AR Specimen Identification for Automated Analysis Racks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automatic analysis devices and specimen inspection automation systems face challenges in efficiently and reliably identifying and extracting specimens with unanalyzed or reprocessing needs from multiple containers, leading to inefficiencies and potential contamination risks due to manual handling and visual confirmation requirements.
Innovation Solution
An automatic analysis device and specimen inspection automation system that utilize a smart device with a capturing unit and calculation unit to identify and mark specimen containers based on stored consideration information, allowing for efficient and accurate specification of specimens for reprocessing without manual rotation or direct contact, using augmented reality technology to recognize and display marks on the containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If LED lamps or direct marking on specimen containers are used to indicate specimens requiring extraction, then the position of specimens can be identified, but manual rotation and visual confirmation of all specimens are required, increasing the time and complexity of the extraction process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of manual rotation and visual inspection with an image processing system that automatically captures images of specimen containers, processes them to detect marks, and displays results on a screen. The system uses a camera to capture images, a mark detection unit to identify marks on containers, and a display unit to show the results, eliminating the need for manual rotation and direct visual confirmation of each specimen.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a visual copy of the specimen container arrangement through image capture and displays it on a screen. The mark detection unit processes these image copies to identify marked containers, and the display unit presents this information in a visual format that shows the position and state of all specimens simultaneously, eliminating the need for physical inspection of each container.
2Productivity
If multiple specimens remain uninspected due to unanalyzable items, then the automatic analysis device continues operation, but extracting the specific specimens requires referring to monitor screens and switching between screens to confirm breakdown information, significantly increasing operation time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the mark detection function with the existing display system. The mark detection unit not only detects marks on specimen containers but also integrates this information with the display unit that shows breakdown information. This allows the operator to view both the specimen positions and their analysis status in a single integrated display, eliminating the need to switch between multiple screens.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides immediate visual feedback by displaying the detected marks and their positions on the screen alongside the breakdown information. The display unit shows which specimens have marks indicating they require extraction, providing real-time feedback that eliminates the need for separate confirmation steps and screen switching.
3Ease of operation
If marks are printed directly on specimen containers to indicate extraction requirements, then the position can be identified, but the barcode reading may fail if the mark is printed on the barcode label area, and manual orientation of all specimens is required for confirmation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces direct physical marking on specimen containers with an electronic marking system. Instead of printing marks that could interfere with barcodes, the system captures images of the containers, detects marks through image processing, and displays the results electronically. This substitution eliminates the risk of barcode reading failures while maintaining the ability to identify specimens requiring extraction.
Data Source
AI summary
In order to easily identify a specimen to be extracted because, for example, an item remains uninspected, from a rack 31 collected in a storage part 13 or the rack 31 taken out from the storage part, a camera of a smart device takes an image of the rack; and a calculation unit included in the smart device provides a mark, by AR technology, at the position of a specimen to be extracted. For example, the item that remains uninspected is identified on the basis of information about a combination of a rack ID and an identifier and information, which is received from an operation unit about specimens at respective positions. Thus, irrespective of a place or whether the specimen to be extracted is inside or outside of the device, the specimen to be extracted can be reliably specified from a plurality of specimen containers provided on a holder.