Patient Bed Light Strips for Accurate Scan Range Indication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current imaging patient beds lack the ability to visually indicate and adjust scan ranges accurately, leading to potential inefficiencies in scan time and lack of communication about scan status, and fail to provide calming visualizations for patients.
Innovation Solution
A visual indicator system for patient beds, incorporating light strips, a distance meter, and a microcontroller that illuminates lights based on preconfigured finger gestures and distance measurements to display scan ranges and status, and provides interactive animations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If no visual indicator system is provided on the patient bed, then the device complexity is reduced, but the scan range planning accuracy deteriorates and leads to incorrect scan ranges
Solution Approach 1:
The patient bed is divided into multiple segments along its length, with individual lights positioned at different locations corresponding to different scan range positions. This segmentation allows precise visual indication of scan ranges by illuminating only the relevant segments, improving planning accuracy while keeping the overall system manageable through modular segmentation.
Solution Approach 2:
A microcontroller serves as an intermediary between the distance meter and the light strips. The distance meter provides distance measurements, and the microcontroller processes this information to control which lights illuminate, thereby accurately indicating the scan range. This intermediary enables precise scan range visualization without requiring direct complex integration between all components.
2Loss of information
If no visual status indication is provided outside the imaging room, then the device complexity is reduced, but the communication of scan status to clinical users deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The light strips on the patient bed serve multiple functions: they indicate scan range positions during planning and also display scan status information (such as scanning in progress, completed, or error states) to clinical users outside the imaging room. This multi-functionality improves information communication without requiring separate dedicated status indication systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides visual feedback through the light strips that reflect the current scan status back to clinical users. When the imaging system is paused or encounters an error, the light strips change their illumination pattern to alert users, creating a feedback loop that keeps users informed about system status without requiring them to be physically present in the imaging room.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional imaging patient beds are used without visual animations, then the device complexity is reduced, but patient anxiety relief capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The light strips can dynamically change their illumination patterns, colors, and animation sequences based on patient needs and scan phases. For pediatric patients or those experiencing anxiety, the system can display calming animations such as gentle color transitions or soothing light patterns, transforming the static bed into a dynamic comfort-providing element without significant complexity increase.
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 scan range planning, timely status updates for clinical users, and reduces patient anxiety through interactive visualizations.
Implementation Method 1
a distance meter, attachable to one end of the medical imaging patient bed
Implementation Method 2
one or more light strips, each light strip comprising a plurality of lights
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments can provide a visual indicator system, attachable to a medical imaging patient bed. The visual indicator system comprising: one or more light strips, each light strip comprising a plurality of lights; a distance meter, attachable to one end of the medical imaging patient bed; a storage device, configured to store one or more preconfigured finger gestures; and a microcontroller. The one or more light strips are attachable to the medical imaging patient bed; wherein the microcontroller is configured to illuminate the one or more light strips after the one or more preconfigured finger gestures are made with respect to the one or more light strips. A position of the illumination of the light strip corresponds to a position of performing the one or more preconfigured finger gestures and one or more distance measurements received from the distance meter.