Systems and methods for detection and illumination of regions of interest
Inventors
Hallack, Jason D. • Lintz, Joshua D. • Falb, David M. • Geerlings, Kurtis L. • Tonar, William L. • Hamlin, Bradley R. • Schut, Jeremy A. • VanVuuren, Mark A. • Veenman, Steven J. • Miller, Jordan • Nelson, Heidi
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11517393-B2
Publication Date
2022-12-06
Expiration Date
Abstract
An illumination system for a lighting assembly comprises a light assembly configured to selectively illuminate an operating region in a surgical suite and a plurality of light sources positioned within the light assembly and configured to emit light. The system further comprises at least one imager configured to capture image data and a controller. The controller is configured to scan the image data in at least one region of interest for a shaded region and identify a location of the shaded region within the region of interest. The controller is further configured to control the light assembly to activate at least one of the light sources to emit light impinging on the shaded region within the region of interest.
Core Innovation
The disclosure relates to an adaptive surgical illumination system that uses one or more imagers to capture image data for a region of interest in a surgical field or within a surgical suite. A controller processes the image data to identify shaded regions or shadows and determines light-control actions for illumination impinging on the shaded or shadowed regions.
A controller controls the operation of a first light assembly to direct illumination toward the location of interest, including directing light to locations being viewed by a user. The system includes a wearable device comprising at least one second light source, and the wearable device causes the controller to direct light from the light assembly to a location being viewed by the user.
The system further supports adaptive shadow mitigation by locating obstructions using depth image/3D map data and/or infrared dot projection, identifying shadow locations, and redirecting or aiming light to avoid a shadow path. The described implementation context includes selectable light sources in the light assembly and additional optical features such as polarization control and glare reduction using an optical filter to improve illumination behavior in the surgical environment.
Claims Coverage
The document provides two independent claims. Across the independent claims, there are four main inventive features that govern image-data-based control of surgical illumination, wearable-device direction of illumination to a user-viewed location, and laser-imager tracked guidance that communicates with an illumination system to direct light to where a user is looking.
Image-data controlled surgical illumination
An illumination system comprising at least one imager configured to capture image data; a controller configured to process data from the at least one imager and control the operation of the first light assembly.
Wearable-directed illumination to user-viewed location
A wearable device comprising at least one second light source, wherein the wearable device causes the controller to direct light from the at least one light assembly to a location being viewed by a user.
Guidance laser tracked by imager to drive directed illumination
A wearable device comprising at least one guidance system including a laser configured to emit one of visible and non-visible light, wherein the light emitted from the guidance system is tracked by the imager and communicated to an illumination system.
Illumination directed to where the user is looking
In response to receiving communication from the guidance system, the illumination system emits light from a light assembly directed to where a user is looking.
Overall, the independent claims cover an illumination system that processes imager-captured image data to control a first light assembly, and a wearable-device arrangement that directs the illumination to a location being viewed by a user. A further independent-claim aspect specifies a guidance-system laser whose emitted light is tracked by the imager and communicated to an illumination system, which then emits light directed to where the user is looking.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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