Medical garbage can metal foreign matter detection control method

Abstract

The invention discloses a medical garbage can metal foreign matter detection control method, and belongs to the field of medical waste intelligent management and control. Aiming at pain points which are large in detection blind area, high in omission ratio, incapable of positioning and poor in adaptive diagnosis and treatment process in the prior art, the method is based on distributed multi-surface sensing arrays arranged on four inner side walls of a garbage can; through four core steps of environment signal dynamic calibration, working mode self-adaptive switching, low-power-consumption real-time monitoring and multi-sensor fusion three-dimensional positioning, full-time non-blind area detection of metal foreign matters in a barrel is realized, extended functions of temporary interception, instrument type identification, hospital management system docking and the like can be matched, the detection accuracy is remarkably improved, and the detection cost is reduced. And the use requirement of frequent cover opening in a medical scene is met, the risk of mistakenly abandoning small metal instruments can be effectively reduced, and the foreign matter treatment efficiency is greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of intelligent management and control of medical waste, and specifically relates to a method for detecting and controlling metal foreign objects in medical waste bins. Background Technology

[0002] In dental clinics and other medical settings, a large number of contaminated waste items are generated daily, such as cotton balls, gauze, and disposable saliva suction tubes. This also involves a large number of small, reusable metal instruments that require strict recycling, such as dental probes, curettes, burs, and root canal files. These small metal instruments are easily mixed into the waste.

[0003] In the prior art, some medical waste bins attempt to integrate metal detection functions. For example, Chinese patent publication number CN210417860U discloses a smart alarm device for clinical medical waste sorting, which only sets a single metal sensor at the waste disposal port and can only detect the presence of metal at the moment of disposal. Another common solution is to integrate a single-point or single-plane metal sensor at the lid. When the lid is closed, the sensor performs a one-time scan detection of the space inside the bin.

[0004] The aforementioned existing technical solutions have the following inherent drawbacks: 1. Large blind spots and uneven sensitivity: Single-point or single-plane sensors (usually at the top / disposal opening) are sensitive to metal near the sensor area, but the detection signal may attenuate for metal objects at the bottom, corners, and side walls away from the sensor, leading to a high risk of missed detection. When nurses quickly discard items, small instruments that do not pass through the detection area may not be detected.

[0005] 2. Delayed and reactive detection: The existing solution only triggers detection the moment the lid is closed or the contents are disposed of, which is a "post-event verification". Once the equipment has been put into the waste and mixed in, even if an alarm is triggered, it is necessary to search through the waste for tracing, which is inefficient and increases the risk of cross-contamination and operator exposure.

[0006] 3. Inability to locate and alert: Existing technologies typically only issue a global alarm indicating "metal is present," but cannot specify the exact location of the metal device within the container (e.g., on which side or in which corner). This makes subsequent retrieval and removal operations extremely inconvenient and prolongs processing time.

[0007] 4. Incompatible with workflow, easily causing interference: During dental treatment, the trash can is often left open for frequent disposal of disposable waste. The top sensor cannot function when the lid is open, and if the lid is frequently closed to maintain detection, it will seriously affect the continuity and efficiency of treatment and cleaning.

[0008] 5. At the control algorithm level, existing technologies generally employ a single detection logic triggered by a fixed threshold, lacking adaptive environmental signal calibration capabilities. When obstructed by debris or subject to environmental electromagnetic interference, the false detection rate can exceed 15%. Furthermore, a multi-sensor signal fusion positioning algorithm model has not been established, enabling only binary determination of "metal presence or absence," failing to output accurate three-dimensional position information. Moreover, it cannot dynamically adjust the detection frequency and power according to the usage scenario, making it difficult to balance power consumption and detection accuracy, resulting in a battery life generally less than 3 months. The core innovation of this invention lies in proposing a distributed metal detection and positioning control algorithm system, addressing the aforementioned pain points of existing technologies from an algorithmic perspective.

[0009] The practical problem arising from the aforementioned drawbacks is that nurses, during the busy post-treatment cleaning process, still risk accidentally disposing of valuable or strictly recyclable small dental metal instruments into medical waste bins. This directly increases the cost of instrument wear and tear. More importantly, if these contaminated instruments go undetected and are transported with medical waste, it will pose biosafety risks and environmental hazards. Summary of the Invention

[0010] To address the shortcomings of the existing technology, this invention provides a method for detecting and controlling metal foreign objects in medical waste bins, achieving real-time, all-around, and location-based detection of metal foreign objects, fundamentally eliminating the risk of small metal instruments being mistakenly discarded.

[0011] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides a method for detecting and controlling metal foreign objects in a medical waste bin, based on a distributed multi-faceted sensing array. The sensing array is disposed on the four inner sidewalls of the waste bin. The method includes the following steps: S1. Environmental signal calibration: The system automatically collects the background electromagnetic signals of each sensing unit upon initial startup or after each lid is closed, and generates a dynamic baseline threshold. S2. Adaptive Mode Switching: Automatically switches working modes based on the signal from the lid status sensor: when the lid is open, it enters low-power monitoring mode; when the lid is closed or the monitoring mode triggers an alarm, it enters full-power scanning positioning mode. S3. Low power consumption monitoring: In low power consumption mode, all sensing units work intermittently at the first preset frequency. When the detection signal of any sensing unit exceeds the dynamic baseline threshold, an alarm is immediately triggered and the system switches to full power scanning mode. S4. Three-dimensional positioning calculation: In full-power scanning mode, the sensing units at each position are activated in a preset order to perform full-power scanning, collect the signal strength of all sensing units, calculate the horizontal orientation and vertical height of the metal foreign object through a multi-sensor signal fusion algorithm, and drive the indicator lights at the corresponding orientation to light up. The hardware system supporting the method includes: a barrel body, a barrel lid hinged to the top of the barrel body, a distributed multi-faceted sensor array distributed on the four inner walls of the barrel body, a control unit set in the barrel lid, a barrel lid status sensor, an audible and visual alarm unit, and a group of directional indicator lights corresponding to the positions of the inner walls.

[0012] In one embodiment, the dynamic baseline threshold update logic in step S1 is as follows: each calibration collects 10 background signals and takes the average value as the baseline, and sets the threshold to 120% of the baseline value. When the ambient temperature changes by more than ±5℃, recalibration is automatically triggered.

[0013] In one embodiment, in step S2, the first preset frequency of the low-power monitoring mode is 1 time / second, the working time of a single sensing unit is 10ms each time, and the overall average power consumption is less than 5mA; in the full-power scanning mode, the working time of a single sensing unit is 100ms each time, and the scanning cycle is 200ms.

[0014] In one embodiment, the three-dimensional positioning calculation logic of step S4 is as follows: First, compare the signal strength of the four inner sidewall sensing units to determine the 1-2 adjacent sidewalls with the highest signal strength as the horizontal orientation, and then compare the signal strength of sensing units at different heights of the sidewall to determine the vertical height, with a positioning error not exceeding 5cm.

[0015] In one embodiment, the control unit has a built-in metal feature matching algorithm and pre-stores the signal feature spectra of different types of medical metal devices. When a metal signal is detected, the collected signal features are compared with the feature database to identify the type of metal device and output different levels of audible and visual alarm signals accordingly.

[0016] In one embodiment, in full-power scanning mode, if no metal signal is detected in three consecutive scans, it is automatically determined to be a false trigger, and the system returns to low-power monitoring mode.

[0017] In one embodiment, the induction array of each inner sidewall consists of 2 to 3 independent electromagnetic induction coils arranged longitudinally, which together form a sidewall induction subarray. All induction units adopt a sealed modular structure and are detachably connected to the control unit through waterproof connectors.

[0018] In one embodiment, a retractable temporary interception net electrically connected to the control unit is provided below the opening of the bucket. When a metal input signal is detected in the low-power monitoring mode, the control unit drives the interception net to pop out within 20ms to receive the input item, and it is retracted after manual confirmation.

[0019] In one embodiment, the control unit has a built-in communication module that supports interface with the hospital's HIS system and medical device management system. When an alarm is triggered, the medical device usage list for the current treatment period is automatically synchronized to assist in quickly verifying missing medical devices.

[0020] In one embodiment, in full-power scanning mode, when the lid is closed, the system automatically performs a full scan of the bucket every 5 minutes. If a metal signal is detected, an alarm is triggered, and the alarm time and location information are recorded and stored in the local log.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this application are: Eliminating blind spots and improving detection reliability: Through the design of a distributed multi-faceted sensing array, the sensing units are distributed on the four inner side walls. No matter whether the metal instrument falls into the bottom, corner or close to the side wall of the barrel, it can be detected at close range, reducing the false detection rate to close to 0.

[0022] Real-time interception and rapid disposal: The low-power monitoring mode works continuously with the lid open. An alarm is triggered the moment metal is put in. When used with a temporary interception net, it can prevent the equipment from getting into the depths of the garbage, greatly reducing the difficulty of searching and the risk of contamination.

[0023] It has a precise positioning function: by comparing the signal strength of different sensing units, it can intuitively indicate the location and height of the metal, so that medical staff can quickly locate and remove it, improving the treatment efficiency by more than 80%.

[0024] Adapted to medical workflows: The dual-working-mode design allows for continuous testing without frequently closing the lid, without interfering with normal diagnosis and treatment or waste disposal processes, providing a user-friendly experience.

[0025] Meets the requirements of medical scenarios: The modular sealed design supports repeated disinfection and cleaning, and the system linkage function can form a closed loop with the existing medical management process, further reducing the risk of instrument loss. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 This application provides a schematic flowchart of a method for detecting and controlling metal foreign objects in a medical waste bin. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the workflow of a method for detecting and controlling metal foreign objects in a medical waste bin, as provided in this application. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application are described clearly and completely below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are also within the scope of protection of this application.

[0029] See Figures 1-2 As shown, this application provides a method for detecting and controlling metal foreign objects in a medical waste bin, which is based on a distributed multi-faceted sensing array. The sensing array is disposed on the four inner side walls of the waste bin. The method includes the following steps: S1. Environmental signal calibration: The system automatically collects the background electromagnetic signals of each sensing unit upon initial startup or after each lid is closed, generating a dynamic baseline threshold.

[0030] In this embodiment, the metal-sensing medical waste bin includes a bin body and a bin lid hinged to the top of the bin body. At least one metal sensing unit is embedded in each of the four inner side walls (front, back, left, and right) of the bin body, and all metal sensing units together constitute a distributed multi-faceted sensing array.

[0031] Specifically, a rectangular planar electromagnetic induction coil is embedded in each of the four inner sidewalls of the bucket as a metal sensing unit. The four sensing units together form a distributed sensing array covering most of the space inside the bucket. All metal sensing units are sealed modular structures, electrically connected to the control unit inside the bucket lid via waterproof connectors, and are removable and replaceable.

[0032] The lid has a control unit inside, and also integrates a lid status sensor (magnetic reed switch), an audible and visual alarm unit, and a directional indicator light group that are electrically connected to the control unit. The four indicator lights in the directional indicator light group correspond to the positions of the four inner side walls and are located on the top edge of the lid.

[0033] The lid 2 also contains a rechargeable lithium battery to power the entire system.

[0034] S2. Adaptive Mode Switching: Automatically switches working modes based on the signal from the lid status sensor: when the lid is open, it enters low-power monitoring mode; when the lid is closed or the monitoring mode triggers an alarm, it enters full-power scanning positioning mode. S3. Low power consumption monitoring: In low power consumption mode, all sensing units work intermittently at the first preset frequency. When the detection signal of any sensing unit exceeds the dynamic baseline threshold, an alarm is immediately triggered and the system switches to full power scanning mode. S4. Three-dimensional positioning calculation: In full-power scanning mode, the sensing units at each position are activated in a preset order to perform full-power scanning, collect the signal strength of all sensing units, calculate the horizontal orientation and vertical height of the metal foreign object through a multi-sensor signal fusion algorithm, and drive the indicator lights at the corresponding orientation to light up.

[0035] The control unit has built-in dual operating modes: In low-power monitoring mode: When the lid status sensor detects that the lid is open, all side wall metal sensing units work intermittently at a preset low frequency to continuously monitor their respective areas; once a metal object enters its effective detection range, a light alarm is immediately triggered, and the position and timestamp of the triggering unit are simultaneously uploaded to the control unit to provide initial coordinate anchor points for subsequent 3D positioning.

[0036] In full-power scanning positioning mode: When the lid status sensor detects that the lid is closed, or when the low-power monitoring mode triggers an alarm, the system switches to this mode. Each metal sensing unit is activated in an orderly manner to perform high-precision scanning. The control unit compares the signal strength attenuation gradient and spatial distribution characteristics of each unit in real time to determine the three-dimensional coordinates of the metal foreign object inside the bucket, and drives the corresponding orientation indicator and height indicator to light up synchronously.

[0037] Meanwhile, the control unit activates the metal feature matching algorithm to compare the real-time collected signal spectrum with the built-in medical device feature database. If high-risk instruments such as surgical scissors or hemostats are identified, a red flashing alarm is triggered and a voice prompt is added: "Sharp instrument detected, please handle immediately." The ambient temperature sensor monitors the temperature change inside the tank simultaneously. Once the fluctuation exceeds ±5℃, the S1 environmental signal calibration is automatically performed to ensure that the dynamic baseline threshold is always accurately adapted to the current working conditions.

[0038] The specific workflow is as follows: Example

[0039] When the lid is opened, the system automatically enters a low-power monitoring mode. First, it performs an environmental calibration, collecting 10 background signals and averaging them as a baseline. The threshold is set to 120% of the baseline value. The four metal sensing units operate intermittently at a frequency of 1 time per second, with a single operation duration of 10ms and an average power consumption of only 4.2mA. When a metal object is inserted, the nearest sensing unit detects a signal exceeding the threshold and immediately triggers an audible and visual alarm. Simultaneously, the system switches to full-power scanning positioning mode within 100ms. The four sensing units operate at full power sequentially in the order of front → back → left → right, with a single scan duration of 100ms. The control unit compares the signal strength of the four sensing units and determines the horizontal location of the metal object on the strongest one or two adjacent sidewalls. If multiple layers of induction coils are installed on the sidewalls, the signal strength of coils at different heights is further compared to determine the vertical position. The positioning error does not exceed 5cm. Finally, the corresponding location indicator light illuminates, guiding medical personnel to remove the object.

[0040] When the lid is closed, the system automatically triggers a full-power scan, then enters standby mode, automatically performing a full-barrel scan every 5 minutes. If metal is detected, an alarm is triggered, and the alarm time and location information are recorded and stored in the local log to prevent missed metals when the lid is opened. When the ambient temperature changes by more than ±5℃, the system automatically triggers recalibration to eliminate detection errors caused by temperature drift.

[0041] The performance verification test data of this embodiment are as follows: For dental metal instruments with a length ≥ 5mm, the detection accuracy at any position inside the barrel reaches 99.8%, and the false negative rate is only 0.2%, which is far lower than the average false negative rate of 12% of the existing technology; the positioning response time is ≤ 0.5s, the positioning accuracy is ≤ 5cm, and the battery life after a single full charge can reach 6 months, which is more than twice that of existing similar products. Example

[0042] This embodiment, based on Embodiment 1, adds a retractable temporary interception net below the bin opening. The drive mechanism of the temporary interception net is electrically connected to the control unit. When the low-power monitoring mode detects a metal input signal, the control unit immediately drives the interception net to pop out within 20ms to catch the recently inserted item. Medical personnel can directly remove the mistakenly inserted metal device from the interception net. After confirming that there is no metal, they press the retraction button, the interception net retracts, and the item falls into the bin, further preventing metal from mixing deep into the waste. Tests for rapid disposal scenarios show that this interception mechanism can reduce the disposal time after mistakenly inserting metal devices from an average of 15 minutes to less than 10 seconds, reducing the risk of cross-contamination by more than 90%.

[0043] Meanwhile, the control unit has a built-in metal feature matching algorithm that pre-stores the signal feature spectra of 12 common metal instruments such as dental probes, burs, and root canal files. When a metal signal is detected, feature comparison can be completed within 200ms with an accuracy rate of 92%. The alarm volume and prompt tone type can be adjusted accordingly. The built-in communication module 9 supports Wi-Fi / Bluetooth connectivity and can interface with the instrument management system of dental clinics. When an alarm is triggered, the instrument usage list for the current treatment period is automatically pushed, helping nurses to quickly check the missing instrument types, improving the checking efficiency by more than 70%.

[0044] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A method for detecting and controlling metal foreign objects in a medical waste bin, based on a distributed multi-faceted sensing array, wherein the sensing array is disposed on the four inner side walls of the waste bin, characterized in that... The method includes the following steps: S1. Environmental signal calibration: The system automatically collects the background electromagnetic signals of each sensing unit upon initial startup or after each lid is closed, and generates a dynamic baseline threshold. S2. Adaptive Mode Switching: Automatically switches working modes based on the signal from the lid status sensor: when the lid is open, it enters low-power monitoring mode; when the lid is closed or the monitoring mode triggers an alarm, it enters full-power scanning positioning mode. S3. Low power consumption monitoring: In low power consumption mode, all sensing units work intermittently at the first preset frequency. When the detection signal of any sensing unit exceeds the dynamic baseline threshold, an alarm is immediately triggered and the system switches to full power scanning mode. S4. Three-dimensional positioning calculation: In full-power scanning mode, the sensing units at each position are activated in a preset order to perform full-power scanning, collect the signal strength of all sensing units, calculate the horizontal orientation and vertical height of the metal foreign object through a multi-sensor signal fusion algorithm, and drive the indicator lights at the corresponding orientation to light up. The hardware system supporting the method includes: a barrel body, a barrel lid hinged to the top of the barrel body, a distributed multi-faceted sensor array distributed on the four inner walls of the barrel body, a control unit set in the barrel lid, a barrel lid status sensor, an audible and visual alarm unit, and a group of directional indicator lights corresponding to the positions of the inner walls.

2. The method for detecting and controlling metal foreign objects in a medical waste bin according to claim 1, characterized in that: The dynamic baseline threshold update logic in step S1 is as follows: each calibration collects 10 background signals and takes the average value as the baseline. The threshold is set to 120% of the baseline value. When the ambient temperature changes by more than ±5℃, recalibration is automatically triggered.

3. The method for detecting and controlling metal foreign objects in a medical waste bin according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S2, the first preset frequency of the low-power monitoring mode is 1 time / second, the working time of a single sensing unit is 10ms each time, and the overall average power consumption is less than 5mA; in the full-power scanning mode, the working time of a single sensing unit is 100ms each time, and the scanning cycle is 200ms.

4. The method for detecting and controlling metal foreign objects in a medical waste bin according to claim 1, characterized in that: The three-dimensional positioning calculation logic in step S4 is as follows: First, compare the signal strength of the four inner wall sensing units to determine the 1-2 adjacent sidewalls with the highest signal strength as the horizontal orientation. Then, compare the signal strength of sensing units at different heights of the sidewall to determine the vertical height. The positioning error shall not exceed 5cm.

5. The method for detecting and controlling metal foreign objects in a medical waste bin according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control unit has a built-in metal feature matching algorithm and pre-stores the signal feature spectra of different types of medical metal devices. When a metal signal is detected, the collected signal features are compared with the feature database to identify the type of metal device and output different levels of audible and visual alarm signals accordingly.

6. The method for detecting and controlling metal foreign objects in a medical waste bin according to claim 1, characterized in that: In full-power scan mode, if no metal signal is detected in three consecutive scans, it is automatically determined to be a false trigger, and the system will revert to low-power monitoring mode.

7. The method for detecting and controlling metal foreign objects in a medical waste bin according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each inner wall induction array consists of 2 to 3 independent electromagnetic induction coils arranged longitudinally, which together form the side wall induction subarray. All induction units adopt a sealed modular structure and are detachably connected to the control unit through waterproof connectors.

8. The method for detecting and controlling metal foreign objects in a medical waste bin according to claim 1, characterized in that: A retractable temporary interception net is installed below the bucket opening and is electrically connected to the control unit. When a metal input signal is detected in the low-power monitoring mode, the control unit drives the interception net to pop out within 20ms to receive the input item. After manual confirmation, the net is retracted.

9. The method for detecting and controlling metal foreign objects in a medical waste bin according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control unit has a built-in communication module that supports interface with the hospital's HIS system and medical device management system. When an alarm is triggered, it automatically synchronizes the medical device usage list for the current treatment period to help quickly verify missing medical devices.

10. The method for detecting and controlling metal foreign objects in a medical waste bin according to claim 1, characterized in that: In full-power scan mode, when the lid is closed, the system automatically performs a full scan of the bucket every 5 minutes. If a metal signal is detected, an alarm is triggered, and the alarm time and location information are recorded and stored in the local log.

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