Head-Mounted Visual Field Testing System with Gaze Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional visual field testing devices are prone to inaccuracies due to subjective elements, patient discomfort, and inefficiencies, leading to unreliable test results and increased costs, particularly in diagnosing and managing glaucoma.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising head-mounted goggles with a gaze sensor and a control unit that tracks eye movement, allowing for objective measurement of visual field sensitivity and enabling multiple patients to be tested concurrently by a single technician, reducing patient discomfort and operational costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional desk-mounted visual field testing devices are used, then test results can be obtained, but the tests are subjective and prone to inaccuracies due to patient discomfort and reliance on manual clicker responses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical clicker button system with an eye-tracking based detection system. Instead of relying on manual button presses that are subjective and prone to error, the system uses cameras and image processing to objectively detect eye movements and fixation patterns, thereby eliminating mechanical limitations and improving measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables patients to complete visual field tests independently without requiring technician assistance for each stimulus presentation and response recording. The automated eye-tracking system continuously monitors patient responses and can detect fixation losses automatically, allowing patients to test themselves while maintaining high reliability
2Productivity
If a single technician performs visual field tests sequentially, then comprehensive testing can be conducted, but operational costs and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the testing system into multiple independent testing stations, each equipped with its own head-mounted display and eye-tracking system. This segmentation allows multiple patients to be tested simultaneously at different stations, dramatically increasing productivity while reducing the time loss associated with sequential testing
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables a single technician to oversee and coordinate multiple concurrent testing sessions across different stations. The technician can manage multiple patients simultaneously through a centralized control interface, making the technician's time more versatile and reducing overall operational time
3Measurement precision
If patients remain stationary with chin rests during testing, then fixation can be maintained, but patient discomfort and fatigue increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic head-mounted displays and real-time eye-tracking that adapts to natural head movements. Instead of requiring patients to remain rigidly fixed with chin rests, the system dynamically adjusts to maintain fixation monitoring, allowing patients to move naturally while preserving measurement precision through continuous eye movement analysis
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides continuous visual feedback to patients through the head-mounted display showing fixation status and test progress. This feedback mechanism helps patients maintain appropriate fixation naturally without requiring uncomfortable physical restraints, improving both comfort and fixation accuracy through psychological guidance
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 more accurate and reliable visual field testing by objectively measuring patient responses and allowing simultaneous testing of multiple patients, thereby improving diagnostic accuracy and reducing clinical overhead.
Implementation Method 1
a gaze sensor configured to track the eye of the patient
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for vision testing comprises a visual test unit (VTU) configured to receive a patients face and perform the vision test on the patient. The VTU includes an internal display configured to generate a light stimulus and a gaze sensor configured to track the eye of the patient. In one aspect, a plurality of VTUs form a system controllable by a common technician to concurrently administer vision tests on different patients. In another aspect, the gaze sensor comprises a camera configured to capture a video of the patients eye displayed to the technician. In another aspect, the VTU is configured to pause testing upon detection of an adverse testing condition such as excessive head tilt or a closed eye. In another aspect, the test display comprises an array of LEDs and a perforated opaque screen to provide sufficient luminance. In another aspect, the VTU comprises a head mounted portion with a pair of focusing lenses and a mirror arranged to transmit light from the test display to the eyepiece and from the eyepiece to the gaze sensor. In another aspect, the VTU includes a patient input device configured to receive input from the patient to signal observance of a light stimulus in the visual field around a fixation point, and the VTU is configured to monitor the patients gaze and pause the test upon detecting that the patients gaze has moved from the fixation point.