During the epidural injection procedure, identifying the exact tissue is essential. Physicians typically use the loss of resistance (LOR) to confirm the penetration of the needle into the epidural space. However, this navigation task can be challenging. The optical sensor system has the advantages of high sensitivity, resolution, and miniaturization, so it is suitable for precision biomedical applications. In this study, we presented a new FPI sensor system that simultaneously measures force and distance and an algorithm for LOR. The needle insertion experiments conducted by the user showed that the LOR success rate increased using the proposed system.
Non-invasive optical blood flow monitoring systems for disease diagnosis and healthcare monitoring have been studied. Diffuse Speckle Contrast Analysis (DSCA) system can measure deep-tissue blood flow with a relatively simple system configuration, high speed, and high sensitivity. However, the relative blood flow index (BFI) is acquired with the system, and it changes with every acquisition. In this study, we adopt machine learning to overcome this limitation. DSCA system was established with a micro-size camera, and the correlation between conventional BFI and ML-based BFI was analyzed. This work will be the first step toward a quantitative Diffuse Speckle Contrast Velocimetry (DSCV).
Many studies on diagnosing adult chronic diseases such as diabetes have been achieved by analyzing blood data. Here, we present machine learning algorithm-based diagnostic methods for diabetes by analyzing blood flow oscillations. We used diffuse speckle contrast analysis(DSCA) to measure the blood flow of rats. It can non-invasively measure changes in the relative blood flow of the tissue. Blood flow data acquired from Streptozotocin-induced and control rats were preprocessed by wavelet transform and then classified from machine learning algorithms. In conclusion, the machine learning method can successfully classify two blood flow oscillations in diabetic and control rats.
Augmented reality environments allow users to interact naturally with 3D objects, including robots. Many robots have been used in the automated sector for painting, picking, packing, and palletizing tasks. The Baxter robot is an example of an industrial robot ideal for research and education. Baxter robots can offer multiple benefits compared with regular robots. In this study, we designed an augmented reality system that makes users intuitively interact in 3D environments by using a Leap Motion controller as a hand tracker and performing a basic human-robot coordination task with the Baxter robot. And the Baxter robot with a stereo camera is connected to a Linux computer, which was programmed with python language. The augmented reality world was programmed in the Unity software. The human robot-coordination task consisted of an augmented reality alignment. We asked the subject to wear the head-mounted display and move the hands. Every hand motion was translated into the robot’s limb motion in real-time. The subject and robot had to align two augmented reality markers. Here are two different experimental conditions: visual information activated and deactivated. The subject performed three trials under each condition. The experimental results showed that the subject under the visual information activated mode improved the average time by 70.63 %.
Decreasing hand tremor is crucial for sensitive micromanipulation during micro-surgery. Virtual reality (VR) technology
is playing an important role in many biomedical applications. These applications enable the subject to gain
valuable experience in accurate tasks. This study proposes a VR-based system of a handheld gripper combined
with a long short-term memory (LSTM) architecture. Our VR-based system shows an image of forceps in a
virtual space merged with an LSTM model to precisely track the tool’s position. We applied the LSTM as
sensor fusion between a VR controller and an inertial measurement unit. Also, this study compared the LSTM
model with similar models such as the gated recurrent units (GRU) and VR controller raw data. The trained
models used a linear motor attached to a stage as reference data. The training data used different velocities and
accelerations provided by the linear motor control. Experimental results indicate that the LSTM can provide
better precision in both stationary and dynamic scenarios.
Various end-effectors of microsurgical instruments have been developed and studied. Also, many approaches to stabilize the tool-tip using robotics have been studied such as the steady hand robot system, Micron, and SMART system. In our previous study, the horizontal SMART micro-scissors with a common path swept source OCT distance and one linear piezoelectric (PZT) motor was demonstrated as a microsurgical system. Because the outer needle is connected with a mechanical handle and moved to engage the tool tip manually, the tool tip position is instantaneously changed during the engaging. The undesirable motion can make unexpected tissue damages and low surgical accuracy. In this study, we suggest a prototype horizontal SMART micro-scissors which has dual OCT sensors and two motors to improve the tremor cancellation. Dual OCT sensors provide two distance information. Front OCT sensor detects a distance from the sample surface to the tool tip. Rear OCT sensors gives current PZT motor movement, acting like a motor encoder. The PZT motor can compensate the hand tremor with a feedback loop control. The manual engaging of tool tip in previous SMART system is replaced by electrical engaging using a squiggle motor. Compared with previous study, this study showed better performance in the hand tremor reduction. From the result, the SMART with automatic engaging may become increasingly valuable in microsurgical instruments.
KEYWORDS: Blood circulation, Cameras, Speckle, Sensors, Tissues, Motion measurement, In vivo imaging, Laser sources, Arteries, Cerebral blood flow, Simulation of CCA and DLA aggregates, Surgery, Brain
To date, various blood flow measurement systems have been presented. Recently we demonstrated multi-channel diffuse speckle contrast analysis (DSCA) to monitor in-vivo relative blood flow in deep tissues noninvasively. It has a limitation in a long-term use due to camera contamination. Here, we present a novel fiber-lens combined DSCA which can solve it. Also it has been applied to cerebral blood flow monitoring of rats during middle cerebral artery occlusion surgery. As a result, the system showed relative changes of the flow during the arterial perfusion periods. It secures novel applications of the DSCA in in-vivo blood flow measurement.
A combined diffuse speckle contrast analysis (DSCA)–near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) system is proposed to simultaneously measure qualitative blood flow and blood oxygenation changes in human tissue. The system employs an optical switch to alternate two laser sources at two different wavelengths and a CCD camera to capture the speckle image. Therefore, an optical density can be measured from two wavelengths for NIRS measurements and a speckle contrast can be calculated for DSCA measurements. In order to validate the system, a flow phantom test and an arm occlusion protocol for arterial and venous occlusion were performed. Shorter exposure times (<1 ms) show a higher drop (between 50% and 66%) and recovery of 1/KS2 values after occlusion (approximately 150%), but longer exposure time (3 ms) shows more consistent hemodynamic changes. For four subjects, the 1/KS2 values dropped to an average of 82.1±4.0% during the occlusion period and the average recovery of 1/KS2 values after occlusion was 109.1±0.8%. There was also an approximately equivalent amplitude change in oxyhemoglobin (OHb) and deoxyhemoglobin (RHb) during arterial occlusion (max RHb=0.0085±0.0024 mM/DPF, min OHb=−0.0057±0.0044 mM/DPF). The sensitivity of the system makes it a suitable modality to observe qualitative hemodynamic trends during induced physiological changes.
Appropriate oxygen supply and blood flow are important in coordination of body functions and maintaining a life. To measure both oxygen supply and blood flow simultaneously, we developed a system that combined near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and diffuse speckle contrast analysis (DSCA). Our system is more cost effective and compact than such combined systems as diffuse correlation spectroscopy(DCS)-NIRS or DCS flow oximeter, and also offers the same quantitative information. In this article, we present the configuration of DSCA-NIRS and preliminary data from an arm cuff occlusion and a repeated gripping exercise. With further investigation, we believe that DSCA-NIRS can be a useful tool for the field of neuroscience, muscle physiology and metabolic diseases such as diabetes.
Hand tremor reduction is important to achieve stable micro manipulation of the tool tip. A micro-scissors can be used for cutting delicate tissues safely. Here, we implement an OCT distance sensor guided SMART micro-scissors which could incise micro-surgical targets precisely and horizontally. Compared to freehand incision, it demonstrates enhanced incision performance on dry phantoms with great tremor suppression.
Even the most stable hands have unintended movements on the order of 50-100 microns within 0-15 Hz. Micro-forceps
are one of the frequently used microsurgical tools used to grasp thin layers of tissue during microsurgery. Here, a
handheld Smart Micromanipulation Aided Robotic-surgery Tool (SMART) micro-forceps is developed by integrating a
fiber-optic common-path optical coherence tomography (CP-OCT) sensor into the micro-forceps. This forceps design
could significantly improve performance by canceling unwanted hand tremor during the moment of a grasping. The
basic grasping and peeling functions of the micro-forceps are evaluated in dry phantoms and in a biological tissue model.
A motion-compensated hand-held common-path Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography imaging probe has been developed for image guided intervention during microsurgery. A hand-held prototype instrument was designed and fabricated by integrating an imaging fiber probe inside a stainless steel needle which is attached to the ceramic shaft of a piezoelectric motor housed in an aluminum handle. The fiber probe obtains A-scan images. The distance information was extracted from the A-scans to track the sample surface distance and a fixed distance was maintained by a feedback motor control which effectively compensated hand tremor and target movements in the axial direction. Graphical user interface, real-time data processing, and visualization based on a CPU-GPU hybrid programming architecture were developed and used in the implantation of this system. To validate the system, free-hand optical coherence tomography images using various samples were obtained. The system can be easily integrated into microsurgical tools and robotics for a wide range of clinical applications. Such tools could offer physicians the freedom to easily image sites of interest with reduced risk and higher image quality.
During freehand performance of vitreoretinal microsurgery the surgeon must perform precise and stable maneuvers that
achieve surgical objectives and avoid surgical risk. Here, we present an improved smart handheld microsurgical tool
which is based on a ball lens fiber optic sensor that utilizes common path swept source optical coherence tomography.
Improvements include incorporation of a ball lens single mode fiber optic probe that increases the working angle of the
tool to greater than 45 degrees; and increases the magnitude of the distance sensing signal through water. Also presented
is a cutting function with an improved ergonomic design.
In-vivo confocal microscope technology can be applied to the medical imaging diagnosis and new drug development.
We present an in-vivo confocal microscope that can acquire a reflection image and a fluorescence image simultaneously
and independently. To obtain reflection confocal images, we used a linearly polarized diode laser with the wavelength of
830 nm. To acquire fluorescence confocal images, we used two diode lasers with the wavelength of 488 nm and 660 nm,
respectively. Because of a broad wavelength bandwidth from visible (488 nm) to near-IR (830 nm), we designed and
optimized the optical system to reduce various optical aberrations. With the developed in-vivo confocal microscope, we
performed ex-vivo cell imaging and in-vivo imaging of the human skin.
We propose novel spectral domain polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography with single camera spectrometer
including a multiplexed custom grating, camera lenses and high-speed multi-line CCD camera. Two polarization beams
are measured on different lines of high speed CCD camera. Due to slightly different incident angle of two beam
collimators, two orthogonal polarization channel beams are separately measured by different lines of CCD camera each
other. After the system is implemented, signal acquisition is performed for polarization-sensitive imaging of various
samples.
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