Methods and systems for directing movement of a tool in hair transplantation procedures
Methods and systems are provided useful in various procedures, including hair harvesting and implantation, and further including computer-implemented and/or robotic hair transplantation. Methodologies are provided which enable a tool, such as a hair harvesting or a hair implantation tool, to proceed at least under a partial computer control in a selected direction of travel along a donor or recipient area of the patient, as well as changing direction of travel based on desired harvesting and/or implantation criteria.
1. A system for controlling a direction of travel of a tool relative to a body surface, the system comprising:
an interface adapted to receive an image data containing images; and
a processor comprising a set of instructions for executing operations, the set of instructions including instructions for:
determining locations of a plurality of fiducials appearing in one or more images of a body surface;
selecting or allowing a user to select a first location on the body surface;
determining a direction of travel of a tool relative to the body surface based on the locations of at least some of the plurality of fiducials, the first location and a row associated with the first location, the row comprising a general virtual region having a width and a length;
causing the tool to continue traveling away from the first location in the determined direction of travel along the row to a second or subsequent location, and maintaining the determined direction of travel until another fiducial is within a predetermined distance from the tool.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second or subsequent location comprises a location disposed within the width of the row.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein a processor is configured to compute a virtual selection region within the row and along the determined direction of travel.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of instructions comprises instructions for causing the tool to change the determined direction of travel when another distinctive fiducial is within a predetermined distance from the tool.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the changed direction of travel is substantially opposite or substantially orthogonal to the direction of travel.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein causing the tool to continue traveling comprises automatically moving a robotic arm that carries the tool.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of instructions comprises instructions for automatically incrementing to a next row based on the locations of at least some of the plurality of fiducials.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of instructions comprises instructions for selecting or allowing a user to select a boundary within which it is desired for the tool to travel, identifying a plurality of rows within the boundary, and causing the tool to move in an upward direction when moving from one row to another.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tool is a hair harvesting or a hair implantation tool, the operation of the tool being computer controlled.
10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a harvesting or implanting mechanism configured to automatically start a new row when the boundary is approached and/or automatically stop operation of the tool when a full area defined by the boundary has been harvested or implanted.
11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising creating a visual representation of the locations to where the tool has traveled.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of instructions comprises instructions for generating an exclusion zone around the first or subsequent location.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the exclusion zone comprises a closed polygon-shaped feature.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the exclusion zone has a predetermined size, and the size of the exclusion zone may be automatically generated, adjusted by a user, or both.
15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to allow a user to overwrite an automated movement or any selection directed by the processor.