Handheld Oximeter Sheath Averaging for Sterile Tissue Readings
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oximeters face challenges in improving reuse, reducing contamination, enhancing measurement accuracy, and lowering cost while maintaining compact size and power efficiency, particularly in non-ideal conditions.
Innovation Solution
A compact, handheld oximeter with a sealed sheath that averages multiple oximetry readings and displays both real-time and average measurements, using an accelerometer to detect user gestures for averaging and initialization, and optionally connecting wirelessly or via the cloud for data processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If oximeters are made reusable to lower cost, then cost is reduced, but contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The oximeter is divided into two distinct parts: a reusable main body unit and a disposable sterile sheath. The sheath can be detached and replaced, allowing the expensive sensor components to be protected and reused while the disposable sheath maintains sterility. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling reuse without compromising contamination control.
Solution Approach 2:
A sterile sheath acts as an intermediary barrier between the reusable oximeter device and the patient's tissue. The sheath is disposable and maintains sterility, while the reusable oximeter unit remains protected from contamination. This intermediary solution allows the device to be reusable without increasing contamination risk.
2Measurement precision
If multiple oximetry readings are averaged to improve measurement accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but measurement time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The oximeter automatically takes multiple periodic readings at predetermined time intervals and computes an average. This periodic sampling approach improves measurement accuracy by capturing variations over time while maintaining efficient automated operation that minimizes overall measurement time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides visual feedback to the user indicating when averaging is occurring and when the average measurement is complete. This feedback mechanism manages user expectations about measurement time while ensuring accurate averaged results are obtained through multiple readings.
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, reusable oximetry measurements with reduced contamination and power consumption, allowing for improved surgical monitoring by providing real-time and average oximetry data for better tissue assessment during surgeries.
Implementation Method 1
Light absorption differs significantly for oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobins at certain wavelengths of light. Tissue oximeters can measure oxygen levels in human tissue by exploiting these light-absorption differences.
Implementation Method 2
The oximetry device averages two or more of the oximetry readings by detecting the sheath being placed in contact to the tissue locations and being lifted from contact from the tissue locations
Data Source
AI summary
An oximetry device sealed in a sheath directs a user to allow the oximetry device to make oximetry readings at a number of different tissue locations of a patient and average two or more of the oximetry readings by directing the lifts and placements of the oximetry device and sheath to and from the different tissue locations and detecting the lift and placements. The averages are generated and displayed on a display of the device for the oximetry readings if the lifts are made while use directions for the lifts are displayed on a display of the oximetry device. The averages are not generated if the lifts are not made while the user directions for the lifts are not displayed. The averages are simultaneously displayed with the oximetry readings which are instantaneous measurement for patient tissue.