Optical Coherence Tomography Apparatus for Skin Pattern Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical coherence tomography (OCT) techniques struggle to accurately image and extract patterns from skin, particularly due to skin conditions like dirty, rough, or wrinkly epidermis, and the challenge of capturing dermal fingerprints on curved surfaces without touching a glass plate.
Innovation Solution
An optical coherence tomography analysis apparatus that performs two-dimensional scanning while applying a light beam to the skin, acquiring three-dimensional luminance data, extracting the epidermis position, generating connected and flattened three-dimensional data, and extracting skin patterns at a predetermined depth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If optical coherence tomography is performed on skin with dirty, rough, or wrinkly epidermis, then the imaging process can be performed, but the accuracy of pattern extraction deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by extracting epidermis position information before pattern extraction, and uses this information to correct positional deviations and flatten the epidermis surface in advance, thereby preparing the data for accurate pattern extraction despite poor skin conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The epidermis position information acts as an intermediary that mediates between the raw OCT data and the final pattern extraction, enabling the system to compensate for surface irregularities and achieve accurate dermal pattern extraction
2Reliability
If the skin surface is not flattened, then the natural skin structure is preserved, but the accuracy of dermal fingerprint extraction on curved surfaces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary flattening transformation based on extracted epidermis position information before dermal fingerprint extraction, converting curved surface data into a flattened coordinate system that enables accurate pattern extraction while maintaining the ability to reconstruct the original three-dimensional structure
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms the three-dimensional curved skin surface data into a two-dimensional flattened representation for analysis, then can reconstruct the three-dimensional structure, effectively changing dimensions to facilitate accurate measurement and extraction
3Productivity
If skin movement occurs during scanning, then the scanning process can be completed, but the quality of extracted patterns deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback by continuously monitoring epidermis position information throughout the scanning process and using this feedback to correct positional deviations, thereby maintaining pattern quality despite skin movement during scanning
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
This solution effectively suppresses the influence of skin movement during scanning, allowing for accurate extraction of dermal fingerprints on curved surfaces, thereby improving the quality and accuracy of skin pattern imaging.
Implementation Method 1
an optical coherence tomography unit that performs optical coherence tomography by applying a light beam to skin in a living body in a noncontact manner
Data Source
AI summary
An optical coherence tomography analysis apparatus includes: an acquisition unit that performs optical coherence tomography by applying a light beam, and that acquires three-dimensional luminance data about the skin; a position extraction unit that extracts an epidermis position, for each tomography image obtained by scanning in a fast axis direction of the light beam, in the three-dimensional luminance data about the skin; a connection unit that generates connected three-dimensional data, by adjusting relative positions between tomography images and connecting the tomography images, on the basis of an extraction result of the epidermis position; a flattening unit that generates flattened three-dimensional data, by performing transformation processing of flattening epidermis on the connected three-dimensional data, on the basis of an extraction result of the epidermis position; and a pattern extraction unit that extracts a pattern of the skin corresponding to a predetermined extraction depth, from the flattened three-dimensional data.