Surgical Tabletop Control Unit With Imaging-Based Material Registration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for tracking and registering materials and equipment used during medical, particularly surgical, treatments are often manual and inefficient, involving significant time and effort.
Innovation Solution
A medical table control unit equipped with an imaging device that generates image data of materials and identification codes, utilizing a digital camera and image processing system to automate the registration process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual tracking and registration methods are used for materials and equipment, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity and time efficiency deteriorate due to significant time and effort required for manual documentation
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service registration by automatically capturing images of materials and equipment using the integrated imaging device, and the image processing system autonomously extracts and registers identification codes without requiring manual intervention. The system serves itself by automatically documenting all materials used during treatment through continuous image capture and automated processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical process of writing down or photographing identification codes with mobile devices is replaced by an automated optical system. The imaging device captures images, and the image processing system automatically recognizes and extracts identification codes, substituting the manual mechanical documentation process with an automated optical and computational system.
2Loss of time
If automated imaging and image processing systems are implemented, then productivity and registration speed improve, but device complexity increases due to additional imaging components and processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging device serves multiple functions: it captures images of materials for identification code recognition, documents the treatment process visually, and can track material usage throughout the procedure. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized devices, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity while achieving automated registration.
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging device and image processing system are integrated into the existing table control unit, merging the registration functionality with the treatment control system. This consolidation allows the system to perform both treatment control and automated material registration through a single integrated platform, reducing the need for separate standalone registration devices.
3Ease of operation
If imaging device is integrated into table control unit, then ease of operation improves by eliminating separate documentation steps, but device complexity increases due to additional components within the control unit
Solution Approach 1:
The system operates autonomously by continuously capturing images of materials and automatically processing them through the integrated image processing system. No additional manual operations are required from the user - the system self-services the documentation function, maintaining ease of operation while achieving automated registration in the background.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Significantly reduces the time and effort required for registering materials and identification codes by allowing automated capture and processing of image data during or after treatments.
Implementation Method 1
The imaging device generates image data of materials and/or objects and/or of identification codes of these materials or objects
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Medical tabletop control unit (1), comprising: an outer housing (2), a connection device (3) for a handheld medical treatment device (4), a control device (5) for controlling the tabletop control unit (1) and/or the medical treatment device (4), a conveying device (6) arranged on the outer housing (2) for conveying a treatment and/or cooling fluid, a human-machine interface (7, 8) for operating the tabletop control unit (1) and/or the medical treatment device (4), and an imaging device (9) that generates image data of materials and/or objects (10) and/or of identification codes (11) of these materials or objects (10) used in a medical treatment in which the tabletop control unit (1) is used.Furthermore, a corresponding procedure for registering materials and/or objects (10) used in a medical treatment in which the medical, in particular surgical, table control unit (1) is used is described.