Intraoral Image Acquisition With AR Guidance for Full Dental Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Acquiring high-quality and complete images of dental arches in the mouth is challenging due to difficulties in positioning the imaging device, assessing image quality, and ensuring sufficient coverage, which can be frustrating and labor-intensive for users, often requiring professional supervision.
Innovation Solution
A method using spatially augmented reality to guide users with multidimensional symbols on a screen, indicating acquisition conditions, and a device with a computer program to facilitate image acquisition, ensuring alignment and coverage thresholds are met, allowing users to acquire images efficiently without professional supervision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the user acquires images using their mobile phone without guidance, then the acquisition process is simple and accessible, but the image quality and coverage are insufficient and hard to assess
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements real-time feedback by displaying guide information (arrows, symbols) on the screen that indicates to the user whether the target is properly positioned within the camera field of view. This visual feedback loop allows the user to adjust the phone position and orientation based on immediate system responses, ensuring proper image quality and coverage without requiring professional supervision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary software system that mediates between the user and the image acquisition process. This intermediary provides automated guidance, positioning instructions, and coverage assessment, translating complex acquisition requirements into simple visual cues that the user can follow without specialized knowledge.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the user manually positions the phone to capture images, then the operation is flexible, but the positioning precision and coverage completeness are difficult to ensure
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time visual feedback through guide information displayed on the screen, showing arrows and symbols that indicate whether the target is properly positioned. This feedback enables the user to achieve precise positioning manually while maintaining operational flexibility, as the user can adjust the phone position based on immediate system guidance rather than following rigid predetermined steps.
3Reliability
If the user repeats the acquisition process multiple times, then the chance of obtaining complete coverage increases, but the time consumption and labor intensity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous useful action by providing real-time guidance and feedback during the image acquisition process. The system continuously monitors the target position and provides ongoing directional guidance, allowing the user to complete coverage in a single continuous operation rather than requiring multiple repeated attempts. This continuous feedback loop ensures that the user can systematically capture all necessary images without interruption or repetition.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically assessing coverage completeness and providing guidance for any missing areas. Rather than requiring the user to manually review and re-acquire images multiple times, the system autonomously identifies coverage gaps and directs the user to capture only the necessary additional images, significantly reducing total acquisition time while ensuring complete coverage.
4Measurement precision
If professional supervision is provided during image acquisition, then the image quality and coverage are ensured, but the cost and accessibility decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by providing an automated guidance system that enables users to independently acquire high-quality images without professional supervision. The system includes automated features such as real-time positioning guidance, field-of-view indicators, and coverage assessment that allow lay users to achieve results previously requiring expert intervention, thereby improving accessibility while maintaining image quality standards.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for acquiring a set of images covering a target belonging to an object in the mouth of a user, the method comprising the following steps: 1) presenting to the user, on a screen and using spatially augmented reality with respect to the object in the mouth observed by an image acquisition apparatus, a multidimensional symbol or a set of multidimensional symbols the shape and/or the position of each symbol being determined so as to indicate to the user at least one predetermined acquisition condition suitable for acquiring such an image; 2) for each symbol, acquiring, using the acquisition apparatus, such an image when said at least one predetermined acquisition condition associated with said symbol is met, preferably when all the predetermined acquisition conditions associated with said symbol are met.