Good day. I am a vestibular therapist and work with people with balance and dizziness issues. I am a TOTAL newby to electronics. I wish to make a pair of vestibular goggles. Vestibular goggles (similar to VR goggles with a camera mounted to take a video of the patient’s eye) are used to video the eye of the patient in blackout conditions so that the eye has nothing to fixate on. The patient in then moved in a variety of ways and the movement of the eye is observed. These are available already for a range of about $1500 to $5000 US. I saw the Pure Thermal mini pro JST SR (with FLIR Lepton 3.5) on the SparkFun site and thought that I may be able to mount that to a pair of VR goggles to do the same thing as a high priced pair of goggles. Does that sound like something the Pure Thermal would be able to handle? Clarity and focus would be an issue as the focal length would be quite short (goggle to eye). I am also wondering if any other equipment or fabricating would be required. Would the Pure Thermal be able to send video straight to a Mac? What would the image quality be like (grey scale?)? Would I require any software? Any information you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
Here’s the software https://github.com/groupgets/GetThermal for Mac
The datasheet doesn’t mention a minimum viewing distance, which would be my main concern…you might have to test this experimentally, or see if you can find some results elsewhere posted online
Sounds like a good project! Best of luck!
I don’t think using a basement-built medical device on patients is allowed by whatever regulatory agency you’re under.
Fair statement. In building a prototype however, you have to start somewhere.
TS-Russell:
Here’s the software https://github.com/groupgets/GetThermal for MacThe datasheet doesn’t mention a minimum viewing distance, which would be my main concern…you might have to test this experimentally, or see if you can find some results elsewhere posted online
Sounds like a good project! Best of luck!
Thanks for the information. Will the unit attach directly to a Mac to get a video image then? Is there any programming required? Do I simply require a USB cable?
USB cable - no programming required to start, just follow the steps on that link and you should be able to get the examples going
This isn't to talk you out of a cool project but I'll put it this way: You aren't going to save $5000 by building your own medical device.Phil JLL:
Fair statement. In building a prototype however, you have to start somewhere.
The testing and qualification requirements are immense and that’s after the prototyping is complete. For example, you’ll have to demonstrate your device is immune to local RF within prescribed limits so things don’t go wrong when a hospital custodian keys his walkie talkie down the hall. That probably means sending some representative examples to an independent lab full of expensive equipment operated by expensive specialists who maintain expensive accreditations. And that’s just one aspect of the RF testing. You’d also need to demonstrate that the device itself doesn’t emit RF signals beyond certain limits. Or that the cables don’t pull out with too little or too much force. And the range of temperatures it can be used in and the range of temperatures it can be stored in. And that the housing doesn’t deteriorate in the sun. And that it’s Y3K compliant (probably!). Then, the clinical trials.
You can make the thing and use it on yourself and friends but not in any sort of professional capacity.
All excellent points, and I really appreciate your input, especially given my limited experience with this stuff. I do understand that much of the cost of a device is intellectual property and the testing that is necessary to ensure safe and effective operation. My question would be, however, how does one begin the process of developing a tool such as vestibular goggles then? Is the Pure Thermal a safe device or do I need to be concerned about the proximity to the eye? There is no warning that I could see. Do you require an electrical engineer, someone with experience with optics, video, IR? Is there a danger to the human eye with what I am proposing? Thanks again for you insights.
There are many, many familiar 'things' that are far too complicated for a single person to make or even begin understand every aspect of. Passenger vehicles, computer motherboards, desktop operating systems, skyscrapers, highly automated production lines, financial markets, aviation radar systems, data centers, modern gaming consoles, train locomotives, you get the idea. Being in a highly regulated industry like medical device R&D adds to the number of people that will need to be involved, plus all the constant testing.Phil JLL:
My question would be, however, how does one begin the process of developing a tool such as vestibular goggles then?
Of course, these do get created, though. There are pretty much two ways to make a complicated new product. The first is to build off the currently available vestibular goggles you already manufacture. The manufacturer of goggles makes improvements to those product before them and introduces new models. If you do need to make a somewhat novel product (like a Boeing 787), the teams with the corporate institutional knowledge are already in place and it still takes years to make the first one after the concept was thought out. And a 787 isn’t that different from other jets.
The other way is to create a startup and try to hire all of the folks you need and build from the ground up. We’ve seen this recently with Tesla. The obvious downside is that his takes Musk-ian amounts of money and will operate at enormous losses until the product hit the shelves, if it ever does. Most startups need funding from investors to operate and securing the cash can be harder than making the thing itself.
And all of this assumes the idea isn’t covered by patents.
I can’t speak specifically on the PureThermal as I’ve never seen one and had never heard of vestibular goggles until I read your initial post. But I’ve had some tangential exposure to the medical device industry and I can verify that every step of the way is a pain in the backside. It’s that way primarily for safety but also liability. If your device, say, causes a misdiagnosis or directly hurts someone, you can bet it’ll go to court and being able to show you did due diligence during R&D and manufacture may reduce the settlement you’ll have to pay from $20M to 5 million. Honestly, $1500-5k sounds like a bargain for something like this.
I think you should always be encouraged to use our HOBBY-grade products for personal experimentation, skill building, edification, etc…
Commercial considerations can take place later; that being said we do not advertise any of our products as being capable of any level of medical accuracy, for these same considerations.
The start stops most people.