Controlling a laser surgical device with a sensation generator and a gesture detector

1. A system for controlling a laser device, comprising:

the laser device configured to generate a laser beam with a focal point to perform a procedure on a patient at a target location; a distance between the focal point and the target location;

a haptic sensation generator configured to generate an acoustic field that projects a sensory pattern onto a user, the sensory pattern operating as a user controller related to the procedure, the sensory pattern being a shape with a dimension, a length of the dimension corresponding to the distance between the focal point and the target location, wherein the shape is a circle and the dimension is a diameter of the circle;

a gesture detector configured to:

detect a gesture of the user interacting with the user controller; and

provide a description of the gesture; and

a computer configured to:

instruct the haptic sensation generator to generate the acoustic field that projects the sensory pattern operating as the user controller;

receive the description of the gesture of the user interacting with the user controller; and

provide instructions to perform an operation corresponding to the gesture.

2. The system of claim 1 :

further comprising a display configured to display a graphic element corresponding to the user controller; and

the computer configured to instruct the display to:

display the graphic element; and

display a graphic response to the gesture of the user interacting with the user controller.

3. The system of claim 1 , the computer configured to provide the instructions to the laser device to move the focal point.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the user controller comprises a command button; and

the gesture of the user interacting with the user controller comprises selecting the command button.

5. A method for controlling a laser device, comprising:

generating, with the laser device, a laser beam with a focal point to perform a procedure on a patient at a target location; a distance between the focal point and the target location;

generating, with a haptic sensation generator, an acoustic field that projects a sensory pattern onto a user, the sensory pattern operating as a user controller related to the procedure, the sensory pattern being a shape with a dimension, a length of the dimension corresponding to the distance between the focal point and the target location, wherein the shape is a circle and the dimension is a diameter of the circle;

detecting, with a gesture detector, a gesture of the user interacting with the user controller;

providing, by the gesture detector, a description of the gesture;

instructing, with a computer, the haptic sensation generator to generate the acoustic field that projects the sensory pattern operating as the user controller;

receiving, at the computer, the description of the gesture of the user interacting with the user controller; and

providing, by the computer, instructions to perform an operation corresponding to the gesture;

wherein the shape is a circle and the dimension is a diameter of the circle;

wherein the shape is a pair of spots and the dimension is a distance between the pair of spots.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

displaying, with a display, a graphic element corresponding to the user controller; and

providing, by the computer, instructions to the display to:

display the graphic element; and

display a graphic response to the gesture of the user interacting with the user controller.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising providing, by the computer, instructions to the laser device to move the focal point.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein:

the user controller comprises a command button; and

the gesture of the user interacting with the user controller comprises selecting the command button.

9. A system for controlling a laser device, comprising:

the laser device configured to generate a laser beam with a focal point to perform a procedure on a patient at a target location; a distance between the focal point and the target location;

a haptic sensation generator configured to generate an acoustic field that projects a sensory pattern onto a user, the sensory pattern operating as a user controller related to the procedure, the sensory pattern being a shape with a dimension, a length of the dimension corresponding to the distance between the focal point and the target location, wherein the shape is a pair of spots and the dimension is a distance between the pair of spots;

a gesture detector configured to:

detect a gesture of the user interacting with the user controller; and

provide a description of the gesture; and

a computer configured to:

instruct the haptic sensation generator to generate the acoustic field that projects the sensory pattern operating as the user controller;

receive the description of the gesture of the user interacting with the user controller; and

provide instructions to perform an operation corresponding to the gesture.

10. The system of claim 9 :

further comprising a display configured to display a graphic element corresponding to the user controller; and

the computer configured to instruct the display to:

display the graphic element; and

display a graphic response to the gesture of the user interacting with the user controller.

11. The system of claim 9 , the computer configured to provide the instructions to the laser device to move the focal point.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein:

the user controller comprises a command button; and

the gesture of the user interacting with the user controller comprises selecting the command button.

13. A method for controlling a laser device, comprising:

generating, with the laser device, a laser beam with a focal point to perform a procedure on a patient at a target location; a distance between the focal point and the target location;

generating, with a haptic sensation generator, an acoustic field that projects a sensory pattern onto a user, the sensory pattern operating as a user controller related to the procedure, the sensory pattern being a shape with a dimension, a length of the dimension corresponding to the distance between the focal point and the target location, wherein the shape is a pair of spots and the dimension is a distance between the pair of spots;

detecting, with a gesture detector, a gesture of the user interacting with the user controller;

providing, by the gesture detector, a description of the gesture;

instructing, with a computer, the haptic sensation generator to generate the acoustic field that projects the sensory pattern operating as the user controller;

receiving, at the computer, the description of the gesture of the user interacting with the user controller; and

providing, by the computer, instructions to perform an operation corresponding to the gesture;

wherein the shape is a circle and the dimension is a diameter of the circle;

wherein the shape is a pair of spots and the dimension is a distance between the pair of spots.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

displaying, with a display, a graphic element corresponding to the user controller; and

providing, by the computer, instructions to the display to:

display the graphic element; and

display a graphic response to the gesture of the user interacting with the user controller.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising providing, by the computer, instructions to the laser device to move the focal point.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein:

the user controller comprises a command button; and

the gesture of the user interacting with the user controller comprises selecting the command button.