Augmented Surgical Reality System for Spatial Awareness

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Solution Overview

Problem

During minimally invasive surgical procedures, clinicians face limited visibility and spatial comprehension due to small incisions and sub-surface tissue structures, which hinders their ability to accurately navigate and perform surgeries efficiently.

Innovation Solution

An augmented surgical reality environment system that combines image capture devices, biometric sensors, and processors to generate and display augmented images, including anatomical data, tool positions, and vital signs, enhancing the clinician's field of view and procedural guidance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If minimally invasive surgical techniques are used with small incisions, then patient trauma and recovery time are reduced, but clinician field of vision and spatial comprehension are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient traumaVSAvoidclinician field of vision
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an augmented reality system as an intermediary between the clinician and the surgical field. The system uses image capture devices to obtain real-time images of the surgical site, processes these images to generate augmented reality representations, and displays them through a display device. This intermediary system provides the clinician with enhanced spatial comprehension and field of vision without requiring larger incisions, thus resolving the contradiction between minimizing patient trauma and maintaining adequate visual information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the two-dimensional image data captured from the surgical site into a three-dimensional augmented reality representation. The processor generates three-dimensional coordinates and renders three-dimensional images that provide depth perception and spatial relationships not available in traditional two-dimensional displays. This dimensional transformation allows clinicians to comprehend sub-surface tissue structures and spatial relationships while maintaining minimally invasive access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Measurement precision

If real-time image processing and augmented reality display are implemented, then clinician spatial awareness and dexterity are improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespatial awarenessVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs the controller to perform multiple functions: it manages image capture from multiple devices, processes images to generate augmented reality representations, tracks surgical instrument positions, and controls the display device. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single multi-functional controller, the system achieves high measurement precision and spatial awareness while managing complexity through functional integration rather than proliferation of separate components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a virtual copy of the surgical field through augmented reality imaging. The processor generates three-dimensional images that replicate the surgical site and sub-surface tissue structures, allowing clinicians to interact with this virtual representation. This copying approach simplifies the interface between the complex physical surgical environment and the clinician's decision-making process, as the augmented reality display presents processed spatial information in an intuitive format.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Manufacturing precision

If multiple image capture devices and sensors are used to enhance visual information, then surgical guidance accuracy is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurgical guidance accuracyVSAvoidnumber of devices
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple image capture devices and biometric sensors into an integrated augmented reality system. The controller receives and processes images from multiple capture devices simultaneously, merging this data with biometric information to create a comprehensive augmented reality representation. This merging approach improves surgical guidance accuracy by utilizing diverse data sources while managing complexity through centralized processing and unified system architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3138526B1Augmented surgical reality environment system
Publication Date: 2018.09.19 COVIDIEN LP
  • EP3138526B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3138526B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3138526B1 patent drawingFigure 2C~2D

AI summary

The present disclosure is directed to an augmented surgical reality environment system and methods. The system includes an image capture device to capture an image of a surgical environment. At least one biometric sensor obtains biometric data from a patient. A controller includes a memory configured to store a plurality of anatomical images and a processor. The processor receives at least one of the captured image, the biometric data, or one or more anatomical images from the plurality of anatomical images and generates an augmented image from at least one of the captured image, the biometric data, or the one or more anatomical images. A display device displays the augmented image.