FR2970351A1 - Method for e.g. radioscopy of optical fibers to produce sensory perception of surface quality of component inside watch in industrial application, involves processing sensory information to generate control signals for active tactile zone - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves generating images of a target sites (C1) inside or on a surface of a structure or a body (B1), from emission of scanning optical beams incident toward the target sites. The optical beam reflected from the target sites is collected. The images are processed to extract sensory information including texture information. The sensory information is processed to generate control signals for active tactile zone (T1) such that a sensory perception of texture of the target site is provided to a user touching the zone using finger (4). Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) system for radioscopy of optical fibers designed to generate images of a targets site inside or on a surface of a structure or a body, comprising a collecting unit (2) an active tactile device comprising excitation electrodes.

Description

The present invention relates to a method of scopie, in particular endoscopy, by optical fibers, enabling tactile sensory experiments coupled to target visualizations. It also relates to an optical fiber scopie or endoscopy system for implementing this method, as well as an active tactile device implemented in this system.

Endoscopy is a well-controlled technique for visualizing the inside of devices, ducts or organs by means of an optical or acoustic probe. It is widely used in the medical field and in many industrial sectors. The user of an endoscopy method thus has static or animated images that can be subject to treatment and exploitation. It is thus possible to generate particularly realistic bi or three-dimensional representations of organs or devices. However, with the current endoscopic devices, it is difficult for their users to perceive the texture of the organs or internal components they visualize.

The purpose of the present invention is to propose an improvement to current methods of scopie or endoscopy, which allows a sensory experience in addition to an endoscopic visualization. This objective is achieved with a scopie method including image generation from emission of scanning optical beams incident to a target site within or on the surface of a structure or body, and a collection of optical beams reflected from said distal target site, said incident and reflected beams being guided via an endoscopic channel having a distal end disposed adjacent to the target site and a proximal end connected to a unit for controlling said incident beams and to generate images of said target site, characterized in that it further comprises: - processing said images to extract sensory information including texture information, - processing said sensory information to generate control signals of an active touch zone, so that this touch active zone provides a user applying on it a part of his body, such as fingers, a sensory perception of the texture of the target site.

The processing of the endoscopic images may advantageously include a surface analysis intended to generate texture information at predetermined points of an analyzed surface. The texture information processing may include identifying a characteristic texture from a comparison of texture information with characteristic texture data stored in a texture database. In a particular version of the invention, the method further comprises access to a control signal file of a tactile active zone, in relation to the identified texture.

The control signal file may comprise signals arranged to provide two-dimensional scanning of a touch active area, by applying said signals to a matrix array of excitation electrodes disposed within said touch active area. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a scopie system provided for generating images of a target site on the surface of a structure or body, comprising: means for emitting scanning optical beams incident to the target site, means for collecting optical beams reflected from said distal target site, said incident and reflected beams being guided via an endoscopic channel having a distal end disposed adjacent the target site and a proximal end connected to a unit designed to control said incident beams and to generate images of said target site, characterized in that it further comprises: - means for processing said images to extract sensory information including texture information, - a tactile active area, means for processing this sensory information so as to generate control signals for this active zone tac tile, so that this tactile active area provides a user applying on it a part of his body, such as fingers, a sensory perception of the texture of the target site. The scopie or endoscopic image processing means may comprise means for performing surface analysis intended to generate texture information at predetermined points of an analyzed surface. According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided an active tactile device comprising a tactile active zone made of an active material and provided with a set of excitation electrodes disposed within said zone, implemented in a system according to the invention, characterized in that said excitation electrodes are connected to means for generating characteristic texture-associated control signals identified from endoscopy images collected from a target site. This active tactile device can be integrated within a computer equipment, so that the tactile active area is substantially flush with the upper face of a keyboard. The tactile active zone is made from a micro or nanostructured active material in a thin layer, for example from a piezoelectric material. For the practical realization of a tactile active zone, it will be useful to refer to the works set forth in the document EP 1956466A1 which discloses a vibrating touch interface, as well as to the document US Pat. No. 5,389,849 which discloses a device generating tactility using piezoelectric materials. The invention will be better understood in the light of the figures set out below: FIG. 1 is a synoptic view of a first example of a sensory endoscopy system according to the invention, used for the exploration of the inside a watch; FIG. 2 is a synoptic view of a second example of a sensory endoscopy system according to the invention, used for the exploration of the interior of a human or animal body; FIG. 3 is a synoptic view of a third example of a sensory scopie system according to the invention, implemented for the reproduction of the skin touching effects of a distant person; and FIG. 4 schematically represents a computer incorporating a tactile interface device according to the invention.

We will now describe a first example of an endoscopy system S1 according to the invention, implemented for an exploration of the interior of a technical object such as a watch 61 pre-equipped with one or more integrated optical fiber channels FI1 having a distal end placed in close proximity to a target organ or target component C1 of the mechanical movement M of the watch and the proximal end substantially flush with the outer periphery of the watch case. For a description of the structure of such a watch and its operation, reference may be made to the content of the application No. 10 01112 filed March 22, 2010 which discloses a method and system of endoscopic watch, and a 35 shows adapted to allow endoscopy. The sensory endoscopy system S1 comprises, with reference to FIG. 1: an optical fiber channel F1 having a distal end for optically connected to the proximal end of the integrated optical fiber channel FI1 in the B1 watch via an adapted optical connector 01, an opto-digital control and processing unit U1 to which a proximal end of the optical fiber channel F1 is connected, this unit U1 being designed to (i) emit an incident scanning optical beam (ii) receiving a reflected optical beam received from the target C1 and (iii) generating digital images of the target C1 that are transmitted to a computer or equivalent digital processing system 1 equipped with a display screen. visualization 2, and a tactile interface device D1 connected to the computer 1 and provided on its upper face with a covered touch-sensitive area T1 of a piezoelectric material and provided e to receive the contact of one or more fingers 4.

This sensory endoscopy system S1 can be used to produce to its user tactile effects of perception of the surface condition of parts internal to the watch movement and which are targets on which optical fibers have been directed. For this, the computer 1 executes an image analysis program produced by the opto-digital unit U1 to determine the texture parameters of the targeted parts. It is thus possible to reproduce their surface effect in a tactile manner, for example an appearance of brushed or polished metal. In a second exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the medical endoscopy system S2 comprises: an endoscopic fiber optic channel F2 configured to be inserted into the body B2 of a patient, this endoscopic channel F2 comprising a distal end positioned in the vicinity of a target site C2, an opto-digital unit U2, substantially of the same type as that implemented in the first example above, to which the proximal end of the endoscopic channel C2 is optically connected, this opto-digital unit U2 being adapted to generate digital image signals from the target site C2 and transmit them to an equivalent computer or information processing system 1, and a touch-sensitive interface device D2 provided with a touch-sensitive zone T2, receiving 1 of the control signals of an array of electrodes arranged in matrix form in this touch zone and designed to receive the contact of the palm of the operand ator. With this medical endoscopy system S2 according to the invention, the operator can now exploit, in addition to the imaging information resulting from the endoscopic scanning of an internal target zone, additional tactile information on the surface state. walls explored. It can better assess the nature of possible lesions and estimate the extent of a pathology by means of tactile perceptions. A third embodiment of the invention will now be described, with reference to FIG. 3, in the form of a scopie system dedicated to reproducing a touching effect on the skin of a person. remote. This system S3 comprises: a device 30 for capturing images of a target area C3 of the epidermis B3 of a person, which can be in the form of a stylet or a surface probe for optically scanning this area target, an optical fiber channel F3 whose distal end is connected to the capture device 30, an opto-digital unit U3 to which is connected the proximal end of the channel F3, configured to produce, from scanning optical beams respectively incident and reflected, digital image signals of the target area C3 and to transmit these image signals to a computer 31 used by the person to remotely communicate with another person interlocutor via one or more communication networks, this another person being himself a user of a remote computer 32 connected to these communication networks, and a touch interface device R3 directly connected to the remote computer 3 and in a tactile zone provided with excitation electrodes and configured to produce a tactile perception of the target area C3 of the epidermis of the first person disposing of the dermal probe 30. Thus, with this S3 sensorial scopie system, a person distant, by placing one of his hands or one of his fingers on the tactile zone, perceive the sensations that he would have while touching the skin of a person with whom he can be in communication via a software of audio and / or video telecommunication. It should be noted that with reference to FIG. 4, it is conceivable in the context of the present invention a computer 3, in particular of the portable type, in which a touch zone T3 'is directly integrated within the keyboard K of this computer or next to this keyboard K and a touch-sensitive area M3. With this embodiment, the user can then place one or more of these fingers in contact with the touch zone T3 'while using the keys of the keyboard. For the production of the U1-U3 opto-digital units mentioned above, reference may for example be made to the technical teachings of the published patent documents of the company Mauna Kea Technologies, which markets scanning endoscopy systems implementing image guides to base of optical fiber bundles.

Of course, the invention is not limited to what has just been described and many other embodiments than those which have just been described are conceivable. In particular, it is possible to use an active material whose color can be modified and controlled according to the colors detected on the target site. It is also possible to envisage the use of a material whose contact temperature can be modified and controlled as a function of the temperatures detected at the target site. 10

Claims (10)

REVENDICATIONS1. A method of optical fiber scopie comprising generating images from an emission of scanning optical beams incident to a target site (C1-C3) within or on the surface of a structure or body (B1-B3) and a collection of optical beams reflected from said target site (C1-C3), said incident and reflected beams being guided via an optical fiber channel (F1-F3) having a distal end disposed in the vicinity of the target site (C1-C3) and a proximal end is connected to a unit (U1-U3) provided for controlling said incident beams and for generating images of said target site (C1-C3), characterized in that it comprises in furthermore: - a processing of said images to extract sensory information including texture information, - a processing of this sensory information to generate control signals of a tactile active area (T1-T3), so that this tactile active area(T1-T3) provides a user applying on it a part of his body, such as fingers (D1-D3), a sensory perception of the texture of the target site (C1-C3). A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the processing of the texture information comprises identifying a characteristic texture from a comparison of texture information with characteristic texture data stored in a database of data. texture. 3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that it further comprises access to control signal information of a tactile active area (T1-T3), in relation to the identified texture, 4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the control signal file comprises signals arranged to provide a two-dimensional scanning of a tactile active area (T1-T3), by applying said signals to a matrix array of electrodes excitation located within said tactile active zone. 5. An optical fiber scopie system (S1-S3) for generating images of a target site (C1-C3) within or on the surface of a structure or body (61-B3) , comprising: - means for transmitting optical scanning beams incident to the target site (C1-C3), - means for collecting optical beams reflected from said target site (C1-C3), said incident and reflected beams being guided via an optical fiber channel (F1-F3) having a distal end disposed in the vicinity of the target site (C1-C3) and a proximal end is connected to a unit (U1-U3) provided for controlling said incident beams and for generating images of said target site (C1-C3), characterized in that it further comprises: - means for processing said images for extracting sensory information including texture information, - tactile active area (T1-T3), means for treating such sensory information control signals of this tactile active zone (T1-T3) are generated, so that this tactile active zone (T1-T3) provides a user applying a portion of his body, such as fingers, a sensory perception of the texture of the target site (C1-C3). 6. Active tactile device (D1-D3) comprising a tactile active zone (T1-T3) made of an active material and provided with a set of excitation electrodes disposed within said zone, implemented in a system (S1-S3) according to claim 5, characterized in that said excitation electrodes are connected to means for generating control signals associated with a characteristic texture identified from scopie or endoscopy images collected from a target site (C1-C3). 7. Active touch device (D3) according to claim 6, characterized in that it is integrated within a computer equipment, so that the active touch area (T3) is substantially flush with the upper face of a keyboard (K ). 8. Active tactile device (D1-D3) according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the active touch zone (T1-T3) is made from a micro or nanostructured active material in a thin layer. . 9. Application of an endoscopy system (S1, S2) according to claim 5 for producing sensory perceptions of surface condition of parts or organs within a three-dimensional structure such as a watch or a body. 10. Application of a fluoroscopy system (S3) according to claim 5, for reproducing on an active tactile device (T3) according to one of claims 6 to 8, sensory perceptions touching the skin of a remote person .