Implantable Lens Power Generation From Ciliary Muscle Motion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Implantable devices in the human eye, such as optical lenses, require electrical power to operate and lack a means for self-sustenance or control, limiting their functionality, especially in cases like cataract replacement where the ciliary muscle's forces are not effectively harnessed.
Innovation Solution
A system that converts mechanical forces from the ciliary muscle into electrical power using mechanisms like magnets and coils, and incorporates wireless transmitters on the fingers to manually control the optical power of the lens, allowing for self-sustenance and manual focus adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If implantable devices are equipped with external power sources and control mechanisms, then their functionality is improved, but device complexity, size, and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ciliary muscle mechanically drives the lens directly without requiring external power sources or complex control systems. The muscle's natural contraction and relaxation movements provide the force needed to change lens curvature and focus, making the device self-sufficient and eliminating the need for batteries, motors, or electronic controls.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes power sources, control circuits, and other complex mechanical components from the implantable device. By extracting these unnecessary elements, the device becomes simpler, smaller, and more reliable while still achieving its focusing function through direct mechanical coupling with the ciliary muscle.
2Use of energy by moving object
If implantable devices use traditional power sources, then operational capability is maintained, but device size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ciliary muscle serves as both the power source and control mechanism for the lens. Its natural physiological movements provide continuous mechanical energy to adjust lens focus without requiring batteries, capacitors, or other energy storage devices, thereby eliminating the need for large power supply components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces electrical or electronic power systems with a purely mechanical system. The ciliary muscle's mechanical contraction directly drives the lens through zonular fibers, eliminating the need for electrical motors, gears, or other mechanical power transmission components that would increase device size.
3Extent of automation
If automatic control systems are implemented, then automation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ciliary muscle provides automatic control through its natural physiological responses to visual demands. When the eye needs to focus on near or distant objects, the ciliary muscle automatically contracts or relaxes accordingly, providing seamless automatic focusing without requiring sensors, microprocessors, or control algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using sensors and electronic controls to detect focus requirements and then actuate the lens, the patent inverts the approach by directly utilizing the body's existing automatic control mechanism (the ciliary muscle) that has evolved specifically for this purpose. This eliminates the need for artificial automatic control systems.
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 implantable devices to operate without external power sources and allows users to manually control focus, enhancing adaptability and reducing complexity, cost, and size.
Implementation Method 1
Some embodiments can convert the force to a signal and/or a predetermined form of power.
Data Source
AI summary
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, device, manufacture, circuit, composition of matter, and/or user interface adapted for and/or resulting from, and/or a method and/or machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can comprise and/or relate to, via a device implanted in a mammal, sensing a ciliary muscle movement and/or force and/or converting the ciliary muscle movement and/or force to a signal and/or a predetermined form of power.