Image that was controlled via Kinect during operation. (via Microsoft)

The Kinect imaging sensor has been used in some technically innovative projects such as Queen’s University’s 3D video conferencing system to Microsoft’s own augmented reality MirageTable. It’s even found its way into the medical field with a recent successful operation involving the repair of an aneurism at Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital in London.

Surgeons involved in complex operations occasionally need to refer to reference material to help them through certain procedures. This is typically done by using an assistant to bring up the materials on a laptop so the doctor can remain at the operating table without having to waste time re-scrubbing because of contamination. This is where a new 3D imaging system that was developed by Microsoft Research Cambridge with Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital can be invaluable as it was used for the first time by assistant surgeon Tom Carrell to perform heart surgery.

Promotional image of the Kinect during surgery. (via Microsoft & St. Thomas' Hospital)

The system was used to compare a 3D model of an aorta with a live-feed 2D image of the patient's by using a fluoroscopic x-ray camera to help Carrell navigate through the delicate procedure. The 3D model could also be manipulated through a series of minimal gestures that include the ability to rotate the image using the palm of your hand and placing a marker simply by pointing and using a voice command. These simple gestures can be performed using only one hand leaving the other to continue the surgery while others, such as panning, rotating or zooming in/out need the use of both hands. Not only can the system be used in confined spaces commonly found in operating theaters, it also saves valuable time in eliminating the need to take a break to consult reference material.

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(via The Institute for Intelligent Systems and Robotics (ISIR))

Technology that helps robots navigate and interact with their environment may soon help blind people in much the same way. A new type of glasses that takes advantage of 3D navigation that some robots use are currently being designed by Edwige Pissaloux and his team from the Institute of Intelligent Systems and Robotics located in France. The design uses a headset imaging system that takes 3D images and sends them to a handheld device that converts it to braille that the user can read which gives the blind a different way to see their environment. The headset consists of two cameras mounted on either side of the wearer which in tandem takes 3D images. A processor then analyzes the images and identifies various objects in the cameras field of view such as walls and other objects and builds a 3D map of the area. A series of accelerometers and gyroscopes monitors the user’s location and speed to determine the wearer’s relative position in relation to the 3D map. The compiled data is then sent to a tactile feedback display that produces a constant 3D map in braille form (at a rate of ten maps per-second) the gives the user a way of ‘seeing’ their environment in real-time.

The IISR team in France is also looking to combine their system with software being developed by engineers at the University of Nevada that was initially used to tell robots how far they have travelled based on its sensors (accelerometer/gyroscope). Their system uses smartphones internal sensors along with available 2D in-door maps and synthetic speech (SIRI?) to help the blind navigate. In order for the system to be effective, the phone must be calibrated to the users stride. This is done touching a series of stationary markers such as walls, hallway entrances and other obstacles. Both systems combined would greatly benefit the user’s ability to navigate just about anywhere in an urban environment. As to when this system/s will become readily available is anyone’s guess but then again ‘seeing is believing’.

It seems the scientific community is bent on technology returning sight to the blind. Read about more efforts in the area after this link.

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(Left) Implant behind eye. (Right) Retinal scan showing the sensor chip in place. (via University of Oxford)

Diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, the first symptom was night blindness. A few years later, vision was drastically reduced. Finally, another disease brought complete blindness in the left eye and the inability to distinguish light on the right. Chris James, a fifty-four year old council worker in Wiltshire U.K., had his life completely changed by his complications. He said, "It’s something you have to come to terms with and make the best of what you’ve got."

Chris James's new eye was switched on for the first time. The digital circuits flood with electricity. James could see light against a black background for the first time in decades. The retinal implants were a success. "As soon as I had this flash in my eye, this confirmed that my optic nerves are functioning properly which is a really promising sign. It was like someone taking a photo with a flashbulb, a pulsating light, I recognized it instantly."

Chris James was one of the first patients (along with Robin Millar, a 60 year old music producer) suffering from retinitis pigmentosa to receive retinal implanted circuitry to detect light and images from a collaboration between the University of Oxford (UO) and the company "Retina Implants" form Germany. A team led by ophthalmology professor Robert MacLaren were able to help the patients regain some semblance of vision. As the patients continue to use the implants, their vision continues to improve. Currently, the patients can see light differences and basic shapes.

X-ray image of the complete system installed into Chris James. (via University of Oxford)

The implant is a 3mm square chip containing 1,500 light sensitive diodes. The chip is attached to the back of the eye where a signal can be sent between electrodes and the patient's optical nerves. The system is powered by an implanted power supply buried behind the ear, similar to some cochlear devices. Professor MacLaren explained that the sensor will "stimulate the overlying nerves to create a pixellated image." He continued, "Apart from a hearing aid like device behind the ear, you would not know a patient had one implanted.  We are all delighted with these initial results. The vision is different to normal , and it requires a different type of brain processing. We hope, however, that the electronic chips will provide independence for many people who are blind from retinitis pigmentosa."

The U.K based trials will continue with 12 patients overall thanks to funding from the National Institute of Health Research and the Oxford Biomedical Research Centre.

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Cochlear implant concept (via University of Utah)

Cochlear implants have improved the hearing for over 220,000 deaf people around the globe, but they have their drawbacks. Not being able to swim or wear helmets comfortably due to the delicate microphone and related electronics worn on the outside of the ear are just some of the tip of the limitation. A team of engineers, led by Associate Professor Darrin Young from the University of Utah, are looking to fix those issues by implanting the cochlear microphone inside the ear itself, giving the user an increased level of freedom in otherwise damaging environments.

Typical implants house the microphone, signal processor and transmitter coil in a plastic shroud worn behind the ear. The mic picks up sound and sends it to an internal receiver-stimulator attached to bone under the skin by the microphone housing. From there, sound is sent to electrodes attached to cochlea which in-turn stimulates auditory nerves making it possible for the user to hear. Young’s design places all the external components normally worn outside the ear inside by placing an accelerometer sensor that’s attached to a chip on the ears umbo part of the tympanic membrane to detect vibration. This converts sound into electrical signals that are then sent to the electrodes attached to the cochlea which is powered by an implanted battery enabling the user to hear.

Recharging the battery is done at night while the user sleeps using a charger located behind the user’s ear in much the same fashion as wearing a typical cochlear implant. Successful testing was done using several cadavers (yes, you read that right) implanted with the new cochlear system. A laser was then used to measure the vibration on bones inside the ear to see which one was more efficient at picking up normal-level sound after which it was found that the umbo was the most successful. In order to test this device, the implanted microphone was wired to speakers with Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony acting as the test medium. While the sound was ‘muffled,’ Young states that ‘the muffling can be filtered out’. The team hopes to improve the overall sound quality in future versions so clinical trials are still a few years away but anything that can assist the disabled is still a hopeful future.

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(repost)

Japanese company Riken has partnered up with Tokai Rubber in the creation of the RIBA II nursing assistant robot. At the joint laboratory RTC, RIKEN-TRI Collaboration Center for Human-Interactive Robot Research, they have taken the RIBA Robot, from 2008, and upgraded the lifting abilities (by 41 lbs) and control interface to the point where it will be a tool for medical use.

I know a few hospital volunteers that say they have to lift elderly, sick, and disabled people in and out of beds and chairs routinely throughout the day. Depending on the condition of the patient, they say it can be an extremely difficult and cumbersome task to handle. This is where the RIBA II come in to play.

The 507 lbs (230 kg) robot can handle patients of up to 176 lbs (80 kg). Each are in covered in soft rubber, and has 7 degrees of freedom. The head has 3, waist has 2, and the omni-directional base has 3 more degrees of freedom. A touchscreen on the RIBA II bot's back will allow nurses to direct the bot to locations. Onboard laser range finders, proximity sensors, bumper sensors, and voice commands will help the RIBA II avoid obstacles and prevent accidents.

Direct control of the RIBA II is the most innovative addition to the platform. The robot is covered in "Smart Rubber" that is the world's first capacitive touch rubber surface.  The sensors are on the bot's upper arms, forearms, hands, and chest. A nurse can then physically guide the bot quickly and make adjustments on the fly for hoisting the patient. Like the RIBA I, the RIBA II's Tokai Rubber also detect slippage and will adjust on its own to keep the patient comfortable.

RIBA II has the same "bear" head that was on the original RIBA. The designers claim this is to not scare the patient. The original lifting bot RI-MAN, which could only handle 41 lbs (18 kg), was a little scary. I question the use of either head. It is just a tool, right? A human forklift, in other words. Make it as non-anthropomorphized as possible, in my opinion.

(RI-MAN by RIKEN)

When available in 2015, the RIBA II will cost $77,000 USD (6,000,000 JPY). Much more expensive than the free volunteers most hospitals depend on.

video via youtube member kmoriyama

(All pictures via RIKEN)

Star Trek's "Borg" use nano-probes for cell-repair and to fight unwanted intrusion inside their human/robot bodies. It sounds like an effective way of fighting damaged cells, but it is science fiction. However, this Star Treks technology may be brought into reality for fighting off diseased cells (cancer) with the help of DNA origami. Designed by Paul Rothemund at CIT (California Institute of Technology), DNA origami is the folding of a single DNA strand into various two and three dimensional shapes.

Programmable DNA nanorobot concept model. (via Wyss Institute & Campbell Strong, Shawn Douglas, and Gaël McGill using Molecular Maya and cadnano)

These can be made into a different number of things such as miniature images or even a programmable robot. Harvard University's Wyss Institute researcher Shawn Douglas, and his team, have created a barrel-like nano-robot that can deliver a dose of medicine to diseased cells. The ‘barrel’ is held shut by two DNA ‘latches’ that only release and introduce the medicine when they encounter specific cell proteins found in cancer. The team has tested this application with both leukemia and lymphoma cells that were mixed in with non-diseased cells. The nano-robots were programmed to seek out and deliver their payload known to kill those disease cells respectively. After a three day test period, the robots effectively killed around half of the cancerous cells without harming the healthy ones. Think of it as a super-mechanical white blood cell that homes in on cells that are in distress and targets them for termination.

This method is by no means and end-all to the cancer problem as it is still in the development stage and has not been run through clinical trials. The team has encountered some challenges along the way as to programming, shape of the nano-robot, method of medicine delivery and a host of other problems. However, any hope for an effective treatment for battling cancer is excellent news and should be viewed as such.

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