Intraoral Camera Orientation Sensing for Accurate Tooth Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing intraoral camera systems face challenges in accurately identifying the type and position of teeth due to variations in oral anatomy and user posture, leading to reduced identification accuracy.
Innovation Solution
An intraoral camera system equipped with an imaging unit, orientation detector using a multi-axis acceleration sensor, area detector for sectioned dentition areas, and an identifier that narrows down candidates based on image data and detected areas to improve tooth identification accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If tooth identification is performed using only image data without orientation information, then the system is simpler, but identification accuracy deteriorates due to variations in oral anatomy and user posture
Solution Approach 1:
The dentition is divided into multiple sections (e.g., quadrants or regions), and the area detector identifies which section is currently being imaged. This segmentation approach allows the system to narrow down candidate tooth positions systematically, improving identification accuracy without requiring complex processing of the entire mouth at once.
Solution Approach 2:
The orientation detector performs preliminary detection of the imaging unit's orientation and position before tooth identification. This preliminary action provides advance information about which dental area is being captured, allowing the identifier to pre-filter candidate teeth based on orientation and area data, thereby improving accuracy while maintaining system efficiency.
2Measurement precision
If the dentition is divided into many small areas for precise detection, then identification accuracy improves, but the complexity of area detection and processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dentition is divided into a moderate number of sections that balance precision and complexity. Each section is large enough to be reliably detected by the orientation detector but small enough to provide meaningful localization information. This segmentation strategy achieves adequate precision without creating excessive processing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system detects only the relevant portion of the dentition (the area currently being imaged) rather than analyzing the entire mouth. This partial action approach reduces processing complexity by focusing computational resources on the specific region of interest while still maintaining sufficient precision for accurate tooth identification.
3Reliability
If all tooth type and position combinations are considered as candidates, then comprehensive identification is possible, but processing time and computational load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The orientation detector and area detector perform preliminary filtering to identify which dental area is being imaged before the identifier processes tooth candidates. This preliminary action dramatically reduces the number of candidate tooth combinations that need to be evaluated, cutting processing time while maintaining comprehensive identification within the relevant area.
Solution Approach 2:
By dividing the dentition into sections and identifying the current area, the system segments the overall identification task into smaller sub-tasks. Each sub-task considers only the tooth types and positions relevant to that specific area, reducing the computational burden while maintaining comprehensive coverage of the imaged region.
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 system enhances tooth identification accuracy by detecting the target area for image capture and utilizing user information, reducing processing complexity and improving precision in identifying tooth types and positions.
Implementation Method 1
an orientation detector that detects the orientation of the imaging unit according to output by a multi-axis acceleration sensor
Data Source
AI summary
An intraoral camera system includes an imaging unit that generates image data by capturing an image of a tooth inside the mouth of a user, an area detector that detects the orientation of the imaging unit according to output by a multi-axis acceleration sensor and detects, according to the orientation detected, an area whose image is being captured by the imaging unit from among areas inside the mouth, the areas being determined by dividing a dentition into sections, and an identifier that narrows candidates which are combinations of tooth types and tooth positions down to fewer candidates to be used, according to the image data and the area detected, and identifies the type and the position of the tooth according to the narrowed candidates and the image data.