Digital Voiding Diary System Using Optical Bladder Volume Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Patients with urinary disorders face challenges in accurately recording voiding time and volume in a 72-hour voiding diary, leading to low data reliability and increased stress, which can result in incomplete or inaccurate recordings.
Innovation Solution
A digital voiding diary management system that uses optical datasets from photodiodes to estimate bladder urine volume, allowing for automatic recording and analysis of voiding data, including total daily voiding volume, waking and nocturnal voiding volumes, and functional bladder capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If patients manually record voiding time and volume in a 72-hour voiding diary, then the doctor can diagnose urinary disorders, but patients experience significant stress and difficulty in recording accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables the bladder monitoring device to automatically measure and record voiding volume without requiring patient manual recording. The device serves itself by detecting optical signals from the bladder area and autonomously generating voiding diary entries, eliminating the burden of manual recording while maintaining accurate data collection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical recording process with an automated optical detection system. Instead of patients physically writing down voiding volumes, the system uses optical sensors to non-contactedly measure bladder volume changes and automatically records the data, substituting manual operations with automated sensing and processing.
2Measurement precision
If patients use a voiding cup to measure voiding volume manually, then the doctor can obtain accurate measurement data, but the practice disrupts sleep even more for patients with nocturia
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the physical voiding cup measurement method with non-contact optical detection. The optical sensor detects changes in light transmission or reflection from the bladder area to calculate voiding volume, eliminating the need for patients to physically handle cups during nighttime voiding and thus preventing sleep disruption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an optical intermediary field as a mediator between the bladder and the measurement system. Instead of direct physical contact with a voiding cup, the system uses optical signals as an intermediary to indirectly measure bladder volume changes, allowing accurate measurement without physical intervention that would disrupt sleep.
3Reliability
If doctors thoroughly analyze all voiding diary results in the clinical environment, then accurate diagnosis can be made, but doctors do not have sufficient time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary automated analysis of voiding diary data before it reaches the doctor. The bladder monitoring device automatically processes the raw optical data, calculates voiding volumes, identifies voiding patterns, and prepares structured diagnostic information in advance, so that when the doctor reviews the data, only the processed and highlighted information needs their attention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the data processing and preliminary analysis functions to be performed autonomously by the monitoring device itself. The device self-processes the optical measurements, generates voiding frequency calculations, and prepares diagnostic reports without requiring doctor intervention, thereby reducing the time burden on medical professionals while maintaining analysis 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
The system enhances user convenience and accessibility by reducing the burden of manual recording, improving data accuracy and reliability, and saving medical staff time for analysis, ultimately aiding in timely and accurate diagnosis and treatment of urinary disorders.
Implementation Method 1
receiving a plurality of optical datasets associated with a specific user detected by a plurality of photodiodes within a medical device at each of the plurality of time points, the plurality of photodiodes being configured to detect light intensity associated with light irradiated to skin located above the bladder of the specific user
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure provides a method and a system (apparatus) for managing a digital voiding diary. The method may include receiving a plurality of optical datasets associated with a specific user detected by a plurality of photodiodes within a medical device at each of the plurality of time points, the plurality of photodiodes being configured to detect light intensity associated with light irradiated to skin located above the bladder of the specific user; estimating a bladder urine volume for each of the plurality of time points based on the plurality of optical datasets; and recording the estimated bladder urine volume of the specific user for each of the plurality of time points.