System and method for converting handheld diagnostic ultrasound systems into ultrasound training systems
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsEric Savitsky, Gabriele Nataneli
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for converting a commercial diagnostic ultrasound transducer into a medical training device that is used for simulated ultrasound training; or a system and method for adding a training option to a standard ultrasound diagnostic system by attaching a motion sensor accessory to the commercial diagnostic ultrasound transducer.
Claims16
An ultrasound conversion kit for converting an ultrasound system into a training system, comprising:
- an ultrasound probe, the ultrasound probe having an ultrasound transducer, a sensing head at which the ultrasound transducer transmits acoustic waves and measures reflected waves, a compression sensor that measures a force on the ultrasound probe, and a probe housing encasing the compression sensor, wherein the compression sensor comprises a resistive strain gauge, wherein the ultrasound transducer is a piezoelectric element;
- a motion sensor accessory, wherein the motion sensor accessory comprises a carrier for operatively connecting the motion sensor accessory to the ultrasound probe, a motion sensor for measuring a position and an orientation of the ultrasound probe to which the motion sensor is attached, and a microcontroller to process position and orientation data from the motion sensor;
- an ultrasound machine having a display capable of displaying an ultrasound image, wherein the ultrasound transducer is active in a diagnostic mode when the motion sensor accessory is off to allow a user to scan a patient through the transmitted acoustic waves and the reflected acoustic waves, and wherein the ultrasound transducer is inactive in a training mode when the motion sensor accessory is on to allow the user to use the ultrasound probe as a virtual probe in a simulated environment to navigate a library of pre-recorded ultrasound cases, whereby, the position and the orientation of the ultrasound probe are displayed on the ultrasound machine.
An ultrasound probe conversion kit for converting a commercial diagnostic ultrasound probe into an ultrasound training tool, comprising a motion sensor accessory, wherein the motion sensor accessory comprises:
- a carrier, wherein the carrier operatively connects the motion sensor accessory to the ultrasound probe;
- a motion sensor for measuring a position and an orientation of the ultrasound probe to which the motion sensor accessory is attached, wherein the carrier is a cap that covers a transducer of the ultrasound probe when the cap is attached to the ultrasound probe;
- and
- a plurality of inserts, each insert configured to be seated in the cap, each insert configured to fit different sized ultrasound probes.
An ultrasound probe system, comprising:
- an ultrasound probe;
- and
- a motion sensor accessory, wherein the motion sensor accessory comprises:
- a carrier for operatively connecting the motion sensor accessory to the ultrasound probe;
- a motion sensor for measuring a position and an orientation of the ultrasound probe to which the motion sensor accessory is attached, wherein the carrier is a cap configured to cover a transducer of the ultrasound probe;
- and
- a plurality of inserts, each insert configured to be seated in the cap, each insert configured to fit different sized ultrasound probes.
An ultrasound probe system, comprising:
- an ultrasound probe;
- and
- a motion sensor accessory, wherein the motion sensor accessory comprises:
- a carrier for operatively connecting the motion sensor accessory to the ultrasound probe;
- a motion sensor for measuring a position and an orientation of the ultrasound probe to which the motion sensor accessory is attached, wherein the ultrasound probe comprises a transducer having a diagnostic mode to allow a user to scan a patient, and a training mode to allow the user to use the ultrasound probe as a virtual probe in a simulated environment to navigate a library of pre-recorded ultrasound cases, wherein the motion sensor accessory comprises an accessory switch for detecting when the motion sensor accessory has been attached to the ultrasound probe to switch between the diagnostic mode and the training mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.