TMS Coil Tracking Attachment Precision

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) coil devices lack a reliable and precise attachment mechanism for tracking devices, leading to inaccuracies in tracking the location and orientation of coil windings, necessitating repeated calibrations and affecting the accuracy of induced electric fields in navigated brain stimulation.

Innovation Solution

A TMS coil device with a precision mating attachment portion and a complementary mating portion for the tracking device, ensuring consistent attachment at a predetermined location and orientation, utilizing geometrically complementary configurations and potentially magnetic or tool-free attachment methods to maintain accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a tracking device is attached to a TMS coil device using conventional attachment methods (e.g., clamping to a round handle), then the tracking device can be easily attached and detached, but the location and orientation of the tracking device in relation to the coil windings vary each time, requiring repeated calibrations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of attachmentVSAvoidtracking accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment system is divided into two separate components: an attachment portion integrated with the coil windings and a mating portion on the tracking device. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the attachment portion provides a stable reference frame for precision, while the mating portion enables easy attachment and detachment operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The attachment portion acts as an intermediary element between the coil windings and the tracking device. It provides a stable, fixed reference frame that mediates the connection, ensuring that the tracking device maintains a consistent predetermined location and orientation relative to the coil windings each time it is attached.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If a tracking device is attached to a thin-walled round handle, then the attachment structure is simple and lightweight, but the handle flattens after repeated attachment and detachment, compromising structural stability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment structure complexityVSAvoidstructural stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment portion is extracted from the handle structure and integrated directly with the coil windings casing. This separates the attachment function from the handle, allowing the attachment portion to be designed with sufficient structural strength without adding complexity to the handle itself. The attachment portion provides a rigid, stable mounting point that does not flatten or deform under repeated use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the tracking device is allowed to rotate freely on the handle, then the attachment is flexible and easy to position, but the location and orientation become inconsistent, affecting navigation accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment flexibilityVSAvoidlocation and orientation accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment portion and mating portion are designed with asymmetric, non-circular geometries that prevent rotation. The complementary shapes of these components ensure that when attached, the tracking device assumes a unique predetermined orientation relative to the coil windings, eliminating the rotational自由度 that would otherwise compromise tracking accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

4Measurement precision

If calibration is performed frequently to maintain tracking accuracy, then measurement precision is maintained, but time is lost to repeated calibration procedures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetracking accuracyVSAvoidcalibration time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The predetermined location and orientation relationship between the tracking device and coil windings is established in advance through the fixed geometric relationship of the attachment portion and mating portion. This preliminary configuration eliminates the need for repeated calibrations, as the spatial relationship is inherently defined by the attachment mechanism itself rather than requiring post-attachment calibration procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS7854232B2Transcranial magnetic stimulation induction coil device with attachment portion for receiving tracking device

Publication Date: 2010.12.21 NEXSTIM

AI summary

A transcranial magnetic stimulation (“TMS”) induction coil device includes an attachment portion for attachment to a tracking device and providing that the tracking device, when attached to the TMS coil device, is at a predetermined location and orientation in relation to a casing of the TMS coil device. The casing of the TMS coil device also includes a reference point for confirming the accuracy of the attachment of the tracking device to the TMS coil device at the predetermined location and orientation in relation to the casing.