Automatic selection of cranial remodeling device trim lines

• US 7,127,101 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2004
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cranial Technologies, Inc. (Cranial Technologies Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cranul Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Littlefield, Timothy R, Pomatto, Jeanne K
• Primary Examiner(s): Mariam, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US10/753,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20040228519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 382/128, 382/154, 382/156, 128/922, 345419-420, 600/587, 602 17- 18, 700/118, 706/16, 348/42
• US Class Current: 382/154
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/05891 for the head, e.g. jaws, nose nose correcting A61F5/08
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/00 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0007 Image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/10 Constructive solid geometry [CSG] using solid primitives, e.g. cylinders, cubes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30004 Biomedical image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/41 Medical
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/50 Depth or shape recovery

Abstract

A method and system for producing cranial remodeling devices to correct for head deformities in infants is described. The system operates on three dimensional digital captured data of a head to automatically provide trim line information for each cranial remodeling device.

Claims

1. A method for producing cranial remodeling devices to correct for cranial shape abnormalities comprising:

capturing a three dimensional digital image of a head to produce first digital data; and

fabricating a cranial remodeling device for said head; and

utilizing a neural network operating on said first digital data to automatically provide trim line information for said cranial remodeling device.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

utilizing a neural network operating on said first digital data to automatically generate data for fabricating said cranial remodeling device.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, comprising:

utilizing said first data to automatically produce a physical model of a modified head shape; and

utilizing said physical model to produce said cranial remodeling device.

4. A system for producing cranial remodeling devices to correct for cranial shape abnormalities comprising:

a digitizer operable to capture a digital image of a patient'"'"'s head to produce first digital data;

a computer; and

one or more trainable computer programs operable on said computer and responsive to said first digital data to automatically provide cranial remodeling device information for use in fabricating a cranial remodeling device for said deformed head, said information comprising trim line information.

5. A system in accordance with claim 4, wherein:

said one or more trainable computer programs comprise one or more neural networks.

6. A system in accordance with claim 4, comprising:

a trim machine responsive to said computer to automatically trim a cranial remodeling device.

7. A system in accordance with claim 6, comprising:

a milling machine responsive to said computer to produce a model of a modified head for use in fabricating said cranial remodeling device.

8. A method for producing cranial remodeling devices to correct for cranial shape abnormalities comprising:

capturing a three dimensional digital image of a head to produce first digital data; and

utilizing a plurality of neural networks responsive to said first digital data to automatically select a cranial remodeling device type, to automatically select a cranial remodeling device style and to automatically select cranial remodeling features for use in fabricating a cranial remodeling device for said head.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein:

said cranial remodeling device type information includes device types for treatment of specific types of cranial deformities.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein:

said specific types of cranial deformities comprise one or more of plagiocephaly, brachycephaly, and scaphocephaly.

11. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein:

said cranial remodeling configuration style is selected from a group comprising a right side opening cranial remodeling band, a wide right side opening cranial remodeling band, a left side opening cranial remodeling band, and a wide left side opening cranial remodeling band.

12. A method for producing cranial remodeling devices to correct for cranial shape abnormalities comprising:

capturing a three dimensional digital image of a head to produce first digital data;

fabricating a cranial remodeling device for said head; and

utilizing a plurality of neural networks operating on said fast digital data to automatically select a cranial remodeling device type, a cranial remodeling device style and cranial remodeling device features.