Medical Device Trajectory Analysis for Newborn Neurological Evaluation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current observational neurological evaluations for newborns are subjective and prone to inaccuracies, making it difficult to detect early signs of medical conditions such as hypotonia, which can evolve into life-threatening conditions quickly.
Innovation Solution
A medical device that uses a processing unit to compute a trajectory set based on the position of landmarks representing joints of a subject, allowing for objective and reliable detection of abnormal movement patterns indicative of medical conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If observational neurological evaluation is performed by practitioners, then neurological assessment can be conducted, but subjectivity and inaccuracy compromise the reliability of the evaluation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual observational evaluation system with an automated computer-based system that uses image processing and trajectory analysis algorithms. The processing unit automatically detects landmarks, computes trajectories, and identifies movement patterns, eliminating the need for practitioner observation and thereby removing subjectivity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a digital representation (copy) of the newborn's movement by detecting landmarks and computing trajectories from video or image data. This digital model allows for objective analysis of movement patterns without requiring direct physical observation by practitioners, thereby improving reliability through automated, consistent measurement.
2Measurement precision
If specialized practitioners perform neurological evaluation, then accurate detection of medical conditions can be achieved, but difficulty in accessing practitioners delays diagnosis
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service evaluation where the automated processing unit performs neurological assessment without requiring specialized practitioners. The computer-based system independently detects landmarks, computes trajectories, and identifies movement patterns indicative of medical conditions, making precision detection accessible immediately without waiting for expert availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a computer-based processing system as an intermediary between the newborn's movements and the diagnostic conclusion. This intermediary automatically analyzes movement patterns using trajectory computation and landmark detection, providing precise detection capabilities that were previously only available through specialized practitioners, thereby eliminating access delays.
3Ease of operation
If observational examination methods are used, then neurological evaluation can be performed, but subjectivity based on practitioner experience reduces accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the human observational system with an automated computer-based system that uses image processing and mathematical algorithms for trajectory computation. This substitution maintains ease of operation through automated processing while dramatically improving measurement precision by eliminating subjective interpretation and practitioner experience variability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms the evaluation from subjective observational parameters to objective computational parameters. By detecting landmark positions and computing trajectories mathematically, the system converts qualitative practitioner assessments into quantifiable, precise measurements of movement patterns, thereby improving accuracy while maintaining operational simplicity through automation.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a medical device (2) for detecting the occurrence of a medical condition in a subject (4), the medical device including a processing unit configured to: - based on a position of a plurality of landmarks, each landmark being representative of a respective joint of the subject (4), compute a trajectory set associated with the subject (4), the trajectory set including a trajectory of at least one point of interest, each point of interest being a barycenter of a respective landmark set including at least two landmarks; determine whether the subject (4) exhibits a medical condition or not, based on the computed trajectory set.