Endoscopic Vessel Harvester Gyro View Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endoscopic vessel harvesting systems suffer from counterintuitive image rotation during manipulation, requiring users to manually stabilize the camera view, which is time-consuming and complicates the procedure.
Innovation Solution
An endoscopic harvesting system with an angular motion sensor detects the rotational velocity of the harvester handle and applies a counter-rotation to the camera view, maintaining a fixed orientation on the display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the harvesting device is rotated to access different angles of the vessel, then the ability to harvest the vessel is improved, but the image rotation becomes counterintuitive and requires additional skill to interpret
Solution Approach 1:
The gyroscope provides real-time feedback on the rotational state of the harvesting device, and the image processing system automatically adjusts the displayed image orientation based on this feedback. This closed-loop system ensures that the image orientation remains intuitive and stable despite device rotation, resolving the contradiction between rotational versatility and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical stabilization methods with an automated electronic system using gyroscopes and image processing algorithms. This substitution eliminates the need for users to manually counter-rotate the camera or interpret rotated images, transforming a mechanically complex operation into an automated function that maintains intuitive image orientation during device rotation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the camera is manually stabilized to prevent image rotation, then the image orientation stability is improved, but the procedure becomes time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The harvesting device performs self-stabilization by using its own rotational information from the gyroscope to automatically adjust the image orientation. The system serves itself by detecting its own rotation and compensating without external intervention, eliminating the need for separate manual stabilization actions and reducing procedure time while maintaining image stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The gyroscope continuously monitors and detects rotational changes in advance, allowing the image processing system to preemptively adjust the image orientation before the user needs to interpret the image. This preliminary detection and correction action eliminates the need for reactive manual stabilization, saving time while maintaining orientation stability.
3Device complexity
If fixed optics are used in the distal tip, then the device structure is simplified, but the image rotates in the opposite direction from the tool rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical image stabilization mechanisms with a simplified electronic approach using gyroscopes and digital image processing. This substitution maintains the simplicity of fixed optics while eliminating the counterintuitive image rotation through software-based correction, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and operational ease.
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 provides a stable video image orientation relative to the patient anatomy, simplifying the harvesting procedure by eliminating the need for manual camera stabilization.
Implementation Method 1
A gyrosensor mounted in the handle of the harvesting device provides a rotation signal in response to rotation of the handle
Implementation Method 2
An optical system provides an image showing a field of view at a distal end of the harvesting device opposite from the handle
Implementation Method 3
the image processor generates a video output signal which is compensated by applying a counter-rotation to the image in response to the rotation signal
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscopic vessel harvesting tool uses an optics system to present of a video image to a user. As the tool is manipulated around all sides of the vessel to dissect and cut surrounding tissue and side branches, the orientation of the captured image rotates. A motion tracker (e.g., gyrosensor) in the tool detects the rotation. By detecting a rotational angular velocity of the harvester handle during the harvesting procedure, the camera view orientation is compensated before display to the user. When the handle is rotated, the detected rotation is used to provide an opposite (canceling) rotation of the camera view so that a steady orientation is presented on the display. Thus, a vertically upward direction (or any other desired reference direction) remains substantially fixed in the displayed video images.