Wearable Interface for Ocular Surgery Console

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ocular surgeries are inefficient due to the need for surgeons to frequently pause and change their gaze from the surgical site to view settings and parameters on a surgical console, leading to fatigue and reduced surgical efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A wearable user interface system that includes a display with a central surgical viewing area and a peripheral data display region, allowing surgeons to view the surgical site and receive live video feeds while simultaneously accessing critical surgical information, such as intraocular pressure and irrigation settings, without needing to remove their gaze from the microscope.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the surgeon looks through the microscope to view the surgical site, then the visualization and magnification of the surgical site is improved, but the surgeon must pause and change gaze to check settings on the surgical console, reducing surgical efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisualization precisionVSAvoidsurgical efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the microscope viewing system with a heads-up display system that overlays surgical settings and parameters directly in the surgeon's field of view. This merging allows the surgeon to access console information without breaking visual contact with the surgical site, resolving the contradiction between visualization precision and surgical efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a camera as an intermediary device that captures the surgical site and displays it on a screen visible to the surgeon. This intermediary system allows the surgeon to monitor the surgical site and settings simultaneously without direct microscope viewing, eliminating the need to pause and change gaze

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If the surgeon holds the head at an awkward angle to look through the microscope, then the surgical site can be viewed with magnification, but fatigue occurs making the position uncomfortable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisualization precisionVSAvoidsurgical comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The camera acts as an intermediary that captures the surgical site and presents it on a display visible to the surgeon in a comfortable position. This eliminates the need to maintain an awkward head angle while preserving visualization capability, thereby improving surgical comfort

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a visual copy of the surgical site through the camera system and displays it on a screen. This copy allows the surgeon to view the surgical site without being constrained by the microscope's fixed viewing angle, enabling a more comfortable head position

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP2906130B1Wearable user interface for use with ocular surgical console
Publication Date: 2017.12.06 ALCON RESEARCH LTD
  • EP2906130B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2906130B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2906130B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An ocular surgical system includes a surgical console having a fluidics subsystem, an input pedal subsystem, and a phacoemulsification subsystem. It also includes a wearable user interface in communication with the console. The wearable user interface comprising an interface display having a centrally disposed surgical viewing area and having a peripheral data display region configured to display data relating to the surgery or the console. The peripheral data display region may display information received from the surgical console.