Microendoscope Rotary Joint for Brain Imaging Fiber Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional microendoscopes with optical fibers for brain imaging face issues of fiber breakage and unnatural animal movement due to torque from twisting during rotation, limiting the animal's freedom and natural behavior.
Innovation Solution
A microendoscope design featuring a rotary joint with a spatial light modulator and a rotation encoder, allowing the imaging fiber to freely rotate with the animal, coupled with a rotation compensator to maintain correct image orientation and reduce mechanical constraints, enabling free movement while capturing images and projecting stimulation patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the imaging fiber is fixed on the animal's head to capture images, then image capture capability is improved, but the animal's natural movement is constrained and the fiber may break due to torque
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a rotary joint mechanism that allows the imaging fiber to rotate dynamically with the animal's head movements. The rotary joint includes a rotating platform that can rotate around a vertical axis, and the imaging fiber is coupled to this platform. This dynamic structure enables the fiber to follow the animal's natural movements without generating excessive torque, thereby preventing fiber breakage while maintaining image capture capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotary joint acts as an intermediary mechanism between the fixed base and the moving imaging fiber. It includes a rotating platform, a vertical rod, and a pivot arm that together mediate the transmission of motion from the animal's head to the imaging fiber. This intermediary structure allows the fiber to rotate freely while maintaining its connection to the imaging system, resolving the contradiction between stability and movement freedom.
2Reliability
If the imaging fiber is allowed to rotate freely to prevent breakage, then fiber durability is improved, but image orientation accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates an encoder that detects the rotation angle of the rotary joint and provides feedback signals to a control system. The control system uses this feedback information to calculate the actual orientation of the imaging fiber and applies digital rotation transformations to the captured images. This feedback mechanism ensures that even though the fiber rotates freely, the final images are correctly oriented with accurate spatial relationships.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a complex mechanical orientation control system to maintain fixed image orientation, the patent replaces it with a computational approach. The rotary joint allows free mechanical rotation, and the orientation correction is achieved through software-based image rotation and transformation algorithms. This substitution of mechanical precision with computational processing maintains image orientation accuracy while allowing mechanical freedom.
3Ease of operation
If a rotary joint is added to allow free rotation, then animal movement freedom is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the imaging system into distinct modular components: a fixed base, a rotary joint with rotating platform, an imaging fiber, and an encoder. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently. The rotary joint is designed as a separate module that can be added to existing imaging systems, rather than redesigning the entire system. This modular approach manages complexity by creating discrete, interchangeable components.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotary joint mechanism serves multiple functions simultaneously: it allows free rotation to prevent fiber breakage, provides rotation angle measurement through the encoder, and enables dynamic adjustment of image orientation. The rotating platform not only protects the fiber but also serves as the mounting base for the encoder and imaging components. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby managing overall system complexity.
4Measurement precision
If image rotation compensation is implemented, then image orientation accuracy is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies image rotation and transformation operations in real-time as images are captured, rather than performing batch processing later. The control system continuously receives encoder feedback, calculates the required rotation angle, and applies the transformation to each image frame as it is acquired. This preliminary action approach ensures that orientation-corrected images are available immediately for analysis, minimizing processing delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical image orientation systems with computational image processing. Instead of using movable mirrors or rotating optical components to physically reorient images, the system uses software-based rotation and transformation algorithms. This substitution reduces mechanical complexity and allows for efficient parallel processing of multiple image frames, thereby reducing overall processing time while maintaining high orientation accuracy.
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
Enables the animal to move freely without mechanical constraints, maintaining accurate image capture and stimulation pattern alignment, reducing the risk of fiber breakage and ensuring natural behavior, while improving the accuracy and efficiency of image realignment and stimulation pattern rotation.
Implementation Method 1
providing an essentially frictionless contact to brain of the subject so that the subject can freely move and rotate
Implementation Method 2
a rotation encoder is added to complement the rotary joint in the microendoscope to improve the accuracy in reading of the rotation angles
Implementation Method 3
a first spatial light modulator for sourcing a first light source and generating a stimulation pattern to a fiber coupled to an imaging implant
Implementation Method 4
A camera captures images obtained from the imaging implant with the specimen taken from the subject
Implementation Method 5
the rotation compensator rotates at half the speed of the rotary joint... The rotation compensator generates an output image that remains stationary even if the subject is active in motion
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to microendoscope instruments and methods that allows the imaging fiber to freely rotate with the animal while capturing images and projecting stimulation patterns with correct orientations. The microendoscope includes a first spatial light modulator for sourcing a first light source and generating a stimulated pattern to a fiber coupled to an imaging implant for attaching to the brain of the subject. A rotary joint is disposed between the microendoscope and the imaging implant to facilitate the movements and rotations of the imaging implant that is attached to the subject, thereby provides an essentially frictionless contact to brain of the subject so that the subject can freely moves and rotates without feeling the cumbersome imaging implant and fiber that are attached to the subject. A camera captures images obtained from the imaging implant with the specimen taken from the subject.