Head-Mounted Ophthalmic Device with Iris Tracking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional ophthalmic devices require medical personnel for alignment and stability, leading to challenges in obtaining accurate and reliable eye test results due to patient fatigue and involuntary movements, especially in areas with limited access to trained professionals.
Innovation Solution
A wearable, head-mounted ophthalmic device platform with iris cameras, display screens, and a patient interface module that allows patients to align and control their own eyes during tests, eliminating the need for medical assistance and reducing involuntary movements through real-time gaze monitoring and feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional ophthalmic devices are operated in a clinical setting with medical personnel, then alignment and stability can be maintained, but the device complexity and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables patients to perform eye tests independently through automated alignment and gaze tracking. The patient positions the device on their head and the system automatically detects eye position and adjusts alignment, eliminating the need for medical personnel to manually align the device while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses real-time gaze monitoring through iris cameras to detect eye position and provides feedback control. The gaze tracker continuously monitors eye movements and adjusts the optical system to maintain proper alignment, enabling self-operated testing with high precision without requiring complex manual adjustment procedures.
2Measurement precision
If patients maintain fixed head position and constant gaze for extended test periods, then test accuracy improves, but patient fatigue increases and test reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from requiring static, fixed head position to allowing dynamic movement. The gaze tracking system actively monitors eye movements in real-time and adjusts alignment dynamically, enabling patients to maintain natural head positions while ensuring accurate testing through continuous adaptive alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
Real-time feedback from iris cameras detects eye movements such as blinks and saccades during testing. The system uses this feedback to either pause testing during movements or adjust alignment to compensate, maintaining test accuracy without requiring patients to hold fixed positions for extended periods, thereby reducing fatigue and improving reliability.
3Manufacturing precision
If traditional fundus cameras are operated by trained medical professionals, then image quality can be ensured, but accessibility to areas with limited medical resources decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables patients to capture high-quality fundus images independently without requiring trained medical professionals. Automated alignment through gaze tracking and real-time quality monitoring allow patients to position and operate the device themselves, making advanced ophthalmic imaging accessible in areas with limited medical resources while maintaining diagnostic image quality.
4Manufacturing precision
If scanning mechanisms are used for SLO and OCT imaging, then detailed retinal images can be obtained, but the scanning time increases patient movement risk and reduces test efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic gaze tracking to adapt the scanning process to real-time eye movements. Rather than requiring completely still eyes during scanning, the system continuously updates the scan pattern based on detected eye position, maintaining imaging precision while reducing the impact of natural eye movements and enabling faster, more efficient testing.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a system for a patient to obtain quality eye tests results without other people's assistance. The system includes a wearable, head-mounted, ophthalmic device. With a head mounted structure, the patient's head position remains still relative to the ophthalmic device. One or more “iris” cameras and a display screen are used to help align the patient's eye on ocular lenses for optimal eye test results. The system includes a patient interface module that allows the patient to operate the device. Accessory features such as a microphone and earphones are used to communicate with a close by stander during and after the eye exam. Another key feature is a cloud service connection used to store test results for remote access by the patient or other authorized persons.