Biological Sensor Cover Aligning Point Clouds Without Marker Coils

Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for aligning biological structure images with the position of biological parts during biomagnetic field measurements, such as magnetoencephalography, require marker coils that interfere with magnetic field measurements and are time-consuming, necessitating a technique that can align images without marker coils and track positions in real time.

Innovation Solution

A biological information measuring apparatus that includes a cover member with sensors, a memory, and a hardware processor to estimate positional relations by superimposing non-contact point clouds representing the biological part's surface in a sensor coordinate system with morphological images, allowing for real-time alignment and tracking without marker coils.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If marker coils are attached to the subject for head-position tracking, then the position of the biological part can be tracked, but the magnetic fields caused by the marker coils prevent magnetic fields to be measured and the process takes more than 20 minutes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveposition tracking accuracyVSAvoidpreparation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the marker coils from the measurement system. Instead of using marker coils attached to the subject, the invention uses a camera to capture images of the subject's head and automatically detects anatomical landmarks (nose tip, earlobes, etc.) to determine head position. This eliminates the time-consuming attachment process while maintaining position tracking capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a digital copy of the subject's head position information by capturing images with a camera and processing them to extract anatomical landmark coordinates. This digital representation replaces the physical marker coils, enabling position tracking without the harmful magnetic fields and time-consuming attachment process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If marker coils are attached to the subject for head-position tracking, then the position of the biological part can be tracked, but the magnetic fields caused by the marker coils prevent magnetic fields to be measured

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveposition tracking accuracyVSAvoidmagnetic field interference

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the marker coils from the measurement system. Instead of using marker coils attached to the subject, the invention uses a camera to capture images of the subject's head and automatically detects anatomical landmarks (nose tip, earlobes, etc.) to determine head position. This eliminates the time-consuming attachment process while maintaining position tracking capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a digital copy of the subject's head position information by capturing images with a camera and processing them to extract anatomical landmark coordinates. This digital representation replaces the physical marker coils, enabling position tracking without the harmful magnetic fields and time-consuming attachment process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Measurement precision

If traditional methods using marker coils or digitizers are used for aligning morphological images with the subject's head, then alignment can be achieved, but the process is time-consuming and requires marker coils

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage alignment accuracyVSAvoidalignment time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a digital copy of the subject's head position information by capturing images with a camera and processing them to extract anatomical landmark coordinates. This digital representation replaces the physical marker coils, enabling position tracking without the harmful magnetic fields and time-consuming attachment process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of marker coil attachment and manual digitization with an automated optical system. A camera captures images, and image processing algorithms automatically detect anatomical landmarks and calculate head position, eliminating the need for manual marker placement and reducing alignment time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11805969B2Biological information measuring apparatus, biological information measurement method, and recording medium

Publication Date: 2023.11.07 RICOH CO LTD

AI summary

A biological information measuring apparatus includes a cover member and a hardware processor. The cover member is provided with sensors for detecting biological signals to cover a position of a biological part of a subject. The hardware processor is configured to estimate a positional relation of the position of the biological part of the subject with respect to the cover member at a first time point. The hardware processor superimposes first point cloud and second point cloud. The first point cloud is acquired by a non-contact mechanism front the subject at the first time point and represents a surface of the biological part of the subject in a coordinate system of the sensors. The second point cloud is created based on a morphological image of the subject captured by a biological structure acquiring apparatus and represents the surface of the biological part of the subject.