Facial Support Arch and OLED Display for Electrophysiology
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ophthalmic electrophysiology techniques face challenges such as uncomfortable patient positioning, obsolete display technology, lack of simultaneous dual-eye stimulation, pupil dilation control, electrode misplacement, and electrical noise issues during electrophysiological signal assessment.
Innovation Solution
A novel apparatus featuring a support arch for facial contact points, independently movable OLED screens for dichoptic stimulation, integrated control electronics, and a compact design that eliminates the need for chin rests, separate reference electrodes, and reduces electrical noise by routing electrodes over a controlled surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a chin rest is used to position the patient's head, then the patient's eyes can be aligned with the display, but the patient experiences discomfort and jaw tightening that interferes with signal quality
Solution Approach 1:
The head support function is segmented from the chin rest into a forehead support arch that contacts only the forehead and cheeks, eliminating chin contact. This segmentation allows eye alignment to be achieved through forehead positioning rather than chin restraint, removing the source of facial muscle interference while maintaining alignment precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The forehead support arch acts as an intermediary structure between the patient's head and the display positioning system. By providing a stable forehead contact point, it enables precise eye alignment through forehead support rather than chin restraint, eliminating jaw tightening while maintaining measurement precision.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a CRT display is used for stimulation, then there is no luminance artifact, but the display is dim and produces poor signal-to-noise ratio
Solution Approach 1:
The display technology parameter is changed from CRT to OLED, fundamentally altering the light emission characteristics. OLED displays provide significantly higher brightness while maintaining the absence of luminance artifacts through their organic light-emitting diode structure, thereby improving signal-to-noise ratio without introducing harmful artifacts.
Solution Approach 2:
The OLED display uses composite organic materials that emit light directly without the phosphor conversion process used in CRTs. This composite material approach eliminates the luminance artifacts associated with traditional displays while providing superior brightness, thus improving electrophysiological signal measurement quality.
3Device complexity
If a single display is used for stimulation, then the device is simpler, but simultaneous dual-eye stimulation cannot be performed
Solution Approach 1:
The single display is segmented into two independent OLED displays, one for each eye. This segmentation enables simultaneous presentation of different visual stimuli to each eye (dichoptic stimulation) while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure. Each display can be independently controlled, providing versatility without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dual-display configuration provides multi-functionality by enabling both monocular and binocular stimulation modes. The system can present identical stimuli to both eyes for standard testing or different stimuli for advanced dichoptic protocols, making the device universally applicable to various electrophysiological assessment requirements.
4Ease of operation
If the amplifier is placed behind the patient, then the setup is conventional, but electrical noise interferes with the small electrophysiological signals
Solution Approach 1:
The amplifier is extracted from the conventional position behind the patient and relocated to a position in front of the patient, near the display. This extraction removes the amplifier from the pathway of electrical interference sources behind the patient, significantly reducing electrical noise contamination of the small electrophysiological signals while maintaining ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus for the assessment of electrophysiological signals obtained from a patient, the apparatus comprising: a housing; a support arch pivotally mounted to the housing, the support arch comprising a plurality of facial contact point supports for supporting contact points on the face of the patient relative to the support arch without supporting the chin of the patient; at least one display screen for presenting a stimulus to a single eye of the patient, the at least one display screen being movable relative to the support arch; and control electronics disposed within the housing for driving the at least one display screen and for amplifying electrophysiological signals obtained from the patient.