Microscope Head-Up Display for Non-Intrusive Surgical Feedback

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Ophthalmic surgical consoles require complex parameter adjustments during procedures, leading to time consumption and increased risk of mistakes due to the need for coordinated settings, which can distract surgeons and potentially cause injuries.

Innovation Solution

A head-up display unit mounted on a microscope provides audio or visual feedback directly to the surgeon's field of view, correlating with the surgical console's parameters to simplify feedback and reduce distraction from the procedure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple parameters are adjusted individually during surgery, then customization and performance optimization are improved, but time consumption and risk of mistakes increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparameter customizationVSAvoidtime for parameter adjustment
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-configures multiple parameters as linked groups based on surgical procedures or surgeon preferences. When a surgeon selects a procedure type or adjusts one parameter, related parameters are automatically configured or adjusted together, eliminating the need for individual adjustment of each parameter during surgery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The head-up display provides real-time visual feedback to the surgeon about current parameter settings and their interrelationships. This allows the surgeon to understand how adjusting one parameter affects others, enabling more efficient decision-making without requiring detailed manual verification of each parameter.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple parameters are adjusted individually during surgery, then customization and performance optimization are improved, but the risk of mistakes and injury increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparameter customizationVSAvoidrisk of mistakes
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-configures multiple parameters as linked groups based on surgical procedures or surgeon preferences. When a surgeon selects a procedure type or adjusts one parameter, related parameters are automatically configured or adjusted together, eliminating the need for individual adjustment of each parameter during surgery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The head-up display provides real-time visual feedback to the surgeon about current parameter settings and their interrelationships. This allows the surgeon to understand how adjusting one parameter affects others, enabling more efficient decision-making without requiring detailed manual verification of each parameter.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of information

If the surgeon looks at the console screen to obtain feedback, then information accuracy is improved, but distraction from the surgical procedure increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefeedback informationVSAvoidsurgeon focus on procedure
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A head-up display acts as an intermediary between the surgical console and the surgeon. It projects critical parameter feedback and alerts directly into the surgeon's field of view through the microscope, allowing the surgeon to monitor system status without diverting attention from the surgical site.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The feedback information is transferred from the traditional 2D console screen to a heads-up display overlay that appears in the surgeon's optical path. This dimensional change allows simultaneous viewing of surgical field and parameter feedback without head movement or attention switching.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP2175793B1System and method for a user interface
Publication Date: 2014.08.20 NOVARTIS AG
  • EP2175793B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2175793B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2175793B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Embodiments of systems and methods for an interface for providing a user with feedback are presented. Specifically, embodiments of such an interface may include a head-up display unit which is mounted on a microscope utilized by a user when performing a surgical procedure. The heads-up display unit may include an eye-piece ring which is fitted onto or in one of the eye pieces of the microscope. The heads-up unit receives data regarding one or more parameters from a surgical console or other source and produces audio or visual feedback corresponding to a desired parameter. Any visual feedback produced may then be propagated to the eye piece ring allowing a user of the microscope to obtain the feedback when performing a surgical procedure utilizing the microscope and obviating the need to look at a screen of the surgical console to obtain such feedback. Thus, feedback is provided to a user in a non-intrusive manner such that the user can obtain this feedback without distracting from a surgical procedure.