Automated body invasive device

Abstract

The automatic body invasion device according to the present application includes: a first moving unit which moves an image acquisition unit; an invasion unit; and a second moving unit which moves the invasion unit. The first moving unit includes at least one of: a 1-1 moving module which moves the image acquisition unit in a 1-1 direction; a 1-2 moving module which moves the image acquisition unit in a 1-2 direction; and a 1-3 moving module which moves the image acquisition unit in a 1-3 direction. The second moving unit includes at least one of: a 2-1 moving module which moves the invasion unit in a 2-1 direction; a 2-2 moving module which moves the invasion unit in a 2-2 direction; and a 2-3 moving module which moves the invasion unit in a 2-3 direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a body insertion device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a device that moves an insertion unit to a position determined as an insertion point through image analysis based on an image acquired by an image acquisition unit, and then inserts a medical device such as a venipuncture needle into the body at that position. Background Art

[0002] In hospitals or clinics, medical procedures involving the insertion of medical devices into the body are frequently performed for various purposes. For example, venipuncture needles are inserted into superficial veins for blood collection or intravenous injections, and catheters are inserted into some organs. In this specification, for simplicity, venipuncture needles or blood collection needles will be referred to simply as "needles." Currently, insertion is performed by doctors, nurses, or pathologists who are trained to locate blood vessels, such as superficial veins. Current systems require extensive training for medical personnel and incur labor costs. Furthermore, if the needle is not inserted in the proper location, medical personnel must attempt to insert the needle into the body separately, and the person into whom the needle is inserted may experience unnecessary pain due to the additional needle insertion. Even for experts, inserting a needle into a person with poor vascular conditions, such as infants, the elderly, patients undergoing chemotherapy, or people with dark skin, presents difficulties.

[0003] Even for experienced medical staff, the repetitive task of collecting blood can cause high levels of fatigue and discomfort. In addition, medical staff performing blood collection are exposed to infection risks when blood splashes onto them or enters their bodies during the blood collection procedure.

[0004] The applicant filed Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0010302 on January 29, 2020, which relates to a method for accurately detecting the location of a body target, such as a superficial vein, by using machine learning. This application is incorporated herein in its entirety as an example of a method for detecting a location to be inserted using image analysis and machine learning.

[0005] [Prior Art References]

[0006] Korean Patent No. 10-1601421 (Title: Automatic Method of Blood Collecting; published on March 10, 2016)

[0007] Korean Patent No. 10-1362922 (Title: Module for Launching Blood Lancet and Apparatus having the Same) Summary of the Invention

[0008] Technical Purpose

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a body insertion device for detecting an organ to be inserted and inserting a medical instrument into the organ.

[0010] Technical Solution

[0011] The present invention provides a body insertion device for a body, comprising: a first moving unit for moving an image acquisition unit; an insertion unit; and a second moving unit for moving the insertion unit.

[0012] The first moving unit includes at least one of a 1-1 module for moving the image acquiring unit in a 1-1 direction, a 1-2 module for moving the image acquiring unit in a 1-2 direction, and a 1-3 module for moving the image acquiring unit in a 1-3 direction.

[0013] The second moving unit includes at least one of a 2-1 module for moving the plug-in unit in a 2-1 direction, a 2-2 module for moving the plug-in unit in a 2-2 direction, and a 2-3 module for moving the plug-in unit in a 2-3 direction.

[0014] At least one of the modules 1-1 to 2-3 may include a driving unit and an object driven by the driving unit. The object may be connected to the image acquisition unit or the insertion unit to move the unit according to control of the driving unit.

[0015] The object may be at least one of: a timing belt extending between at least two pulleys driven by a drive unit, a screw driven by a drive unit, and a rack / pinion driven by a drive unit.

[0016] The 1-1 direction may be the lateral direction of the body part to be inserted; the 1-2 direction may be the height direction of the body part; and the 1-3 direction may be the rotational direction which is the longitudinal direction of the body part.

[0017] The 2-1 direction may be a transverse direction of the body part to be inserted; the 2-2 direction may be a height direction of the body part; and the 2-3 direction may be a direction having a predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the body part.

[0018] The apparatus of the present invention may further include a 2-4 module for adjusting a predetermined angle, the 2-4 module rotating the insertion unit around at least one of the 2-1 direction and the 2-2 direction.

[0019] The image acquisition unit may be selected from the group consisting of an ultrasonic probe, a photoacoustic imaging device, a ToF sensor (Time of Flight sensor) including a near-infrared light emitting diode for identifying position coordinates of light reflected from the inside of a body, CT, and MRI.

[0020] The body organ to be inserted may be a blood vessel.The second mobile unit may include a sensor for detecting blood inlet.

[0021] The device of the present invention may further include at least one of the following: a 1-4 module for rotating the image acquisition unit around the 1-2 direction; and a 1-5 module for moving the image acquisition unit along the longitudinal direction of the body part to be inserted.

[0022] The apparatus of the present invention may further include: a position sensor for detecting the position of a component moved by the first moving unit or the second moving unit; and a distance sensor for measuring a relative distance between the components.

[0023] At least one of the components moved by the first moving unit or the second moving unit may include an electronic tag for identifying a location.

[0024] The present invention can also provide a method for controlling a body insertion device, the method comprising: a first step of moving the image acquisition unit toward the body part to be inserted by driving at least one of the 1-1 module to the 1-3 module; a second step of determining the position of the organ to be inserted based on an analysis of the image acquired by the image acquisition unit; and a third step of inserting the medical instrument of the insertion unit at the determined position by driving at least one of the 2-1 module to the 2-3 module.

[0025] The body organ to be inserted may be a blood vessel or a nerve.

[0026] The method may further include a fourth step of identifying an extension path of the organ by rotating the image acquisition unit around the 1-2 direction or moving the image acquisition unit along the longitudinal direction of the body part.

[0027] The method may further include: a fifth step of measuring, by the image acquisition unit, the pressure applied to the body part; and a sixth step of transmitting the measured pressure and an image corresponding to the measured pressure so as to use the measured pressure and the image in machine learning.

[0028] Effects of the Invention

[0029] The present invention provides the ability to detect the location to be inserted and move the insertion body toward the detected location to perform the necessary medical procedure. In particular, the medical procedure according to the present invention can be performed more easily and quickly than by medical personnel. Furthermore, the body insertion device of the present invention can create a controlled compression state on a blood vessel, enabling information about this controlled compression state to be used for machine learning. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a body insertion device according to the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a body insertion device according to the present invention;

[0032] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the first moving unit of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the first moving unit of the present invention; and

[0034] Figure 5 is a flow chart of a body insertion process according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0036] In this specification, if necessary, encryption / decryption can be used to perform the transmission / reception of information (data). It should be understood that, although not specifically mentioned, the transmission / reception described in this specification can be performed using encryption / decryption. In addition, transmission (forwarding) from A to B or reception by A from B includes a process via an additional medium and is not limited to direct transmission or reception. The order of each step should be understood in a non-restrictive manner, unless the previous step must be performed logically and temporally before the subsequent step. That is, except for the exceptions described above, although the process described as the previous step is before the process described as the next step, this does not affect the essence of the present invention, and the scope of the rights should be defined regardless of the order of the steps. In addition, in this specification, "A or B" is not only defined as selectively referring to A or B, but also defined as including both A and B. In addition, in this specification, the term "comprising" or "including" has the meaning of further including other components in addition to the listed components.

[0037] The term "module" or "unit" refers to a logical combination of general hardware and software that performs the required functions.

[0038] The method of the present invention may be performed by an electronic computing device, such as a computer, a server computer, a smart phone, etc. The method of the present invention may be performed by a computer program having a code designed to perform the method. The computer program may be recorded in a computer-readable recording medium.

[0039] The term "value" described in this specification is defined as a general value including a vector, a matrix, a tensor, and a polynomial as well as an academic value.

[0040] Certain exemplary embodiments will now be described to provide a comprehensive understanding of the principles of structure, function, manufacture, and use of the devices and methods disclosed herein. One or more examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art will understand that the devices and methods specifically described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings are non-limiting exemplary embodiments, and that the scope of the present invention is limited solely by the claims. Features shown or described in conjunction with one exemplary embodiment may be combined with features of other embodiments. Such modifications and variations are all within the scope of the present invention.

[0041] If the components of the device can perform the intended functions of the present invention, they can be of any shape, size or dimension and those clearly shown in the drawings. In addition, the number of components of the present invention can be selected differently as needed to make the device operable.

[0042] In this specification, the essential elements of the present invention will be described, while the non-essential elements will not be described. However, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the present invention including only the described components. In addition, it should be understood that the present invention including additional elements or without non-essential elements may be within the scope of the present invention.

[0043] In this specification, the embodiment of using the body insertion device for blood vessels is mainly described. However, it should be understood that the organ to be inserted by the medical device can be a nerve, artery, etc., and is not limited to blood vessels.

[0044] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a body insertion device 100 of the present invention; and Figure 2 : This is an exploded perspective view of the device, with its main components removed. The body insertion device 100 includes: an image acquisition unit 20; a first drive unit 30 for moving the image acquisition unit 20; an insertion unit 40; a second drive unit 50 for moving the insertion unit 40; a body holding unit 110; a frame 200; and a body placement unit 300.

[0045] The image acquisition unit 20 is a unit for recognizing the inside of the body, for example, an ultrasonic probe, a photoacoustic imaging device, a ToF (Time of Flight) sensor having a near-infrared light emitting diode for recognizing the position coordinates of light reflected from the inside of the body, CT, MRI, etc. However, the image acquisition unit is not limited to the listed examples.

[0046] When the needle is inserted, the body holding unit 110 holds the body part. In the case where the device is used to collect blood, the body holding unit can hold the upper arm.

[0047] The frame 200 may include a pair of spaced-apart columns 210, 230 and a horizontal rod 250 extending between the columns 210, 230. The horizontal rod 250 is provided with a first guide fixing portion 251 and a second guide fixing portion 253.

[0048] The body placement unit 300 is a unit for placing a body part to be inserted by a needle. In the case where the device is used for collecting blood, the lower arm is placed thereon.

[0049] Figure 3: is an exploded perspective view of the first moving unit 30. The first moving unit 30 includes a 1-1 module 31 for moving the image acquisition unit 20 in the 1-1 direction, a 1-2 module 32 for moving the image acquisition unit 20 in the 1-2 direction, and a 1-3 module 33 for moving the image acquisition unit 20 in the 1-3 direction. Although the modules are shown and described as being provided separately, they can be combined into a single module. Alternatively, the modules can be configured as two modules, including a first module for moving the image acquisition unit in two directions and a second module for moving the image acquisition unit in the remaining direction.

[0050] Direction 1-1 (x-axis) is the lateral direction of the body part to be inserted by the needle; direction 1-2 (y-axis) is the height direction of the body part to be inserted by the needle; and direction 1-3 is the rotational direction relative to the longitudinal direction (z-axis) of the body part to be inserted by the needle, that is, the rotational direction in the xy plane. Device 100 of the present invention can be used for collecting blood from a blood vessel, for intravenous injection, or for inserting other medical components such as catheters into organs. This device can be used for various medical purposes, as well as for the medical purposes described above.

[0051] The 1-1 module 31 includes a drive unit 311, a pair of spaced pulleys 313 and 314, a timing belt 312 extending between the pulleys, a fixing portion 315, a first connecting portion 325 of the timing belt, and a guide 37. The timing belt 312 is provided with a tooth portion 316. The pulleys 313 and 314 are provided with a tooth portion 317 that can mesh with the tooth portion 316. The timing belt 322 and pulleys 323 and 327 of the 1-2 module 32 may also be provided with a tooth portion.

[0052] In this specification, the term "driving unit" refers to a device for driving a driven object in a predetermined direction. For example, it can be a motor, but is not limited to a specific device.

[0053] At least one of the pair of pulleys 313, 324 can be driven by the drive unit 311. A fixing portion 315 can be provided in at least one of the pair of pulleys 313, 314. For example, the mounting hole 318 provided below the fixing portion 315 and the mounting hole 255 provided on the horizontal rod 250 of the frame 200 are aligned with each other and are fastened by bolts. The first connecting portion 325 of the synchronous belt is connected to the synchronous belt 312 and is slidably provided on the guide 37. In addition, the first connecting portion 325 of the synchronous belt can be connected to the I-3 module 33, as described below. The guide 37 extends in the I-1 direction and can be fixed to the first guide fixing portion 253 of the horizontal rod 250.

[0054] In this specification, the term "predetermined direction" should be interpreted as also including a direction having a certain angle with respect to the predetermined direction as well as the predetermined direction.

[0055] The drive unit 311 rotates the pulleys 313 and 314, thereby causing the timing belt 312 to travel in the I-1 direction (x-direction), i.e., transversely of the body part to be inserted by the needle. The I-3 module 33, connected to the timing belt 312 at the first connection portion 325 of the timing belt, can move in the I-1 direction along the guide 37. As described below, since the I-3 module 33 is connected to the main body 324 of the I-2 module 32, the image acquisition unit 20 can move in the I-1 direction (x-direction) via the I-1 module 31.

[0056] The I-2 module 32 includes a drive unit 321, a pair of spaced pulleys 323 and 327, a timing belt extending between the pair of pulleys 323 and 327, a body 324, and a guide 34 disposed in the body 324. At least one of the pair of pulleys 323 and 327 can be driven by the drive unit 321. The guide 34 can extend along the I-2 direction (y direction) on the body 324. The body 324 can be connected to the rotation axis 332 of the drive unit 331 of the I-3 module 33 so as to rotate about the z-axis, that is, rotate in the xy plane.

[0057] The apparatus of the present invention may further include a holder 35 for holding the image acquisition unit 20. The holder 35 includes a guide connecting portion 351 connected to the guide 34, a second connecting portion 355 of the timing belt connected to the timing belt 322, and a fastening member 353 for fastening the image acquisition unit 20. The guide connecting portion 351 is provided so as to be slidable together with the guide 34.

[0058] The drive unit 321 rotates the pulleys 323 and 327, causing the timing belt 322 to move in the I-2 direction (y direction), i.e., the height direction of the body part to be inserted with the needle. The holder 35, which is connected to the timing belt 322 at the second connection portion 355 of the timing belt, then moves in the I-2 direction along the guide 34. Consequently, the image acquisition unit 20 held by the holder 35 moves in the I-2 direction.

[0059] The 1-3 module 33 includes a drive unit 331 and an output shaft 332. The output shaft 332 is connected to the main body 324 of the 1-2 module 32. When the drive unit 331 is turned on, the output shaft 332 rotates, and the main body 324 can then rotate about the z-axis, that is, rotate in the xy plane. When the main body 324 rotates, the holder 35 and the image acquisition unit 20 connected to the main body 324 can also rotate in the same direction.

[0060] In this specification, the expressions "rotate in a direction (or rotate around an axis)" and "rotate on a plane" should be interpreted as also including "rotate in a direction (or rotate around an axis) at an angle to the direction (or axis)" and "rotate on a plane at an angle to the plane", respectively.

[0061] The first movement unit 30 may further include an additional module (not shown) that moves the image acquisition unit 20 along the z-direction, i.e., the longitudinal direction of the body part to be inserted by the needle, and a rotation module (not shown) that rotates the image acquisition unit 20 in the xz plane, i.e., about the 1-2 axis. The additional module can increase the DOF (degrees of freedom) of the movement of the image acquisition unit 20 and help identify the direction of extension of the blood vessel. The rotation module can also help identify the direction of extension of the blood vessel, as described below. The additional module can be incorporated into at least one of the 1-1 module 31 to the 1-3 module 33, or can be provided in a separate module.

[0062] Figure 4 An exploded perspective view of the second mobile unit 50 of the device of the present invention is shown.

[0063] The second moving unit 50 includes a 2-1 module 51 that moves the insertion unit 40 in the 2-1 direction (x'), a 2-2 module 52 that moves the insertion unit 40 in the 2-2 direction (y'), and a 2-3 module 53 that moves the insertion unit 40 in the 2-3 direction (z'). The 2-3 direction can be a direction that forms a predetermined angle with the z' axis on a plane parallel to the y'z' plane.

[0064] Although modules 51, 52, 53 are drawn and described separately, they can be combined into one module. Alternatively, the module can be constructed as two modules including a first module for moving the plug-in unit 40 in two directions and a second module for moving the plug-in unit in the remaining one direction.

[0065] The 2-1 direction (x'), the 2-2 direction (y'), and the z' direction can be defined as being the same as the 1-1 direction x, the 1-2 direction y, and the 1-3 direction z, respectively. In a preferred embodiment, the 2-3 direction may have a certain angle relative to the 1-3 direction. The angle may be 5° to 60°, preferably 20° to 45°.

[0066] The 2-1 module 51 includes a screw 511, a movable member 512 that moves along the screw when the screw rotates, a main body 514, a drive unit 515, and a guide 54. The screw 511 extends along the 2-1 direction (x' direction). The movable member 512 is fixed to a fixed portion 526. The fixed portion 526 includes a guide mounting portion 527 at its lower portion, which is slidably connected to the guide 54. The fixed portion 526 can be provided on the main body 524 of the 2-2 module 52. The guide 54 extends along the 2-1 direction and can be fixed to the second guide fixing portion 251 of the horizontal rod 250 of the frame 200.

[0067] The drive unit 515 rotates the screw 511, thereby moving the movable member 512 along the screw 511 in the 2-1 direction. The fixed portion 526 is then guided along the guide 54 and moves in the 2-1 direction. Furthermore, the main body 524 is capable of moving in the 2-1 direction. As described below, the 2-3 module 53, on which the insertion unit 40 is provided, is fixed to the 2-2 module 52. Therefore, the drive unit 515 is capable of moving the insertion unit 40 in the 2-1 direction.

[0068] The 2-2 module 52 includes a screw 521, a movable member 522 that moves on the screw when the screw rotates, a main body 524, a drive unit 525, and a fixed portion 526. The movable member 522 is fixed to the fixed portion 535 of the 2-3 module 53, thereby connecting the 2-2 module 52 with the 2-3 module 53. The screw 521 extends along the 2-2 direction (y' direction). The main body 524 may be provided with a guide (not shown) to which the movable member 522 is slidably connected.

[0069] The driving unit 525 rotates the screw 521, so that the movable member 522 is guided on the screw 521 and moves in the 2-2 direction. Therefore, the 2-3 module 53 connected to the movable member 522 also moves in the 2-2 direction; and the insertion unit 40 provided at the 2-3 module 53 can also move in the 2-2 direction.

[0070] The 2-3 module 53 includes a screw 531, a movable member 532, a main body 534, a fixed portion 535, a drive unit 536, and a guide 537 extending along the 2-3 direction and arranged at the main body 534. The screw 531 extends along the 2-3 direction. The movable member 532 is fixed to the fixed portion 533 arranged at the insertion unit 40. The insertion unit 40 includes a main body 41, a piston 43, a needle 45 inserted into the body, and a fixed portion 533. The fixed portion 533 is provided with a guide mounting portion 538 that is slidably connected to the guide 537. The insertion unit 40 may also include a sensor (not shown) for detecting the entrance of blood. The sensor can detect the entrance of blood by sensing the color of blood or the absorbance of blood. The sensor can be arranged in the second mobile unit 50 instead of being arranged in the insertion unit 40.

[0071] The driving unit 536 rotates the screw 531, thereby moving the movable member 532 in the 2-3 direction on the screw 531. Then, the insertion unit 40 connected to the movable member 532 moves along the guide 537 in the 2-3 direction.

[0072] The second mobile unit 52 may also include an adjustment module (not shown) for adjusting the angle of the insertion unit 40. The angle of the insertion unit 40 can be adjusted by rotating the insertion unit 40 around the y' axis or by rotating the insertion unit 40 around the x' axis, that is, on the y'z' plane. Since the insertion unit 40 can be aligned with the extension direction of the blood vessel when the needle is inserted into the body, the accuracy of blood collection can be improved by adjusting the previous rotation. The penetration depth of the needle can be adjusted by adjusting the subsequent rotation. The rotation around the y' axis and the rotation around the x' axis can be performed by one module or two or more modules provided separately. Alternatively, at least one of the 2-1 module to the 2-3 module can be configured to perform rotation.

[0073] A timing belt is used in the 1-1 module 31 and the 1-2 module 32 to easily measure the pressure applied to the component to be driven. In the 2-1 module 51 to the 2-3 module 53, a screw is used to ensure the positioning accuracy of the component to be driven. However, these embodiments are merely exemplary, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. The screw can be used as a component to be driven in at least one of the 1-1 module 31 to the 1-3 module 33. In addition, a timing belt can be used as a component to be driven in at least one of the 2-1 module 51 to the 2-3 module 53. Alternatively, a rack and pinion (not shown) can also be used as the component to be driven, and various other mechanical components can be used as the component to be driven.

[0074] In addition, an electronic tag (not shown) may be provided in at least one of the holder 35, the insertion unit 40, the guide connecting portion 351, the first connecting portion 325 of the timing belt, etc. In these embodiments, the position of the component can be easily calculated based on the position of the electronic tag detected by the sensor or camera.

[0075] A controller (not shown) can calculate the position of the components of the device of the present invention and control the operation of the components. The controller can be an electronic computing device connected to the device of the present invention, such as a PC, smart phone, tablet computer, etc., or a remotely connected server.

[0076] The operation of the device of the present invention will now be described. Although, for ease of explanation, an embodiment is described in which the insertion into the body is for blood collection and the image acquisition unit 20 is an ultrasonic probe, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. The operations described below can be performed by a controller (not shown) according to program code conceived for the present invention. The insertion position can be determined based on conventional image analysis methods and machine learning, particularly convolutional neural network technology.

[0077] For blood collection, the location of the superficial vein is determined; the insertion unit 40 is moved toward the determined location; a needle is inserted into the vein at the location; and blood is then drawn through the needle.

[0078] The person passes their arm through the holding unit 110 and then places the arm in the placement portion 350. Next, in step 500, at least one of the 1-1 module 31 and the 1-2 module 32 is driven to move the image acquisition unit 20 toward the body part to be inserted with the needle. Preferably, the image acquisition unit 20 is first moved to the center of the body part.

[0079] In step 510, the position of the organ to be inserted by the needle, such as a superficial vein, is determined. For example, the position can be determined by the method disclosed in Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0010302 or other methods using machine learning based on image analysis.

[0080] The image acquisition unit 20 moves to the body part to be inserted by the needle and contacts the body part. In an exemplary embodiment, the image acquisition unit 20 moves to a position above the body part in at least one of the 1-1 direction and the 1-3 direction. Subsequently, the drive unit 321 lowers the image acquisition unit 20 in the 1-2 direction (y direction) so that the image acquisition unit contacts the body part. By sensing the load applied to the drive unit 321, it is possible to identify whether the image acquisition unit 20 is in contact with the body part. In the case where the image acquisition unit 20 is an ultrasonic probe, the pressure applied by the ultrasonic probe can be controlled by adjusting the load applied to the drive unit 321. The pressure applied by the ultrasonic probe to the body part can be 0 to 50 mmHg, preferably 5 to 30 mmHg.

[0081] The ultrasound probe can be maintained in a position where the size of the organ to be inserted by the needle (e.g., a superficial vein) can be seen at its maximum size. If the organ to be inserted by the needle is not identified, the image acquisition unit 20 moves to another position and the detection of the organ begins again. First, the detection is performed at the center of the body part. If the organ to be inserted by the needle is not detected at the center, the image acquisition unit 20 can be moved from the center in the 1-1 direction to a lateral position and detection is performed at that position. In an embodiment in which a module for the z direction is provided, if the second detection fails, the image acquisition unit 20 can be moved away from the center in the z direction to perform further detection. If the detection fails a predetermined number of times, it can be regarded as a failure to detect the superficial vein.

[0082] A portion of the ultrasound probe can be spaced apart from the body part because the surface of the probe is planar, unlike non-planar body parts. The 1-3 drive unit rotates the ultrasound probe 20 in the xy plane so that the probe comes into contact with the body part, and an image of the inside of the body can be obtained.

[0083] According to the present invention, the pressure applied to the body by an ultrasound probe can be measured and used for machine learning, enabling machine learning to determine the relationships between optimal pressure, optimal compression duration, optimal compression position, and other factors. This data can be used as additional learning information to accurately classify anatomical structures observed in ultrasound images. For example, learning information can be used to improve the accuracy of machine learning by using pressure applied to only veins and subcutaneous fat, pressure applied to muscles, and pressure applied to arteries.

[0084] In order to operate the apparatus of the present invention, the precise positions of the image acquisition unit 20 and the insertion unit 40 should be obtained.

[0085] The controller of the device can calculate the position of each component based on the size of the component and the control value (e.g., output value) of the drive unit. The method for calculating the position can be conceived from conventional technology, so since it is not essential to the present invention, its description is omitted.

[0086] The position of each component can be determined by a sensor or camera. For example, the distance between components can be determined by two or more cameras (not shown). Alternatively, the position can be determined by a distance sensor or a position sensor. The sensor can be an infrared sensor or a laser sensor. The distance sensor can measure the distance between components moved by the drive unit. The position sensor detects whether the component is set at a predetermined position.

[0087] If the position calculated by the controller is different from the position obtained by the sensor or camera, the calculated position may be replaced by the position obtained by the sensor or camera.

[0088] After determining the location of the superficial vein through image analysis and machine learning, the process of identifying the extending direction of the blood vessel can be performed. The extending direction of the blood vessel can be identified by analyzing images obtained during movement of the image acquisition unit 20 in the longitudinal direction of the body part, i.e., the z-direction, or by analyzing images obtained after the image acquisition unit 20 is rotated about the y-axis. To determine the extending direction of the blood vessel, an additional module and / or a rotation module (not shown) may be required.

[0089] Unlike conventional blood collection performed by medical personnel, it is not necessary to identify the direction of extension of the blood vessel in the present invention. However, identifying the direction of extension of the blood vessel can increase the possibility of successful needle insertion.

[0090] In step 520, after the superficial vein is identified through the above process, at least one of the 2-1 drive unit 515 to the 2-3 drive unit 536 moves the insertion unit 40 toward a position close to the superficial vein. In step 530, the needle 45 is further moved in the 2-3 direction; inserted into the vein; and then blood is collected by pulling the piston 43. To simplify the description, the module for moving the piston 43 is not shown. A sensor for detecting blood flowing into the insertion unit can be provided to detect whether blood collection is successful. Preferably, the position of the blood vessel is monitored during blood collection. Therefore, it is preferred that the needle be inserted in the 2-3 direction while the ultrasound probe 20 is in contact with the object to be inserted.

[0091] According to the present invention, the insertion path of needle 45 and the direction of extension of the blood vessel do not need to be on the same plane. Typically, medical personnel performing blood collection insert the needle into the body at a small angle relative to the skin, aligning the insertion path with the direction of extension of the blood vessel. This causes the blood vessel to be pushed, and the blood vessel wall to be scraped and damaged. However, according to the present invention, since the image of the blood vessel, the needle insertion angle, and the needle position are monitored in real time by analyzing the images obtained by the image acquisition unit 20, the needle can be inserted at a relatively large angle relative to the skin and to an appropriate penetration depth. In addition, according to the present invention, the scope of invasiveness can be minimized.

[0092] The present invention is also advantageous in that the insertion angle of the needle 45 does not need to be aligned with the extension path of the blood vessel and does not need to be set on the plane of the ultrasound probe.

[0093] If the image acquisition unit 20 is a photoacoustic imaging device that does not require contact with anything, the needle 45 can be inserted into the blood vessel and blood can be collected without the image acquisition unit 20 being in contact with the body part to be inserted. In this case, the needle 45 can be inserted at an angle almost perpendicular to the skin, thereby further minimizing the scope of invasiveness.

[0094] Although the present invention has been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, the scope of the present invention is determined by the claims and should not be construed as being limited by the above-described embodiments and / or the accompanying drawings. It should be clearly understood that improvements, changes, and modifications of the present invention disclosed in the claims and obvious to those skilled in the art also fall within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, this description is intended to be illustrative only and is not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments herein in any other way.

Claims

1. A body insertion device for a body, the body insertion device comprising: a body placement unit for placing a body part passing through the holding unit; a frame configured as: a pair of columns spaced apart in a lateral direction of the body part placed on the body placement unit; and a horizontal rod extending between the pair of columns in the lateral direction of the body part; Image acquisition unit; a first moving unit configured to move the image acquisition unit and including a first guide extending in the transverse direction and fixed to a first guide fixing portion of the horizontal rod; Insert unit; as well as a second moving unit configured to move the insertion unit and including a second guide extending in the transverse direction and fixed to a second guide fixing portion of the horizontal rod, wherein the second guide fixing portion is configured to be spaced apart from the first guide fixing portion in a longitudinal direction of the body part placed on the body placement unit; wherein the first moving unit includes at least one of the following: a 1-1 module for moving the image acquisition unit in a 1-1 direction according to the first guide, a 1-2 module for moving the image acquisition unit in a 1-2 direction, and a 1-3 module connected to the 1-2 module for moving the image acquisition unit in a 1-3 direction; and The second moving unit includes at least one of the following: a 2-1 module for moving the insertion unit in a 2-1 direction according to the second guide, a 2-2 module for moving the insertion unit in a 2-2 direction, and a 2-3 module for moving the insertion unit in a 2-3 direction.

2. The body insertion device according to claim 1, wherein At least one of the 1-1 module to the 2-3 module includes: a drive unit; and an object driven by the drive unit; wherein the object is connected to the image acquisition unit or the insertion unit to move the unit according to the control of the drive unit; and wherein the object is at least one of the following: a synchronous belt extending between at least two pulleys driven by the drive unit, a screw driven by the drive unit, and a rack / pinion driven by the drive unit.

3. The body insertion device according to claim 1, wherein The 1-1 direction is a transverse direction of the body part to be inserted; the 1-2 direction is a height direction of the body part; and the 1-3 direction is a rotational direction which is a longitudinal direction of the body part.

4. The body insertion device according to claim 1, wherein The 2-1 direction is a transverse direction of the body part to be inserted; the 2-2 direction is a height direction of the body part; and the 2-3 direction is a direction having a predetermined angle with respect to a longitudinal direction of the body part.

5. The body insertion device according to claim 4, further comprising a 2-4 module for adjusting the predetermined angle, the 2-4 module rotating the insertion unit around at least one of the 2-1 direction and the 2-2 direction.

6. The body insertion device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein The image acquisition unit is selected from the group consisting of an ultrasonic probe, a photoacoustic imaging device, a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor including a near-infrared light emitting diode for identifying position coordinates of light reflected from the inside of a body, CT, and MRI.

7. The body insertion device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein The body part to be inserted is a blood vessel; and the second moving unit includes a sensor for detecting entry of blood.

8. The body insertion device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising at least one of the following: a 1-4 module, the 1-4 module being used to rotate the image acquisition unit around the 1-2 direction; and a 1-5 module being used to move the image acquisition unit along the longitudinal direction of the body part to be inserted.

9. The body insertion device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising at least one of: a position sensor for detecting the position of a component moved by the first moving unit or the second moving unit; and a distance sensor for measuring the relative distance between components.

10. The body insertion device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein At least one of the components moved by the first moving unit or the second moving unit includes an electronic tag for identifying a location.

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