Automated Surgical Tray Tracking with Machine-Readable Pegs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for tracking surgical supplies during procedures are slow, error-prone, and inefficient due to the variety of supplies, difficulty in tracking within the sterile field, and limited space for recording, leading to potential reimbursement issues, restocking delays, and inaccuracies in patient records.
Innovation Solution
A surgical tray with rows and slots containing machine-readable objects, such as pegs with embedded data, that allow for real-time tracking of supply usage by reading data from these objects to update counts, combining human-readable and machine-readable indicia for easy identification and data access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual methods are used to track supply usage, then human operators can identify and record supplies, but the process becomes slow, tedious, and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual identification and paper recording with an automated machine-readable system. Machine-readable objects (barcodes, RFID tags) are placed on or near supplies, and a scanning device automatically reads and records usage data, eliminating manual transcription errors and significantly increasing tracking speed while maintaining reliability through automated data capture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates machine-readable copies of supply identification information. Instead of relying on human interpretation of physical supply characteristics, the system uses replicated digital representations (barcodes containing supply IDs, RFID tags with supply data) that can be rapidly and accurately read by machines, improving both speed and accuracy of tracking.
2Measurement precision
If visual identification methods are used, then supplies can be identified, but the process is time-consuming and prone to human error
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes human visual identification with machine-based optical or electromagnetic reading systems. Scanners and RFID readers automatically capture supply identification data in seconds, eliminating the time required for manual visual inspection while improving accuracy by removing human factors such as fatigue, distraction, or misinterpretation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses machine-readable copies (barcodes, RFID tags) that contain encoded supply identification information. These copies can be rapidly scanned and read by machines, providing instant and accurate identification without requiring time-consuming visual inspection by human operators.
3Loss of information
If paper recording is used, then supply usage can be documented, but the process is tedious and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual paper recording with automated electronic data capture and storage. When supplies are removed from containers, the system automatically scans machine-readable objects and records usage in an electronic database, eliminating the tedious process of manual writing and reducing errors through automated data processing and validation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates electronic copies of supply usage data that are automatically stored in digital databases. This eliminates the need for physical paper records and manual transcription, ensuring complete and accurate documentation through automated data capture while significantly reducing the operational effort required.
4Extent of automation
If machine-readable objects are added to containers, then automated tracking is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs universal machine-readable objects (standard barcodes, RFID tags) that can be applied to various container types and supply categories. This standardized approach enables automated tracking across different surgical supplies and containers without requiring custom solutions for each item, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high automation levels.
Data Source
AI summary
A tray includes a plurality of rows, each of which includes a plurality of slots. Each row contains a plurality of screws. Different rows may contain screws of different types, e.g., lengths. Each of one or more rows contains a machine-readable object (e.g., peg) containing both: (1) machine-readable data representing one or more properties of the objects in the corresponding rows, and (2) human-readable indicia representing one or more properties of the objects in the corresponding rows. Removal of an object from a row is performed by reading data from the machine-readable object in the row and using that data to modify (e.g., decrement or increment) a count of the type of object contained in that row.