Goggle imaging systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10230943-B2
Application number	US-201314374002-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2013
Priority date	Jan 23, 2012
Publication date	Mar 12, 2019
Grant date	Mar 12, 2019

Abstract

A goggle system is provided. The goggle system includes a computing device, a goggle device configured to be worn by a user and including a detector configured to simultaneously acquire image data of a subject in a first image mode and a second image mode, at least one eye assembly configured to display at least one of an image in the first image mode, an image in the second image mode, and a hybrid image including pixels of image data from the first image mode and pixels of image data from the second image mode, and a communications module configured to transmit acquired image data from the goggle device to the computing device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A goggle system comprising:
a computing device; and
a goggle device configured to be worn by a user and comprising:
a detector configured to simultaneously acquire image data of a subject in a first image mode configured to detect a plurality of fluorescent molecular probes in a state of excitation in a subject, the excitation caused by a near infrared light source coupled to the goggle device, and a second image mode configured to detect the subject in visible light illuminated by a white light source emitting white light in the visible light spectrum, the white light source coupled to the goggle device;
at least one eye assembly configured to display an image including pixels of the acquired image data in real-time, the image selectable from a first mode image including pixels of image data from the first image mode, a second mode image including pixels of image data from the second image mode, and a hybrid image including pixels of image data from the first image mode and pixels of image data from the second image mode; and
a communications module configured to transmit acquired image data from said goggle device to said computing device.

2. A goggle system according to claim 1 , wherein said white light source comprises a plurality of white light emitting diodes.

3. A goggle system according to claim 1 , wherein said goggle device further comprises a fluorescence excitation light source, the fluorescence excitation light source providing a view of 0.3 meters in diameter at a distance of 1 meter from the subject.

4. A goggle system according to claim 1 , further comprising a fluorescence excitation light source detached from said goggle device.

5. A goggle system according to claim 1 , wherein the first image mode and the second image mode are each one of a far infrared image mode, a near infrared image mode, a visible light image mode, a photoacoustic image mode, an interference image mode, an optical coherence tomography image mode, a diffusion optical tomography image mode, a polarization image mode, an ultrasound image mode, a nuclear image mode, a computed tomography image mode, a gamma image mode, and an X-ray image mode.

6. A goggle system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of first image mode detector elements and said plurality of second image mode detector elements comprises a plurality of alternating layers containing p-n junctions.

7. A goggle system according to claim 1 , wherein said goggle device further comprises a switch configured to switch between different imaging modes displayed in real-time on said at least one eye assembly.

8. A goggle system accordingly to claim 1 , wherein said detector comprises a detector array comprising:
a plurality of first image mode detector elements; and
a plurality of second image mode detector elements, wherein said first and second image mode detector elements are arranged in a checkerboard pattern.

9. A goggle system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one eye assembly includes a pixel array comprising:
a plurality of first image mode pixels; and
a plurality of second image mode pixels, wherein said first and second image mode pixels are arranged in a checkerboard pattern.

10. A goggle device configured to be worn by a user and comprising:
a detector configured to simultaneously acquire image data of a subject in a first image mode configured to detect a plurality of fluorescent molecular probes in a state of excitation in a subject, the excitation caused by a near infrared light source coupled to the goggle device, and a second image mode configured to detect the subject in visible light illuminated by a white light source emitting white light in the visible light spectrum, the white light source coupled to the goggle device; and
at least one eye assembly configured to display an image including pixels of the acquired image data in real-time, the image selectable from a first mode image including pixels of image data from the first image mode, a second mode image including pixels of image data from the second image mode, and a hybrid image including pixels of image data from the first image mode and pixels of image data from the second image mode.

11. A goggle device according to claim 10 , wherein the white light source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes.

12. A goggle device according to claim 10 , further comprising a fluorescence excitation light source, the fluorescence excitation light source providing a view of 0.3 meters in diameter at 1 meter from the subject.

13. A goggle device according to claim 10 , wherein said detector is configured to acquire visible light image data in the first image mode and fluorescence image data in the second image mode.

14. A goggle device according to claim 10 , wherein at least one of said plurality of first image mode detector elements and said plurality of second image mode detector elements comprises a plurality of alternating layers containing p-n junctions.

15. A goggle device according to claim 10 , wherein said goggle device further comprises a switch configured to switch between different imaging modes displayed in real-time on said at least one eye assembly.

16. A goggle device according to claim 10 , wherein said at least one eye assembly comprises:
a left eye assembly configured to display an image in real-time to a left eye of the user; and
a right eye assembly configured to display an image in real-time to a right eye of the user.

17. A goggle device according to claim 10 , wherein said detector comprises a detector array comprising:
a plurality of first image mode detector elements; and
a plurality of second image mode detector elements, wherein said first and second image mode detector elements are arranged in a checkerboard pattern.

18. A goggle device according to claim 10 , wherein said at least one eye assembly includes a pixel array comprising:
a plurality of first image mode pixels; and
a plurality of second image mode pixels, wherein said first and second image mode pixels are arranged in a checkerboard pattern.

19. A method for assembling a goggle device comprising:
providing a detector configured to simultaneously acquire image data of a subject in a first image mode configured to detect a plurality of fluorescent molecular probes in a state of excitation in a subject, the excitation caused by a near infrared light source coupled to the goggle device, and a second image mode, configured to detect the subject in visible light illuminated by a white light source emitting white light in the visible light spectrum, the white light source coupled to the goggle device;
coupling at least one eye assembly to the detector such that the at least one eye assembly is configured to display an image including pixels of the acquired image data in real-time, the image selectable from a first mode image including pixels of image data from the first image mode, a second mode image including pixels of image data from the second image mode, and a hybrid image including pixels of image data from the first image mode and pixels of image data from the second image mode; and
coupling a fastening device to the at least one eye assembly, the fastening device configured to secure the goggle device to a user.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19 , further comprising:
coupling a white light source to the at least one eye assembly, the white light source comprising a plurality of white light emitting diodes; and
coupling a fluore

Assignees

• Univ Washington

Inventors

• Achilefu Samuel
• Liu Yang
• Gruev Viktor
• Culver Joseph P
• Akers Walter
• Bauer Adam

Classifications

• H04N25/76

  Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors · CPC title

• A61B90/36 Primary

  Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• C07K7/06

  having 5 to 11 amino acids · CPC title

• A61B34/25

  User interfaces for surgical systems · CPC title

• A61K49/0032

  Methine dyes, e.g. cyanine dyes · CPC title