Medical Device Operating Unit With Redundant Touch Fields

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Solution Overview

Problem

Medical devices, particularly in angiography, cardiology, and neurology, lack effective fault-tolerant and haptic feedback mechanisms in their operating units, which can lead to unsafe operations and patient injury due to hardware errors or unintentional movements of movable components.

Innovation Solution

An operating unit with at least one transparent, touch-sensitive first input field and one transparent, touch-sensitive second input field, where both fields provide redundant systems for plausibility checks and haptic feedback upon successful operation, preventing inadvertent actions by ensuring simultaneous actuation and providing haptic confirmation through vibration motors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If touch-sensitive input fields are used for device operation, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to lack of fault tolerance and haptic feedback

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidreliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The operating unit is segmented into multiple independent touch-sensitive input fields (first input field and second input field) that can be actuated independently. This segmentation allows for redundant verification of operator intent through plausibility checks comparing signals from both fields, thereby improving reliability while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A haptic feedback device is integrated into the operating unit to provide tactile confirmation when a safety-relevant action is successfully executed. This feedback mechanism allows operators to confirm correct operation through touch alone, improving both reliability (by confirming intended action) and ease of operation (by eliminating need for visual verification).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If visual checking of operating unit is required, then reliability is improved through verification, but ease of operation deteriorates due to disruption of primary attention to patient

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidease of operation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The haptic feedback device provides tactile confirmation of successful operation, allowing operators to verify correct activation without visual checking. This eliminates the need to break visual contact with the patient or examination results, thereby maintaining reliability while improving ease of operation in the clinical context.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The visual feedback mechanism (requiring operator to look at display) is replaced with a haptic/tactile feedback mechanism that can be perceived through sterile coverings or gloves. This substitution allows verification of operation without visual attention, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Device complexity

If single touch-sensitive input field is used, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to inability to perform plausibility checks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidreliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The input interface is segmented into multiple independent touch-sensitive fields that can be strategically positioned and configured. This segmentation enables plausibility checks by comparing activation patterns across fields, improving reliability while keeping each individual field relatively simple in design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple touch-sensitive input fields are merged into a single integrated operating unit with unified processing logic. The control system combines signals from both input fields and performs centralized plausibility evaluation, achieving enhanced reliability without proportionally increasing overall device complexity through integrated design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 enhances operational safety by preventing inadvertent device activation, allowing for flexible device control arrangements, and providing haptic feedback even through sterile coverings, thus reducing the risk of patient or personnel harm.

Implementation Method 1

at least one device which, after the operating unit has been successfully operated, provides an operator with haptically perceivable feedback that the operation was successful

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVibration: Vibration

Data Source

PatentUS8860677B2Operating unit, medical device and method for operating said unit

Publication Date: 2014.10.14 SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG

AI summary

An operating unit for a medical device is proposed. The operating unit has at least one display, at least one transparent, touch-sensitive first input field, and at least one transparent, touch-sensitive second input field. The at least one second input field is disposed between the at least one display and the at least one first input field. At least one device provides a haptically perceivable feedback after successful operation of the operating unit.