Patent Publication Number: US-2022211264-A1

Title: Body mounted Laser Indirect Ophthalmoscope (LIO) system

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/361,768, filed on Mar. 22, 2019, which claims the benefit under 35 USC 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/646,715, filed on Mar. 22, 2018, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Ophthalmologists are medical specialists dealing with diagnosing and treating the eyes of patients. Some of these treatments involve delivering laser energy to the patient&#39;s eye. In these treatments, doctors regularly set and update parameters for the laser energy to be delivered. These parameters can include power, exposure duration, repeat interval, among other examples. 
     Commonly, slit lamps are used for delivering the laser energy to the patient&#39;s eye. In these systems, the patients sit up in an examination chair, rest their chin on a chin rest, and place their forehead against a forehead band, both of which keep the patient&#39;s head in place during the procedure. However, some patients are unable to sit at a slit lamp due to the patient&#39;s age, size, or health condition, among other factors. 
     A Laser Indirect Ophthalmoscope (LIO), is a head mounted device, worn by the doctor to deliver laser energy into a patient&#39;s eye. Current systems use a laser console for generating the laser light and a long fiber optic coupled to the LIO for delivering the laser light to tissue. The laser console includes a laser source of multiple lasing mediums and wavelengths, a power source (for example, providing AC/DC conversion), laser drive and parameter control systems, and a user interface. The user interface comprises physical knobs and switches or a touchscreen and can be part of the laser console itself or a remote control device that communicates with the laser console. Activation devices (e.g. footswitches) connect to the laser consoles and activate the laser emission, for example, by sending an activation signal to the laser console in response to engagement of an activation mechanism (e.g. compression of the footswitch). Input voltage for these systems is generally 90-240 VAC. 
     During procedures using the LIO, the doctor moves the laser console, which is positioned on a cart or table, to be in the proximity of the patient who is usually in a supine position. The doctor then walks around the patient to deliver the laser energy to the desired portions of the retina. If a parameter change is needed, the doctor physically returns to the laser console to make the change or has an assistant, for example, standing next to the laser console, make the change. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One of the biggest limitations with LIO systems is doctor mobility. Currently, LIO systems are tethered, via fiber optic cable, to the laser console somewhere near the patient, and the laser consoles also need to be positioned near an electrical outlet. Whenever a parameter change is needed, the doctor must return to the laser console, make the change, and then return to the patient to continue the procedure, requiring additional time for the doctor to reorient after making the change. This sequence also forces the doctor to reroute the fiber optic cable during the portions of the procedure requiring mobility to and from the laser console. One potential solution to this problem has involved verbally giving parameter changes to an assistant located near the laser console. However, this solution is more costly, as more health care personnel are needed for each LIO procedure. 
     Another limitation of LIO systems is the fiber optic cable connecting the laser console to the headset. Portions of these cables, which can be 15 feet long for example, often end up draped across the patient&#39;s body and/or on the floor. Because the fiber optic cables are so exposed and can break easily during routine use, accidental damage is common, and they require frequent service and repair. 
     A body-mounted LIO system according to the current invention provides greater mobility and freedom to doctors during procedures, increases efficiency, and minimizes exposure of the fiber optic cable to traumatic events that may cause it to break. More specifically, the present system includes a wearable assembly such as a headset, a utility belt, and/or a backpack which includes many of the components that would be part of the laser console in previous systems, such as the laser, power source and control module. This increases mobility for the doctor who is no longer tethered to the laser console by the fiber optic cable. The fiber optic cable can be completely unexposed or, for example, routed from a utility belt, up the doctor&#39;s back, to the headset, decreasing the probability of incurring costly damage to the LIO fiber. 
     Additionally, the LIO system provides a wireless portable user computer device, such as a tablet or smartphone, rendering a graphical user interface. That device can be placed next to the patient, allowing the doctor to access and change the parameters while staying focused on the patient. The user interface includes a voice control process for recognizing spoken commands and parameter information. Audible feedback of current and updated parameters is also provided. A graphical user interface (rendered, for example, on a touchscreen display of a mobile computing device) provides an additional means for accessing and changing the parameters. In either case, parameter information is generated and wirelessly sent to the control module of the LIO system e.g. via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol wireless data connection. 
     In one example, the mobile computing device detects a wake word (which is a special phrase to indicate that verbal commands follow). In response to detecting the wake word, the mobile computing device captures audio data, and the voice control process recognizes in the audio data a spoken command (in any multitude of languages) from a predetermined set of commands. Parameter information is then generated based on the audio data, including which commands and other spoken information were recognized by the voice control process. 
     Additional benefits provided by the current invention include decreased space consumption as a cart or table is no longer required for the laser console. This, combined with the use of batteries rather than an AC power source, increases the range of potential treatment locations, potentially allowing for increased usage in developing countries that may not have electricity required for standard LIO treatment. 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the current invention, the laser module, battery and control electronics are integrated entirely into the headset of the LIO system. These components are miniaturized and simplified, and thermal management of the laser head is optimized to allow the components to be attached as part of the headband or ocular head and placed to allow proper weight balancing of the whole LIO assembly. A high capacity battery powers both the white light illumination of the headset and the laser. This embodiment limits the number of separate system components to three (the headset, the activation unit, and the mobile computing device providing the user interface), thus maximizing system mobility. 
     According to another embodiment, the laser module, battery and control electronics are integrated into a utility belt. The fiber optic cable, from which the laser energy is emitted, is routed from the utility belt to the headset, which also includes the binocular indirect ophthalmoscope. 
     In general, according to one aspect, the invention features a laser indirect ophthalmoscope system for delivering laser energy to an eye of a patient. The system comprises a mobile computing device, a voice control process, and a control module. The mobile computing device captures audio data. The voice control process, in turn, receives the audio data and generates parameter information based on the captured audio data. The control module receives the parameter information and sets the parameters for the delivered laser energy based on the parameter information. 
     In embodiments, the voice control process, which, for example, executes on the mobile computing device, generates the parameter information by recognizing spoken language in the captured audio data. The mobile computing device captures the audio data in response to detecting a predetermined wake word and provides audio feedback confirming the parameter information generated by the voice control process. Additionally, the parameter information can also be generated by the mobile computing device based on input received via a graphical user interface rendered on a touchscreen display of the mobile computing device. An activation unit (e.g. a footswitch) sends activation signals for emitting the laser energy to the control module in response to engagement of an activation mechanism of the activation unit (e.g. compression of the footswitch). The parameter information is received by the control module via a wireless communication interface. 
     In general, according to another aspect, the invention features a laser indirect ophthalmoscope system for delivering laser energy to an eye of a patient. The system comprises a laser module for generating and delivering the laser energy. A wearable assembly secures the laser module to a body of a user of the laser indirect ophthalmoscope system. 
     In embodiments, the wearable assembly can include a headset worn on the user&#39;s head and/or a utility belt worn around the user&#39;s waist and can also secure a control module for setting parameters for the delivered energy and a power module for providing power to the laser module to the user&#39;s body. The power module comprises a portable battery for providing the power. 
     In general, according to another aspect, the invention features a method for delivering laser energy to an eye of a patient using a laser indirect ophthalmoscope system. Audio data is captured, and parameter information is generated based on the captured audio data. Parameters for the delivered laser energy are set based on the parameter information. 
     In general, according to another aspect, the invention features a method for delivering laser energy to an eye of a patient using a laser indirect ophthalmoscope system. A laser module generates and delivers the laser energy. A wearable assembly secures the laser module to a body of a user of the laser indirect ophthalmoscope system. 
     In general, according to another aspect, the invention features a laser indirect ophthalmoscope system for delivering laser energy to an eye of a patient. The system includes a mobile computing device for generating parameter information and a control module. The control module receives the parameter information via a wireless communication interface and sets parameters for the delivered laser energy based on the parameter information. 
     In general, according to another aspect, the invention features a laser indirect ophthalmoscope system for delivering laser energy to an eye of a patient. The system includes an activation unit, a mobile computing device, and a control module. The activation unit generates activation signals based on the user input received via an activation mechanism. The mobile computing device receives the activation signals via a wireless communication interface and relaying the activation signals to the control module, which receives the activation signals via a wireless communication interface and generates control signals for the delivered laser energy based on the activation signals. 
     In general, according to another aspect, the invention features a laser indirect ophthalmoscope system for delivering laser energy to an eye of a patient. The system comprises a laser module for generating and delivering the laser energy and a plurality of interchangeable batteries for providing stored power to the laser module. The predetermined storage capacity for the batteries is based on an estimated amount of power consumed during a single treatment. 
     The above and other features of the invention including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, and other advantages, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular method and device embodying the invention are shown by way of illustration and not as a limitation of the invention. The principles and features of this invention may be employed in various and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the accompanying drawings, reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale; emphasis has instead been placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Of the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is an illustration of an exemplary body-mounted laser-indirect ophthalmoscope (LIO) system according to an embodiment of the current invention comprising a headset unit attached to a headset; 
         FIG. 2  is an illustration of the body-mounted LIO system according to another embodiment comprising a belt unit attached to a utility belt; 
         FIG. 3  is an illustration of the body-mounted LIO system according to another embodiment comprising both the headset unit and the belt unit; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of the body-mounted LIO system according to an embodiment in which a power module housed by an activation unit provides power to a body-mounted unit of the body-mounted LIO system via a wired connection; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of the body-mounted LIO system according to another embodiment in which the activation unit and a control module communicate directly via a wireless communication link; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of the body-mounted LIO system according to another embodiment in which the control module, power module, and laser module of the body-mounted unit are housed in separate housings; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram of the body-mounted LIO system according to another embodiment in which the activation unit communicates with a mobile computing device via a wireless communication link; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of the body-mounted LIO system according to another embodiment in which the power module is part of the belt unit attached to the utility belt, and the control module and laser module are parts of the headset unit attached to the headset; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of a power module and batteries of the body-mounted LIO system according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 10  is a sequence diagram illustrating a process by which the LIO system emits laser energy based on parameter information received via a graphical user interface and a voice control process; and 
         FIG. 11  is a sequence diagram illustrating a process by which the LIO system emits laser energy based on activation signals generated by a wireless activation unit controlled by a footswitch control process of a mobile computing device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
     As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Further, the singular forms and the articles “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless expressly stated otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms: includes, comprises, including and/or comprising, when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. Further, it will be understood that when an element, including component or subsystem, is referred to and/or shown as being connected or coupled to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. 
       FIG. 1  is an illustration of a body-mounted LIO system  100  according to the preferred embodiment of the current invention. In general, the body-mounted LIO system  100  delivers laser energy to an eye of a patient. A user of the LIO system  100  is typically a doctor such as an ophthalmologist. 
     The body-mounted LIO system  100  includes a binocular indirect ophthalmoscope  120 , one or more body-mounted units  103 , an activation unit  106 , a mobile computing device  104 , and one or more wearable assemblies  102 . 
     In general, the body-mounted units  103  include (e.g. electrical) components for delivering the laser energy to the eye of the patient. 
     The binocular indirect ophthalmoscope  120  is an optical device for examining the inside of the eye of the patient. The binocular indirect ophthalmoscope  120  includes an illumination unit  114  for providing white light and an optical system including a viewing aperture  118  and an exit aperture  116  from which the laser energy is emitted (which is also an entrance aperture for image information e.g. for viewing the patient&#39;s eye). 
     The wearable assembly  102  which secures the body-mounted LIO system  100 , including the body-mounted unit(s)  103  and/or the binocular indirect ophthalmoscope  120  to the user&#39;s body via one or more wearable objects such as a headset, a utility belt, or a backpack, among other examples. 
     In the illustrated example, the wearable assembly  102  comprises only a headset  102 - 1 , which is worn on the user&#39;s head. The binocular indirect ophthalmoscope  120  is attached to the headset  102 - 1  and secured to the user&#39;s head in a position such that the user&#39;s eye is aligned with the viewing aperture  118 . The body-mounted unit  103  is a headset unit  103 - h,  which is attached to the headset  102 - 1 . 
     In general, the activation unit  106  receives user input and sends activation signals indicating that the laser energy should be emitted. 
     Preferably, the mobile computing device  120  is a tablet computer such as a commodity user device running IOS or Android operating systems. Alternatively, the mobile computing device  120  could be a smartphone device, laptop computer, or phablet computer (i.e., a mobile device that is typically larger than a smart phone, but smaller than a tablet), to list a few examples. In general, the mobile computing device  104  provides a user interface and generates parameter information indicating the user-provided parameters based on input received via the user interface. In the illustrated example, the user interface is a voice control interface that allows the user to indicate parameter information using verbal commands. In the illustrated example, the user provides a verbal command (“Power  200 ”), and the mobile computing device  120  provides audible feedback confirming the command. 
       FIG. 2  is an illustration of the body-mounted LIO system  100  according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     The body-mounted LIO system  100  is similar to the embodiment described with respect to  FIG. 1 . As before, the headset  102 - 1  includes the binocular indirect ophthalmoscope  120  and the illumination unit  114 . 
     Now, however, the body-mounted LIO system  100  includes a utility belt  102 - 2 , which is a wearable assembly  102  worn around the user&#39;s waist. In the illustrated embodiment, a belt unit  103 - b  is attached to the utility belt  102 - 2 . The belt unit contains a laser system that generates laser energy. The laser energy is delivered to the illumination unit  114  via a fiber optic cable  206 . The illumination unit then directs that laser energy out through the aperture  116 . 
     In general, the fiber optic cable  206  directs the energy from the belt unit  103 - b  to the exit aperture  116 . While the fiber optic cable  206  is concealed in the previous example, here, the fiber optic cable  206  is several feet long (e.g. long enough to connect from the utility belt  102 - 2  to the headset  102 - 1  but short enough to remain off of a floor). In the illustrated example, a longer fiber optic cable  206  is routed to the headset  102 - 1 . In practice, this fiber optic cable  206  would be routed up the back of the user such that it is significantly shorter than previous systems and secured in a location where accidental damage is less likely. 
       FIG. 3  is an illustration of the body-mounted LIO system  100  according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     The body-mounted LIO system  100  is similar to the embodiments described with respect to  FIG. 2 . 
     Now, however, the headset  102 - 1  includes a headset unit  103 - h,  and the utility belt  102 - 2  includes a belt unit  103 - b,  and the components for delivering the laser energy to the patient&#39;s eye are divided between the two body-mounted units  103 . 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of the body-mounted LIO system  100  according to one embodiment, showing the components of the system in more detail. 
     Internal components of the body-mounted units  103 , the activation unit  106 , and the mobile computing device  104  are shown. These components, among others, include a control module  108 , a laser module  112 , and a power module  110 . 
     The power module  110  includes a battery  210 , which supplies the power provided to the control module  108 , laser module  112 , illumination unit  114  and/or the activation unit  106 . Among other functions, the power module  110  performs the functions of a battery management system (e.g. preventing the battery from operating outside its Safe Operating Area, monitoring its state, etc.). 
     The laser module  112  includes one or more lasers, preferably semiconductor lasers. The module produces and emits the laser energy according to certain user-provided parameters such as power, exposure duration, and repeat interval, among other examples. The laser module  112  includes a fiber optic cable  206  for emitting the laser energy. The fiber optic cable  206  is routed through the binocular indirect ophthalmoscope  120  such that the laser energy is emitted from the exit aperture  116 . 
     The control module  108  controls the laser energy delivered by the laser module  112  based on information and/or signals received from the mobile computing device  104  and/or the activation unit  106 , including parameter information, connection status information pertaining to communication links between components of the body-mounted LIO system  100 , control signals, and/or activation status information indicating an activation status of the activation unit  106 . In response to receiving the parameter information, the control module  108  sets the parameters for the laser energy. In response to receiving activation signals, the control module  108  sends control signals reflecting the user-provided parameters to the laser module  112  activating the laser module and causing it to produce and/or emit the laser energy. The control module  108  includes a central processing unit (CPU)  202  such as a microcontroller with integrated memory, a wireless interface  204 , which includes antennas, and/or a wired interface  238 , which includes a wired jack such as a USB-C port. The CPU  202  directs the functionality of the control module  108  such as receiving parameter information and/or activation signals via the wireless interface  204  and antenna  212  and/or the wired interface  238 , as well as sending control signals to the laser module  112 . 
     Executing on the CPU  202  of the control module  108  (or possibly the CPU  222  of the mobile computing device  104 ) is a footswitch control process  229 , which, in general, directs the communication between the control module  108  and/or mobile computing device  104  and the activation unit  106 , for example, by monitoring the connection and terminating laser delivery in certain situations. 
     The footswitch control process  229  provides important safety features pertaining to the use of the activation unit  106 . Namely, the footswitch control process  229  optimizes the response time between the activation unit  106  and the delivery of laser energy by the laser module  112  and prevents delivery of laser energy  112  in a situation in which an activation status (e.g. depression or release of a foot pedal of the activation unit  106 ) is unknown or inaccessible. More specifically, the footswitch control process  229  monitors for a consistent and sufficiently strong wired and/or wireless communication link between the activation unit  106  and the control module  108  or mobile computing device  104  and sends connection status information and/or control signals to the control module  108  based on the status of the wired and/or wireless communication link. 
     In one example, the footswitch control process  229  continually polls the activation unit  106  by sending a query message to the activation unit  106  in response to which the activation unit  106  sends a response (ACK) message back to the footswitch control process  229 . In response to determining that the connection was disrupted based on a predetermined threshold (e.g. a response message was not received within a predetermined period of time), the footswitch control process  229  immediately sends the connection status information and/or the control signals to the control module  108  indicating that the connection between the activation unit  106  and the footswitch control process  229  was lost and that the laser module  112  should terminate emitting laser energy. 
     In one example, the predetermined threshold for determining whether the wireless communication link was lost is a value corresponding to a duration of time elapsed since sending the most recent query message. The threshold is set sufficiently low so as to minimize delays between activation/release of the activation unit  106 , or detection of the disrupted communication link, and delivery or termination of the laser energy. 
     In another example, the footswitch control process  229  polls the activation unit  106  with a frequency based on a predetermined polling interval. The polling interval is a value representing a duration of time between transmission of each query message, or a value representing a quantity of query messages sent per unit of time, among other examples. As with the above described threshold, the value of the polling interval is set sufficiently low so as to minimize delays response time delays between the activation unit  106  and the control module  108 . 
     The footswitch control process  229  is also configured such that messages pertaining to the activation status of the activation unit  106  are prioritized and/or escalated with respect to other communication between the local device with respect to the footswitch control process  229  and other devices and/or with respect to some local computing functions. For example, the footswitch control process  229  overrides routine operations such as transmission of parameter information to the control module  108  and/or processing of voice commands by the voice control process  228  in response to receiving activation signals from the activation unit  106 , causing the activation signals to be relayed to the control module  108  before the parameter information is transmitted and before the voice commands are processed by the voice control process  228 . In another example, the footswitch control process  229  overrides the routine operations in response to polling the activation unit  106  and determining that the wireless communication link has been disrupted, causing the CPU  222  to send control signals and/or connection status information to the control module  108  before performing the routine operations. 
     In another example, the control module  108  stops the laser module  112  (e.g. via sending or terminating control signals) from emitting laser energy in response to receiving connection status information from the footswitch control process  229  indicating that the wired and/or wireless communication link between the activation unit  106  and the mobile computing device  104  was disrupted and/or in response to receiving control signals directly from the mobile computing device  104 . 
     In another example, the control module  108  polls the mobile computing device  104  and stops the laser module  112  in response to determining that the wireless communication link between the control module  108  and the mobile computing device  104  was disrupted, based, for example, on determining that an amount of elapsed time since receiving a communication from the mobile computing device  104  exceeds the predetermined threshold. 
     In general, the activation unit  106  receives user input via an activation mechanism  245  (e.g. a switch or button) and in response to the user input, the activation unit  106  generates and sends activation signals to the control module  108  and/or to the mobile computing device  104 , based on the configuration of the body-mounted LIO system  100 , via a communication interface. In the preferred embodiment, the activation unit  106  is a footswitch, and engagement with the activation mechanism  245  includes compression of the footswitch by the user&#39;s foot, for example. In different examples, the activation unit  106  also houses the power module  110  and/or the control module  108 . 
     The mobile computing device  104  includes a CPU  222 , a touchscreen display  230 , a wireless interface  222  and antenna  218 , a microphone  234  and speakers  236 . 
     The CPU  222  executes firmware/operating system instructions and sends instructions and data to and receives data from the wireless interface  220 , the microphone  234 , the speakers  236 , and the display  230 . Executing on typically an operating system (OS)  224  of the CPU  222  are a mobile application  226  and a voice control process  228 . The mobile application  226  renders a graphical user interface (GUI)  232  on the touchscreen display  230 . The GUI  232  displays and receives information such as input indicating parameter information, for example, by detecting contact between the user and the touchscreen display  230  in certain regions of the touchscreen display  230 . The mobile application  226  generates the parameter information based on the input received via the GUI  232  and/or a voice control interface and sends the parameter information to the control module  108  via the wireless interface  220  and antenna  218 . The mobile application  226  also performs functions related to configuring the LIO system  100  such as pairing the mobile computing device  104  with the control module  108  and/or setting a wake word, which is a selected phrase for indicating that verbal commands follow. 
     The microphone  234  captures sound including the wake word and voice commands indicating parameter information provided by the user, which the mobile computing device  104  converts to audio data. 
     The voice control process  228  generates parameter information based on the captured audio data. In one example, the voice control process  228  recognizes spoken language in the audio data and translates the spoken language to parameter information. 
     The speakers  236  provide audible feedback confirming the parameter information by producing sound indicating the parameter information generated by the voice control process  228  based on the audio data. 
     The voice control process  228  and the GUI  232  rendered on the touchscreen display  230  provide a general user interface (UI) for the LIO system  100 . In embodiments, the UI for the LIO system  100  also includes physical input mechanisms such as knobs or buttons, which are part of the mobile computing device  104  itself and/or part of peripheral devices connected to the mobile computing device  104  via the wireless interface  220  and/or a physical interface (e.g. data port). In general, the parameter information is generated by the mobile computing device  104  based on any user engagement with the mobile computing device  104  and/or peripheral devices. 
     The wireless network interface  220  facilitates sending the parameter information, connection status information, control signals, and/or activation signals to the control module  108  via the antenna  218  through a wireless communication link with the control module  108  according to wireless personal area network (WPAN) or wireless local area network (WLAN) protocols such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) or WiFi, among other examples. 
     In different embodiments and/or configurations, the control module  108 , laser module  112 , and power module  110  can be included in a single body-mounted unit  103 , in different housings or the same housing, or the modules can be divided among multiple body-mounted units  103  and/or the activation unit  106 . 
     In the illustrated example, the body-mounted unit  103  (e.g. the headset unit  103 - h  according to the example of  FIG. 1 , or the belt unit  103 - b  according to the example of  FIG. 2 ) includes the control module  108  and the laser module  112 , and the activation unit  106  includes the power module  110 . The activation unit  106  includes a wired interface  240  through which it sends the activation signals to the control module  108  and through which the power module  110  provides power to the control module  108 , the laser module  112  and/or the illumination unit  114 . 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of the body-mounted LIO system  100  according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     The system is similar to that depicted in  FIG. 4 . 
     Now, however, the activation unit  106  includes a wireless interface  214  and an antenna  216  through which the activation signals are sent by the activation unit  106  to the control module  108 . The wireless interface  214  of the activation unit  106  sends and receives wireless signals to and from the control module  108  (or other wireless-enabled devices) according to wireless personal area network (WPAN) or wireless local area network (WLAN) protocols such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) or WiFi, among other examples. 
     The body-mounted unit  103  now includes the power module  110 , which provides the power from the battery  210  directly to the control module  108 , laser module  112  and/or illumination unit  114 . 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of the body-mounted LIO system  100  according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     The system is similar to that depicted in  FIG. 5 . 
     Now, however, each of the control module  108 , laser module  112  and power module  110  include separate housings  270 , which, in embodiments, are attached to the wearable assembly  102  and/or to each other. 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram of the body-mounted LIO system  100  according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     The system is similar to that depicted in  FIG. 5 . 
     Now, however, the activation unit  106  sends the activation signals to the mobile computing device  104  via a wireless communication link between the wireless interface  214  and antenna  216  of the activation unit  106  and the wireless interface  220  and antenna  218  of the mobile computing device  104 . 
     The footswitch control process  229  executes on the CPU  222  of the mobile computing device  104 , monitoring the wireless connection between the activation unit  106  and the mobile computing device  104  as previously described. Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment, the footswitch control process  229  relays the activation signals from the activation unit  106  to the control module  108  via the wireless interface  220 . In this way, the footswitch control process  229  enables use of a wireless activation unit  106  without requiring dedicated circuitry in the control module  108  for communicating with both the activation unit  106  and the mobile computing device  104 . 
     In this embodiment, the control module  108  also performs the previously described safety functions pertaining to the use of the wireless activation unit  106  as well as the wireless communication link with the mobile computing device  104 . For example, the control module  108  stops the laser module  112  (e.g. via sending or terminating control signals) from emitting laser energy in response to determining that the wireless communication link between the control module  108  and the mobile computing device  104  was disrupted and/or in response to receiving activation status information from the mobile computing device  104 . The control module  108  determines the connection status information, for example, by polling the mobile computing device  104  based on the polling interval and/or by determining that an amount of elapsed time since receiving a communication from the mobile computing device  104  exceeds the predetermined threshold. 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of the body-mounted LIO system  100  according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     The system is similar to that depicted in  FIG. 5 . 
     Now, however, the power module  110  is included in the belt unit  103 - b  rather than the headset unit  103 - h,  making the headset unit  103 - h  lighter and thus making the headset  102 - 1  more comfortable to wear for the user. In general, the power module  110  can be housed in either the belt unit  103 - b,  the headset unit  103 - h,  or external to all of the body-mounted units  103 , for example, as a component of the activation unit  106 . 
       FIG. 9  is an illustration of the power module  110  and battery  210  according to one embodiment of the invention. 
     Here, the battery  210  that supplies the power provided to the control module  108 , laser module  112  and illumination unit  114  of the wearable assembly  102  is interchangeable with one or more additional batteries  210 - 2  through  210 - n  of the LIO system  100 . 
     In one embodiment, each battery  210  has a predetermined capacity, which is based on an amount of power consumed during a predetermined integral number of treatments. For example, the predetermined capacity of the batteries  210  is determined such that each battery  210 , when fully charged, stores sufficient power for a single treatment. Limiting the capacity of each battery  210  to that sufficient for one treatment, a lighter and more compact batteries can be used, making the wearable assembly  102  more comfortable for its user. 
     A charging device  306  of the body-mounted LIO system  100  provides power to be stored by the batteries  210 . In the illustrated embodiment, the charging device  306  includes a charging module  308  and a power supply  310 . 
     The power supply  310  converts electric current from a source power circuit  312  (e.g. mains power at 120, 230 or 240 Volts) to an operating voltage, current and frequency to power the charging module  308 . 
     The charging module  308  provides an output current to the batteries  210  via battery connection interfaces  304 . In one embodiment, the charging module  308  includes a controller for executing fast and/or smart charging capability, including regulating an output current based on a state of the battery  210 , including the battery&#39;s  210  storage capacity, voltage, temperature and/or time under charge, among other examples. 
     The charging module  308  also includes charge status indicators  316  (e.g. colored light emitting diodes (LEDs)) associated with each of the battery connection interfaces  304 . The charge status indicators present charge status information pertaining to the battery  210  connected to the battery connection interface  304  associated with the charge status indicator  316 . In different examples, the charge status indicators  316  present the charge status information by emitting light of different colors, blinking, and/or based simply on an illumination state of the charge status indicators. 
     The interchangeable batteries  210  comprise battery connectors  302 , which, in general facilitate connecting to and disconnecting from battery connection interfaces  304  of the wearable assembly  102  and/or of the charging device  306 . This allows the batteries  210  to be easily swapped in and out, for example, between treatments administered using the body-mounted LIO system  100 . The battery connectors  302  and the battery connection interfaces  304  include complementary attachment mechanisms for securing the battery  210  to the battery connection interface  304 . In one example, the attachment mechanisms include complementary structural features of the battery connector  302  and battery connection interface  304  that guide the battery  210  to contact the battery connection interface  304  in a desired physical configuration (e.g. to ensure an electrical connection) and/or complementary clip mechanisms of the battery connector  302  and interface  304  for securing the battery  210  in place. 
     Similarly, the battery connector  302  and battery connection interface  304  include complementary electrical interfaces which provide an electrical connection between the battery  210  and the power module  110  or charging module  308 . 
       FIG. 10  is a sequence diagram illustrating the process by which the LIO system  100  emits laser energy based on parameter information received via the GUI  232  and the voice control process  228 . 
     First, in step  500 , the control module  102  pairs with the mobile computing device  104  by, for example, establishing a wireless communication link and/or exchanging identification information for the two devices, among other examples. 
     In step  500 , the mobile computing device  104  is then programmed with the wake word. The wake word can be programmed with a predetermined wake word upon manufacture or customized based on user input, for example. 
     In step  504 , the mobile computing device  104  detects input via the GUI  232  or the UI in general and generates parameter information based on the input. In one example, the doctor selects a virtual button indicating the power parameter or enters via a virtual keyboard a numerical value indicating the desire power setting (e.g. 200). In another example, the doctor adjusts a dial or increment button indicating the desired power setting (e.g. 200). 
     In step  506 , the mobile computing device  104  sends the parameter information to the control module  108  along with instructions to set the required parameters based on the parameter information, and the parameters are updated. 
     In step  508 , the activation unit  106  detects engagement of the activation mechanism  245 . In one example, the user&#39;s foot compresses a footswitch. In response, in step  510 , the activation unit  106  sends an activation signal to the control module  108 . 
     In response to receiving the activation signal, the control module  108  in step  512  sends a control signal to the laser module  112 . 
     In step  514 , in response to receiving the control signal, the laser module  112  generates and emits the laser energy according to the parameters set by the control module  108 . 
     In step  516 , the mobile computing device  104 , which continuously and in real time monitors captured audio data for the wake word programmed in step  500 , detects the wake word and, in response, generates audio data based on sound that was captured after the wake word was detected. 
     In step  518 , the mobile computing device  104  sends the captured audio data to the voice control process  228 . 
     In step  520 , the voice control process  228  generates parameter information based on the audio data. In one example, the audio data includes spoken language such as the phrase “Power  200 ”. The voice control process  228 , for example via speech recognition processes, recognizes the phrase “Power  200 ” and translates the phrase into parameter information such as an attribute “power” with a value of “ 200 ”. The voice control process  228  returns the generated parameter information in step  522 . 
     In step  524 , the mobile computing device  104 , via the mobile application  226 , interprets the parameter information, for example, by generating or retrieving audio data corresponding to the attributes and/or values indicated by the parameter information. The mobile computing device  104  then provides audible feedback confirming the parameter information for example by outputting sound through the speakers  236 . 
     Steps  506  through  514  then proceed as previously described, as the control module  108  updates the parameters and the laser module  112  emits laser energy based on the updated parameters. 
       FIG. 11  is a sequence diagram illustrating the process by which the LIO system  100  emits laser energy based on activation signals, connection status information, control signals, and/or activation status information received from the footswitch control process  229  of the mobile computing device  104 . 
     First, steps  500  through  508  proceed as previously described. 
     Now, however, in step  600 , the activation unit  106  sends the activation signals to the footswitch control process  229  executing on the mobile computing device  104  via the devices&#39; respective wireless interfaces  214 ,  220  and antennas  216 ,  218 . 
     In step  602 , in response to receiving the activation signal from the activation unit  106 , the footswitch control process  229  relays the activation signal to the control module  108 . In examples, the footswitch control process  229  receives and relays a discrete activation signal from the activation unit  106  to the control module  108 , or the footswitch control process  229  receives and relays, on a continuous basis, a continuous activation signal from the activation unit  106  to the control module  108 . The relayed activation signal is prioritized/escalated with respect to the other communication between the mobile computing device  104  and the control module  108  and/or with respect to computing functions of the CPU  222 . 
     Steps  512  through  514  then proceed as previously described, as the control module  108  directs the laser module  112  to deliver the laser energy based on the activation signal. 
     In step  604 , the footswitch control process  229  continuously polls the activation unit  106  to determine the status of the wireless communication link between the mobile computing device  104  and the activation unit  106  and/or the activation status of the activation unit  106  (e.g. whether a foot pedal of the activation unit  106  is depressed in an activated state or released in a neutral state). The footswitch control process  229  polls the activation unit  106 , for example, by repetitively sending the query messages to the activation unit  106  in response to which the activation unit  106  returns response messages. The query messages (and thus the response messages) are transmitted at a frequency based on the predetermined polling interval. 
     In step  606 , the footswitch control process  229  detects a status change based on the polling. In one example, the footswitch control process  229  detects a disruption of the wireless communication link between the mobile computing device  104  and the activation unit  106  by determining that an amount of elapsed time since receiving a response message from the activation unit  106  exceeds the predetermined threshold. In another example, the footswitch control process  229  detects a change in the activation status of the activation unit  106  based on activation status information included in the most recent response message. 
     In step  608 , the footswitch control process  229  immediately sends connection status information, control signals, and/or activation status information to the control module  108  in response to detecting the status change. As in step  602 , this transmission is prioritized/escalated with respect to the other communication between the mobile computing device  104  and the control module  108  and/or with respect to computing functions of the CPU  222  of the mobile computing device  104 . In one example, the footswitch control process  229  sends the connection status information, indicating that the wireless communication link between the activation unit  106  and the mobile computing device  104  was disrupted, directly to the control module  108 . In another example, the footswitch control process  229  sends control signals to the control module  108  indicating that the delivery of laser energy should be terminated. In another example, the footswitch control process  229  sends the activation status information indicating that the status changed from an activation status to a neutral status (e.g. the foot pedal of the activation unit  106 , which was previously depressed, was released). 
     In step  610 , based on the connection status information, control signals, and/or activation status information, the control module  108  causes the laser module  112  to stop delivery of laser energy (e.g. which was initiated in step  514 ) by sending control signals and/or by terminating transmission of the control signals to the laser module  112 . 
     In step  612  the laser module  112  terminates delivery of the laser energy based on the control signals from the control module  108 . 
     While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims.