Dental Image Selection via Audio and Motion Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for archiving dental findings are prone to errors due to manual assignment of images, leading to potential treatment mistakes and the need for re-examination.

Innovation Solution

A method that automatically selects the relevant individual image from a continuous optical measurement of a dental object by recording an audio sequence and identifying the frame with minimal camera movement, using speech recognition and filtering to improve accuracy and reduce errors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual assignment of images to dental findings is used, then the process is simple to operate, but the reliability of correct assignment deteriorates due to human error

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecorrect assignment of imagesVSAvoidautomation system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically performs the image assignment task without human intervention. The computer selects relevant individual images based on audio recordings and camera movement analysis, making the system self-sufficient for the assignment task and eliminating human error while maintaining operational simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The manual mechanical process of image assignment is replaced with an automated computer-based system that uses audio analysis and movement detection algorithms. This substitution maintains ease of operation while dramatically improving reliability by removing human error from the process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If continuous optical measurement with multiple individual images is performed, then the quantity of captured data increases, but the time required for manual review and assignment increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage assignment speedVSAvoidtime for image review
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and selects only the relevant individual images from the continuous sequence based on audio recordings and minimal movement criteria. This extraction process automatically identifies the essential images without requiring manual review of the entire continuous dataset, significantly reducing time loss while maintaining high productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary selection of relevant images during or immediately after the optical measurement process by analyzing camera movement and audio cues in real-time. This preliminary action prepares the data for efficient archiving without requiring subsequent time-consuming manual review, thus improving productivity while minimizing time loss

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If video recordings are manually triggered and assigned to findings, then the archiving process is straightforward, but errors occur due to carelessness in assignment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecorrect matching of findingsVSAvoidoperational effort
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically performs the matching process without requiring manual triggering or assignment by the dental assistant. The computer analyzes audio recordings and camera movement data to self-assign the correct video recordings to dental findings, ensuring high reliability while reducing operational effort to simply performing the optical measurement and speaking observations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses audio recordings of the dental assistant's observations as feedback to automatically determine which images or video recordings are relevant. This feedback mechanism ensures correct matching by linking the recorded observations directly to the corresponding visual data, improving reliability while maintaining ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2914201B1Method for determining at least one relevant single image of a dental subject
Publication Date: 2018.10.10 SIRONA DENTAL SYSTEMS GMBH CORP LEGAL
  • EP2914201B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2914201B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for determining at least one relevant single image, wherein a plurality of single optical images are generated during a continuous optical measurement (3) of a dental subject (1) to be recorded. During the optical measurement (3) an audio recording is generated by means of a microphone (4) and at least one speech sequence (12; 15; 28) spoken by a user (6) is recorded. The relevant single image (7; 8; 24) is then selected within a specified sequence duration between a start time (17, 18) and an end time of the speech sequence (12; 15; 28).