Surgical Headlight Systems and Methods for Use

Abstract

A surgical headlight system includes an adjustable headband, a light assembly mounted to the headband, a motor assembly mounted to the headband and the light assembly, and electronic controller having a wireless transceiver therein, a power control circuit for varying electrical power delivered to a light source of the light assembly, a power source in electrical communication with the light assembly, the motor assembly, and the wireless transceiver, and a sterilizable wireless controller configured to transmit instructions to the wireless transceiver, the instructions causing the electronic controller to one or more of actuate at least one motor of the motor assembly to alter an orientation of the light assembly, adjust a diameter of an aperture of the light assembly, adjust a spacing between one or more condensing lenses and an objective lens, or operate the power control circuit to increase or decrease electrical power delivered to the light source.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surgical headlight system comprising:
 a light assembly including:
 a light source having a variable light output, and 
 an optical assembly including an adjustable diameter aperture in optical communication with the light source; 
   a motor assembly mounted to the light assembly, the motor assembly including at least a first motor;   a control assembly for controlling the light assembly using a user's eyes, the control assembly including:
 eye-tracking means, and 
 analyzing means to analyze data generated by the eye-tracking means, the analyzing means being in communication with the light assembly and the motor assembly. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the eye-tracking means is selected from a group consisting of one or more image sensors, video cameras and motion sensors. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the analyzing means is a processor to synchronize an orientation or movement of the light assembly with the user's eye movement. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the eye-tracking data is configured to detect the user blinking, whereby a particular pattern of blinking is used to initiate eye tracking control of the control assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the eye-tracking data is configured to detect the user blinking, whereby a particular pattern of blinking is used to manipulate, control, or steer the light assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the particular pattern of blinking is used to adjust brightness of the light source. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the particular pattern of blinking is used to shape or manipulate the variable light output. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the motor assembly further includes a second motor configured to adjust an orientation of the light assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the motor assembly further includes a third motor configured to adjust the diameter of the aperture. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the control assembly is configured to actuate at least one of the first motor or the second motor of the motor assembly to alter the orientation of the light assembly relative to at least one of the vertical plane or the horizontal plane, actuate the third motor of the motor assembly to adjust the diameter of the aperture, vary the light output of the light source, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a belt for a waist of a user, a power source mounted to the belt for delivering electrical power to at least one of the light assembly or the motor assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a wireless controller including at least one joystick or linear potentiometer for receiving input from the user. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the light assembly further comprises one or more condensing lenses and an objective lens in communication with the light source. 
     
     
         14 . A surgical headlight system comprising:
 a light assembly including:
 a light source having a variable light output, and 
 an optical assembly including one or more condensing lenses and an objective lens in communication with the light source; 
   a motor assembly including:
 a first motor configured to adjust an orientation of the light assembly relative to a horizontal plane, 
 a second motor configured to adjust an orientation of the light assembly relative to a vertical plane, and 
 a third motor configured to adjust a spacing between the one or more condensing lenses and objective lens; and 
   a control assembly for controlling the light assembly using a user's eyes, the control assembly including:
 eye-tracking means, and 
 analyzing means to analyze data generated by the eye-tracking means, the analyzing means being in communication with the light assembly and the motor assembly, 
   wherein the control assembly is configured to actuate at least one of the first motor or second motor of the motor assembly to alter the orientation of the light assembly relative to at least one of a vertical plane or a horizontal plane, actuate the third motor of the motor assembly to adjust the spacing between the one or more condensing lenses and objective lens, vary the light output of the light source, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the eye-tracking means is selected from a group consisting of one or more image sensors, video cameras and motion sensors. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the analyzing means is a processor to synchronize an orientation or movement of the light assembly with the user's eye movement. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the eye-tracking data is configured to detect the user blinking, whereby a particular pattern of blinking is used to initiate eye tracking control of the control assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the eye-tracking data is configured to detect the user blinking, whereby a particular pattern of blinking is used to manipulate, control, adjust or steer the light assembly. 
     
     
         19 . A method for operating a surgical headlight comprising:
 tracking a user's eyes to generate eye-tracking data;   analyzing the eye-tracking data to detect the user blinking, whereby a particular pattern of blinking is used to initiate eye tracking control of a control assembly;   transmitting instructions from the control assembly to the surgical headlight to illuminate a surgical site with a light output emitted from a light assembly of the surgical headlight worn by the user; and   varying the light output of the light assembly based on the eye-tracking data.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising actuating at least one of a first motor or a second motor of a motor assembly mounted to the headband and operatively connected to the light assembly, to alter the orientation of the light assembly relative to at least one of a vertical plane or a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising actuating a third motor of the motor assembly to adjust at least one of a diameter of an aperture of the light assembly or a spacing between one or more condensing lenses and an objective lens of the light assembly.