Dental Tool Machine Consumable Recognition from Acoustic Touch Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dental machining systems face challenges in accurately identifying and verifying the correct dental consumables, leading to potential machining errors, quality issues, and increased costs due to the reliance on manual input and external recognition means.
Innovation Solution
Implementing trained artificial intelligence to analyze collision signals from dental tools and blanks, allowing for simultaneous identification and calibration, thereby reducing the need for external recognition tags and manual input, and enhancing the accuracy and safety of the machining process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual input and external recognition means are used to identify dental consumables, then the system can recognize consumable information, but the accuracy and reliability of identification deteriorates due to potential user errors
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-identification of dental consumables through automated acoustic analysis during the touch-process. The control means automatically detects and analyzes collision signals without requiring manual information input or external recognition tags, enabling the system to identify consumable type, material, and condition autonomously and accurately
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual information input and external recognition systems (such as RFID tags, barcodes, or QR codes) with an acoustic signal analysis system. The control means uses acoustic sensors to detect collision signals and applies artificial intelligence to analyze these signals, substituting mechanical and optical recognition methods with acoustic-based automated identification
2Measurement precision
If reading means and information tags are integrated into the machining compartment for automatic recognition, then identification accuracy improves, but the device complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The acoustic sensors and control means originally designed for collision detection and calibration purposes are made multi-functional by enabling them to also perform consumable identification. The same touch-process used for geometric measurement now simultaneously provides acoustic signals for identifying consumable type, material, and condition, eliminating the need for separate recognition systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the identification function from separate external recognition systems (reading means and information tags) and integrates it into the existing touch-process. By analyzing acoustic signals generated during the standard calibration collision, the system separates the identification capability from additional hardware components, achieving recognition without increasing device complexity
3Productivity
If the touch-process is used for calibration only, then the machining preparation is completed, but the identification of consumable type and condition is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs consumable identification during the preliminary touch-process before actual machining begins. By analyzing acoustic signals from the calibration collision, the system proactively identifies consumable type, material, and condition in advance, ensuring both machining preparation and accurate identification are completed before production starts
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the calibration function and identification function into a single integrated process. The touch-process simultaneously serves for geometric measurement/calibration and for acoustic-based consumable identification, combining two previously separate functions into one unified operation that achieves both preparation and information acquisition
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables earlier start of machining, reduces processing time, lowers costs, prevents incorrect consumable usage, ensures quality, and increases user satisfaction by providing a user-friendly, secure, and efficient identification method.
Implementation Method 1
The collision between dental blank and dental tool is detected through a sensor that generates a signal using a reference value. The signal is usually generated by using an acoustic sensor such as a microphone.
Data Source
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Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method of identifying dental consumables including at least one of a dental blank (2) and a dental tool (3) equipped into a dental tool machine (1), the method comprising: a step of colliding the dental tool (3) with the dental blank (2) or a dental blank holder of the dental tool machine (1); a step of detecting a signal indicative of the collision, characterized by further comprising: a step of analyzing the detected signal through trained artificial intelligence; and a step of identifying the type and/or condition of at least one of the dental consumables based on the analysis.