Surgical Microscope Camera Orientation by User Head Position
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical microscopes require users to constantly look through oculars, leading to fatigue and interrupted surgical flows due to the need to reposition the microscope with their hands, while newer models with cameras and displays still face challenges in optimizing camera positioning for improved user experience.
Innovation Solution
A surgical microscope system that includes a camera with actuators for precise positioning and orientation, using user body position detection to adjust camera angles within specific ranges to align with user expectations, allowing for improved visual feedback and reduced fatigue during surgeries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the camera is positioned using actuators based on detected user head movements, then the user experience is improved by allowing convenient head positioning, but the complexity of the positioning system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical repositioning of the microscope with an automated optical/electronic system. Sensors detect user head position and eye gaze, and actuators automatically adjust camera orientation accordingly, substituting the mechanical hand-repositioning operation with an automated detection-actuation system that reduces physical strain on the user.
2Ease of operation
If the camera rotation angle is limited to be between a first angle and a second angle, then the visual feedback becomes more intuitive and matches user expectations, but the range of camera orientation becomes restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter constraints to the camera's rotation angle, limiting it to a specific range between a first angle and a second angle. This parameter change ensures that the camera's field of view orientation remains within bounds that provide intuitive visual feedback to the user, making the displayed images more naturally aligned with user expectations while sacrificing extreme orientation angles.
3Productivity
If the camera is repositioned automatically based on user detection, then the surgical flow is maintained without interruption, but the measurement precision requirements for user position detection increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback loop where sensors continuously detect user head position and eye gaze direction, and this detection information is fed back to the actuator system to automatically adjust camera orientation. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables continuous adaptation to user movements, maintaining uninterrupted surgical flow while the system processes detection data to determine appropriate camera repositioning.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating a surgical microscope includes detecting a position of a user, and setting a rotation angle of a camera about its main axis such that it is between a first angle and a second angle. The first angle is the rotation angle required to display a first straight object as a vertical line, and the second angle is the rotation angle required to display a second straight object as a horizontal line. The first object extends along a first line arranged in a vertical plane containing a line connecting the position of the user with the field of view. The first line is horizontal and traverses the field of view. The second object extends along a second line traversing the field of view. The second line is horizontal and perpendicular to the first line.