Automated Slide Defect Detection via Robotic Image Capture
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Pathological slides often contain defects, leading to inaccuracies in histopathological examinations, which existing methods fail to effectively identify and manage.
Innovation Solution
A slide information capturing and evaluation device that uses a robotic arm to move slides between a cassette device, an alignment device, and an image capturing device, determining defective slides by analyzing images and categorizing them based on sample indicator values, thereby improving the accuracy of subsequent pathological examinations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple pathological slides are examined manually, then the examination process can be completed, but defective slides may be missed leading to inaccuracies in pathological examination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection of slides with an automated image capturing device and processing system. The device captures images of slides, automatically analyzes them for defects, and generates evaluation results, eliminating human subjectivity and inconsistency in defect detection while improving accuracy through systematic image analysis
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables slides to be automatically evaluated without requiring expert pathological review for each slide. The image capturing device and processing algorithm perform self-assessment of slide quality, identifying defects and categorizing slides independently, which improves reliability by providing consistent automated judgment across all slides
2Device complexity
If all slides are processed through the same examination procedure, then the process is simple, but defective slides contaminate the dataset and reduce overall examination accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the slide population into distinct categories based on quality assessment. The system evaluates each slide and divides them into groups (e.g., acceptable, questionable, defective), allowing subsequent analysis to focus only on appropriate subsets. This segmentation maintains procedural simplicity while improving accuracy by preventing defective slides from contaminating the analysis dataset
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary evaluation of slides before they enter the main pathological analysis workflow. By capturing images and assessing slide quality in advance, the system identifies and flags defective slides beforehand, ensuring they are excluded or handled separately in subsequent examination steps, thus protecting the overall analysis accuracy without complicating the main procedure
3Reliability
If manual inspection of each slide is performed, then defective slides can be identified, but the process is time-consuming and reduces productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces time-consuming manual inspection with automated image capture and processing. The system rapidly captures images of multiple slides and uses algorithms to evaluate them, achieving both high reliability in defect detection and improved productivity by processing many slides simultaneously without requiring individual human review of each slide
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates digital copies (images) of slides for evaluation instead of requiring physical handling and visual inspection of each original slide. This copying approach allows parallel processing of multiple slides through the imaging system while maintaining accurate defect detection, significantly increasing throughput compared to sequential manual inspection
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating a slide information capturing and evaluation device includes receiving a slide in a first region of a slide cassette device. The slide is moved out of the first region of the slide cassette device and the slide is placed on an alignment device by a robotic arm. The slide is moved out of the alignment device and the slide is placed on an image capturing device by the robotic arm. An image of a sample distribution area of the slide is captured by the image capturing device. The slide is determined whether in a defective state based on the image captured by the image capturing device.