Robotic Contact Lens Applicator With Sterilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing contact lens applicators require direct user interaction, which causes anxiety and increases the risk of eye infections due to improper handling, especially for individuals with vision impairments or disabilities, and are not suitable for self-application or use in developing countries where medical practitioners lack the necessary equipment.
Innovation Solution
A contact lens applicator with a robotic arm and end effector that automatically applies or removes contact lenses without direct user contact, utilizing a control system, sensors, and a sterilization mechanism to ensure a sterile environment, and includes a gimbal and articulating arms for precise placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional contact lens applicator is used, then the user can apply the contact lens, but the user experiences anxiety and panic due to direct contact and blurred vision
Solution Approach 1:
A robotic arm serves as an intermediary between the user and the contact lens, allowing the user to control lens application remotely without direct manual contact. The robotic arm executes commands received from the user via a wireless communication device, eliminating the need for the user to physically manipulate the lens near their eye, thereby reducing anxiety and panic.
2Ease of operation
If manual handling of contact lens is performed, then the user can apply the lens, but the risk of eye infections increases due to careless handling
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm acts as a sterile intermediary that handles the contact lens according to pre-programmed sterile protocols. The system includes a sterilization mechanism that sterilizes the robotic arm before application, ensuring that the lens is transferred in a controlled, hygienic manner without direct contact from the user's hands, thereby minimizing infection risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic arm is pre-programmed with the correct sequence of movements and positioning for lens application. The sterilization mechanism performs preliminary sterilization of the robotic arm before it contacts the lens or the user's eye, ensuring that all hygiene protocols are followed automatically without relying on user awareness or manual sterilization steps.
3Reliability
If a robotic arm is used for automated application, then infection risk is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm is designed to perform multiple functions: it can grasp the contact lens, position it precisely, deliver it to the user's eye, and even assist in removal. The same robotic arm can be used for different users and different types of contact lenses, reducing the need for multiple specialized devices and justifying the complexity through versatile utility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex manual dexterity requirements with a simpler wireless control interface. Instead of requiring the user to manually manipulate small components with precise finger movements, the user interacts with a user-friendly wireless device that translates simple inputs into complex robotic arm movements, effectively substituting mechanical complexity with electronic control simplicity for the user.
4Device complexity
If direct manual application is used, then the device is simple, but individuals with vision impairments or disabilities cannot self-apply lenses
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm serves as an intermediary that bridges the gap between the user's limited manual dexterity or vision and the precise movements required for lens application. The wireless communication device provides an accessible interface that can be operated with various degrees of physical ability, and the robotic arm executes the complex positioning tasks that would be difficult or impossible for users with disabilities to perform manually.
Data Source
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AI summary
A contact lens applicator is described which automatically applies a contact lens to a user's, or a patient's, eye. Embodiments described include a contact lens applicator which includes: a main tool base for housing control system elements; a robotic arm mounted on the tool base; an end effector mounted on an end of the robotic arm for grasping a contact lens for delivery to an eye of the user.