Personalized Noise Preparation Device With Procedural Sound Previews

Solution Overview

Problem

Medical procedures, particularly MRI scans, cause significant anxiety in patients due to loud and unpredictable noise, leading to stress, unease, and potential image degradation during the exam.

Innovation Solution

A device and system for personalized noise preparation that provides patients with a preview of the expected sound sequences of their medical procedure, allowing them to familiarize themselves with the noise patterns, volume, and duration, and optionally includes entertainment components to create a soothing ambient experience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If patients undergo MRI or CT scans, then medical diagnostic information is obtained, but patients experience high stress and anxiety due to loud unpredictable noise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediagnostic accuracyVSAvoidpatient stress and anxiety

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by providing patients with a personalized sound preview of the exact noise sequences they will experience during their medical procedure. This preview is generated based on the specific procedural information and sound sequence information, allowing patients to familiarize themselves with the noise patterns, volume, and duration before the actual procedure, thereby reducing stress and anxiety while maintaining diagnostic reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a copy of the actual procedural sound sequences and presents it to patients in advance. The rendering unit reproduces the exact noise patterns that will be experienced during the medical procedure, allowing patients to experience a realistic simulation without the actual medical context, thus reducing fear of the unknown while preserving the authenticity of the diagnostic experience

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Loss of information

If generic noise descriptions are provided to patients, then some information about the procedure is given, but patients still cannot predict their individual experience

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation provided to patientVSAvoidpatient uncertainty

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by providing patients with a personalized sound preview of the exact noise sequences they will experience during their medical procedure. This preview is generated based on the specific procedural information and sound sequence information, allowing patients to familiarize themselves with the noise patterns, volume, and duration before the actual procedure, thereby reducing stress and anxiety while maintaining diagnostic reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies local quality by customizing the sound preview to match the specific procedural information for each patient. Instead of providing generic noise descriptions, the system generates personalized sound sequences that reflect the exact procedures, sequences, and parameters that will be used in that patient's specific case, ensuring the information provided is precisely tailored to their individual experience

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If patients experience unpredictable noise during procedures, then medical imaging can be performed, but scan aborts and re-scans occur due to patient discomfort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescan efficiencyVSAvoidcompleted scans

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by providing patients with a personalized sound preview of the exact noise sequences they will experience during their medical procedure. This preview is generated based on the specific procedural information and sound sequence information, allowing patients to familiarize themselves with the noise patterns, volume, and duration before the actual procedure, thereby reducing stress and anxiety and minimizing scan aborts and re-scans

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback by allowing patients to provide input about their noise sensitivity and preferences during the preview phase. The processor uses this feedback to adjust and optimize the sound sequence information, creating a personalized preview that accounts for individual patient characteristics. This feedback loop enables better preparation and reduces the likelihood of scan interruptions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4621799A1Device, system and method for personalized noise preparation of a patient scheduled to undergo a medical procedure

Publication Date: 2025.09.24 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV

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AI summary

The present invention relates to a device for personalized noise preparation of a patient scheduled to undergo a medical procedure, the device comprising an input configured to obtain procedural information comprising information about the scheduled medical procedure; a processor configured to obtain and/or generate sound sequence information comprising information about sound sequences associated with sequences of the scheduled medical procedure based on the obtained procedural information, select and order the sound sequence information, particularly in accordance with the course of the medical procedure, based on the procedural information; and generate control signals for controlling a rendering unit to render the sound sequences in accordance with the selected and ordered sound sequence information; and an output configured to output the control signals to the rendering unit.