Infant Visual Field Perimeter Using Infrared Camera Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional visual field testing methods are cumbersome and impractical for infants, as they require manual button presses, making it difficult to obtain accurate and comfortable readings, especially in young children and infants.

Innovation Solution

A pediatric perimeter apparatus with a hemispherical dome, an infrared camera, and LED lights, linked to a software framework on a low-power computer system, which projects visual patterns and records responses automatically, allowing for comfortable testing and accurate analysis of visual fields in infants.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If traditional perimeter testing methods are used with button presses, then visual field data can be obtained, but the testing becomes cumbersome and impractical for infants

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidmeasurement precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical button-pressing system with an automated optical detection system using an infrared camera and image processing software. The camera captures eye movement and fixation patterns, and the software automatically analyzes these patterns to determine visual field boundaries, eliminating the need for mechanical interaction while maintaining measurement accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables infants to undergo testing without requiring them to perform active responses like button pressing. The automated tracking and analysis system passively records visual responses, allowing the testing process to proceed with minimal subject participation requirements, thus making it suitable for infants who cannot cooperate with traditional methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If manual recording of visual field readings is used, then testing can proceed, but recording errors increase and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveproductivityVSAvoidrecording accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual recording processes with an automated computer-based system that captures visual field data digitally through the infrared camera and processes it using software algorithms. This automation eliminates human recording errors and significantly increases testing throughput by removing the time-consuming manual data entry and analysis steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If traditional testing positioning is used with head and chin restraint, then stable measurements can be obtained, but infant comfort decreases and natural movement is disturbed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement stabilityVSAvoidsubject comfort

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces physical head and chin restraint mechanisms with an infrared camera-based tracking system that monitors eye position and head movement optically. This allows the system to maintain measurement stability through software compensation for natural movements rather than physical constraint, significantly improving infant comfort during testing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

The solution enables accurate and automated recording of visual field data in infants, reducing testing time and improving comfort, with potential for early detection of visual field defects and childhood blindness prevention through government health programs.

Implementation Method 1

said camera can be infra red and said illumination sources can be an infra red light source

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInfrared radiation detection: Infrared Radiation

Implementation Method 2

a projecting device projects a beam onto the convex reflector and the beam is reflected by the convex reflector onto the concave screen

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight reflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 3

LEDs are attached beside the camera on the top of the hemispherical dome

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight emission from LED: Light Emitting Diode

Data Source

PatentUS10517475B2Apparatus and a method therewith to quantify visual patterns in infants

Publication Date: 2019.12.31 HYDERABAD EYE RESEARCH FOUNDATION

AI summary

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method therewith to quantify visual field in infants. The invention provides a novel solution to the unmet need of detection of defects in the visual field in infants and/or babies and providing an apparatus with a software framework to minimize the errors of recording the readings and increasing their precision and analyzing said results automatically using the software embedded in the system. Said apparatus to quantify visual field in infants comprise of a light projection device onto a dome-shaped hemispherical structure with an infra-red camera along with fixation lights, a means for monitoring responses of the subject during testing, a means for recording and analyzing the readings. Said means to detect and record the eye/head movement in the subject during testing comprises said infra red (IR) camera connected to a device wherein software application is embedded.