Implant Identifier Imaging With Reflection-Reduced Surgical Set Lighting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing implant documentation systems face challenges in reliably recognizing identifiers on implant surfaces due to reflections, particularly on round surfaces like screw heads, which can lead to inaccurate identification and complicate long-term tracking and legal documentation.

Innovation Solution

A device with coordinated light sources and cameras positioned to reduce reflections on implant surfaces by indirect illumination, using multiple cameras with overlapping fields of view and potentially polarizing filters, along with surface-coated implants to minimize reflections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If direct illumination is used to light up implant surfaces for imaging, then image brightness is improved, but reflections on implant surfaces increase causing identification errors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage brightnessVSAvoididentifier recognition accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The housing interior is equipped with diffusely reflecting surfaces in specific locations to create localized soft lighting conditions on implant surfaces. This selective application of diffuse reflection at the illumination interface resolves the contradiction by maintaining brightness while eliminating harmful specular reflections that interfere with identifier recognition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

Diffusely reflecting surfaces are introduced as intermediary elements between the light source and the implant surfaces. These intermediaries transform direct light into scattered, soft illumination, thereby preserving image brightness while preventing direct reflection into the camera lens, thus improving identifier recognition reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If multiple cameras with overlapping fields of view are used to capture all implants, then measurement completeness is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveidentifier detection accuracyVSAvoidcamera system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple camera fields of view are merged to create comprehensive coverage of all implants in the surgical set. By strategically positioning cameras to overlap, the system achieves complete documentation of all identifiers without requiring excessive camera units, thus balancing measurement completeness with acceptable device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from single-point identification to multi-perspective volumetric documentation by deploying cameras at different spatial positions and angles. This dimensional approach ensures that identifiers on implants with various orientations (including round surfaces like screw heads) are captured from optimal viewing angles, improving detection accuracy while maintaining reasonable system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Area of stationary object

If identifiers are placed on round surfaces like screw heads for compactness, then space utilization is improved, but reflection problems worsen making identification difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveidentifier space efficiencyVSAvoidsurface reflection interference

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The housing interior is equipped with diffusely reflecting surfaces in specific locations to create localized soft lighting conditions on implant surfaces. This selective application of diffuse diffuse reflection at the illumination interface resolves the contradiction by maintaining brightness while eliminating harmful specular reflections that interfere with identifier recognition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Enables high-reliability identification of implant identifiers through reduced reflections, ensuring accurate documentation and traceability of implants before and after operations, facilitating legal and regulatory compliance.

Implementation Method 1

reflections on the implant surfaces are reduced for the purpose of sufficient recognition of the identifiers

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight reflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

potentially polarizing filters

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPolarization: Polarisation

Data Source

PatentUS20260096866A1Device for documenting the use of inserted implants, and method to this end

Publication Date: 2026.04.09 I T S

AI summary

A device and method for documenting a use of implants inserted in an operation. The, implants include an identifier on an implant surface and implants are provided for an operation, The device includes housing with a housing interior in which at least one light source and at least one camera for recording images of a plurality of implants of a surgical set before and after an operation are positioned, and an image evaluating apparatus for evaluating the images recorded before and after the operation by the at least one camera for the purpose of determining the implant or implants inserted during the operation. According to the invention, it is provided that the at least one light source and the at least one camera are configured such that reflections on the implant surfaces are reduced for the purpose of sufficient recognition of the identifiers.