Endoscope Imaging Module Split for Lower-Cost Disposable Use
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost and wastefulness of modern disposable endoscopes due to the disposal of expensive imaging components after each use, despite the need for thorough cleaning and disinfection, which is resource-intensive and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
Designing a medical endoscope with a disposable image-capture module at the front end and reusable components at the back end, utilizing a MIPI serializer/deserializer system to separate the disposable module from the reusable parts, allowing only the disposable module to be discarded after use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire endoscope tube including imaging optics is made disposable, then infection control is improved, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The endoscope is divided into two functional segments: a disposable front-end image-capture module containing the camera and lighting, and a reusable back-end processing unit containing the ISP and capture device. This segmentation allows the expensive imaging optics to be discarded while retaining the valuable processing components, resolving the contradiction between infection control and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging capture function is extracted from the reusable host and placed in a separate disposable module. This extraction enables the expensive imaging optics to be discarded after use while the reusable host continues to serve multiple patients, thereby maintaining infection control without the full cost burden of disposable entire endoscopes.
2Loss of time
If the entire endoscope is disposable, then cleaning and disinfection time is reduced, but resource waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the endoscope into disposable and reusable parts, the system eliminates the need to clean and disinfect the entire endoscope tube, saving time. Simultaneously, it prevents waste of expensive reusable components like the host and processing units, resolving the contradiction between time savings and resource waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable image-capture module is discarded after use to eliminate cleaning requirements, while the reusable host and processing units are recovered and reused across multiple patients. This approach reduces both cleaning time and overall resource waste by recovering valuable components.
3Measurement precision
If expensive imaging optics are placed at the front end, then image quality is improved, but cost per use increases
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging optics are segmented into a disposable front-end module, allowing high image quality through expensive optics while the cost is amortized across multiple uses of the reusable back-end. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by making the expensive optics a one-time investment rather than a recurring cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging capture module containing expensive optics is designed as a disposable component. This allows the system to use high-quality, expensive optics for each procedure without bearing the recurring cost of replacing the entire endoscope, thereby reducing cost per use while maintaining image quality.
4Ease of operation
If disposable endoscopes are used, then operational simplicity is improved, but economic sustainability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The endoscope is segmented into a simple disposable front-end module and a reusable back-end unit. This segmentation maintains operational simplicity for users while improving economic sustainability by allowing the expensive back-end components to be reused across multiple procedures, thereby reducing overall cost per use.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex, expensive processing components are extracted from the disposable portion and placed in a reusable host. This extraction allows the disposable module to remain operationally simple while the reusable components provide economic sustainability through multiple uses, resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and economic sustainability.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus of serializer/deserializer is provided. The apparatus comprises an ISP and capture device at a back end with a disposable image-capture module, a synthetic-image module, and a MIPI serializer at a front end; and, after use, only the disposable image-capture module is discarded, which extends into human body at the front end, but keep the other parts reusable, where cost is thus effectively reduced to solve the shortcoming of high cost of the use of modern disposable endoscope.