Optical Guide Needle Alignment for Flexible Electrode Implantation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Flexible electrodes used in invasive brain-computer interfaces are difficult to implant due to their flexibility, requiring precise alignment and insertion of a guide needle through small, nanoscale or micron-scale through holes, which is challenging with existing methods.

Innovation Solution

A system and method utilizing cameras to capture images from different angles, aligning a guide needle with a through hole in an electrode wire by recognizing the relative position and controlling the movement mechanism to ensure precise alignment, facilitated by adequate lighting and low light transmittance of the engagement portion and guide needle end.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the electrode wire is made flexible with small dimensions to reduce tissue damage, then the implantation damage is reduced, but the difficulty of precise alignment and insertion increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetissue damageVSAvoidalignment and insertion difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a guide needle as an intermediary tool to facilitate the insertion of the flexible electrode wire. The guide needle provides a rigid pathway that enables precise alignment and insertion of the soft, flexible electrode wire through the brain tissue, solving the contradiction between flexibility and ease of insertion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical alignment with an automated optical alignment system using cameras and image processing. The system captures images from multiple angles, processes them to determine the position and orientation of the guide needle and through-hole, and provides feedback for automated positioning, thereby replacing difficult manual mechanical alignment with an automated optical-mechanical system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If manual alignment methods are used for the guide needle and through hole, then the device complexity is low, but the alignment precision is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces simple mechanical alignment with an automated optical measurement and control system. Two cameras capture images from different angles, image processing algorithms calculate the three-dimensional position and orientation of the guide needle and through-hole, and a control system adjusts the positioning stage to achieve precise alignment, thereby achieving high precision at the cost of increased system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback control system where the optical measurement system continuously monitors the alignment status of the guide needle and through-hole, and the control system adjusts the positioning based on the measured deviation from the target position, enabling precise alignment through iterative feedback correction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

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 efficient and accurate implantation of electrode wires by ensuring the guide needle is aligned with the through hole, reducing tissue damage and improving the implantation process.

Implementation Method 1

a first camera arranged on a first side of the plane and facing the metal portion, the first camera having a first optical path; a second camera arranged on a first side of the plane and facing the metal portion, the second camera having a second optical path at an angle to the first optical path; and a processing means configured to recognize a relative position between the end of the guide needle and the through hole based on images captured by the first camera and the second camera

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectImage capture and optical detection: Photography

Implementation Method 2

the predetermined brightness in the environment is provided by: a light source dedicated to the environment; and/or a lighting equipment in the room in which the environment is located

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight emission and illumination: Light

Data Source

PatentUS12558124B2System for assisting in implanting electrode wire and method for guiding electrode wire

Publication Date: 2026.02.24 SHANGHAI STAIRMED TECHNOLOGY CO LTD

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a system for assisting in implanting an electrode wire, comprising: an electrode wire fixing apparatus; a guide needle fixing apparatus; a movement mechanism; a first camera, arranged on a first side of a plane and towards a metal part, the first camera having a first optical path; a second camera, arranged on the first side of the plane and towards the metal part, the second camera having a second optical path at an angle to the first optical path; and a processing apparatus, configured to identify a relative position of the end of a guide needle to a through hole based on images shot by the first camera and the second camera, and control the movement mechanism to drive the electrode wire fixing apparatus and/or the guide needle fixing apparatus to move, so that the end of the guide needle is aligned with the through hole. The present disclosure further relates to a method for guiding an electrode wire.