Electronic Orientation Device for Consistent Body Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Obtaining accurate and consistent medical diagnostic measurements over time is challenging due to difficulties in recreating the alignment of internal structures and loads during subsequent medical examinations, often leading to skewed or unreflective measurements.
Innovation Solution
An electronic orientation-measurement device that includes a controller, accelerometer, and communication interfaces to ensure consistent body segment alignment by detecting and adjusting the orientation of body segments relative to a reference angle, facilitating accurate medical diagnostic measurements through calibration and data exchange with implanted sensors and remote devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If mechanical devices are used to facilitate consistent body segment alignment, then measurement consistency is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical alignment devices with an electronic system comprising accelerometers, gyroscopes, and a controller that uses sensor fusion algorithms to detect and guide body segment orientation. This substitution of mechanical systems with electronic sensing and computational processing resolves the contradiction by achieving measurement consistency through software-based orientation guidance rather than cumbersome mechanical apparatus.
2Device complexity
If manual alignment methods are used, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service alignment by providing real-time feedback to the patient or operator through visual or auditory signals indicating when the desired body segment orientation is achieved. The electronic orientation-measurement device autonomously measures orientation, processes sensor data through controller algorithms, and guides alignment without requiring external mechanical assistance or complex positioning apparatus, thereby maintaining simplicity while achieving precision.
3Ease of operation
If body segment orientation varies between visits, then ease of operation is maintained, but measurement reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary measurement and recording of body segment orientation at the first visit, storing this reference orientation data. At subsequent visits, the system retrieves the stored reference orientation and guides the patient to reproduce the same orientation before taking measurements. This preliminary action of capturing and referencing baseline orientation data ensures measurement reliability across multiple visits while maintaining ease of operation through simple orientation guidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides real-time feedback during the measurement process by continuously monitoring body segment orientation using accelerometers and gyroscopes, and comparing the current orientation against the reference orientation stored from previous visits. The controller processes sensor data and provides guidance signals to the patient or operator to achieve the correct orientation, ensuring that measurements are taken under consistent conditions across multiple visits while keeping the process simple and user-friendly.
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 consistent medical diagnostic measurements by ensuring that body segments are aligned consistently during multiple visits, reducing errors attributed to changes in orientation and improving the reliability of physiological change assessments.
Implementation Method 1
an accelerometer configured to measure an orientation of the housing relative to a reference vector or angle
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, computer-readable media (e.g., transitory and non-transitory) and apparatus are described herein for obtaining medical diagnostic measurements that are accurate and/or consistent over time.