Voice activated microscope
AssigneeThe Montefiore Hospital Association of Western Pennsylvania
InventorsMarc D. Liang, Krishna Narayanan, John L. Kurtz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A microscope has a voice activated control system which permits precise location of the microscope and precise focusing by means of voice commands uttered by the microscope operator. When the microscope is in a movement mode, the movement is terminated by any sound exceeding a pre-established acoustic threshold level. Any microscope location can be identified and appropriate data is stored in a memory drive to permit the microscope to return to an identified location with a single voice command. The microscope is combined with a screen monitor and/or an acoustic speaker to provide visible and/or acoustic responses from the control system. The system is practical for retrofitting existing remotely controllable microscopes.
Claims10
In an optical microscope having supporting structure and motor operated first means to position said supporting structure at selected locations, the improvement comprising:
- sound detection means for converting acoustic energy into audio-electrical signals;
- control means including:
- isolated-word recognition means for identifying pre-established word commands from said audio-electrical signals and for generating corresponding identified electrical signals;
- computer means for generating operating electrical signals corresponding to said identified electrical signals;
- output signal generator means, responsive to said operating electrical signals to deliver actuating electrical signals to said motor operated first means to actuate said motor operated first means;
- whereby word commands corresponding to said pre-established word commands, applied to said sound detection means will result in pre-established movements of said supporting structure.
In an optical microscope having supporting structure, motor operated first means to position said supporting structure at selected locations and motor operated second means to establish the focal length of said microscope, the improvement comprising:
- sound detection means for converting acoustic energy into audio-electrical signals;
- control means including:
- isolated word recognition means for identifying pre-established word commands from said audio-electrical signals and for generating corresponding identified electrical signals;
- computer means for generating operating electrical signals corresponding to said identified electrical signals;
- output signal generator means, responsive to said operating electrical signals to deliver actuating electrical signals to actuate said motor operated first means and to actuate said motor operated second means;
- whereby word commands corresponding to said pre-established word commands, applied to said sound detection means, will result in pre-established movements of said supporting structure and the focal length of said microscope.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.