Endoscope Voice Command Validation System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional voice recognition systems in endoscopic surgery often misrecognize voice commands, leading to incorrect manipulation of peripheral devices due to similarities between intended and unintended commands, which can result in critical errors during procedures.

Innovation Solution

A system for endoscopic surgery that utilizes voice recognition to control peripheral devices by validating only pre-registered and specifically set voice commands, preventing misrecognition by setting certain commands as invalid to avoid incorrect manipulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional voice recognition techniques are used to control peripheral devices in endoscopic surgery, then the operator can manipulate devices hands-free, but misrecognition of voice commands occurs leading to incorrect manipulation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehands-free operation capabilityVSAvoidvoice command recognition accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by registering and storing valid voice commands before the surgical procedure begins. The voice recognition unit is pre-loaded with a database of authorized commands specific to the surgical context, enabling it to accurately recognize only pre-registered commands during the procedure, thereby preventing misrecognition while maintaining hands-free operation capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of voice command validation by transitioning from recognizing any voice input to recognizing only pre-registered valid commands. The voice recognition unit compares input voice commands against a stored database of authorized commands, changing the recognition criterion from general voice detection to specific command matching, thereby improving reliability without sacrificing ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If voice recognition is implemented to allow fine adjustment by the operator, then manipulation difficulty is reduced, but misrecognition leads to miss manipulation which is highly influential

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefine adjustment capabilityVSAvoidmiss manipulation risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by providing visual confirmation on the operation panel when a voice command is successfully recognized and executed. This feedback mechanism allows the operator to verify that the intended command was correctly received and processed, preventing miss manipulation while maintaining the ease of fine adjustment capability through voice commands

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system reduces miss manipulation risk by pre-registering only the specific commands that should be valid during the surgical procedure. The voice recognition unit is configured to accept only these pre-authorized commands, creating a safety filter that prevents unintended or erroneous commands from being executed, thereby eliminating the harmful effect of miss manipulation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2665059B1Endoscope operation system
Publication Date: 2016.02.10 OLYMPUS CORPORATION(JP)
  • EP2665059B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2665059B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2665059B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In a system for endoscopic surgery 3, a storage unit 50 stores a command for controlling a peripheral device and whether or not the command is valid or invalid in an associated manner for each operator and each procedure of an endoscopic surgery. A display I/F 51 receives specification of an operator and a procedure. An input voice signal conversion unit 62 recognizes an input voice, and converts the voice into a character string. A voice recognition determination unit 59 refers to the storage unit 50, and determines whether or not the character string obtained by the input voice signal conversion unit 62 is identical to a command that has been set to be valid for the operator and the procedure specified by the display I/F 51. A control unit 41 halts a transmission process to a peripheral device that corresponds to a command that has been determined to be invalid by the voice recognition determination unit 59.