Medical Device Recognition via Image Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Legacy medical devices in facilities often lack network connectivity, making data retrieval manual and prone to errors, and even networked devices may incorrectly associate patient data with devices or patients due to insufficient identification data.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses image recognition to identify medical devices and associate them with patients, capturing images to automatically store and process patient parameters, reducing manual entry and misidentification by utilizing imaging devices, data collection servers, and databases to match device images with stored records.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual data retrieval and entry methods are used for legacy medical devices, then device compatibility is maintained, but data accuracy deteriorates due to manual errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical data entry processes with automated image recognition technology. The system captures images of medical devices and automatically extracts device identification and patient information through optical character recognition, eliminating manual typing and reducing human error while maintaining compatibility with legacy devices that lack network connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service data collection by automatically capturing and processing information from medical devices through imaging. The image recognition system autonomously identifies devices, extracts relevant data, and associates it with patient records without requiring manual intervention, allowing the system to serve itself in data collection tasks.
2Productivity
If image recognition technology is implemented to automate device identification, then data entry efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal image recognition system that can identify multiple types of medical devices through a single platform. The system handles various device formats, display types, and identification methods (barcodes, device screens, labels) through one unified image processing pipeline, improving efficiency without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary image processing layer between the medical devices and the patient management system. This intermediary captures images, processes them through recognition algorithms, and outputs standardized data that can be integrated with existing systems, thereby managing complexity through modular architecture.
3Measurement precision
If automated image-based device identification is used, then patient data association accuracy is improved, but implementation cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs cost-effective imaging solutions and uses disposable or temporary image captures rather than requiring permanent, expensive identification hardware on each medical device. The system takes snapshots with standard cameras or image sensors, processes them temporarily to extract information, and then can discard the image data, avoiding the need for costly persistent identification systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A system including an image capturing unit configured to capture an image of at least one medical device monitoring a patient, a database including images of a plurality of medical devices, where each image corresponds to a particular medical device, and a data collection server configured to receive the at least one image, receive patient identification data corresponding to the patient, and identify the medical device in the image by comparing the received image with the images stored in the database and matching the received image with the images stored in the database.