Spatial Audio Projection for Teleoperational Surgical Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing minimally invasive medical procedures face challenges in effective communication between operators and personnel in the vicinity of a patient, as audio signals from multiple sources can be difficult to distinguish and prioritize, leading to potential confusion and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
An audio system with intelligent audio placement and projection, utilizing sensors, tracking systems, and a controller to determine the actual and simulated locations of audio signals, adjusting volume, direction, and other characteristics to recreate a virtual audio environment that enhances clarity and priority for the operator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If audio signals from multiple sources are reproduced without spatial processing, then the audio system is simple and easy to operate, but communication clarity and source distinguishability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an audio placement controller as an intermediary component that processes audio signals from multiple sources. This controller receives audio signals, determines their actual locations using tracking data, and reproduces them at simulated locations. The intermediary controller manages the complexity by centralizing the spatial processing logic, preventing the system from becoming overly complex while maintaining precise audio source location detection and clear communication.
2Productivity
If audio signals are reproduced at their actual physical locations, then the system accurately reflects the real environment, but the operator cannot prioritize urgent messages effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional physical audio environment to a three-dimensional virtual audio environment by introducing simulated locations. The audio placement controller determines simulated locations based on actual locations and message priorities, allowing urgent messages to be positioned strategically in the virtual space. This dimensional transformation enables the operator to prioritize urgent messages effectively while preserving spatial relationship information through the virtual environment mapping.
3Reliability
If the audio system processes and reproduces signals with spatial characteristics, then communication clarity improves, but the device complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The audio placement controller serves multiple functions within a single device: it receives audio signals from multiple sources, determines actual locations using tracking data, calculates simulated locations based on priority, and reproduces audio signals with spatial characteristics. By consolidating these multiple functions into one universal controller, the system achieves reliable communication with enhanced clarity while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
System and method for projecting audio signals to an operator of a teleoperational surgical system to convey spatial orientation associated with the audio signals to the operator. Characteristics of the audio signals such as direction and volume may be selected to give the impression that the remote operator is positioned locally next to the patient. Characteristics of the audio signals may also be modified to provide spatial translations between actual locations of audio sources within a physical audio environment and simulations locations of the audio sources with a virtual audio environment.