Dental Prosthesis Traceability with Dynamic Transmitter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing traceability systems for dental prostheses face challenges in locating misplaced prostheses within institutional settings due to limited range and energy autonomy, and struggle to identify the owner efficiently, leading to hygiene issues and financial costs.
Innovation Solution
A system incorporating an active radio-communications signals transmitter with a presence sensor that switches to a highly active state when the prosthesis is not in the mouth, coupled with a base for storage and charging, allowing for extended energy autonomy and efficient location within a 10-meter radius, while minimizing energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If an active radio transmitter is integrated into the dental prosthesis to enable location tracking, then the location range is extended to 10 meters, but the energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The transmitter dynamically adjusts its operational state based on presence detection. When the prosthesis is detected as absent from the mouth (via temperature sensor), the transmitter switches to a high-power state for active location tracking. When present, it transitions to low-power mode, optimizing the balance between location capability and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic presence detection using a temperature sensor to determine when location tracking is needed. The transmitter operates in periodic bursts rather than continuously, activating only when the prosthesis is detected as missing, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining effective location tracking capability.
2Device complexity
If a passive RFID label is used for identification, then the device complexity is reduced, but the search range is limited to a few tens of centimeters
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges a passive RFID label for identification purposes with an active radio transmitter for location tracking. The passive RFID component maintains low device complexity for identification, while the active transmitter extends the search range to 10 meters when needed, combining the advantages of both approaches.
3Reliability
If the transmitter operates continuously at high power to ensure immediate location capability, then the location reliability is improved, but the battery autonomy is reduced to less than a month
Solution Approach 1:
The transmitter operates dynamically, switching between low-power and high-power states based on real-time presence detection. This ensures location reliability is maintained when the prosthesis is missing (high-power state) while extending battery autonomy to several months through periodic low-power operation when the prosthesis is in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses temperature sensor feedback to monitor prosthesis presence in the mouth. This feedback mechanism triggers appropriate transmitter power states, ensuring location reliability when needed while optimizing battery autonomy through intelligent power management based on actual usage conditions.
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
The system effectively locates misplaced prostheses over a greater range, ensures energy autonomy of several months, and facilitates easy identification of the owner, reducing loss-related costs and hygiene issues.
Implementation Method 1
a transmitter of radio-communications signals capable of assuming a weakly active state in which it periodically sends out signals at a first transmission frequency, and a highly active state in which it periodically sends out signals at a second transmission frequency higher than the first transmission frequency
Implementation Method 2
at least one presence sensor for sensing the presence of the prosthesis in a user's mouth, capable of delivering a piece of information on the presence or absence of the prosthesis in the mouth
Data Source
AI summary
A system of tracing a dental prosthesis, the prosthesis including an electrical power source coupled with a radio-communications signals transmitter capable of assuming a weakly active state in which it periodically sends out signals at a first transmission frequency, and a highly active state in which it periodically sends out signals at a second, higher transmission frequency, and a presence sensor for sensing presence of the prosthesis in a mouth of a user, capable of delivering information on absence of the prosthesis in the mouth. The transmitter is configured to pass from the weakly active state to the highly active state when the sensor delivers information on absence of the prosthesis in the mouth. The system also includes a base forming a support of the dental prosthesis when not worn by a user, and the transmitter assumes the weakly active state on detecting the prosthesis in proximity to the base.