Magic Leap Patent | Methods And Systems For Diagnosing And Treating Health Ailments

Patent: Methods And Systems For Diagnosing And Treating Health Ailments

Publication Number: 20160270656

Publication Date: 20160922

Applicants: Magic Leap

Abstract

Configurations are disclosed for a health system to be used in various healthcare applications, e.g., for patient diagnostics, monitoring, and/or therapy. The health system may comprise a light generation module to transmit light or an image to a user, one or more sensors to detect a physiological parameter of the user’s body, including their eyes, and processing circuitry to analyze an input received in response to the presented images to determine one or more health conditions or defects.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This non-provisional patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/133,870 filed on Mar. 16, 2015 entitled “METHODS AND SYSTEM FOR DIAGNOSING AND TREATING HEALTH AILMENTS” which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The aforementioned patent application as well as U.S. application Ser. No. 14/555,585 entitled “VIRTUAL AND AUGMENTED REALITY SYSTEMS AND METHODS”, and U.S. Prov. Application Ser. No. 62/005,834, entitled “METHODS AND SYSTEM FOR CREATING FOCAL PLANES IN VIRTUAL AND AUGMENTED REALITY” are each hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein in their entirety for all purposes.

FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to various methods and systems for diagnosing, monitoring, and treating health conditions and ailments, including ophthalmic as well as other conditions and ailments.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Ophthalmic instruments and techniques are routinely used by clinicians to diagnose and treat eye-related ailments. An example of a traditional ophthalmic device is shown in FIG. 1. As illustrated, the patient may be positioned in a specific, seated position for the entire duration of the procedure, which may last anywhere between a few seconds to a few minutes. This positioning has been considered necessary to properly align the patient’s eye with the ophthalmic device, to perform measurements and/or therapeutic procedures on the patient’s eyes.

[0004] Undesirably, ophthalmic devices tend to be large, bulky and expensive devices, and are typically used exclusively in doctor’s offices. Thus, patients may be required to make an appointment with an optometrist and visit the doctor for any diagnoses or treatment to take place. This can be a deterring factor for many patients, who may delay the trip to the doctor’s office for long periods of time, possibly until a condition has worsened. The worsened condition may require even more drastic therapies or procedures to address, when it could have been more easily alleviated had the patient been timely diagnosed or treated. Furthermore, the large and bulky nature of most ophthalmic devices forces patients to be placed in an uncomfortable position for a large amount of time, which in turn may actually increase risks of mis-diagnoses and patient error.

[0005] Accordingly, there is a need for health systems that address one or more of the difficulties above.

SUMMARY

[0006] Example embodiments described herein have innovative features, no single one of which is indispensable or solely responsible for their desirable attributes. Without limiting the scope of the claims, some of the advantageous features will now be summarized.

[0007] An innovative aspect of the subject matter described herein can be implemented in a user-wearable diagnostic health system comprising a frame, an augmented reality display attached to the frame, a light detector attached to the frame and a processor configured to conduct a health analysis of the user based on light detected by the light detector. The frame is configured to mount on the user. The augmented reality display is configured to direct images to an eye of the user. The light detector is configured to detect light reflected from an eye of the user.

[0008] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described herein can be implemented in a user-wearable diagnostic health system comprising a frame, an augmented reality display attached to the frame, a sound emitter configured to emit sound waves toward the user, a sound detector attached to the frame and configured to detect sound waves reflected from the user, and a processor configured to conduct a health analysis of the user based on information detected by the sound detector. The frame is configured to mount on the user. The augmented reality display is configured to direct images to an eye of the user.

[0009] Yet another innovative aspect of the subject matter described herein can be implemented in a user-wearable therapeutic health system comprising a frame configured to mount on the user, an augmented reality display attached to the frame and a processor configured to direct the augmented reality display to conduct a health therapy protocol on the user. The augmented reality display is further configured to direct images to an eye of the user.

[0010] An innovative aspect of the subject matter described herein can be implemented in a wearable diagnostic health system comprising a frame configured to mount on a clinician, an augmented reality display attached to the frame and configured to direct images to an eye of the clinician, an outward-facing image capture device configured to image an eye of a patient and a processor configured to conduct a health analysis of the patient based on the image of the eye captured by the image capture device.

[0011] Additional example embodiments are provided below. Note that structures for various health analyses and/or therapies may coexist in the same health system. Moreover, as disclosed herein, the same feature may be applied to facilitate multiple health analyses and/or therapies. For example, structures used for delivering medication may also be utilized for various diagnostics, as disclosed herein. Consequently, health systems according to some embodiments may include various combinations of the structural features disclosed herein, including combinations of features disclosed under different headings. In addition, the health system may be configured to perform various combinations of the health analyses and therapies disclosed herein, including those disclosed under different headings. Accordingly, a variety of example embodiments are set for below.

Myopia/Hyperopia/Astigmatism

[0012] 1. A wearable ophthalmic device, comprising: [0013] a head-mounted display system; and [0014] a light source configured to direct light into an eye of a person to form an image in the eye; and [0015] a waveguide stack comprising one or more waveguides, wherein each of the one or more waveguides is configured to project the light at one of the one or more focal planes, [0016] wherein the image is modified by a wavefront correction based on an optical prescription for the eye.

[0017] 2. The device of embodiment 1, wherein the waveguide stack further comprises one or more lenses.

[0018] 3. The device of embodiment 1, wherein the head-mounted display system comprises an augmented reality head-mounted ophthalmic system configured to pass light from the world into the eye of the person wearing the head-mounted system.

[0019] 4. The device of embodiment 1, wherein the optical prescription comprises a prescription for myopia.

[0020] 5. The device of embodiment 1, wherein the optical prescription comprises a prescription for hyperopia.

[0021] 6. The device of embodiment 1, wherein the optical prescription comprises a prescription for astigmatism.

[0022] 7. A wearable ophthalmic device, comprising: [0023] an augmented reality head-mounted display system configured to pass light from the world into an eye of a person wearing the head-mounted system; [0024] a light source configured to direct light into an eye of the person to form an image in the eye; and [0025] an adaptable optics element configured to apply a wavefront correction to the image based on an optical prescription for the eye.

[0026] 8. The device of embodiment 7, wherein the adaptable optics element comprises a variable focus element.

[0027] 9. The device of embodiment 8, wherein the variable focus element comprises a membrane mirror.

[0028] 10. The device of embodiment 9, further comprising: [0029] one or more electrodes coupled to the membrane mirror; and [0030] a control system configured to selectively control the one or more electrodes to modify a shape of the membrane mirror based on a corneal shape of the eye.

[0031] 11. The device of embodiment 7, wherein the optical prescription comprises a prescription for myopia.

[0032] 12. The device of embodiment 7, wherein the optical prescription comprises a prescription for hyperopia.

[0033] 13. The device of embodiment 7, wherein the optical prescription comprises a prescription for astigmatism.

[0034] 14. A wearable ophthalmic device, comprising: [0035] a head-mounted ophthalmic system; [0036] a light source configured to direct light into an eye of a person to form an image in the eye; and [0037] an adaptable optics element configured to apply a wavefront correction to the image based on an optical prescription for the eye, wherein the adaptable optics comprises a membrane mirror.

[0038] 15. The device of embodiment 14, further comprising: [0039] one or more electrodes coupled to the membrane mirror; and [0040] a control system configured to selectively control the one or more electrodes to modify a shape of the membrane mirror based on a corneal shape of the eye.

[0041] 16. The device of embodiment 14, wherein the optical prescription comprises a prescription for myopia.

[0042] 17. The device of embodiment 14, wherein the optical prescription comprises a prescription for hyperopia.

[0043] 18. The device of embodiment 14, wherein the optical prescription comprises a prescription for astigmatism.

[0044] 19. A wearable ophthalmic device, comprising: [0045] a head-mounted display system; and [0046] a light source configured to direct light into an eye of a person to form an image in the eye, the light source comprising a fiber scanning projector, [0047] wherein the image is modified by a wavefront correction based on an optical prescription for the eye.

[0048] 20. The device of embodiment 19, wherein the optical prescription comprises a prescription for myopia.

[0049] 21. The device of embodiment 19, wherein the optical prescription comprises a prescription for hyperopia.

[0050] 22. The device of embodiment 19, wherein the optical prescription comprises a prescription for astigmatism.

[0051] 23. A wearable augmented reality ophthalmic device, comprising: [0052] an augmented reality head-mounted ophthalmic system configured to pass light from the world into an eye of a person wearing the head-mounted system; and [0053] a light source configured to project light into the eye of the person to form an image in the eye, the image being modified by a wavefront correction based on an optical prescription for the eye.

[0054] 24. The device of embodiment 23, wherein the optical prescription comprises a prescription for myopia.

[0055] 25. The device of embodiment 23, wherein the optical prescription comprises a prescription for hyperopia.

[0056] 26. The device of embodiment 23, wherein the optical prescription comprises a prescription for astigmatism.

[0057] 27. A method for addressing vision defects of a person wearing a head mounted display system, comprising: [0058] identifying an optical prescription of said person; [0059] producing an image using a display in the head mounted display system; [0060] applying wavefront correction to said image based on said prescription to yield a corrected image; and [0061] displaying the corrected image to the person wearing the head mounted display.

[0062] 28. The method of embodiment 27, wherein identifying an optical prescription of the person comprises receiving input from the person specifying the prescription.

[0063] 29. The method of embodiment 27, wherein identifying an optical prescription of the person comprises presenting the person with different wavefront corrections.

[0064] 30. The method of embodiment 29, further comprising receiving input from the person specifying the preferred correction.

[0065] 31. The method of embodiment 27, wherein the wavefront correction is implemented by adjusting adaptive optics in the head mounted display.

[0066] 32. The method of embodiment 31, wherein the adaptive optics comprises a variable focus element.

[0067] 33. The method of embodiment 31, wherein the adaptive optics comprises a deformable optical element.

[0068] 34. The method of embodiment 38, wherein the deformable optical element comprises a deformable mirror.

[0069] 35. The method of embodiment 27, wherein the wavefront correction is implemented by using a waveguide stack comprising a plurality of waveguides configured to provide different focal planes.

[0070] 36. The method of embodiment 35, wherein the wavefront correction is implemented by directing said image through the combination of waveguides that provide the desired optical power to provide the wavefront correction.

[0071] 37. The method of embodiment 27, further comprising providing different image content at different depth planes.

[0072] 38. The method of embodiment 37, wherein said providing different image content at different depth planes comprising providing different image content through different waveguides in a waveguide stack thereby providing different optical power to different image content.

[0073] 39. The method of embodiment 38, wherein different image content propagates through a different number of waveguides thereby providing different optical power to different image content.

[0074] 40. The method of embodiment 39, wherein said waveguides include static optical elements having optical power.

[0075] 41. The method of embodiment 27, wherein the wavefront correction is implemented by directing said image through at least one waveguide.

[0076] 42. The method of embodiment 41, wherein said at least one waveguide includes a dynamic optical element having variable optical power.

[0077] 43. The method of embodiment 27, wherein said optical correction is configured to correct for myopia.

[0078] 44. The method of embodiment 27, wherein said optical correction is configured to correct for hyperopia.

[0079] 45. The method of embodiment 27, wherein said optical correction is configured to correct for astigmatism.

[0080] 46. The method of embodiment 27, wherein applying the wavefront correction comprises accessing processing electronics.

[0081] 47. The method of embodiment 27, wherein said wavefront correction is applied to a virtual reality image.

[0082] 48. The method of embodiment 27, wherein said wavefront correction is applied to an augmented reality image.

[0083] 49. The method of embodiment 27, wherein said wavefront correction is applied to said image from said display and in imaging objects in front of said head mounted display and said person wearing said head mounted display.

[0084] 50. A wearable ophthalmic device, comprising: [0085] a light source and wearable optics configured to direct light into the eye of the person wearing said wearable optics to form an image in said eye, said wearable optics configured to provide prescription refractive correction to said image based on an optical prescription for said person’s eye.

[0086] 51. The device of embodiment 50, further comprising user interface controls configured to receive input from the person specifying the person’s optical prescription.

[0087] 52. The device of embodiment 50, configured to present the person with different wavefront corrections to identify an optical prescription of the person.

[0088] 53. The device of embodiment 52, further comprising a user interface configured to receive input from the person specifying the preferred correction.

[0089] 54. The device of embodiment 50, wherein said wearable optics comprise adaptive optics in the wearable optics configured to be adjusted to implement the correction.

[0090] 55. The device of embodiment 54, wherein the adaptive optics comprises a variable focus element.

[0091] 56. The device of embodiment 54, wherein the adaptive optics comprises a deformable optical element.

[0092] 57. The device of embodiment 56, wherein the deformable optical element comprises a deformable mirror.

[0093] 58. The device of embodiment 50, wherein said wearable optics comprise a waveguide stack comprising a plurality of waveguides configured to provide different focal planes, said waveguide stack configured to provide the prescription correction.

[0094] 59. The device of embodiment 58, wherein the waveguide stack comprises a combination of waveguides that provide the desired optical power to provide the prescription correction, said prescription correction being implemented by directing said light through the combination of waveguides.

……
……
……