Offline Surgical Data Access via Local Cloud Sync

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current surgical procedures face challenges in computerization due to issues like unreliable network connectivity in operating rooms, which hinders the accessibility and accuracy of preference cards and inventory tracking, leading to potential delays and errors during operations.

Innovation Solution

A cloud-based platform with a data coordination program and computing devices configured to store and retrieve preference data locally, ensuring availability even offline, and utilizing computer vision for inventory tracking to prevent errors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If preference cards are migrated to a cloud based system for digital storage and accessibility, then data accessibility and ease of updates are improved, but system reliability deteriorates due to spotty network connectivity in operating rooms making remotely stored preference cards unavailable when needed most

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata accessibilityVSAvoidsystem availability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements different data storage locations with different characteristics: cloud storage for centralized management and updates, and local storage for immediate accessibility. The computing device stores preference card data both locally and in the cloud, allowing the system to leverage the advantages of each storage location while mitigating their individual disadvantages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by downloading and storing preference card data locally before it is needed during surgical procedures. This ensures that the data is already available on the device without requiring network connectivity during the actual procedure, thus maintaining reliability while enabling cloud-based updates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If manual counting methods are used for inventory tracking, then system complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to human error resulting in items being left in patients

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidinventory tracking accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces the mechanical manual counting process with an automated computer vision system using cameras and image processing algorithms. The computer vision system automatically detects, tracks, and counts surgical items, eliminating human error while maintaining relatively simple system architecture through the use of standard imaging technology.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11314846B1Surgical communication and computerization infrastructure

Publication Date: 2022.04.26 OR LINK INC

AI summary

Various embodiments are described herein that relate to visual tools for specifying the setups and data models preferred by a medical professional (e.g., a surgeon) within an operating room. These visual tools can be incorporated into a system which provides various technical benefits, such as ensuring that users are given access to time sensitive information even when their computer(s) is/are offline. In this way, the disclosed technology can address specific technical issues which arise in the context of surgery, including that many operating rooms have little or no network connectivity which could allow potentially vital information specified using visual tools to be accessed.