Haptic feedback method and apparatus for tissue elasticity and a virtual boundary surface
First Claim
1. A method for providing a tactile presentation of tissue elasticity for tissue in an interior of a body, comprising the steps of:
- in a non-contacting measurement device, electronically designating a tissue region, for which tissue elasticity is to be presented, located in an interior of a body, including designating a virtual boundary of a tissue structure in said tissue region;
measuring said elasticity of said region of said tissue with said non-contacting measurement device, and thereby obtaining measured data representing elasticity and said boundary region;
transmitting said measured data to a machine-human interface which conveys haptic feedback information to the user dependent on said measured data allowing said user to hapticly perceive said elasticity and said virtual boundary; and
generating control data for said region by manipulating said machine-human interface with a finger of said user relative to said virtual boundary and using said control data to control said measurement of said elasticity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a method and apparatus for providing haptic feedback representing tissue elasticity, measured data based on a measurement of the elasticity of body tissue in non-contacting fashion are supplied to a machine/human interface that conveys haptic feedback information to a user dependent on the measured data. The machine/human interface enables the user to perform a relative virtual motion around a starting point in a selected tissue region. The user can thus “feel” the elasticity of tissue that is not non-invasively accessible to a touch examination from the outside. A virtual boundary of a tissue region under examination can be defined and the user, by the haptic feedback, also feels if and when this virtual boundary is reached.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for providing a tactile presentation of tissue elasticity for tissue in an interior of a body, comprising the steps of:
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in a non-contacting measurement device, electronically designating a tissue region, for which tissue elasticity is to be presented, located in an interior of a body, including designating a virtual boundary of a tissue structure in said tissue region; measuring said elasticity of said region of said tissue with said non-contacting measurement device, and thereby obtaining measured data representing elasticity and said boundary region; transmitting said measured data to a machine-human interface which conveys haptic feedback information to the user dependent on said measured data allowing said user to hapticly perceive said elasticity and said virtual boundary; and generating control data for said region by manipulating said machine-human interface with a finger of said user relative to said virtual boundary and using said control data to control said measurement of said elasticity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for providing a tactile presentation of elasticity of tissue located in an interior of a body, comprising:
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a measurement device for non-contacting, location-dependent measurement of elasticity of tissue in a tissue region an interior of a body, said measurement device generating measurement data representing said elasticity; an input unit allowing manual input of a virtual boundary of a tissue structure in said tissue region, and said measurement device including data, in said measurement data, representing said virtual boundary; a machine-human interface supplied with said measurement data, and adapted to interact with a finger of a user, to convey haptic feedback information dependent on said measurement data to said finger allowing said user to perceive said elasticity and said virtual boundary; and a control data generator for generating control data dependent on manipulation of said machine-human interface with said finger relative to said virtual boundary, said control data being supplied to said measurement device and controlling acquisition of said measurement data by said measurement device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification