Fetal Ultrasound Transducer Tracking via Position Labeling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fetal heart rate monitoring systems face challenges in consistently tracking fetal heart rate over long periods, especially when mothers need to disconnect and reconnect, and in multiple births where transducer placement is unclear, leading to swapped transducers and compromised monitoring accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A fetal ultrasound monitoring system that includes transducers with contact sensors and ID units, a monitor with a transducer tracking module to identify and label transducer positions on an abdomen image, allowing for accurate tracking and reconnection of transducers between monitoring sessions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If transducers are used for fetal heart rate monitoring over long periods, then monitoring duration is extended, but transducer positioning and identification becomes unreliable when mothers disconnect and reconnect
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by capturing and storing transducer position information and generating unique transducer labels before disconnection occurs. When the mother reconnects, the system retrieves these pre-stored position and label data to automatically reidentify transducers, eliminating the need for manual repositioning and ensuring continuous accurate tracking throughout extended monitoring periods.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple transducers are used for multiple births, then monitoring capability is enhanced, but transducer identification and tracking becomes difficult leading to swapped transducers
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies segmentation by assigning unique transducer labels to each individual transducer and creating separate tracked position records for each labeled transducer. This segmentation allows the system to distinguish and track multiple transducers independently, preventing confusion and swapping while maintaining the enhanced monitoring capability for multiple births.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously displaying the tracked position and label information for each transducer on the user interface. This visual feedback enables operators to verify correct transducer placement and identification in real-time, and the system automatically detects and alerts when transducers appear to be swapped based on position-label mismatches.
3Device complexity
If manual transducer placement tracking is used, then system complexity is reduced, but monitoring accuracy is compromised when transducers are moved or swapped
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies self-service by automatically capturing transducer position data, generating unique labels, and maintaining position-label associations without requiring manual intervention. The system autonomously tracks transducer locations and identifies them based on stored position information, eliminating manual tracking while maintaining high monitoring accuracy throughout the monitoring period.
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 enables reliable and accurate tracking of fetal heart rate transducers, ensuring consistent monitoring across sessions and preventing errors from transducer swapping, thereby improving the reliability and accuracy of fetal heart rate monitoring.
Implementation Method 1
an ultrasound device configured to generate soundwaves in the ultrasonic range and convert reflected soundwaves into ultrasound data for detecting a fetal heartbeat
Implementation Method 2
a contact sensor configured to sense contact with a mother's abdomen and generate a contact indicator
Data Source
AI summary
A method of fetal ultrasound monitoring includes detecting contact of a first ultrasound transducer to a mother's abdomen based on input from a contact sensor in the first ultrasound transducer. A first transducer identifier is received from the first ultrasound transducer, and then the first transducer identifier is correlated with a first transducer label. A first heart rate is measured based on output of an ultrasound device in the first ultrasound transducer, and a heart rate indicator is displayed accordingly. A position of the first ultrasound transducer is identified in a two-dimensional plane, and the first transducer label is displayed on an abdomen image based on the first position.