Virtual reality representation of medical devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9594877-B2
Application number	US-201213601449-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2012
Priority date	Aug 31, 2012
Publication date	Mar 14, 2017
Grant date	Mar 14, 2017

Abstract

The present disclosure involves a method of facilitating visualization in a medical context. The method includes displaying a virtual reality representation of a medical device via a touch-sensitive user interface. The virtual reality representation of the medical device includes a movable and rotatable three-dimensional model of the medical device. The method includes displaying a virtual reality representation of an anatomical environment of a patient via a touch-sensitive user interface. The virtual reality representation of the anatomical environment is zoomable and scalable. The method includes customizing the virtual reality representation of the medical device. The method includes positioning the customized virtual reality representation of the medical device in an appropriate location of the virtual reality representation of the anatomical environment. The customizing and the positioning are performed in response to user input.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device configured to visualize one or more medical devices in its suitable anatomical surroundings, the electronic device comprising:
a touchscreen display configured to receive input from a user and display an output to the user;
a memory storage component configured to store programming code; and
a computer processor configured to execute the programming code to perform the following tasks:
illustrating, via the touchscreen display, a respective three-dimensional (3-D) model of a plurality of different kinds of medical devices that include at least a first medical device that comprises an implantable lead and a second medical device that comprises: an implantable pulse generator, an external pulse generator, or a connector block, wherein the respective 3-D model for each of the first medical device and the second medical device is configured to be moved and rotated in response to user input;
illustrating, via the touchscreen display, a visual representation of a suitable anatomical surrounding for the first or second medical devices, wherein the visual representation of the anatomical surrounding is configured to be zoomed in and out and scaled up and down in response to user input;
placing, in response to user input, the 3-D model of the first or second medical devices in a target position of the visual representation of the anatomical surrounding; and
establishing a simulated coupling between the first medical device and the second medical device, wherein the establishing the simulated coupling comprises:
determining whether the simulated coupling causes a mismatch between the first medical device and the second medical device; and
notifying the user that the simulated coupling is impermissible in response to a determination that the simulated coupling causes the mismatch between the first medical device and the second medical device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the
illustrating comprises illustrating the respective 3-D models of the plurality of different kinds of medical devices on a spinnable virtual carousel; and
selecting, in response to user input, one of the medical devices from the virtual carousel to be further manipulated by the user.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the programming code can be executed to further perform the following tasks:
detecting, before the illustrating the respective 3-D models, a digital identification code in response to an image scan; and
matching the detected digital identification code to a corresponding one of the plurality of different kinds of medical devices, wherein the corresponding one of the medical devices is one of the medical devices whose 3-D model is to be illustrated.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the digital identification code comprises one of: a barcode and a Quick Response (QR) code associated with the medical device, and wherein the digital identification code contains digital 3-D information of the medical device for rendering the 3-D model of the corresponding medical device on the touchscreen display of the electronic device.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the programming code can be executed to further perform the following task:
preventing inadvertent movement or rotation of the 3-D model of the first medical device or the second medical device; and
removing the 3-D model of the first medical device or the second medical device from the touchscreen display.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the programming code can be executed to further perform the following task: configuring a relational pattern of the 3-D model of the first medical device.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the configuring a relational pattern comprises:
displaying a single lead pattern and a double lead pattern; and
selecting, in response to user input, the single lead pattern or the double lead pattern as the implantable lead.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the programming code can be executed to further perform: communicating a failsafe message in response to a detection of one or more predefined events.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is one of: a clinician programmer, a patient programmer, and a computer tablet, and wherein the electronic device is portable and is configured to communicate with external devices according to a wireless communications protocol.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the tasks further comprise: visually emphasizing, via the touchscreen display, at least one of the first and second medical devices in response to a successful simulated coupling between the first and second medical devices.

11. A medical system, comprising:
one or more medical devices configurable to deliver a medical therapy to a patient; and
an electronic device configured to provide a visual representation of the one or more medical devices via a touch-sensitive visual user interface, wherein the electronic device includes a non-transitory, tangible machine-readable storage medium storing a computer application, wherein the computer application contains machine-readable instructions that when executed electronically by processors, perform the following actions:
demonstrating, via a spinnable virtual carousel in the touch-sensitive visual user interface, three-dimensional models of an implantable lead as a first medical device and at least one of: an implantable pulse generator, an external pulse generator, or a connector block as a second medical device;
demonstrating, via the touch-sensitive visual user interface, a virtual reality representation of a suitable anatomical environment for at least one of the first and second medical devices;
positioning the at least one of the first and second medical devices in a target area of the anatomical environment;
simulating an electrical or physical coupling between the first and second medical devices in response to user input, wherein the simulating comprises:
determining whether the simulated electrical or physical coupling causes a mismatch between the first medical device and the second medical device; and
notifying a user that the simulated electrical or physical coupling is impermissible in response to a determination that the simulated electrical or physical coupling causes the mismatch between the first medical device and the second medical device.

12. The medical system of claim 11 , wherein:
the virtual reality representations of the first and second medical devices comprise three-dimensional models that are movable, rotatable, lockable, and removable; and
the virtual reality representation of the suitable anatomical environment is zoomable and scalable.

13. The medical system of claim 11 , wherein the electronic device further comprises an integrated camera, and wherein the instructions are executed by processors to further perform:
scanning a digital code with the integrated camera; and
displaying, via the touch-sensitive visual user interface, a virtual reality representation of a medical device associated with the digital code.

14. The medical system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions are executed by processors to further perform: setting a relational pattern of the virtual reality representation of at least one of the first and second medical devices.

15. The medical system of claim 14 , wherein the setting the relational pattern comprises:
displaying a single lead pattern and a double lead pattern; and
setting, in response to user input, the single lead pattern or the double lead pattern as the im

Assignees

• Kaula Norbert
• Iyassu Yohannes
• Nuvectra Corp

Inventors

• Kaula Norbert
• Iyassu Yohannes

Classifications

• G06F19/3437 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• A61N1/37247

  User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means · CPC title

• G16Z99/00

  Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass · CPC title

• G16H30/20

  for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS · CPC title

• G16H50/50 Primary

  for simulation or modelling of medical disorders · CPC title