Endoscope Orientation Control via Sensor Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
In medical applications, such as endoscopy, it is challenging to maintain the orientation of video images correctly as the endoscope is often cylindrical and difficult to determine when upright, leading to confusion during handovers between medical personnel and changes in orientation during procedures.
Innovation Solution
An imaging system that includes a camera head unit with an image sensor, a light source, and a display control unit, which uses acceleration and gravitational sensors to detect the orientation of the endoscope and automatically adjusts the video image orientation based on the determined use, such as surgical or non-surgical procedures, by processing focal distance and contextual information from a database.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the endoscope is cylindrical and lacks physical orientation indicators, then the device can be easily manufactured and is compact, but the user cannot determine when the endoscope is upright leading to orientation confusion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical orientation indicators with an electronic sensor-based system. Acceleration sensors and magnetic field sensors detect the endoscope's physical orientation and convert this information into automated image rotation commands, eliminating the need for physical markings while solving the orientation determination problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The endoscope system automatically determines its own orientation state through integrated sensors and autonomously adjusts the displayed image orientation without requiring user intervention. The system serves itself by detecting when rotation occurs and automatically correcting the image orientation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the endoscope is handed between personnel, then collaboration and handover are enabled, but the video image rotates to a different orientation requiring manual realignment
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the endoscope's physical orientation through acceleration and magnetic field sensors. When the endoscope is handed between personnel and its orientation changes, the sensors detect this change and provide feedback to automatically rotate the displayed image back to the correct orientation, eliminating manual realignment effort.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated orientation system serves itself by detecting orientation changes during handovers and autonomously correcting the image orientation without requiring the receiving personnel to manually adjust anything.
3Productivity
If the endoscope is manipulated within the surgical site, then the procedure can be performed, but the video image orientation changes requiring correlation between display and actual position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual spatial correlation with an automated electronic system. Sensors detect the endoscope's position and orientation changes during manipulation, and the system automatically rotates the displayed image to maintain correct spatial orientation, eliminating the cognitive burden of manual correlation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides continuous feedback by monitoring sensor data during endoscope manipulation and automatically adjusting the displayed image orientation in real-time, ensuring the spatial relationship between the endoscope and displayed image remains correct throughout the procedure.
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 ensures that video images are consistently oriented correctly, reducing the need for manual adjustments and improving usability during surgical procedures by automatically maintaining the image in a predetermined orientation, even when the endoscope is rotated or handed over.
Implementation Method 1
The orientation unit is configured to detect at least one of an acceleration and a gravitational relationship of the endoscope
Implementation Method 2
The orientation unit is configured to detect at least one of an acceleration and a gravitational relationship of the endoscope
Implementation Method 3
A light source generates electromagnetic radiation which is captured by the image sensor in the form of image data
Data Source
AI summary
A video imaging system is provided. The video imaging system is configured to maintain a video image displayed on a display unit in a predetermined orientation based upon a use. The video imaging system includes an endoscope, a camera head unit, a camera control unit configured to determine a focal distance, and a display control unit. The display control unit is configured to process the focal distance to determine a use. The use is processed by the display control unit so as to maintain the video image in the predetermined orientation. The contextual information may be focal distance, image data or endoscopic orientation.