Smartphone Sighting Head for Remote Medical Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional medical instruments, such as otoscopes and speculums, are unsuitable for remote medical examinations like teleconsultations, particularly for examining oral cavities, auditory canals, nasal cavities, and skin conditions, as they are not adapted for remote image acquisition and transfer.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a cell phone or imaging device equipped with a removable sighting head of varying profiles and optical systems, allowing for image capture and transfer of images from cavities or skin areas to medical professionals for remote consultations, featuring a support with a fixing base and optional endoscopic parts for improved illumination and magnification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional medical instruments (otoscope, speculum) are used for examination, then the examination function is achieved, but the instruments are unsuitable for teleconsultations and remote image acquisition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines traditional medical examination instruments with modern digital imaging technology (smartphone camera, LED lighting, magnifying lenses) to create an integrated telemedicine device. The smartphone is mounted within a housing that contains optical components, creating a unified system that performs both traditional examination and digital image capture functions simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed to perform multiple functions: it can examine various body cavities (ear, nose, throat) using different interchangeable speculums, capture high-quality images with integrated lighting and magnification, and transfer images remotely via smartphone connectivity. This multi-functional design makes it suitable for both traditional examination and teleconsultation purposes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed examination device is used, then the device structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to different body areas and patients
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into modular components: a main housing containing the smartphone and optical system, and interchangeable speculums tailored for different body cavities (ear speculum, nasal speculum, oral speculum). This segmentation allows the user to keep the main unit simple while adapting to different examination needs through component replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates adjustable elements including variable magnification lenses that can be switched to change the level of magnification, and interchangeable speculums that allow the examination area to be dynamically adapted. The smartphone's camera and lighting system can also be adjusted to optimize image capture for different anatomical structures.
3Loss of information
If traditional instruments are used, then the equipment is simple, but image capture and transfer for remote consultation is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The smartphone acts as an intermediary device that bridges the traditional examination function and the digital image transfer function. The integrated camera system captures images through the optical components, and the smartphone's processing and communication capabilities enable remote transmission of these images to healthcare providers or electronic health records.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical examination-only instruments with a system that incorporates electronic imaging and digital communication capabilities. The optical system (lenses, mirrors, lighting) works in conjunction with the smartphone's digital sensor and wireless communication modules to substitute pure mechanical examination with a hybrid opto-electronic system that enables both local and remote diagnosis.
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 simple, rapid image acquisition and transfer of images from patients to doctors for remote medical examinations, facilitating teleconsultations by adapting to different body areas and allowing for interchangeable sighting heads and optical enhancements.
Implementation Method 1
the aiming head includes an optical system allowing the image of the examined area to be magnified
Implementation Method 2
A battery attached to the body illuminates the area to be photographed before the image is taken
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a device for acquiring images of an area of a human or animal body for remote medical examination, comprising a support (2) for receiving a cell phone and a viewing head (3) of the area to be examined, having a tubular body delimiting a longitudinally extending channel (40), said viewing head being arranged with the support (2) such that the channel (40) is aligned with the camera lens of the cell phone when the latter is received by the support