Surgical Flux Supply Interface Visual Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing user interfaces for flux supply units in surgical systems are complex and hierarchical, making it difficult for users to quickly understand the connection between surgical instruments and flux supply units, which increases setup time and requires extensive training.
Innovation Solution
A user control interface with a continuous display screen featuring graphical sections that visually couple with connectors, providing clear and intuitive information about the association of controls with surgical instruments, allowing for quick and correct connections and setting adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a hierarchical user interface is used for flux supply units, then comprehensive control functionality is achieved, but user understanding of instrument connections becomes difficult and setup time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The display screen is divided into multiple graphical display screen sections, with each section corresponding to a specific connector and surgical instrument. This segmentation allows users to quickly identify and understand the connection between controls and instruments without being overwhelmed by a single complex hierarchical interface.
Solution Approach 2:
Visual indicators are introduced as intermediary elements that directly connect graphical display screen sections with physical connectors. These indicators serve as a visual mediator that eliminates the need for users to navigate complex hierarchical menus to understand instrument connections.
2Productivity
If comprehensive control information is provided through hierarchical menus, then complete system control is achieved, but training requirements increase and operational speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Visual indicators utilize color coding to provide immediate, intuitive information about connector status and instrument connections. Different colors indicate different states (e.g., connected, disconnected, active), allowing users to quickly comprehend system status without extensive training or reference to complex menus.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface transitions from a hierarchical, multi-level menu structure to a spatial, visual layout where connection information is displayed in the same dimensional plane as the physical connectors. This allows users to perceive connection relationships directly through spatial arrangement rather than navigating through multiple informational layers.
Data Source
AI summary
A method comprises operably coupling a surgical instrument to a first connector port of a plurality of connector ports of a flux supply unit. The method further comprises, in response to operably coupling the surgical instrument, altering an appearance of a first graphical user interface section of a plurality of graphical user interface sections presented on a display, each of the plurality of graphical user interface sections being aligned with a differing connector port of the plurality of connector ports.