Optical Ear Canal Shape Recording via Triangulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for recording the three-dimensional shape of an auditory canal for manufacturing individual otoplastics are labor-intensive and unpleasant for patients, involving the injection of silicon material which hardens and is then scanned for data.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a recording device with a laser measurement arrangement that generates a cone-shaped measurement beam for triangulation, allowing precise measurement of the auditory canal without injecting material, using blue light for minimal penetration and adjustable intensity, and an evaluation device to combine subsection shapes based on natural features like veins and pores.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If silicon material is injected into the auditory canal to record its shape, then the three-dimensional shape can be obtained, but the procedure becomes unpleasant for patients and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical injection and removal of silicon material with an optical measurement system using structured light projection and camera recording. This substitution eliminates the invasive procedure while maintaining measurement capability, directly resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of creating a physical copy of the auditory canal using silicon material, the patent creates a digital copy through optical scanning and image processing. The structured light patterns captured by the camera are processed to generate three-dimensional shape data, eliminating the need for physical impression materials.
2Measurement precision
If multiple measurement recordings are taken to capture the complete auditory canal shape, then accuracy improves, but alignment and processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces reference features (natural landmarks on the ear or artificial markers) as intermediaries to facilitate automatic alignment of multiple measurement recordings. These reference points serve as common references that simplify the registration and integration of multiple views into a complete three-dimensional model.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses color-coded structured light patterns projected onto different regions of the ear. By encoding spatial information through color variations, the system enables automatic segmentation and alignment of measurements from different angles, reducing processing complexity while maintaining completeness.
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 accurate and convenient recording of the auditory canal's shape, reducing patient discomfort and procedural complexity, allowing for precise alignment and generation of three-dimensional data without the need for auxiliary material.
Implementation Method 1
a laser measurement arrangement with which a measurement beam in the shape of the surface of a cone is able to be created. This enables an annular subsection of the ear or auditory canal to be measured by triangulation.
Implementation Method 2
The wavelength of the laser beam of the laser measurement arrangement preferably lies in the blue area of the spectrum. This produces a small penetration depth or a favorable scatter characteristic of the skin.
Implementation Method 3
recording a variable representing a position in each case of the first and at least one second subsection relative to a predetermined optical feature of the section to be recorded, such as for example positions of natural features such as veins, pores etc.
Implementation Method 4
an evaluation device for obtaining shape information about the section to be recorded by combination of the shapes of the subsections based on their variables representing the respective position.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for recording a shape of a section of the human ear is provided. The apparatus has a recording device for recording a spatial shape of a first and a second subsection of the section and for recording a position or a variable representing the position of the first and the second subsection relative to a predetermined optical feature of the section. The apparatus has an evaluation device for obtaining shape information about the section by combination of the shapes of the subsections based on the recorded positions or the variables representing the respective position. This enables a number of individual images to be joined together into a three-dimensional map based on natural features in the auditory canal, such as skin flecks or veins for example.