Patent ID: 8894569

Claim:
An intubation system, comprising: a moveable guide stylet to be inserted into an upper airway of a patient to guide insertion of an endotracheal tube into a patient's trachea; at least one trachea identifying device positioned on the guide stylet to detect airway data as the guide stylet moves in the upper airway, wherein the trachea identifying device is an image capture device, an airway pattern is a topographic pattern that is determined based on topographical features, wherein the image capture device includes a thermal camera to capture thermal image data wherein the topographical features include thermal image color variations of the vocal cords and a vocal cord opening due to temperature changes in a respiratory cycle of the patient; and an insertion guide device including: a data processor configured to analyze the airway data to determine an airway pattern indicating a position of the guide stylet relative to a trachea opening based on airway features, and generate navigation element data to direct a movement of the guide stylet to the trachea opening.