Wound Tracking Overlay for Consistent Image Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic health records (EHR) systems face inefficiencies in wound tracking due to the inability to directly receive images from patient-operated devices, inconsistent image capture parameters, and varying lighting and camera orientations, which complicate the comparison of wound healing progress.
Innovation Solution
A distributed EHR system with client-side and server-side functionality, combined with a patient portal application, allows for consistent image capture by transmitting camera data and instructions to patient devices to match the parameters of initial images, ensuring consistent lighting and orientation, and enabling direct image upload without manual email downloads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a conventional EHR system is used for wound tracking, then the system can store and display wound images, but the system cannot directly receive images from patient-operated devices and requires manual email downloads, increasing computing resource usage and operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a patient portal application as an intermediary between the patient's computing device and the EHR system. This intermediary enables automatic image transmission from the patient device to the EHR without requiring manual email downloads, while maintaining system integration and data security through controlled access protocols
Solution Approach 2:
The patient portal application enables patients to independently upload their own wound images directly to the EHR system without requiring healthcare worker intervention for the transfer process. The system automatically receives, stores, and integrates these images into the patient's medical record
2Ease of operation
If different cameras with varying parameters are used to capture wound images, then patient convenience is improved, but image consistency deteriorates making wound healing tracking difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system captures camera parameter data (such as resolution, flash intensity, and orientation) from the patient's device and uses this information to adjust and normalize the captured images. By dynamically changing processing parameters based on the specific camera characteristics, the system achieves consistent image output regardless of the varying hardware parameters of different patient devices
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where camera parameter data from the patient's device is transmitted to the EHR system, which then uses this feedback information to automatically adjust image processing parameters and ensure consistency across images captured by different devices
3Adaptability or versatility
If images are captured under varying lighting conditions and camera orientations, then patient convenience is maintained, but measurement precision of wound healing progress deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system captures environmental context data including lighting conditions and camera orientation information alongside the wound images. It then dynamically adjusts image processing parameters based on this context data to normalize the images for accurate wound measurement and healing progression tracking, while still allowing patients to capture images in various conditions
Data Source
AI summary
A computing system for wound tracking is disclosed herein. A server computing device receives a first image of a wound of a patient captured by a first camera. Subsequently, the server computing device receives a message generated by a computing device, the message indicating that a second camera of the computing device is to capture a second image of the wound. Responsive to receiving the message, the server computing device causes data to be transmitted to the computing device, the data based in part upon the first image. The data causes the computing device to present a semi-transparent overlay to a view of the wound on a display as perceived through a lens of the second camera, the semi-transparent overlay indicative of the first image. The computing device captures the second image via the second camera and causes the second image to be received by the server computing device.