Remote Intervention Control Using Local Safeguarding Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing remote control systems for intervention devices, such as imaging and treatment devices, face challenges in ensuring safety and reliability due to incomplete situational data coverage and communication latency, leading to complex workflows and the need for local expertise.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that incorporates a safeguarding signal generated by a first person at the intervention location to ensure monitoring activity, allowing remote control by a second person only if the safeguarding signal is present, using signaling devices like foot switches, voice commands, or gesture recognition to verify the first person's presence and monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If remote control is implemented for intervention devices, then expertise availability is improved, but safety and reliability deteriorate due to incomplete situational data coverage and communication latency
Solution Approach 1:
A safeguarding signal acts as an intermediary between the local first person and the remote control system. This signal mediates the control authority by confirming that the first person is present and monitoring, thereby enabling remote control while maintaining safety through an additional verification layer that bridges the trust gap created by remote operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary verification by requiring the safeguarding signal to be present before allowing remote control functions to execute. This preliminary action of confirming first person presence and monitoring status prevents unsafe remote operations from occurring in the first place, addressing the reliability concern before it can manifest
2Reliability
If situational data coverage is expanded to cover entire region of influence, then safety monitoring is improved, but device complexity and data transmission requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and isolates the critical safety verification function into a separate safeguarding signal mechanism. Instead of requiring comprehensive situational data coverage for all regions, the system extracts only the essential safety confirmation (first person presence and monitoring status) into a dedicated signal channel, reducing data transmission requirements while maintaining safety monitoring
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring function is segmented into two independent components: comprehensive situational data for remote operator awareness, and a separate safeguarding signal for safety-critical verification. This segmentation allows the system to maintain adequate safety monitoring without requiring all situational data to be transmitted and processed, thereby reducing overall system complexity
3Speed
If communication latency is reduced for faster control response, then intervention speed is improved, but system complexity and cost worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts control authority based on the presence of the safeguarding signal rather than requiring uniformly low latency across all communication channels. When the safeguarding signal is present, remote control is enabled with appropriate response times; this dynamic approach allows acceptable control response speeds without investing in expensive ultra-low-latency infrastructure
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for generating control information for the remote control of an intervention device that is to be used during an intervention, for example a medical intervention, at an intervention location, wherein at least one first person is present at the intervention location and at least one second person is present at a location which differs from and is remote from the intervention location for the purpose of cooperation during the performance of the intervention, and control information provided by the second person is sent from the remote location to the intervention location by a communication connection, wherein use of the control information for controlling the intervention device is only enabled if a safeguarding signal, which indicates a monitoring activity of the first person and is output by a signaling device that may be activated by the first person, is present.