Augmented reality interface for medical device

Abstract

A wearable interface device, such as a head-mounted display, provides an augmented reality and/or display system and may be used in accordance with medical devices and the performance of medical treatments, particularly a dialysis machine and a dialysis treatment. The wearable interface device may be worn by a user, such as a health care practitioner (HCP), in connection with remotely monitoring and/or controlling the dialysis machine during the dialysis treatment. The HCP may receive alerts and/or other information concerning the dialysis treatment from the dialysis machine that are displayed on the wearable interface device and may use the wearable interface device to control the dialysis machine via the exchange of wireless signals with the dialysis machine. The wearable interface device may recognize commands from the HCP, such as gestures, to provide non-contact operation of the wearable interface device and remote control of the dialysis machine by the HCP.

1 . A method of remotely interfacing with a medical device, comprising:
 providing a head-mounted wearable interface device that enables remote interfacing with the medical device by a user wearing the wearable interface device;   wirelessly exchanging signals between the wearable interface device and the medical device, wherein the signals correspond to a treatment performed using the medical device;   processing at least one of the signals at the wearable interface device to generate information corresponding to the treatment performed using the medical device;   displaying the information on a screen of the wearable interface device; and   augmenting a real view through the wearable interface device with information corresponding to the treatment performed using the medical device.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the medical device includes a dialysis machine. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 recognizing, at the wearable interface device, at least one non-contact command input by the user.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the non-contact command is used to remotely control the medical device during the treatment. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the non-contact command includes a command to remotely control the medical device during the treatment by modifying at least one parameter of the medical device from a position in which the wearable interface device is out of a visual line-of-sight of the medical device. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the information displayed on the screen of the wearable interface device includes dialysis treatment information. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the dialysis treatment information includes an alert concerning the dialysis treatment. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software that remotely interfaces with a medical device, the software comprising:
 executable code that operates a head-mounted wearable interface device that enables remote interfacing with the medical device by a user wearing the wearable interface device;   executable code that wirelessly exchanges signals between the wearable interface device and the medical device, wherein the signals corresponds to a treatment performed using the medical device;   executable code that processes at least one of the signals at the wearable interface device to generate information corresponding to the treatment performed using the medical device;   executable code that displays the information on a screen of the wearable interface device; and   executable code that augments a real view through the wearable interface device with information corresponding to the treatment performed using the medical device.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 9 , wherein the medical device includes a dialysis machine. 
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 9 , wherein the software further comprises:
 executable code that recognizes, at the wearable interface device, at least one non-contact command input by the user.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 11 , wherein the non-contact command is used to remotely control the medical device during the treatment. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 12 , wherein the non-contact command includes a command to remotely control the medical device during the treatment by modifying at least one parameter of the medical device from a position in which the wearable interface device is out of a visual line-of-sight of the medical device. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 9 , wherein the information displayed on the screen of the wearable interface device includes dialysis treatment information. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 14 , wherein the dialysis treatment information includes an alert concerning the dialysis treatment. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A system for enabling remote interfacing with a dialysis machine, comprising:
 at least one sensor of the dialysis machine that receives and transmits signals corresponding to a dialysis treatment performed by the dialysis machine;   a head-mounted wearable interface device that is worn by a user and that is wirelessly coupled to the at least one sensor, wherein the wearable interface device includes:
 at least one processor that processes received signals into information corresponding to the dialysis treatment; and 
 at least one screen that displays an augmented view through the wearable interface device that includes a real view and the information corresponding to the dialysis treatment. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 17 , wherein the wearable interface device further includes:
 a camera that captures an image being viewed using the wearable interface device.   
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 17 , wherein the wearable interface device controls the dialysis machine when the wearable interface device is out of a visual line-of-sight with the dialysis machine during the dialysis treatment. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 17 , wherein the wearable interface device includes a non-transitory computer readable medium storing software that enables control of the dialysis machine during the dialysis treatment using at least one dialysis treatment screen displayed on the head-mounted wearable interface device. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the head-mounted wearable interface device includes a camera. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein an image that has been captured by the camera is displayed on the screen of the head-mounted wearable interface device. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the image includes a medication, and wherein the head-mounted wearable interface device performs one or more of: (i) displaying information documenting the medication, or (ii) displaying an alert concerning the medication. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the real view through the head-mounted wearable interface device is augmented with information corresponding to the medical device performing the treatment. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the real view through the head-mounted wearable interface device is augmented with information corresponding to a patient undergoing the treatment. 
     
     
         26 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 9 , wherein the head-mounted wearable interface device includes a camera. 
     
     
         27 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 26 , wherein an image that has been captured by the camera is displayed on the screen of the head-mounted wearable interface device. 
     
     
         28 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 27 , wherein the image includes a medication, and wherein the head-mounted wearable interface device performs one or more of: (i) displaying information documenting the medication, or (ii) displaying an alert concerning the medication. 
     
     
         29 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 9 , wherein the real view through the head-mounted wearable interface device is augmented with information corresponding to the medical device performing the treatment. 
     
     
         30 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 9 , wherein the real view through the head-mounted wearable interface device is augmented with information corresponding to a patient undergoing the treatment. 
     
     
         31 . The system according to  claim 17 , wherein the head-mounted wearable interface device further includes at least one command recognition component that recognizes a non-contact command input by the user to the head-mounted wearable interface device. 
     
     
         32 . The system according to  claim 18 , wherein an image that has been captured by the camera is displayed on the screen of the head-mounted wearable interface device. 
     
     
         33 . The system according to  claim 32 , wherein the image includes a medication, and wherein the head-mounted wearable interface device performs one or more of: (i) displaying information documenting the medication, or (ii) displaying an alert concerning the medication. 
     
     
         34 . The system according to  claim 17 , wherein, in the augmented view, the real view through the head-mounted wearable interface device is augmented with information corresponding to the dialysis machine performing the dialysis treatment. 
     
     
         35 . The system according to  claim 17 , wherein, in the augmented view, the real view through the head-mounted wearable interface device is augmented with information corresponding to a patient undergoing the dialysis treatment.