RU2462173C2 - Device for interactive assessment of visual functions in children of preschool age - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: medicine.

SUBSTANCE: invention is intended for screening ophthalmological diagnostics of vision in children, adult people, people with impairment of intellectual development and speech. Device for interactive assessment of visual functions in children of preschool age contains two control units (2, 8), as well as unit presentation of optotypes, explanations and interface (1), unit of memory of standard optotypes (7) and unit of remote switch of test optotypes (7), connected by means of bidirectional multidigit buses with the first control unit. Additionally device contains connected with the second control unit by means of bidirectional multidigit buses: unit of registering tested person's answers (16), units of memory of multimedia explanations of tasks (12), testing algorithms (13), modes of preparation and testing (14), adapted for children optotypes (15), unit of database (17) and unit if adjusting and starting tasks (18). Unit of answer registering is made in form of panel with images of used in testing adapted for children optotypes, applied on its keyboard. Each of control units contains unit of control of optotype dimensions (3, 9) and unit of control of symbol-free interval between two presentations of tests (4, 10).

EFFECT: application of claimed invention will make it possible to increase accuracy and reliability of results of assessment of visual functions in children due to provision of adequate to child's age conditions of carrying out testing on the basis of interactive model of interaction which does not require from child actions which impair with carrying out testing.

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Description

The invention relates to medical equipment and can be used for screening ophthalmic diagnostics of children, adults, people with intellectual disabilities, speech. The method and device allows to form test modes adapted for children's perception, which, as a rule, is conducted in an interactive mode, provided by a remote control adapted for children, having a wired and / or wireless two-way communication with the remote part of the device, providing presentation of test optotypes of the required quality. The device provides automatic registration of patient responses, storing test results in a database of results.

The problem of checking visual functions in children is permanently acute. This is due to the critical importance of obtaining timely and reliable results of such inspections. As is known, visual impairment of the early stages detected in childhood can in many cases be corrected, including non-surgical way. In adulthood, many of the vision correction technologies become almost impossible.

There are objective obstacles to conducting quality examinations of children of preschool and primary school age. There are several important groups of interfering factors:

First, often optotypes, traditionally used to test visual functions, are incomprehensible to children. Many of them may have difficulty perceiving optotypes in the form of letters or abstract figures in various orientations. In addition, many children aged 3-7 years experience difficulties with the left-right orientation, necessary for testing the most common Landolt and Snellen optotypes. In this regard, with traditional testing, prerequisites are created for errors and, as a result, insufficiently reliable test results.

Secondly, traditional testing requires the child, in most cases, verbal answers, while answers in this form are often difficult for many children, including those experiencing, for example, embarrassment or excessive excitement (not to mention children with elements of autism), which, among other things, is fraught with additional errors, even when formulating a verbal answer.

Thirdly, the child may not be cooperatively configured for various reasons, including due to the fact that the task may not be interesting enough; the child does not trust or is afraid of the adult conducting the test, etc., in such situations, testing is often impossible in principle.

Fourth, a child often cannot immediately master the testing procedure, making mistakes that do not correspond to the quality of functioning of his visual functions, and therefore resulting testing errors are possible.

To date, there is no device that systematically takes into account the listed features of children, adaptation to which the process of testing visual functions will solve the following problems:

- improving the accuracy and reliability of the results of ophthalmological testing of children by forming a set of conditions that can significantly simplify the task for the child.

- expanding the circle of people who are fundamentally capable of performing test tasks to assess visual functions, including due to groups of people with increased excitability, isolation, developmental delays, speech disorders, foreigners, etc.

The invention will create a new generation of specialized technical equipment, the implementation results of which will be in demand by various medical institutions, as well as preschool education institutions.

Samples of devices for testing visual functions, including in children, by presenting patterns adapted for children on the monitor screen are known. Known patents "Optometric chart presenting apparatus", US 6244713 B1 dated June 12, 2001; "Visual acuity examination apparatus", US 6425665 B2 of June 30, 2002; "Optotype presenting apparatus", US 7549751 dated January 31, 2008, and others, containing modern technical solutions for high-quality presentation of optotypes in the process of testing visual functions using a standard algorithm that gives acceptable results when testing adults, but practically does not take into account the features of testing children , which does not allow us to consider such devices as reliable test systems in cases of research with children 3-7 years old.

There are also specialized methods for checking eyesight in children (see Method and apparatus for performing vision screening, US 7287857 B2 dated October 30, 2007 and others) that partially take into account this specificity (presenting child-friendly test characters - optotypes, the child does not need to form a verbal response, interactivity of testing, etc.), but not allowing to ensure interactivity of testing. The method does not provide conditions for adequate preparation of the child for the testing process, the possibility of a systematic and automated formation of a survey database for subsequent analysis, etc.

Thus, to create a device that allows testing in conditions of visual functions adequate to the child’s behavioral characteristics and, first of all, visual acuity, it is necessary to combine the capabilities of modern technology with the implementation of adapted testing algorithms for children of preschool and primary school age (as well as other declared groups ), which will provide increased accuracy and reliability of the results.

The patent "Optotype presenting apparatus", US 2008/0018858 A1 of January 24, 2008 was selected as the closest technical analogue. The patent describes a technical solution designed to create a device for presenting optotypes formed when testing visual functions. The device consists of the following elements:

- block presentation of optotypes,

- memory block of standard optotypes,

- block remote switching test optotypes,

- a control unit as part of a control unit for the sizes of optotypes, a control unit for a character-free interval between two presentations of tests, a unit for interfacing with a remote control mode remote control unit.

The algorithm for checking visual functions, in particular visual acuity, looks as follows in the described patent: on the test monitor, the appearance of test patterns with the help of a remote control is initiated, after which the test person verbally reports what he sees on the monitor screen, then, based on the test’s response, the test makes its judgment on the state of its visual function.

All tests presented during the testing process, as recorded in the decryption of the patent, are standard patterns designed to work with adult subjects.

The patent proposes a modern technical solution for assessing a number of indicators of vision, but, like most other studied technical solutions, it lacks the elements necessary for a qualitative assessment of vision in preschool children, primarily the presentation of test images that are understandable to the child - optotypes, the absence of the need for a verbal response, the interactivity of testing, the “hard” test mode, etc., which cannot allow in many cases to obtain reliable data on the status cherishing visual functions in a child.

The present invention is directed to solving the following technical problem:

- Improving the accuracy and reliability of testing results for children 3-7 years old.

- Increasing the information content and reliability when receiving test data of persons with intellectual disabilities, combined impairments and persons with limited communication capabilities (foreigners, etc.).

- Expansion of the circle of persons capable of adequate testing of visual functions.

- Formation of conditions for non-verbal interactive obtaining of test results due to the creation of a console adapted for children to record the answers of a test subject with a graphical interpretation of test optotypes adapted for children.

- Technical support, if necessary, of an automated reference multimedia explanation of the task for the child.

- Providing, if necessary, before the process of true testing of the automated pre-testing mode - the mode of assessing the understanding of the task, the training mode.

- Ensuring that the remote control adapted for children to operate and provide wired and wireless communications for testing in a non-verbal interactive form with a part of the device responsible for presenting test optotypes at distances sufficient for standard and specific ranges necessary for the study of visual functions (usually 0- 10 m).

- Providing automated creation of a database of the results.

The solution of this problem is as follows: a device (and method) for the interactive assessment of visual functions in preschool children, intended primarily for an adapted verification of visual functions in children, including a power supply, and

- block presentation of optotypes (explanations and interface) connected by bidirectional multi-bit tires to the control unit,

- a memory block of standard optotypes connected by bidirectional multi-bit buses to a control unit,

- a remote switching unit of test optotypes connected by bidirectional multi-bit buses to a control unit,

- the first control unit, which includes a block for controlling the sizes of optotypes, a unit for monitoring the symbol-free interval between two test presentations, a block for interfacing with a remote block for selecting a test mode, connected by bidirectional multi-bit buses with a block for presenting the types (and interface),

according to the invention further comprises

- the second control unit, including the second unit for controlling the sizes of the optotypes, the second unit for monitoring the character-free interval between the two presentations of the tests, the unit for interfacing with the external unit for fixing the response of the test subject, connected by bidirectional multi-bit buses with the unit for presenting the types and interface,

- a memory block for multimedia job explanations connected by bidirectional multi-bit buses to a second control unit,

- a memory block of testing algorithms connected by bidirectional multi-bit buses to a second control unit,

- a memory unit for the preparation and testing modes connected by bidirectional multi-bit buses to the second control unit,

- a memory block adapted for children of optotypes connected by bidirectional multi-bit tires with a second control unit,

- a unit for fixing the answers of the test subject, made in the form of a test console adapted for children, connected by bidirectional multi-bit wired and / or wireless buses to the second control unit,

- a database unit that provides automatic storage of test results, connected by bidirectional multi-bit tires with a second control unit,

- a unit for setting and starting tasks, connected by bidirectional multi-bit buses to the second control unit.

Moreover, the device for interactive evaluation of visual functions in preschool children can be implemented on the existing electronic element base.

- The second control unit as part of the second unit for controlling the sizes of optotypes, the second unit for monitoring the symbol-free interval between two test presentations, the unit for pairing with an external unit for fixing the response of the test subject, connected by bidirectional multi-bit tires with the unit for presenting optotypes, is designed to form the corresponding test patterns on the unit for presenting optotypes and interface in accordance with the algorithm and operating modes of the test system, receiving and decoding signals from the remote bl ka fixation test responses, as well as to provide an interface to configure and manage the testing process, and the proper recording of data in the test database.

- a memory block for multimedia explanations of tasks connected by bidirectional multi-bit buses to the second control unit, is designed to ensure the launch of the corresponding multimedia information material on the presentation unit of optotypes, explanations, and interface.

- a memory block of testing algorithms connected by bidirectional multi-bit buses with a second control unit, is designed to ensure the launch, during automated testing, of one of the standard testing algorithms, including evaluation criteria.

- a memory block for the preparation and testing modes, connected by bidirectional multi-bit buses to the second control unit, is designed to ensure the launch of one of the service operating modes for testing or their combination (multimedia explanation of the task, preliminary testing, true testing).

- a memory block of optotypes adapted for children, connected by bidirectional multi-bit tires with a second control unit, designed to store test optotypes adapted for checking the eyesight of children.

- the unit for recording the answers of the test subject, made in the form of a test console adapted for children, connected by bidirectional multi-bit wired and / or wireless buses to the second control unit, designed to provide interactive non-verbal testing.

- a database unit connected by bidirectional multi-bit buses with a second control unit, is designed to ensure the storage of test results and the formation of the results necessary for subsequent analysis and presentation of data.

- a unit for setting and starting tasks, connected by bidirectional multi-bit wire and / or wireless buses with a second control unit, is designed to provide manual settings for the testing procedure and its launch, namely: selecting the type of testing (visual acuity, color vision, etc.); selection of testing parameters (type of optotype, conditions for its presentation, etc.), selection of a testing algorithm (screening, standard, accelerated, etc.), testing strategy (job explanation, trial testing, true testing), launching the start of testing.

The technical result of the present invention is to provide adequate visual testing of children’s visual functions based on an interactive interaction model that does not require actions that impede and / or impede testing, present test patterns appropriate to the level of understanding of a wide range of children, as well as generate a database of results , allowing to analyze the received test data.

The invention is illustrated by an example of a specific implementation of the device by the following drawings.

Figure 1. Block diagram of the device.

Figure 2. Image of a constructive version of the test console.

Figure 3. Variants of tests adapted for children to test visual acuity.

Figure 4. One of the options for choosing the testing procedure, showing the procedure for selecting the preparation and / or testing modes and the algorithm for testing a given visual function.

Figure 5. A screenshot of one of the task’s multimedia explanations.

6. An example of a working window for preliminary evaluation of test results.

7. Possible sequence of procedures during testing.

The patented device (Figure 1) contains several coordinated functional blocks interconnected by bidirectional multi-bit tires:

- block presentation of optotypes, explanations and interface (1),

- the first control unit (2), including a block for controlling the sizes of optotypes (3), a block for monitoring a character-free interval (4), a block for interfacing with a remote block for selecting a test mode (5),

- block remote switching test optotypes (6),

- memory block of standard optotypes (7),

- a second control unit (8), which includes a second block of control of the sizes of optotypes (9), a second block of control of the character-free interval (10), a block for interfacing with a remote unit for fixing the response of the subject (11);

- memory block multimedia explanations of tasks (12);

- memory block of testing algorithms (13),

- memory block for the preparation and testing modes (14);

- memory block adapted for children optotypes (15);

- a unit for fixing the answers of the subject (16),

- a database unit that provides automatic storage of test results (17).

- unit for setting and starting tasks (18).

All units of the device are connected to the corresponding terminals of the power supply.

All blocks of a patented device can be implemented (and already implemented) on the basis of modern electronic components.

The block of presentation of optotypes can be implemented on the basis of a standard computer monitor,

the first control unit, including a block for controlling the sizes of optotypes, a unit for monitoring a character-free interval, a unit for interfacing with a remote unit for selecting a test mode, can be implemented on the basis of a standard system computer unit,

a remote switching unit of test optotypes can be made using a technology similar to that used to create infrared television remote controls,

a memory block of standard optotypes can be implemented on the basis of a standard computer memory block,

the second control unit, including the second unit for controlling the sizes of optotypes, the second unit for monitoring the character-free interval, the unit for interfacing with the external unit for fixing the response of the test subject, can be implemented on the basis of a standard personal computer,

memory block for multimedia job explanations; memory block of testing algorithms, memory block of preparation and testing modes; memory block adapted for children optotypes; a database unit that automatically saves the test results can be implemented on the basis of a standard computer memory unit,

the unit for recording the answers of the testee can be implemented on the basis of the following components: the control controller is one of the modern controllers of Microchip, (see, for example, Microchip 2009 Product Selector Guide); providing wireless communication via the BLUETOOTH protocol based on standard modules of the type WT-12-A from Bluegiga. An embodiment of the test console is shown in FIG. 2,

the unit for setting and starting tasks can be implemented on the basis of a standard keyboard.

Due to the advanced features, the device can operate in various functional modes, as well as in a combination of these modes, the main of which are described below:

- job explanation mode,

- trial test mode,

- true testing mode,

- interactive testing mode at given distances,

- standard testing mode (similar to the prototype),

- mode of formation and viewing of the database (Fig.7).

The main modes of operation of the device are described below.

- job explanation mode. Designed for gentle introduction of the child into the testing process. In an entertaining multimedia form, he demonstrates the main features of the upcoming work. An example of a job explanation mode operation episode is shown in FIG. 5. The mode is initiated as follows: the unit for setting and starting tasks (18) allows you to select one of the following modes or their combinations - task explanation mode, trial test mode, true test mode. After selecting the explanation mode of the task, information about which is stored in the memory block of the preparation and testing modes (14), information about the selection is transmitted to the second control unit (8), which initiates the formation of the multimedia explanation, interface and interface (1) on the presentation unit, data about which is stored in the memory block of multimedia explanations of tasks (12).

Setting and launching tasks is carried out using the settings and launching unit (18) via the interface formed on the block of presentation of optotypes, explanations and interface (1).

- trial test mode. Designed to test the understanding of the child’s assignment and the cooperativity of his infusion. In this mode, a deliberately accomplishable task (s) for the child is formed, based on the results of which an automated judgment is possible on understanding the task and the cooperative attitude. So, for example, in the case of testing visual acuity using optotypes adapted for children, some of which are shown in Figure 3, optotypes of angular sizes that are obviously well distinguishable by a child are presented. If the child incorrectly carries out deliberately accomplishable tasks, in accordance with the logic of the selected test testing algorithm, an information window is formed on the optotypes and interface presentation unit with a warning about the possibly inappropriate behavior of the child. In the event that the child's reaction is adequate, a transition to the true testing mode is possible. The child’s answers are recorded using a remote control adapted for children (unit for recording the testee’s answers (16). The testing procedure is described in the interactive testing mode subsection.

The mode is initiated as follows: the unit for setting and selecting tasks (18) allows you to select this mode in the memory block of the preparation and testing algorithms (14). After this selection, information about which is obtained by the second control unit (8), the latter initiates the formation of optotypes, explanations, and interface (1) of the optotypes on the presentation unit for trial testing according to the selected algorithm. Data on the optotypes involved in this mode are stored in the memory block of the optotypes adapted for children (15), and the test testing algorithm itself, including making automated judgments about understanding and cooperativity, is stored in the memory block of testing algorithms (13).

- true testing mode is a real ophthalmological test mode, the results of which are automatically entered into the database. The mode is organized similarly to the test testing mode with the difference that the true testing mode is selected in the mode selection block, this selection initiates the operation of the algorithm (or algorithms) for conducting the true testing and the results of the testing are entered into the database block (17).

- the interactive testing mode at given distances is carried out using a wireless remote control adapted for children (unit for fixing the test subject's answers (16). On the front panel of the remote control there is a group of large buttons with the images of optotypes printed on them (Figure 2). The child is presented with an optotype presentation unit , explanations and interface (1) test tasks in which optotypes similar to those applied to buttons are used.The task for the child is the correct recognition of the optotype and pressing the corresponding th button of the remote control (unit for fixing the answers of the subject 16.) Information about the button pressed by the child via wireless (or wired) communication is transmitted from the unit for fixing the answers of the subject (16) to the second control unit (8), which uses this information to advance the operation of the testing algorithm, implemented using the memory block of testing algorithms (13) .Thanks to the presence of wireless communication, this mode easily works at various distances from the fixation block to the block of presentation of optotypes, explanations, and interface. The selected distance to the remote control provided by the unit for setting and starting tasks (18) provides automatic change in the angular size of test optotypes.

- standard testing mode is similar to the prototype,

- the mode of formation and viewing of the database allows you to save the results of the checks and to view and analyze the results. The technology for creating a database and tools for working with it is traditional. A screenshot of one of the windows for viewing database data is shown in Fig.6. Data is written to the database automatically after testing.

A possible sequence of procedures when conducting specialized testing of the children's contingent is shown in Fig. 7, and Fig. 4 shows one of the possible options for sequentially selecting the testing mode and testing algorithm.

Claims (1)

A device for interactive evaluation of visual functions in preschool children, including coordinately working functional blocks interconnected by bidirectional multi-bit buses connected to a power supply, namely
- block presentation of optotypes, explanations and interface, connected by bidirectional multi-bit tires with the first control unit,
- a memory block of standard optotypes connected by bidirectional multi-bit buses to the first control unit,
- block remote switching test optotypes connected by bidirectional multi-bit tires with the first control unit,
- the first control unit, including a block for controlling the sizes of optotypes, a unit for monitoring the character-free interval between two presentations of tests, a unit for interfacing with a remote unit for selecting a test mode, characterized in that it additionally contains
- a second control unit connected by bidirectional multi-bit tires with a unit for presenting optotypes, explanations and an interface, including a second unit for controlling the sizes of optotypes, a second unit for monitoring a character-free interval, a unit for interfacing with a remote unit for fixing responses of the test person;
- a memory block for multimedia job explanations connected by bidirectional multi-bit buses to a second control unit;
- a memory block of testing algorithms connected by bidirectional multi-bit buses to the second control unit;
- a memory block for the preparation and testing modes connected by bidirectional multi-bit buses to the second control unit;
- a memory block of optotypes adapted for children, connected by bidirectional multi-bit tires with a second control unit;
- a database unit that provides automatic storage of test results, connected by bidirectional multi-bit tires with a second control unit;
- a unit for fixing the test person’s answers, made in the form of a remote control with the images of the optotypes used for testing and adapted for children, printed on its keyboard, connected by bidirectional multi-bit wire and wireless buses to the second control unit;
- a unit for setting and starting tasks, connected by bidirectional multi-bit wire and wireless buses with a second control unit.

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