Rotational Sensor Combining Absolute and Relative Light Measurements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current endoscope simulators face challenges in accurately mimicking the movement and rotation of endoscopes during training, as they either damage actual endoscopes or require expensive and limited physical mannequins, and existing rotational sensors either suffer from compounding rotation errors or lack the necessary precision for smooth movements.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a combination of first and second sensors to measure absolute and relative rotation, where the system calculates and adjusts the current derived angle to minimize offset errors, ensuring accurate and smooth rotational movements by combining fine and course resolution data from light-based sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If actual endoscopes are used in physical simulators, then training realism is improved, but equipment damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the endoscope in a simulated environment that replicates the visual and operational characteristics of the real endoscope without using the actual expensive equipment. This allows trainees to practice procedures on virtual patients and anatomical structures, eliminating the risk of damaging real endoscopes while maintaining training realism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces expensive, fragile real endoscopes with a software-based virtual endoscope that can be used indefinitely without wear or damage. The virtual endoscope is a cost-effective alternative that eliminates the need for repeated sterilization and maintenance associated with physical equipment.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If physical mannequins are used for training, then patient safety is improved, but cost and versatility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual simulation system can be configured to represent multiple different patient types, anatomical variations, and pathological conditions within a single platform. Trainees can switch between different virtual patients and procedural scenarios without needing multiple physical mannequins, providing unlimited versatility while maintaining patient safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual simulation environment is dynamically adjustable, allowing real-time modification of anatomical structures, tissue properties, and procedural parameters. This enables the system to adapt to different training needs and patient scenarios, unlike static physical mannequins.
3Device complexity
If existing rotational sensors are used, then device simplicity is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation measurement system is divided into two independent sensor components: an absolute rotation sensor for coarse angular position measurement and a relative rotation sensor for fine rotational change detection. This segmentation allows each sensor to be optimized for its specific function while together providing high-precision measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the outputs of two different rotation sensing methods (absolute and relative) into a unified measurement system. The absolute sensor provides the baseline angular position, while the relative sensor tracks incremental changes, and their combined output delivers superior measurement precision that neither sensor could achieve alone.
4Ease of operation
If existing rotational sensors are used, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to compounding errors
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the output of both absolute and relative rotation sensors and uses feedback control to detect and correct drift or offset errors in real-time. The relative sensor provides feedback on incremental changes that can be used to verify and adjust the absolute sensor readings, maintaining long-term reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The relative rotation sensor acts as an intermediary that bridges the gap between absolute position measurements, providing continuous verification and correction of the absolute sensor data. This intermediary measurement system detects and compensates for drift in the absolute sensor, maintaining reliability without complicating operation.
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
This approach provides a cost-effective and realistic simulation of endoscope movements, reducing the risk of equipment damage and the need for multiple mannequins, while ensuring precise and smooth rotational control, enhancing training accuracy without the limitations of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of first light-based sensors to measure the absolute rotation of an object... at least one second light-based sensor to measure the relative rotation of the object
Data Source
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Figure 5~6(B)
AI summary
The invention is a rotational sensor to sense an object's angle and methods to analyse the sensor output. The sensor has a first emitting source (22), to either emit onto, or from the object, a first receiving sensor (25), to receive emissions from the first emitting source (22), either directly or indirectly, the emissions received dependent on said angle, first receiving sensor (25) outputting a first signal a course measurement of the angle. Also present is a second emitting source (28), to emit onto, or from the object and a second receiving sensor (29), to receive emissions from the second emitting source (28), either directly or indirectly the emissions received again dependent on said angle, second receiving sensor (29) outputting a second signal, as a fine measurement of the angle. A method of use of the sensor is disclosed together with a method of combining the fine and course measurements to output a signal with zero error.