Intraoral Scanner Protective Layer Contamination Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical intraoral scanners face contamination issues with their transparent protective layers, leading to distorted three-dimensional geometry data due to saliva or blood, necessitating frequent re-scanning, which is inconvenient and costly.
Innovation Solution
A method to automatically detect contamination of the transparent protective layer by determining a defined percentage of distances below a threshold value, triggering notifications and potentially interrupting the scanning process to prevent data falsification, using a combination of structured light and stereometry methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a transparent protective layer is used to protect electronic components from moisture and enable easy disinfection, then protection and ease of cleaning are improved, but contamination from saliva or blood occurs leading to data falsification
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of contamination on the protective layer before contamination significantly degrades measurement quality. By continuously monitoring the protective layer during scanning operations, the system can detect contamination early and alert operators before data falsification occurs, preventing the need to discard scanned data.
2Ease of operation
If contamination is detected by operator observation, then awareness of the problem is achieved, but by the time contamination is noticed the three-dimensional surface geometry is already badly distorted requiring re-scanning
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback by monitoring distance measurements during scanning operations. When the protective layer becomes contaminated, the optical path changes cause detectable variations in measured distances. The system processes these measurements in real-time and provides feedback to operators, enabling early detection of contamination before it causes significant measurement distortion.
3Measurement precision
If frequent re-scanning is performed to ensure data quality, then measurement precision is maintained, but operational efficiency decreases and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of contamination conditions before they compromise measurement quality. By continuously monitoring the protective layer and detecting contamination early, the system allows scanning operations to continue uninterrupted, eliminating the need for frequent re-scanning and maintaining both high measurement precision and scanning efficiency.
4Reliability
If a transparent protective layer is used between camera and object, then protection and disinfection capability are improved, but distance measurement accuracy deteriorates due to contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring distance measurements during scanning. When contamination on the protective layer causes optical path changes, the system detects variations in measured distances and alerts operators, enabling corrective action before measurement accuracy significantly deteriorates.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces physical inspection of the protective layer with optical monitoring. Instead of requiring operators to visually inspect the protective layer for contamination, the system uses the scanning light itself to detect contamination through changes in optical path and distance measurements, providing automatic, real-time detection.
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
Prevents data falsification by alerting operators to contamination, allowing for timely cleaning and maintaining data precision, thereby reducing operational costs and improving scanning efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the camera producing at least one two-dimensional image of at least a partial area of the object
Implementation Method 2
a transparent protective layer between the camera and the object
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
In a method for operating a device for capturing the three-dimensional geometry of objects, in particular teeth, in which the device has at least a first camera (2) and a transparent protective layer (3) between the camera and the object, in which at least one two-dimensional image of at least one sub-area of the object is captured with the camera, from which a multi-dimensional depth information of the captured sub-area of the object is then created, and in which various multi-dimensional depth information from sub-areas is combined, a combination of pixel coordinates of the two-dimensional image and distances to an element of the device assigned to each pixel coordinate is recorded for the multi-dimensional depth information, and if the distances fall below a defined value by a defined percentage, a message is triggered.