Self-Navigating Cart for Automatic Collimator Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual installation of collimators in nuclear medicine imaging devices is time-consuming and labor-intensive, necessitating the development of automated systems and methods for efficient collimator handling.
Innovation Solution
An automatic collimator installation system utilizing a cart equipped with navigation algorithms and a locating module to transport and align collimators with medical scanners, enabling automated identification, installation, and uninstallation of collimators without human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual installation of collimators is used, then operation simplicity is maintained, but installation time and labor intensity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The cart system performs self-navigation and self-positioning using onboard sensors and navigation algorithms to automatically transport and align collimators without requiring external manual guidance or complex external positioning systems
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical operations are replaced with an automated cart system that uses electronic navigation, sensors, and programmed algorithms to perform collimator transport and alignment tasks
2Loss of time
If automated cart system is introduced, then installation time is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cart system integrates multiple functions including navigation, positioning, alignment, transport, and installation operations into a single mobile platform, eliminating the need for multiple separate systems
Solution Approach 2:
The cart receives predetermined routes and navigation instructions in advance, allowing it to autonomously navigate and position itself before the actual collimator installation begins
3Measurement precision
If navigation algorithms are used for alignment, then positioning accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cart uses onboard sensors to continuously monitor its position and orientation, providing feedback to the navigation algorithms to dynamically adjust and improve alignment accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
Navigation algorithms act as an intermediary layer between the cart's physical movement and the required precise alignment, translating rough movements into accurate positioning through computational processing
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is related to automatic installation systems and methods. An automatic collimator installation method may include obtaining an installation instruction for installing a target collimator into a medical scanner, identifying, from a plurality of collimators stored in a tool storage device, the target collimator based on the installation instruction; using a cart to transport the target collimator from the tool storage device to the medical scanner; and automatically installing, using the cart, the target collimator into the medical scanner.