Modular Ophthalmic Headset With Auto-Aligned Fundus Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional eye examination systems are bulky, expensive, and require patients to maintain static head positions, limiting accessibility and portability, especially for individuals with mobility issues, and are not suitable for comprehensive examinations in various environments.
Innovation Solution
A wearable headset system with a modular optical module that includes a miniaturized fundus camera, eye tracking cameras, and adjustable illumination, allowing for various optical tests like fundus imaging and perimetry, and can be configured for different examinations by swapping removable sub-modules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If contact lenses are used for ophthalmologic testing, then patient comfort is improved, but lens stability and positioning accuracy deteriorate due to patient blinking and movement
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static contact lens positioning to dynamic active tracking. The contact lens incorporates sensors that detect lens movement in real-time, and the system actively compensates for blinking and patient movement through software algorithms that track and adjust measurements dynamically, maintaining both comfort and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact lens integrates motion sensors that provide continuous feedback about lens position and patient eye movements. This feedback loop enables the system to compensate for blinking and movement artifacts, correcting measurements in real-time to maintain reliability while preserving patient comfort.
2Device complexity
If traditional slit lamp biomicroscopy is used, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision and automation capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The contact lens serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both the examination interface and the measurement platform. The lens incorporates various sensors (motion sensors, pressure sensors) that enable multiple types of measurements including topography, biomechanics, and intraocular pressure, replacing multiple separate devices with a single multi-functional contact lens.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces traditional mechanical measurement devices with sensor-based detection. Instead of using complex mechanical apparatus for measuring anterior segment parameters, the invention uses electronic sensors embedded in the contact lens to detect and measure eye movements, pressure, and structural characteristics, substituting mechanical systems with electronic sensing and computational analysis.
3Measurement precision
If contact lenses with sensors are used, then measurement capability is improved, but lens comfort and wearability deteriorate due to bulkiness
Solution Approach 1:
The contact lens implements local quality by placing sensors only in specific strategic locations where they are most needed for measurement, rather than uniformly distributing components throughout the lens. This selective placement minimizes the bulk and weight of the lens while maintaining measurement capability, thereby preserving patient comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses parameter changes by detecting physiological parameters (eye movements, pressure changes, blink patterns) through miniaturized sensors. By measuring these natural physiological parameters rather than requiring active patient cooperation or bulky measurement devices, the system maintains high measurement precision while keeping the lens thin and comfortable for extended wear.
Data Source
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AI summary
A modular, headset for performing ophthalmic tests on a patient comprises a removable optical module that can be replaced based on ophthalmic testing need. A miniaturized fundus camera is provided and can be movably mounted within the headset, including to the optical module. The fundus camera position can be automatically adjusted to align the camera with a headset wearer's eye. Software controls image capture and captured images are combined assembled and combined to provide a wide field retinal image. The optical module can have replaceable sub-components allowing configuration for different ophthalmic tests, such as visual field testing and optical coherence tomography.