Purpose-Built Technology for Surgical Sharps Management

Purpose-Built Hardware

SmartCountOR uses a purpose-designed counting unit that creates an optimized, controlled environment for computer vision-based needle detection. Unlike adapted consumer devices or general-purpose imaging equipment, the hardware is engineered specifically to support reliable detection and classification across the full range of needle sizes and types used in surgical practice — from small suture needles to the larger curved needles used in cardiovascular and thoracic procedures.

The controlled environment the hardware provides is what enables the computer vision system to perform consistently across different usage conditions and clinical settings. The counting unit integrates into the existing disposal workflow — needles pass through it as part of the standard disposal process, with no additional handling steps, no separate scanning station, and no change to how the surgical team manages sharps during the procedure.

Computer Vision and Artificial Intelligence

At the core of SmartCountOR is a computer vision and AI pipeline designed specifically for surgical needle detection and classification. The system operates continuously within the controlled hardware environment, detecting each needle event and classifying it against the product catalog established at the start of the procedure.

The detection and classification system is designed to operate across the full range of needle sizes, shapes, and types encountered in surgical practice, without requiring manual record-keeping by the perioperative team for each count event. The combination of purpose-built hardware and computer vision enables consistent classification performance across the variable conditions of a live surgical case.

During prototype development, the detection and classification pipeline was validated across thousands of needle events spanning the full clinical range of sizes used in surgical practice. Performance across this range demonstrated the viability of the approach under controlled conditions.

Each classification is supported by traceable data. The system is designed with the documentation and accountability requirements of perioperative patient safety programs in mind — producing records that can support quality review and incident investigation in addition to the live count workflow.

Digital Count Documentation

Every count event recorded by SmartCountOR is captured as structured data: the needle identified, its classification, the time of the event, and the procedural context. The system maintains a running reconciliation between needles supplied at the start of the procedure and needles disposed during it — presenting the perioperative team with a live count status at any point during surgery.

Needle in-counts are documented and time-stamped at each defined stage of the operation: opening counts, any interim counts triggered by staff for any reason such as staff transition, anytime additional sharp items are added to the procedure, pre-closure and at end of the operation. Each used needle's out-count is time-stamped as it is disposed. Continuous counts of needles used, unused and disposed are thus updated throughout the operation in real-time.

The digital record is retained beyond the procedure and accessible for review. This creates an audit trail that supports quality improvement initiatives, incident investigation, and accountability workflows that paper-based count records cannot readily support.

The system functions entirely offline during the procedure. All processing and recording occurs on the device, with no network dependency during surgery. Data synchronization occurs when connectivity is available, without any interruption to the counting workflow.

Standalone Solution or Integrated Platform

SmartCountOR is designed to function as a complete, independent sharps counting solution — delivering automated needle detection, AI classification, and digital documentation without requiring connection to any existing OR systems. Institutions can deploy SmartCountOR as a standalone sharps management solution from day one.

For institutions with connected perioperative infrastructure, SmartCountOR is also designed for integration. The system generates structured count data that can be shared with electronic health records, perioperative management platforms, and OR scheduling and analytics tools — positioning sharps count intelligence as a contributing data source within the broader digital operating room.

The integration architecture is designed to be platform-agnostic, providing a stable foundation for connectivity as OR technology ecosystems evolve and institutional requirements change.