KR102526234B1 - Remote automatic upper respiratory sample collection device - Google Patents

Abstract

a body part, a face support installed on the body part and supporting the subject's face to be located at a predetermined point; an articulated robot arm that is spaced apart from the face support and is provided with a gripping part that grips the cotton swab so that the cotton swab can be inserted into the upper respiratory tract of the subject to collect a sample; a sensing unit provided with a plurality of sensors to detect information including a position of the subject's face supported by the face support and pressure applied to a cotton swab inserted into the subject's upper respiratory tract through the robot arm; and a calculation unit that is connected to the sensing unit through a communication module, receives signals detected by the sensing unit, and calculates a location of the face support and a path to reach the cotton swab. It includes; a control unit for controlling the support and the robot arm. Therefore, it is possible to quickly and accurately collect a necessary upper respiratory tract sample from the subject.

Description

Remote automatic upper airway sample collection device {REMOTE AUTOMATIC UPPER RESPIRATORY SAMPLE COLLECTION DEVICE}

The present invention relates to a remote automatic upper airway sample collection device, and more particularly, to receive information sensed by one or more sensors, automatically control operation of the sample collection device, and accurately collect a necessary upper respiratory tract sample from a subject. It relates to a remote automatic upper respiratory tract sample collection device capable of

In general, in order to determine whether a respiratory disease is caused by a bacterial or viral infection, a sample is collected by inserting a cotton swab into the nasal cavity of the subject.

However, in order to do this, since the medical staff must face a subject suspected of having a respiratory infectious disease and collect a sample from the subject's upper respiratory tract, there is a high risk that the medical staff may be exposed to infection by contact with the subject. In addition, when a large-scale infection occurs, a large number of medical personnel must be put into the work of collecting samples, so the work of the medical staff becomes excessive.

In particular, since medical personnel must wear protective equipment to prevent infection of medical personnel during sample collection, there are concerns about infection when removing and removing protective equipment, and there is a problem of lack of oxygen or body temperature rise due to wearing, and the cost of using disposable protective equipment It becomes a problem.

In addition, for the sample collection work, an understanding of the structure of the human nasal cavity and the skill of the sample collection work are required. If an unskilled medical person collects a sample, there is a problem in that the reliability of the test is lowered because the sample is not properly collected.

In particular, when an unskilled person applies excessive pressure to a cotton swab or makes contact with an inappropriate part of a cotton swab during sample collection, discomfort to the subject or damage to the nasal cavity may occur.

Therefore, there is a need to develop a technology for an examination device capable of automatically examining a patient without directly meeting the patient.

However, the development of technology for an automatic examination device for collecting samples of infectious diseases is insufficient, and the development of technology for a device that remotely performs medical treatment, diagnosis, or surgery is somewhat progressing. For example, as in Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1634588, a technique for performing ultrasound diagnosis on a patient's condition by a medical staff remotely controlling a diagnosis device is being developed.

However, such a device for ultrasound diagnosis is a device specialized for ultrasound diagnosis, and it is directly applied as a examination device capable of collecting samples such as infectious diseases.

thing has limits.

Republic of Korea Patent No. 10-1634588

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to ensure the safety of medical staff by taking a sample from a subject by an automatic control system without confronting the medical staff and the subject, and to provide multi-degree of freedom drive. The present invention relates to a remote automatic upper respiratory tract sample collection device capable of more accurately collecting a necessary sample from a subject through

A remote automatic upper airway sample collection apparatus according to the present invention for implementing the above object includes a main body; a face support installed on the main body and supporting the subject's face to be positioned at a predetermined point; an articulated robot arm that is spaced apart from the face support and is provided with a gripping part that grips the cotton swab so that the cotton swab can be inserted into the upper respiratory tract of the subject to collect a sample; a sensing unit provided with a plurality of sensors to detect information including a position of the subject's face supported by the face support and pressure applied to a cotton swab inserted into the subject's upper respiratory tract through the robot arm; and a controller connected to the sensing unit through a communication module and automatically controlling the face support and the robot arm by receiving signals detected by the sensing unit.

More preferably, the calculation unit may include calculating a path leading to the arrival position of the cotton swab through the nostrils or oral cavity of the subject.

More preferably, the sensor of the sensing unit includes a pressure sensor for detecting pressure applied to the cotton swab for sample collection or contact with the cotton swab when a sample is collected using the cotton swab; and a detection sensor positioned on the main body to detect the subject's face.

More preferably, the face support may have a structure in which the face of the subject is supported while receiving a detection signal from the detection sensor and moving to a predetermined position.

More preferably, the face support may further include a head fixing unit for fixing the subject's head.

More preferably, the face support may further include an oral opening holding unit to maintain the subject's oral cavity in an open state while moving to a predetermined position by receiving the detection signal of the detection sensor.

More preferably, the body part or the robot arm includes a disinfectant spraying device for disinfecting the gripping part after sample collection is completed; and an ultraviolet sterilizer for sterilizing and drying the disinfected holding part.

More preferably, the gripping unit may further include a first driving generating unit configured to vibrate or rotate the gripped cotton swab when collecting a sample of the subject.

More preferably, the holding unit may further include a compression unit in which a hollow portion is formed therein so that the cotton swab is inserted therein, and a compression unit installed to be contractible or expandable to fix or separate the cotton swab in the hollow portion.

More preferably, the upper airway sample collection device may further include a master console unit connected to the face support and the robot arm through a communication module and having a handle unit for manually controlling the robot arm in a remote state. .

More preferably, the master console unit may further include a display unit displaying information received from the sensing unit.

More preferably, the control unit may include a configuration for generating an alarm on the display unit when at least one measurement value of the pressure or contact status of the cotton swab measured through the pressure sensor is equal to or greater than a reference value.

More preferably, the control unit controls the second drive generating unit provided in the handle unit to generate vibration or repelling force when at least one of the pressure or contact status of the cotton swab measured by the pressure sensor is equal to or greater than a reference value. It may include a configuration that gives.

More preferably, the front end of the robot arm may further include a transfer driving unit equipped with an actuator to adjust the front and rear lengths of the gripping unit.

More preferably, the robot arm may further include a camera module that photographs the front of the gripper and provides image information when the robot arm is driven.

More preferably, the main body unit may further include an audio signal unit for inputting and outputting an audio signal to enable communication between the examinee and the examiner.

More preferably, on one side of the body part, a cotton swab storage box in which a cotton swab is stored before sample collection; and a cotton swab collection box in which cotton swabs are accommodated after specimen collection.

More preferably, the cotton swab collection box may further include a plurality of sample containers for storing the cotton swabs for sample collection.

The remote automatic upper airway sample collection device according to the present invention according to the configuration described above has the following effects.

That is, in the present invention, since the medical staff does not come into contact with the subject and the sample collection operation is performed by an automatic control system, the stability of the medical staff can be secured. In particular, medical staff can efficiently perform their work by automatic collection, and in some cases, sample collection in medically vulnerable areas is automatically performed, so medical accessibility is improved.

In addition, medical personnel do not need to wear separate protective clothing, which reduces the cost of using disposable protective equipment.

In addition, since the sample is collected in a more accurate position and the insertion length and contact pressure are measured, the problem of inaccurate sample collection in the sample collection process according to the skill level of the medical staff can be improved.

In addition, the speed of sample inspection can be improved by automatically controlling the entire process from holding the swab for sample collection before use to inserting and sealing the sample container after use.

In addition, since the effects of the present invention described as described above are naturally exhibited by the configuration of the described contents regardless of the inventor's knowledge, the above-described effects are only a few effects according to the described contents, and all the effects grasped or realized by the inventor It should not be accepted as written.

In addition, the effect of the present invention should be additionally grasped by the overall description of the specification, and even if it is not described in an explicit sentence, those skilled in the art to which the described contents belong will have such an effect through this specification. If the effect can be recognized as such, it should be regarded as the effect described in this specification.

1 is an exemplary diagram of functional blocks constituting automatic control according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a perspective view illustrating the overall configuration of a remote automatic upper airway sample collection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3A and 3B are views showing an example of operation of the face support installed on the main body according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 3C and 3D are views showing an example of operation of the face support according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 (a) is a view illustrating a cotton swab for sample collection according to an embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a view illustrating a sample container.
5 is a perspective view illustrating a robot arm according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6A is a view illustrating a cross section of a gripper according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 6B and 6C are views illustrating a state in which a cotton swab for collecting a sample is inserted into the gripper and operated, and FIG. It is a diagram illustrating a state of use in which a sample inspection is performed through
FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of part “A” of FIG. 5, where (a) is a diagram illustrating an operation state of a disinfectant spray device provided in a robot arm and (b) an ultraviolet sterilization device.
8 is a view showing an example in which a disinfectant spray device and an ultraviolet sterilizer according to another embodiment of the present invention are installed and operated on the main body.
9 is a view illustrating a process in which a cotton swab for which specimen collection has been completed according to an embodiment of the present invention is accommodated in a specimen container and sealed.

Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Here, in adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same components are marked with the same numerals as much as possible, even if they are displayed on different drawings.

First of all, the configuration of the remote automatic upper respiratory tract sampling device 1 according to the present invention is installed on the body portion 10, and supports the face of the subject H to be located at a predetermined point. The support 200 is installed to be spaced apart from the face support 200 and inserts the swab 600 into the upper respiratory tract of the subject H to hold the swab so that the sample can be collected. Pressure applied to the position of the face of the subject H supported by the face support 200 of the articulated robot arm 100 equipped with or the cotton swab inserted into the upper respiratory tract of the subject H through the robot arm 100 A sensing unit 30 equipped with a plurality of sensors to detect information including, and the sensing unit 30 is connected through a communication module, receives signals detected by the sensing unit 30, and receives the face support. a calculation unit 40 that calculates the position of 200 and a path leading to the swab arrival position; and a control unit 50 that controls the face support 200 and the robot arm 100 according to the calculation results of the operation unit 40. Referring to the illustrated drawings for the configuration of the present invention, which is classified as described above, it will be described in more detail as follows.

1 is an exemplary diagram of functional blocks constituting automatic control according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, the inspector determines whether the operation mode of the robot arm 100 and the face support 200 is an automatic mode in which operation is performed based on operation sequence information (not shown), and the handle unit 510 of the master console unit 500 It is determined whether or not to operate in the manual mode remotely based on the operation instruction input through . In addition, operations of the robot arm 100 and the face support 200 are controlled according to the determined driving mode.

For example, when it is determined that the robot arm 100 is operated in an automatic mode, the operation sequence information transmitted from the sensing unit 30 is read and the robot arm 100 is operated to perform the operation specified in the operation sequence information. Control. Meanwhile, when it is determined that the robot arm 100 is operated in the manual mode, the inspector may manipulate the handle unit 510 based on information received from the sensing unit 30 and the display unit 520, and the master The robot arm 100 is controlled to operate based on the operation instruction signal transmitted from the console unit 500 .

The communication unit 20,

Communication between the robot arm 100 and a device having a communication module or between the master console unit 500 may be enabled. Here, the wired/wireless communication module may transmit/receive at least one of a base station, an external terminal, and a server on a mobile communication network constructed according to technical standards for communication or communication method communication. For example, as sensor information, user input, control signals, etc. can be transmitted and received with external devices through the communication unit 20, a signal detected by the sensing unit 30 described below is transmitted to the control unit 50, and the control unit 50) may transmit a control signal that automatically controls the robot arm 100 and the face support 200.

The sensing unit 30,

A pressure sensor 114 that detects the pressure applied to the cotton swab 600 for sample collection or whether or not the cotton swab is in contact when collecting a sample using the cotton swab and the subject H located on the main body part 10 A detection sensor 250 for detecting a face may be further included. Of course, the sensing unit 30 is not limited thereto, and the sensing unit 30 includes a proximity sensor, a motion sensor, a touch sensor, a gyroscope sensor, an acceleration sensor, and an ultrasonic wave. Various types of information may be obtained by including at least one of an ultrasonic sensor and a photosensor. The upper airway sample collection device 1 disclosed in this specification may combine and utilize information detected by at least two of these sensors, and a more detailed description will be given later.

The calculation unit 40,

The information detected by the sensing unit 30 is collected, the position of the face support 200 is calculated so that the face of the subject H can be positioned in a direction that is easy to inspect, and finally the position where the cotton swab will reach. and calculate the information leading to its location. In other words, a path leading to the arrival position of the cotton swab through the nostril or oral cavity of the subject H may be calculated. For example, it may be composed of a microcontroller, MPU, PLC (Programmable Logic Controller), logic circuit, etc., and calculation of such a path may include various path control methods that can be easily performed by those skilled in the art at the time of filing this invention. .

The control unit 50,

The information calculated by the calculation unit 40 is collected to generate a control signal, and the control signal is received to control the operation of the robot arm 200 to be described later.

The output control unit 32 controls the display unit 520 based on the information received from the control unit 50 and outputs information to be notified to the inspector.

As described above, the configuration for automatic control has been briefly mentioned, but since this is a well-known technique from those skilled in the art, detailed illustration and description will be omitted.

2 is an exemplary view showing the overall configuration of the upper airway sample collection device.

First, in the body portion 10,

An installation space for the face support 200 supporting the face of the examinee H is provided so that the examinee H can sit on a chair and receive a specimen test in a comfortable and safe posture. The robot arm 100 may be provided at a position facing the face of the subject H, and an audio signal unit 150 for inputting and outputting audio signals may be further included to enable communication between the subject H and the examiner. can In addition, a cotton swab storage box 300 in which cotton swabs are stored before sample collection and a cotton swab collection box 400 in which cotton swabs are stored after sample collection may be provided on one side of the main body unit 10 .

3a to 3b are views showing an example of the operation of the face support installed on the body, and 3c and 3d are views illustrating another embodiment of the face support.

The face support 200,

The face of the subject H is supported while being moved to a predetermined position by receiving the detection signal of the sensing unit 30 . More specifically, it is located on the upper side of the main body part 10, and includes a support base 210, a chin support part 220, a side support part 230, a forehead support part 240, and the like.

The support base 210 forms the base of the face support 200, and the chin support 220 is formed above the support base 210 so that the chin of the subject H can be supported. A motor (not shown) is built into the chin support 220 so that its height can be adjusted. In addition, a pair of side supports 230 may be positioned opposite to each other on both sides of the chin support 220, and the lower end of the side support 230 is coupled to the guide rail 211 formed on the upper surface of the support base 210 A hinge part 231 sliding left and right may be provided. At this time, a rotary motor and/or a linear motor (not shown) may be provided inside the hinge part 231 so as to be movable by electric power, and the angle can be adjusted based on the hinge part 231, so that the subject The face angle of (H) can be derived to facilitate specimen inspection. In addition, a forehead support 240 may be formed on the upper side of the pair of side support 230 . Even in this case, the side support 230 slides from the forehead support 240 so that the left and right widths are adjusted.

In addition, the face support 200 may include a sensor 250 for detecting the face of the subject H, and the sensor 250 may include a motion sensor, an infrared human body sensor, an infrared camera, and the like. there is. That is, when the face of the subject H is placed on the front of the face support 200, the detection sensor 250 detects the position of the face of the subject H, and the face support 200 receives the detection signal and returns to a predetermined position. While being moved, the face of the subject H may be supported. In this case, the face support 200 may be moved automatically or manually by the inspector H who manipulates the handle unit 510 . If the position of the subject H's face is out of the movement range of the face support 200, the correct position and posture may be requested from the subject H through the audio signal unit 150 that delivers a guide voice. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a more comfortable posture for the examinee H and to improve the speed of examining the specimen.

Meanwhile, FIG. 3C is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of the face support.

Referring to FIG. 3C , the face support 200 may further include a head fixing part 260 for fixing the head of the subject H. The hair fixing part 260 is formed in a band shape and may be positioned to cover the side of the subject H's head, that is, from the temple to the back of the head. At this time, by the side support part 230 whose left and right widths are adjusted according to the size of the head of the subject H, the head fixing part 260 also adjusts the left and right widths to adjust the subject H's head. can be fixed.

This is to prevent an accident that may occur by moving the head of the subject H during the specimen test.

Meanwhile, FIG. 3D is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of the face support.

Referring to FIG. 3D , the face support 200 may further include an oral opening holding part 270 so that the subject H's oral cavity is constantly maintained in an open state.

The oral opening holding part 270 may be composed of an upper jaw support 271 and a lower jaw support 272, and it is preferable that the front surface of the subject H's face, that is, the place facing the oral cavity is located. In addition, the oral opening holding unit 270 is provided with an electric motor (not shown) therein so that it can be adjusted forward, backward or up and down. Therefore, when the face of the subject H is placed on the face support 200, the oral opening holding part 270 can enter the inside of the oral cavity of the subject H, and the upper and lower jaw supports 271 and 272, Adjust the lower height so that the subject's oral cavity remains open. Therefore, it helps to derive an environment in which the specimen inspection by the robot arm 100 is easy.

In addition, since the oral opening holding part 270 is a part directly contacted by secretions of the subject H, a disposable replacement vinyl (not shown) that can be replaced may be provided on the outer surface. These replacement vinyls are provided in the main body 10 in large quantities so that the examiner can install them in advance before testing the specimen, or the examinee (H) himself can listen to a guide voice and replace them.

As described above, with the subject H's face fixed to the face support 200, a sample is collected according to the operation of the robot arm 100 holding the swab 600 for sample collection described later.

4 (a) is a view illustrating a cotton swab for sample collection, and (b) is a view illustrating a sample container.

The cotton swab 600 for sample collection,

The body portion 610 of the same diameter having a length of about 15 to 20 cm is coupled to one end of the body portion 610 while being rolled round, and is soft to the touch and can sufficiently absorb secretions from the nasal cavity or oral cavity. It may be composed of a sample collection unit 620 made of cotton or cloth. The cotton swab 600 for sample collection is inserted into the upper respiratory tract of the subject H, and secretions are collected from the mucous membrane of the inner wall of the nasal cavity or oral cavity. Since the swab that has been collected is for testing microorganisms including bacteria, it is desirable to test the sample immediately after collection. . Accordingly, a sample container 700 containing a preservation solution 730 for preserving the collected sample may be provided.

The sample container 700,

It may be composed of a tube 710 containing a preservation solution 730 and a lid 720 that is coupled to and sealed at an upper inlet of the tube 710. Such a tube 710 may be formed in a cylindrical shape having a length of approximately 10 to 15 cm, which is shorter than the length of the swab 600 for sample collection. Therefore, in order to accommodate the cotton swab in the tube 710, a portion of the body portion 610 of the sample collection swab 600 may be cut off. Next, the lid 720 is coupled to the upper end of the sample container 700 containing the cotton swab so that the collected sample can be safely preserved. That is, the swab 600 for sample collection is gripped by the gripper 110 of the robot arm 100 to be described later, moved, and separated so that the sample test can be performed automatically.

5 is a perspective view illustrating a robot arm.

The robot arm 100,

It is installed on the body part 10 described above, and may be composed of an articulated robot arm 100 that collects a sample of the subject H by gripping the cotton swab 600 for sample collection. More specifically, the position and posture may be adjusted so as to accurately enter the upper respiratory tract of the subject H by being provided at a position facing the subject H's face. In general, a robot arm has functions similar to those of a human arm and wrist, and refers to a device capable of attaching a predetermined tool to the wrist. In this specification, a robot arm can be defined as a concept encompassing all components such as the upper arm, lower arm, and elbow, and a gripping part coupled to the wrist. As such, the robot arm 100 is composed of a plurality of joints in which hinge rotation and circumferential rotation are independently performed, respectively, and can be driven with multiple degrees of freedom. The robot arm 100 may form the gripping part 110 so that the sample collection swab 600 inserted into the upper respiratory tract of the subject H and the lid 720 of the sample container 700 are detachable.

6A is a view illustrating a cross section of the holding part, FIGS. 6B and 6C are views illustrating a state in which a cotton swab for sample collection is inserted into the gripping part and operated, and FIG. It is an illustrated drawing.

Referring to Figures 6a to 6d,

The gripping part 110,

A hollow part 111 is formed inside so that the body part 610 of the sample collection swab 600 and the lid 720 of the sample container 700 are inserted, and the cotton swab and A compression unit 111a installed to be contractible or expandable to fix or separate the lid 720 may be further included. The compression unit 111a can be adjusted to be expandable and contractible using an electric motor or air expansion.

Meanwhile, the front end of the robot arm 100 may include a transfer driving unit 112 equipped with an actuator to be connected to the gripping unit 110 and adjust the front and rear lengths of the gripping unit 110 . This is to allow the swab 600 for sample collection held by the gripper 110 to enter the upper respiratory tract by operating it forward and backward. At this time, the transfer driver 112 may be configured with a linear motor or a cylinder so as to be precisely driven, without being limited thereto, and any configuration may be used as long as precise driving can be achieved.

In addition, the gripping unit 110 may further include a first driving generating unit 113 that vibrates or rotates the gripped cotton swab when collecting a sample of the subject H.

Therefore, the sampling site of the upper respiratory tract can be contacted more extensively and closely, and rotation and vibration can be performed at the same time, thereby obtaining an effect of reducing the false positive rate of the specimen inspection while allowing the specimen inspection to be performed in a short time.

On the other hand, the gripper 110 may include a pressure sensor 114 that senses pressure when the cotton swab 600 for sample collection is in contact with the upper respiratory tract collection site. Specifically, when the measured value of at least one of the pressure, approach position, and contact status of the cotton swab measured by the pressure sensor 114 is greater than or equal to a reference value, an abnormality detection signal is transmitted to the control unit 50, and the control unit 50 ) may transfer the information received from the pressure sensor 114 to the master console unit 500 to be described later.

The master console unit 500,

A display unit 520 may be provided so that an inspection can be selectively performed under the supervision of an inspector in a remote state, and furthermore, a handle part 510 that allows an inspector to manually control the robot arm 100 in an automatic control state. It can be configured to further include.

The display unit 520,

Identification information or shape information of one or more sensing units 30 described above and the camera module 140 described later may be displayed as information received from the robot arm 100 through a wired/wireless communication module. Here, the identification information of the robot arm 100 includes information capable of uniquely specifying the robot arm 100, and the shape information may include information representing the appearance of the robot arm 100. In addition, a warning alarm may be displayed to guide the inspector to the abnormality detection signal received from the pressure sensor 114 described above.

The handle part 510,

As described above, when the robot arm 100 is operated in the manual mode, it is a device for the inspector to manually control. The handle unit 510 may be formed of a joystick or an articulated robot hand, and the positional information of the robot arm 100 received from the sensing unit 30 described above and image information collected from the camera module 140 described later. Based on the like, the inspector can control the robot arm 100. The handle part 510 is composed of the aforementioned articulated robot hand, and an unconstrained three-dimensional hand motion motion recognition system for controlling the robot arm 100 may be provided. This is by using a series of sensing control transfer user interface technologies that transfer user's hand motions to the robot. Since such a technique can apply a known technique, detailed illustration and description will be omitted.

In addition, the handle part 510 has a second drive that generates vibration or repelling force when at least one of the pressure, approach position, and contact status of the cotton swab measured by the pressure sensor 114 described above is greater than or equal to a reference value. A generator (not shown) may be provided. That is, vibration or repelling force may be generated in the handle part 510 receiving the abnormality detection signal through the pressure sensor 114 so that the inspector may recognize the abnormal operation.

On the other hand, in the body part 10 or the robot arm 100, a disinfectant spraying device 120 for disinfecting the gripping part 110 and an ultraviolet sterilizing device for sterilizing and drying the disinfected gripping part 110 ( 130) may be provided.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of part “A” of FIG. 5, where (a) is a diagram illustrating an operation state of a disinfectant spray device provided in a robot arm and (b) an ultraviolet sterilization device.

Referring to FIG. 7 , secretions or bacteria of the subject H may be smeared on the gripper 110 after the sample test is performed, and for this reason, there may be a possibility of secondary infection. Therefore, in order to prevent this risk in advance, firstly spray the disinfectant through the disinfectant spray device 120 to clean the gripping part 110, and secondly irradiate ultraviolet light through the ultraviolet sterilizer 130 to clean the gripping part ( 110) can be sterilized and dried.

8 is a view showing an example in which a disinfectant spray device and an ultraviolet sterilizer are installed and operated on the main body as another embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 8, the disinfectant spray device 120 and the ultraviolet sterilization device 130 are installed as one body on the body portion 10, and the groove portion 121 so that the front end of the robot arm 100 can be inserted. can be provided. That is, the gripping part 110 of the robot arm 100 is inserted into the groove part 121 to spray the disinfectant solution, and then the gripping part 110 can be disinfected and sterilized more precisely by irradiating ultraviolet light.

On the other hand, the front end of the robot arm 100 further includes a camera module 140 that photographs the front of the specimen while moving the specimen part by the driving of the robot arm 100 and provides image information through the display unit 520. can do.

However, it should be understood that the configuration of the robot arm 100 is not limited thereto, and these examples do not limit the scope of the present invention.

The cotton swab storage box 300,

It is installed on the main body part 10 described above, and a plurality of disposable cotton swabs 600 sterilized before specimen inspection can be stored side by side. These swabs 600 for sample collection can be inserted and pulled out one by one by the gripping part 110 of the robot arm 100, and the swabs 600 for sample collection are kept individually to prevent contamination and migration by the external environment it is desirable to be

The cotton swab collection box 400,

It is installed on the body part 10 described above, and a plurality of sample containers 700 may be provided side by side inside so that the cotton swabs on which the sample collection is completed can be collected and safely preserved. The sample container 700 may be provided with the lid 720 coupled to or separated from the tube 710, and in this case, the gripper 110 capable of rotating and pressurizing the lid 720 while holding the lid 720 As a result, the lid 720 may be separated and coupled from the tube 710. When the lid 720 is in a separated state, a plurality of lids 720 may be stacked and stored in one place.

9 is a view illustrating a process in which a cotton swab after specimen collection is completed is accommodated in a specimen container and sealed.

First, as in (a), the sample collection swab 600, which is gripped by the gripping unit 110 and collected from the subject H, is entered into the inlet of the tube 710 so that the sample collection unit 620 uses a preservation solution. (730) to submerge.

Thereafter, as shown in (b), a part of the body portion 610 is broken by moving or twisting the gripping portion 110 in the horizontal direction, and the body portion 610 held by the gripping portion 110 is removed. Remnants are eliminated. Finally, as in (c), the gripper 110 grips the lid 720 and is coupled to the inlet of the sample container 700 in a pressure or rotation manner to seal the swab 600 for sample collection. The sample container 700, which has taken a sample of the subject H and is sealed, is finally transported to the outside so that various tests such as PCR test (Polymerase Chain Reaction) can be performed.

As described above, in the detailed description of the present invention, specific embodiments have been described, but various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the description. Therefore, the scope of the described content does not need to be limited to the described embodiments, and should be defined by not only the claims described later, but also those equivalent to these claims.

H: Subject 1: Upper respiratory tract sampling device
10: body part 20: communication part
30: sensing unit 40: calculating unit
50: control unit 60: output control unit
100: robot arm 110: gripping unit
111: hollow part 111a: compression part
112: transfer drive unit 113: first drive generating unit
114: pressure sensor 120: disinfectant spray device
130: ultraviolet sterilizer 121: groove
140: camera module 150: audio signal unit
200: face support 210: support base
211: guide rail 220: chin support
230: side support 231: hinge
240: forehead support 250: detection sensor
260: head fixing part 270: oral opening holding part
271: upper support 272: lower support
300: cotton swab storage box 400: cotton swab collection box
500: master console unit 510: handle unit
520: display unit 600: cotton swab for sample collection
610: body part 620: sample collection part
700: sample container 710: tube
720: lid 730: preservation liquid

Claims (18)

body part;
a face support installed on the main body and supporting the subject's face to be positioned at a predetermined point;
an articulated robot arm that is spaced apart from the face support and is provided with a gripping part that grips the cotton swab so that the cotton swab can be inserted into the upper respiratory tract of the subject to collect a sample;
a sensing unit provided with a plurality of sensors to detect information including a position of the subject's face supported by the face support and pressure applied to a cotton swab inserted into the subject's upper respiratory tract through the robot arm; and
a calculation unit that is connected to the sensing unit through a communication module, receives signals detected by the sensing unit, and calculates a path leading to a position of the face support and a arrival position of the cotton swab;
Including; a control unit for controlling the face support and the robot arm according to the operation result of the operation unit;
The holding part,
A remote automatic upper respiratory tract specimen further comprising a hollow part formed therein so that the cotton swab is inserted, and in the hollow part, a compression unit installed to be contractible and expandable using an electric motor to fix or separate the cotton swab. collection device. According to claim 1,
The calculation unit,
A remote automatic upper respiratory tract sample collection device that calculates a path through the subject's nostrils or oral cavity to the arrival position of the swab. According to claim 1,
The sensor of the sensing unit,
a pressure sensor for detecting pressure applied to the cotton swab for sample collection or contact with the cotton swab when a sample is collected using the cotton swab; and
A remote automatic upper airway sample collection device comprising a; detection sensor for detecting the subject's face located on the main body. According to claim 3,
The face support,
A remote automatic upper airway sample collection device that receives the detection signal of the detection sensor and supports the face of the subject while moving to a predetermined position. According to claim 3 or 4,
The face support,
A remote automatic upper airway sample collection device further comprising a head fixing unit for fixing the subject's head. According to claim 3 or 4,
The face support,
A remote automatic upper airway sample collection device further comprising: an oral opening holding unit to receive a detection signal from the detection sensor and move to a predetermined position to keep the subject's oral cavity in an open state. According to claim 1,
The body part or the robot arm,
a disinfectant spraying device that disinfects the gripping part after sample collection is completed; and
A remote automatic upper airway sample collection device further comprising: an ultraviolet sterilizer for sterilizing and drying the disinfected holding unit. According to claim 1,
The holding part,
The remote automatic upper respiratory tract sample collection device further comprising a first driving generating unit for vibrating or rotating the gripped cotton swab when collecting a sample from the subject. delete According to claim 3,
The upper airway sample collection device,
A remote automatic upper airway sample collection device further comprising: a master console unit connected to the face support and the robot arm through a communication module and having a handle unit for manually controlling the robot arm in a remote state. According to claim 10,
The master console unit,
A remote automatic upper airway sample collection device further comprising a display unit displaying information received from the sensing unit. According to claim 11,
The control unit,
Remote automatic upper airway sample collection device that generates an alarm on the display unit when at least one of the pressure or contact of the cotton swab measured through the pressure sensor is greater than or equal to a reference value. According to claim 11,
The control unit,
When at least one of the pressure or contact of the cotton swab measured by the pressure sensor is greater than or equal to a reference value, a second drive generating unit provided in the handle unit is controlled to generate vibration or repulsive force. sampling device. According to claim 1,
At the tip of the robot arm,
A remote automatic upper respiratory tract sample collection device further comprising a; transport driving unit equipped with an actuator to adjust the length of the gripping unit before and after. According to claim 1,
The robot arm,
The remote automatic upper respiratory tract sample collection device further comprising a camera module for photographing the front of the gripping unit and providing image information when the robot arm is driven. According to claim 1,
In the main body,
An audio signal unit for inputting and outputting an audio signal to enable communication between the subject and the examiner. According to claim 1,
On one side of the main body,
A cotton swab storage box in which cotton swabs are stored before sample collection; and
A remote automatic upper respiratory tract sample collection device further comprising: a cotton swab collection box in which cotton swabs are stored after sample collection. According to claim 17,
In the cotton swab collection box,
A remote automatic upper respiratory tract sample collection device further comprising a plurality of sample containers for storing the sample collection swabs.

Images