Smartphone Pupillary Reflex Analysis for Infant Ocular Diagnosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for diagnosing ocular diseases in infants are hindered by the difficulty in capturing focused images due to their inability to maintain gaze and the brief time available before the pupil reacts to bright light, requiring expensive and complex instruments, and lack of immediate image processing for preliminary diagnosis.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a smartphone or tablet with a camera and flash, employing a computational application that captures multiple images, processes them to correct focus and color analysis, and compares the pupillary reflex to previous clinical cases for preliminary diagnosis of ocular diseases without the need for specialized instruments or expertise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If expensive specialized instruments are used for diagnosing ocular diseases in infants, then diagnostic accuracy is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a standard smartphone camera to capture images of the pupillary reflex, creating a digital copy of the diagnostic information that would traditionally require specialized optical instruments. The computational algorithms process these images to extract diagnostic data, replacing complex physical diagnostic devices with software-based analysis of simple camera images.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical/optical diagnostic instruments with a computational system consisting of a standard camera and image processing algorithms. Instead of using specialized ophthalmic equipment with complex optical paths, the system uses digital image capture and computational analysis to achieve diagnostic accuracy.
2Loss of information
If traditional imaging methods are used on infants, then diagnostic information can be obtained, but the brief time window for imaging is lost due to pupil reaction to light
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by capturing multiple images in rapid succession before the pupil can react to the light stimulus. The computational algorithms then select and process the optimal images from this sequence, ensuring diagnostic information is captured within the brief available time window.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses periodic flashing light to stimulate the pupillary reflex while capturing images at specific intervals. By controlling the timing and frequency of light flashes and corresponding image captures, the system optimizes the probability of capturing diagnostic-quality images during the brief window before pupil constriction occurs.
3Reliability
If multiple images are captured and processed computationally, then diagnostic reliability is improved, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system captures more images than strictly necessary (excessive action) to ensure sufficient diagnostic information is obtained, then uses computational algorithms to select and process only the most useful subset of these images. This approach improves reliability by having redundant data while managing processing time through selective analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The computational algorithms automatically select, process, and analyze the captured images without requiring manual intervention. The system self-manages the entire image processing workflow, from selecting optimal frames to generating diagnostic results, reducing both processing time and the need for specialized operator expertise.
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
Enables rapid, reliable, and cost-effective preliminary diagnosis of ocular problems, including refractive defects and organic diseases, without requiring infants to be kept still or subjected to prolonged examinations, and allows for early detection of issues that might otherwise go untreated.
Implementation Method 1
the light reaches the retina and a portion of it is reflected off the pupil by the choroid or posterior uvea
Implementation Method 2
a computational application that executes the process of capturing a plurality of images of the eyes
Data Source
AI summary
A system for preliminary diagnosis of ocular diseases is proposed, in which from capturing a plurality of images of the eyes of a person, a final image, corrected by processing the images by a computer application, is obtained. The already mentioned application calculates the percentage of the colors composing the pupillary reflex of each eye, and compares the results with previous reference pictures obtained from normal cases and clinical cases of ocular diseases.