Medical Aid Shape Control With Feedback-Corrected Stimulus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical aids, such as tooth correcting devices and orthotics, often fail to precisely achieve target positions due to unexpected mobility of body parts or inaccuracies in shape change calculations, leading to deviations between actual and intended positions.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a control unit that detects the actual position of a body part after a first correction step, compares it to the target position, calculates the necessary stimulus for a second correction step, and adjusts the stimulus based on deviations, using dynamic synthetic materials that change shape in response to stimuli like temperature, pH, or mechanical force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a precalculated stimulus is applied to the medical aid to change its shape, then the medical aid can be manufactured in advance with a fixed treatment plan, but the actual position of the body part often deviates from the expected target position due to unexpected mobility or calculation inaccuracies
Solution Approach 1:
The system detects the actual position of the body part after a correction step, compares it with the target position, and uses this feedback information to calculate and adjust the stimulus for the next correction step. This closed-loop control ensures that deviations from the planned trajectory are compensated for in subsequent steps, resolving the contradiction between premanufacturing convenience and positioning accuracy.
2Manufacturing precision
If the stimulus is adjusted based on actual position feedback, then the position accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for detection, comparison, and recalculation systems
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs multiple functions: it stores the treatment plan, detects actual position, compares with target position, calculates deviations, and determines adjusted stimuli. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single multi-functional control unit, the system achieves high position accuracy without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple correction steps are performed with adjusted stimuli, then the position accuracy is improved, but the treatment time increases due to the sequential nature of incremental corrections
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment plan is made dynamic rather than static. The control unit continuously adapts the stimulus parameters based on actual position feedback, allowing the correction process to respond to real-time conditions. This dynamic adjustment optimizes the correction trajectory, achieving accurate positioning while minimizing unnecessary treatment steps and reducing overall treatment time.
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
This approach allows for optimized and efficient correction of body parts by adjusting the stimulus to account for deviations, ensuring precise movement towards the target position with minimal patient stress and without the need for new medical aids at each step.
Implementation Method 1
They are aids that are used in or on the body or in conjunction with other medical aids such as braces, in particular tooth correcting devices, orthotics, extenders, fixators, implants or the like. The medical aids typically consist of a polymer or a combination of polymers or of a metal, or a combination or alloy of metals, that change shape in a precalculated manner under the influence of a stimulus
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for calculating a stimulus for the change of shape of a medical aid in order to change the position of the medical aid from an actual position to a final target state. In order to achieve optimized treatment for the patient, a method comprising the following steps is provided:Detecting the actual position of the body part to be corrected after a first correction step in a control unit,Comparing the actual position of the body part to be corrected with a target position that is stored in the control unit,If applicable, detecting, by the control unit, the deviation between the actual position and target position of the body part to be corrected,Calculating with the control unit the stimulus that has to act on the medical aid to perform a second correction step, taking into account the deviation between the actual state and target state of the body part to be corrected, wherein the effect of the stimulus on the medical aid is saved in the control unit.The invention further relates to a control unit.