Medical Instrument Markers for Occlusion-Resistant Pose Detection

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for specifying the position and orientation of medical instruments inserted into the body, such as ultrasound probes, face challenges due to marker detection issues like shielding by organs, overexposure, and partial or complete exclusion from the optical image view, leading to reduced accuracy and practicality.

Innovation Solution

A medical instrument with first and second markers, each comprising pattern rows of distinct symbol arrangements, and a medical support device that uses a processor to extract and analyze these patterns from optical images for precise position and orientation determination.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a single marker is used on the medical instrument, then the structure is simple, but the marker may be shielded by organs or excluded from the optical image view, reducing detection accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemarker structureVSAvoidposition and orientation specification accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The medical instrument is divided into multiple regions (first region, intermediate region, second region) with separate markers (first marker, second marker) positioned at different locations. This segmentation ensures that at least one marker remains visible even when others are shielded or excluded from the optical image, thereby maintaining detection accuracy without significantly increasing overall structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If markers are placed at multiple positions on the medical instrument, then detection redundancy is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemarker detection reliabilityVSAvoidmarker configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The medical instrument is divided into multiple regions (first region, intermediate region, second region) with separate markers (first marker, second marker) positioned at different locations. This segmentation ensures that at least one marker remains visible even when others are shielded or excluded from the optical image, thereby maintaining detection accuracy without significantly increasing overall structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If the marker is optically detected using a single pattern, then the detection process is simple, but the accuracy is reduced when the marker is partially or completely excluded from the view

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection process simplicityVSAvoidposition and orientation specification accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The medical instrument is divided into multiple regions (first region, intermediate region, second region) with separate markers (first marker, second marker) positioned at different locations. This segmentation ensures that at least one marker remains visible even when others are shielded or excluded from the optical image, thereby maintaining detection accuracy without significantly increasing overall structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4652957A1Medical instrument, medical support device, and medical support program

Publication Date: 2025.11.26 FUJIFILM CORP

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AI summary

A medical instrument including a first region provided with a first marker, an intermediate region not provided with a marker, and a second region provided with a second marker, which are disposed in a longitudinal direction, wherein: the first marker includes plural first pattern rows arranged along a direction that intersects with the longitudinal direction, the second marker includes plural second pattern rows arranged along the direction that intersects with the longitudinal direction, each pattern rows being configured by plural symbols arranged along the longitudinal direction, and an arrangement of the symbols in each pattern row being different from an arrangement of the symbols in any pattern row adjacent thereto.