Touchless OR Equipment Control Using 3D Gestures and Gaze

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Solution Overview

Problem

Medical practitioners face challenges in controlling or interacting with medical equipment in a surgical environment without compromising sterility or requiring assistance from technicians, especially when controlling devices like adjustable patient beds, light sources, diagnostic equipment, and infusion systems.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for touchless control of medical equipment using 3D optical sensors and controllers to interpret hand gestures, providing a three-dimensional control menu and interaction display units, allowing practitioners to control devices through gestures and line-of-sight detection, with feedback via augmented reality headsets or projected menus.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If medical practitioners use traditional contact-based control methods for medical equipment, then they can directly interact with devices, but they must compromise sterility by scrubbing out or delegating tasks

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveDirect control of medical equipmentVSAvoidSterility maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical contact-based control systems with optical sensing and gesture recognition systems. 3D optical sensors detect hand gestures and body movements to control medical equipment without physical contact, allowing practitioners to maintain sterility while directly controlling devices such as surgical lights, smoke evacuators, and imaging systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary optical sensing system that translates practitioner gestures into equipment control commands. This intermediary layer (gesture recognition software and optical sensors) enables indirect control of medical equipment, preserving the sterile barrier while maintaining direct operational capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If medical practitioners control multiple devices through traditional methods, then they can adjust equipment settings, but they experience increased distractions and loss of focus on procedures

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveControl over multiple medical devicesVSAvoidOperational efficiency and practitioner focus

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal gesture-based control system that can operate multiple different medical devices through a common interface. The same optical sensing and gesture recognition technology controls diverse equipment including surgical lights, smoke evacuators, imaging systems, and patient monitors, eliminating the need for device-specific control interactions and reducing cognitive distraction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If medical practitioners require assistance from technicians to control equipment, then they can maintain sterility, but they experience increased loss of time and reduced productivity

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveSterility maintenanceVSAvoidTime for equipment control

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables medical practitioners to independently control medical equipment through gesture-based interfaces without requiring assistance from technicians or other personnel. The system provides self-service capability where practitioners can adjust equipment settings, activate functions, and monitor device status directly through natural gestures, eliminating time loss associated with delegating control tasks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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

Enables sterile environment operation with direct control over multiple medical devices, reducing distractions and maintaining practitioner focus on procedures by eliminating the need for scrubbing out or delegating tasks, thus enhancing operational efficiency and safety.

Implementation Method 1

A 3D optical sensor may be used to obtain optical data in the visible or infrared spectrum about objects in a workspace

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical detection: Photoelectric Effect

Data Source

PatentUS12521192B2Methods and systems for touchless control of surgical environment

Publication Date: 2026.01.13 NZ TECHNOLOGIES INC

AI summary

A method facilitates touchless control of medical equipment devices in an OR. The method involves: providing a three-dimensional control menu, which comprises a plurality of menu items selectable by the practitioner by one or more gestures made in a volumetric spatial region corresponding to the menu item; displaying an interaction display unit (IDU) image corresponding to the three-dimensional control menu to provide indicia of any selected menu items; estimating a line of sight of a practitioner; and when the estimated line of sight is directed within a first spatial range around a first medical equipment device, determining that the practitioner is looking at the first medical equipment device. Then the method involves providing a first device-specific three-dimensional control menu displaying a first device-specific IDU image.