Drug Delivery Device Recognition via Camera Alignment Case
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of pen-type drug delivery devices, such as insulin pens, face challenges in recognizing and distinguishing between different devices, monitoring their status, and verifying authenticity, particularly for those with diabetes who need to manage multiple devices effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a drug delivery device, a user device, and a case that aligns the device's camera to capture images of distinctive features, allowing the user device to identify and compare these features with stored data to authenticate and monitor the device's status, including the administered dose.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users manually manage multiple drug delivery devices, then they can use the devices for treatment, but they struggle to recognize or remember when to use which device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses image capture and processing to create a digital representation of the drug delivery device's distinctive features. The camera captures an image of the device, and image processing extracts distinctive features that are then compared against stored reference images, replacing the need for human memory with automated visual recognition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual cognitive process of remembering device characteristics with an automated optical and computational system. The camera, image processing unit, and comparison algorithm substitute for human memory and recognition abilities, automatically identifying the device based on captured visual features.
2Reliability
If users need to monitor device status and verify authenticity, then treatment safety improves, but the complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates digital copies of the device's distinctive features through image capture and stores reference patterns for comparison. This allows authenticity verification without adding physical complexity to the device itself, using instead a separate recognition system that compares visual features.
Solution Approach 2:
The recognition system serves multiple functions: identifying the device type, verifying authenticity, and monitoring usage status. By using a single multi-functional image-based recognition approach, the system avoids the need for separate mechanisms for each function, thereby limiting the increase in overall complexity.
3Measurement precision
If a camera-based recognition system is implemented, then device identification accuracy improves, but the alignment precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic image processing that can adapt to variations in device positioning and orientation. The image processing unit extracts distinctive features that are invariant to position and angle, allowing the system to maintain high identification accuracy even when perfect alignment is not achieved.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters used for identification from precise geometric alignment to feature-based pattern recognition. By transforming the recognition approach from position-dependent to feature-dependent, the system maintains high accuracy while reducing sensitivity to alignment precision requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a drug delivery device, a user device including a camera, and a case for the user device. The case includes a slot adapted to receive the drug delivery device, as well as a first wall, a second wall, and two side walls defining a space therebetween that is configured to receive the user device. When the user device and the drug delivery device are inserted into the case, the case is configured to align the drug delivery device and the camera of the user device such that the camera can capture images of at least one feature of the drug delivery device from one or both of a predefined distance and a predefined orientation.