as being parallel to an epicondylar axis of the femur.

23. A knee examination method according to claim 1 , further comprising adjusting portions of a drive system of the robotic knee testing apparatus to a zero torque or neutral position relative to each knee of the patient.