Facial Recognition Verification for Surgical Site Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Patient misidentification during medical procedures can lead to errors such as transfusion, medication, and surgical site errors, which existing systems fail to adequately address, particularly in cases where surgical tools are incorrectly positioned.
Innovation Solution
A computer-aided system that utilizes facial recognition to verify patient identity and monitor the positioning of surgical tools relative to the correct surgical site by comparing facial templates and providing visual and audible alerts when mismatches occur.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional patient identification methods are used, then the system is simple to operate, but patient identification accuracy is insufficient leading to medical errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual patient identification methods with an automated facial recognition system. The system captures facial images, extracts key feature points, generates facial templates, and compares them against stored templates to automatically verify patient identity. This substitution of mechanical/manual processes with optical and computational systems significantly improves identification accuracy while managing system complexity through modular architecture.
2Measurement precision
If facial recognition system is implemented, then patient identification accuracy is improved, but monitoring surgical tool positioning becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the facial recognition system's capabilities to include surgical tool positioning monitoring. The same facial template and coordinate system framework used for patient identification is adapted to define safe zones and monitor tool positions. This multi-functional approach allows a single system to perform both patient verification and tool position monitoring without requiring separate detection systems.
3Reliability
If real-time monitoring of surgical tools is added, then medical errors are reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines patient identification and surgical tool monitoring functions into a single integrated system. Both functions share common components including the facial image capture system, coordinate system establishment, template comparison mechanism, and alert generation. This merging approach reduces overall system complexity compared to implementing separate systems, while maintaining high reliability through comprehensive real-time monitoring.
4Speed
If facial template comparison is used, then identification speed is improved, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary processing by extracting key facial feature points and generating facial templates in advance, before the actual identification comparison is needed. These pre-processed templates are stored and can be quickly compared against new facial images during patient verification. This preliminary action significantly speeds up the identification process while managing processing complexity through efficient pre-computation and storage of facial characteristics.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B~4E
Figure 2A
AI summary
The disclosure provides a system that may receive an identification of a first patient; may receive a first template that includes first multiple locations associated with a face of the first patient and associated with the identification of the first patient; may determine second multiple locations associated with a face of a current patient; may determine a second template of the face of the current patient based at least on the second multiple locations associated with the face of the current patient; may determine if the first template matches the second template; if the first template matches the second template, may provide an indication that the current patient has been correctly identified as the first patient; and if the first template does not match the second template, may provide an indication that the current patient has not been identified.