Handheld Ultrasound Base Unit Thumb Controller Ergonomics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable ultrasound devices face challenges in providing a compact, user-friendly interface that allows for efficient hand-held operation, particularly in facilitating ultrasound imaging without straining the user's hand and wrist due to the distribution of weight and torque during scanning.
Innovation Solution
A portable ultrasound system with a clamshell-type base unit and a transducer wand, featuring a touchscreen display and a thumb controller, where the handle region is designed to accommodate the palm and thumb, allowing for ergonomic grip and operation, with features like a top handle surface for tactility and insulation, and a biased center of mass for secure single-handed use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the base unit is designed to be compact and portable, then portability and ease of carrying are improved, but the distribution of weight and torque during scanning may cause user hand and wrist strain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies counterweight principle by positioning heavier components (battery, processor, display) in the base unit handle region to create a balanced center of mass. This counterbalances the weight of the transducer wand, reducing torque and strain on the user's hand and wrist during scanning operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a thumb controller interface that allows operation in a different spatial dimension (thumb movements on the handle surface) rather than requiring hand movements to manipulate controls. This dimensional change enables ergonomic operation without increasing hand strain.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the base unit is designed with a clamshell-type structure and handle, then portability is improved, but the user interface may be difficult to operate with one hand
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by integrating the thumb controller directly into the handle surface, allowing the same handle structure to serve both as a carrying grip and as a control interface. This enables single-handed operation while maintaining portability.
Solution Approach 2:
The thumb controller acts as an intermediary interface between the user and the base unit functions. By placing tactile controls on the handle surface accessible to the thumb, it mediates control operations without requiring the user to manipulate the clamshell structure with one hand.
3Adaptability or versatility
If controls are placed on the base unit for ultrasound scanning, then functionality is improved, but the controls may not be accessible during hand-held scanning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control interface from the traditional base unit body and relocates it to the handle surface. This segmentation allows controls to be positioned in a location that is accessible during hand-held scanning while maintaining all necessary scanning functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The thumb controller is pre-configured on the handle surface with commonly used controls positioned within thumb reach. This preliminary arrangement of controls allows immediate accessibility during scanning without requiring the user to search for or adjust control positions.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable ultrasound system having a thumb controller is disclosed herein. A portable ultrasound system configured in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure includes a transducer device and a hand-held base unit removably coupled to the transducer device. The base unit is configured to perform an ultrasound scan and to produce a split screen display. The split screen display includes an active image area at which images of a patient obtained from ultrasound signals received by the transducer device are displayed. The split screen display also includes a thumb control area that is accessible by a user's thumb when holding the portable ultrasound system. For example, the thumb control area can include a thumbwheel having one or more controls that can be selectively activated by the user's thumb when holding the portable ultrasound system and are rotatable on and off of the thumb control area.