Articulatable Camera for 180-Degree Retinal Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current diagnostic tools for diabetic retinopathy and other eye diseases have limited field of view and are often expensive and cumbersome, making early detection challenging and inaccessible to all patients and clinics.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing articulatable cameras that move to provide a wide-angle view of up to 180 degrees, allowing examination of the periphery of the retina, and using multiple spectrums and wavelengths to visualize eye anatomy, including a processor for image processing and a display for 2D or 3D image rendering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If microscope-like devices with fixed field of view are used to diagnose diabetic retinopathy, then the device structure is simple, but the field of view is limited and cannot capture peripheral retina
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the camera movable rather than fixed. The camera can be articulated and repositioned to capture images of different regions of the retina, including the peripheral areas that fixed cameras cannot reach. This dynamic positioning capability expands the effective field of view without requiring a single complex wide-angle lens system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs segmentation by dividing the retina examination into multiple captured regions. Instead of attempting to capture the entire retina in a single fixed view, the system captures multiple images of different retinal regions by moving the camera to different positions and angles, then combines these segmented views to form a comprehensive diagnostic picture.
2Measurement precision
If coherence tomography technology is used to improve diagnostic accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but the equipment becomes very complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the copying principle by using standard digital camera technology to capture optical images of the retina, rather than employing complex coherence tomography systems. The camera captures light reflected from retinal structures, creating visual copies or images that can be analyzed diagnostically. This approach achieves diagnostic accuracy through multiple high-quality optical images from different angles and spectrums, avoiding the complexity of tomographic scanning systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs multi-functionality by using a standard digital camera system that can capture images across multiple spectrums (visible, infrared, ultraviolet) and from multiple positions. This universal camera platform performs multiple diagnostic functions that would otherwise require specialized expensive equipment, making the system both accurate and accessible.
3Measurement precision
If confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope is used to achieve high spatial sensitivity, then measurement precision is improved, but the equipment is extremely cumbersome and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses standard digital camera copying technology to capture retinal images, replacing the complex confocal scanning laser system. By capturing optical copies of retinal structures through the pupil using conventional camera sensors, the system achieves sufficient spatial sensitivity for diagnosis without the cumbersome laser scanning mechanisms and associated complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical laser scanning system with a stationary camera that captures images optically. Instead of mechanically scanning a laser beam across the retina, the system uses the camera's optical system to capture reflected light from retinal structures, eliminating the mechanical complexity while maintaining diagnostic capability.
4Device complexity
If standard cameras are used for retinal imaging, then the device is simple and inexpensive, but the field of view remains limited and image quality is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the simple camera dynamic by enabling it to move to different positions and orientations. This dynamic capability allows the simple camera to capture a wide effective field of view by imaging multiple regions sequentially, combining to provide comprehensive retinal coverage that a single fixed camera cannot achieve.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds spatial dimensionality to the imaging approach by moving the camera in three-dimensional space around the eye. Instead of relying on a single two-dimensional fixed view, the system captures images from multiple positions and angles, effectively adding spatial dimensions to expand the total field of view while keeping each individual camera simple.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for creating a composite image of at least part of an eye is disclosed. The method includes receiving a first image of the eye captured along a first axis, receiving a second image of the eye captured along a second axis that is offset from the first axis, and receiving a third image of the eye captured along a third axis that is offset from the first axis and the second axis. The method then includes combining at least part of the first image, at least part of the second image, and at least part of the third image to create a composite image of at least part of the eye, the composite image having a field of view that is at least 180 degrees.