Head-Worn AR Surgical Imaging for High-Contrast Fluoroscopy Viewing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical imaging technologies in sterile environments lack flexibility and ergonomics, exposing clinicians to radiation and requiring bulky monitors, while failing to provide high-contrast visualization of surgical tools and vascular tissue.
Innovation Solution
An augmented reality display system with a head-worn device that renders surgical tools and vascular tissue in dark colors against a light background, allowing untethered movement and radiation shielding, and includes a sterile gown for use in sterile environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional fluoroscopy monitors are used in sterile environments, then clinicians can view surgical imaging, but clinicians are exposed to radiation and require bulky monitors that reduce flexibility and ergonomics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional 2D wall-mounted fluoroscopy monitors to a head-worn augmented reality display, adding the dimension of personal wearable technology. This allows clinicians to view surgical imaging directly in their field of view without being tethered to bulky monitors, simultaneously reducing radiation exposure and improving flexibility and ergonomics during surgical procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The augmented reality display acts as an intermediary device between the fluoroscopy system and the clinician's eyes. It receives imaging data from the fluoroscope and presents it through a head-worn interface with integrated radiation shielding, eliminating the need for clinicians to directly view radiation-emitting displays while maintaining imaging visibility
2Loss of information
If high-contrast visualization is achieved for surgical tools and vascular tissue, then visualization quality improves, but image processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color inversion and high-contrast enhancement to the fluoroscopy image feed, rendering surgical tools and vascular tissue in dark colors against a light background. This color transformation improves visualization quality by making critical structures stand out, while the processing remains relatively simple through direct color manipulation of the video signal
Solution Approach 2:
The system modifies the contrast and brightness parameters of the fluoroscopy image stream in real-time, creating a high-contrast version that emphasizes surgical tools and vascular tissue. This parameter adjustment approach achieves improved visualization without requiring complex image processing algorithms, maintaining system simplicity
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
Enhances clinician safety and comfort by reducing radiation exposure, improving visualization, and eliminating the need for large monitors, while enabling flexible and high-contrast imaging.
Implementation Method 1
Fluoroscopy is an imaging technique that uses X-rays to obtain real-time moving images of the interior of an object
Implementation Method 2
instruct a head-worn display to render the high-contrast videostream such that the surgical tools and vascular tissue is rendered with the dark color
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging sensor includes a radiation sensor. An imaging controller is configured to: (i) generate an imaging-datastream based on the sensed phenomena and (ii) transmit, to a central controller, the imaging-datastream. The central controller is configured to: receive the imaging-datastream; generate, from the imaging-datastream, a high-contrast videostream in which surgical tools and vascular tissue is represented with a dark color and in which surrounding tissue is represented with a light color, the dark color being darker than the light color; and transmit, to an augmented-reality controller, the high-contrast videostream. The augmented-reality controller is configured to: (i) receive the high-contrast videostream and (ii) instruct a head-worn display to render the high-contrast videostream such that the surgical tools and vascular tissue is rendered with the dark color. The head-worn display is configured to render the high-contrast videostream such that the surgical tools and vascular tissue is rendered with the dark color.