Gesture Recognition for Medical Device Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Healthcare professionals often incur injuries from repetitive movements and face contamination risks due to interactions with unsterile devices in sterile environments while performing medical tasks.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a gesture recognition system that uses sensors and algorithms to control medical hardware and software, allowing healthcare professionals to perform tasks without physical contact, thereby reducing strain and minimizing contamination risks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If healthcare professionals physically interact with medical devices to perform tasks, then operational control is achieved, but the risk of contamination increases and physical injuries occur from repetitive movements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesterile environment maintenanceVSAvoidphysical contact requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical contact-based control systems with gesture recognition technology. Sensors detect hand gestures and translate them into device control commands, allowing healthcare professionals to operate medical devices without physical contact, thus maintaining sterile environments while preserving ease of operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The gesture recognition system acts as an intermediary between the healthcare professional and the medical device. Instead of direct physical contact, the system captures gesture data through sensors, processes it through algorithms, and translates it into device control signals, enabling contactless operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If healthcare professionals perform repetitive manual tasks, then medical procedures are completed, but injuries occur from poor posture and excessive load manipulation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetask completion rateVSAvoidhealthcare professional injuries

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent substitutes manual mechanical operations with gesture-based control. By detecting hand gestures and converting them into device commands, the system eliminates the need for repetitive manual manipulations and awkward postures, thereby maintaining productivity while preventing injuries

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The medical device becomes more autonomous by responding to gesture inputs without requiring physical manipulation. The gesture recognition system automatically interprets hand movements and executes corresponding device functions, reducing the physical burden on healthcare professionals

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If gesture recognition technology is implemented, then physical contact is reduced and contamination risk decreases, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontamination preventionVSAvoidgesture recognition system

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The gesture recognition system serves as an intermediary layer that adds contamination prevention capabilities. By inserting this intermediate control mechanism between the user and the device, the system prevents direct contact and potential contamination while managing complexity through modular sensor and processing components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11481038B2Gesture recognition in controlling medical hardware or software

Publication Date: 2022.10.25 HOLOGIC INC

AI summary

Examples of the present disclosure describe systems and methods for using gesture recognition to control medical hardware and software. In aspects, an activation signal may be received by an input processing system, such as a gesture recognition system, a voice recognition system, or a touch-based system. After receiving the activation signal, user input may be received by the input processing system. The user input may be processed to determine a current or applicable context. Based on the context, one or more actions corresponding to the user input may be identified. The input processing system may then cause the identified action(s) to be performed.