Ear canal modeling using pattern projection

A system for making a three-dimensional model of the inside of an ear canal in order to manufacture an earmold to fit inside the ear canal, the system comprising:

• an instrument comprising a probe adapted to be inserted into the ear canal;
• an illumination subsystem comprising a light source, a pattern screen, wherein the pattern screen comprises a pattern of transparent and opaque areas, and a lens, with at least the lens being located in a distal end of the probe, the illumination subsystem adapted to project light from the light source, through the pattern screen, and through the lens in order to project a pattern of light from the distal end of the probe onto a surface of the ear canal, the pattern being modulated by the surface of the ear canal;
• and
• an imaging subsystem comprising a video camera and a lens, with at least the lens being located in the distal end of the probe, the imaging subsystem adapted to capture in succession, at a video frame rate of the video camera, a plurality of individual images of the pattern of light projected onto the surface of the ear canal, each individual image corresponding to a video frame.

A method of making a three-dimensional model of the inside of an ear canal in order to manufacture an earmold to fit inside the ear canal, the method comprising:

• inserting a probe into the ear canal, the probe carrying at least a distal end of an illumination subsystem and at least a distal end of an imaging subsystem, the illumination subsystem comprising a light source, a pattern screen, wherein the pattern screen comprises a pattern of transparent and opaque areas, and a lens, with at least the lens being located in a distal end of the probe, the imaging subsystem comprising a video camera and a lens, with at least the lens being located in the distal end of the probe;
• projecting light from the light source, through the pattern screen, and through the lens of the illumination subsystem, and thereby projecting a pattern of light from the distal end of the probe onto a surface of the ear canal, the pattern being modulated by the surface of the ear canal;
• and
• capturing in succession, at a video frame rate of the video camera, a plurality of individual images of the pattern of light projected onto the surface of the ear canal, each individual image corresponding to a video frame.