Breast Tactile Acuity Sensor with Dynamic Skin Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Breast reconstruction and related surgical interventions often result in diminished or lost sensory function, making it difficult to assess and restore tactile acuity, which is essential for sexual and sensory function, and for designing prosthetic systems.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a padded platform with an aperture for prone positioning, a sensor to detect pressure, force, or displacement, and a controller to operate the sensor and user interface for quantitative assessment of tactile acuity, allowing for secure skin contact despite breathing motions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a sensor probe is brought into contact with the breast to measure tactile acuity, then measurement precision is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to breathing motions causing inconsistent skin contact
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static contact method to a dynamic one where the sensor probe continuously tracks skin motion caused by breathing. The sensor probe is coupled to an armature that allows it to move with the skin surface, maintaining consistent contact pressure and position despite respiratory movements, thereby preserving both measurement precision and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback mechanisms where the sensor continuously monitors skin contact conditions and adjusts its position or pressure accordingly. This real-time feedback loop compensates for breathing-induced skin displacement, ensuring reliable and precise tactile acuity measurements throughout the measurement period
2Ease of operation
If the patient is positioned prone on a flat surface, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inability to secure breast skin contact
Solution Approach 1:
The flat platform is segmented with an aperture that accommodates the breast, allowing the sensor probe to access the breast tissue from below while the patient remains in a comfortable prone position. This segmentation enables both ease of positioning and precise skin contact by isolating the measurement area from the constraint of the flat surface
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
Enables accurate and reliable quantitative assessment of breast tactile acuity, facilitating the design of prosthetic systems and informed decision-making regarding surgical interventions and their sensory effects.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor configured to detect at least one of a pressure, a force, or a displacement at a sensor probe of the sensor
Data Source
AI summary
Breast reconstruction and/or mastectomy may be performed to treat or prevent breast cancer or for a variety of other purposes. These procedures can result in disruption of the innervation of the breast, leading to loss of sensation. This loss of sensation can lead to diminishment of sexual function, sexual dysfunction, or other undesired effects. Devices and methods are provided for quantitatively assessing the tactile acuity of the breast at multiple locations. These embodiments can be applied to assess the natural acuity of the breast to design or calibrate an implanted system for restoring perception in the post-reconstruction breast. These embodiments can be also applied to assess the change in the perceptual acuity of the breast due to reconstruction or some other surgical intervention.