Multimedia data transmission for mobile wireless applications

The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file.Title from title screen of research.pdf file viewed on (November 14, 2006)Includes bibliographical references.Vita.Thesis (Ph. D.) University of Missouri-Columbia 2005.Dissertations, Academic -- University of Missouri--Columbia -- Electrical engineering.In this dissertation, we first address robust multimedia data transmission for mobile application. The first topic is proxy-based handheld device access to live NASA satellite weather images. The second topic is a real time easy-to-use 3D volume visualization system on mobile handheld devices. We also address energy efficient transmission for mobile application. We proposed two image transmission schemes. The first scheme is a collaborative image transmission scheme. The second scheme is multiple bit stream image encoding and small fragment burst transmission system. Finally, we address the research of applying distributed source coding in image and video coding. We show that applying distributed source coding in multiple description image coding improves the error resilience, and our syndrome-based video encoding scheme provides low complexity video encoder that is very desirable for mobile wireless application

MRI and Stereo Vision Surface Reconstruction and Fusion

Breast cancer, the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women worldwide, is mostly detected through a biopsy where tissue is extracted and chemically examined or pathologist assessed. Medical imaging plays a valuable role in targeting malignant tissue accurately and guiding the radiologist during needle insertion in a biopsy. This paper proposes a computer software that can process and combine 3D reconstructed surfaces from different imaging modalities, particularly Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and camera, showing a visualization of important features and investigates its feasibility. The development of this software aims to combine the detectability of MRI with the physical space of the camera. It demonstrates that the registration accuracy of the proposed system is acceptable and has potential for clinical application

Principles of High-Dimensional Data Visualization in Astronomy

Astronomical researchers often think of analysis and visualization as separate tasks. In the case of high-dimensional data sets, though, interactive exploratory data visualization can give far more insight than an approach where data processing and statistical analysis are followed, rather than accompanied, by visualization. This paper attempts to charts a course toward "linked view" systems, where multiple views of high-dimensional data sets update live as a researcher selects, highlights, or otherwise manipulates, one of several open views. For example, imagine a researcher looking at a 3D volume visualization of simulated or observed data, and simultaneously viewing statistical displays of the data set's properties (such as an x-y plot of temperature vs. velocity, or a histogram of vorticities). Then, imagine that when the researcher selects an interesting group of points in any one of these displays, that the same points become a highlighted subset in all other open displays. Selections can be graphical or algorithmic, and they can be combined, and saved. For tabular (ASCII) data, this kind of analysis has long been possible, even though it has been under-used in Astronomy. The bigger issue for Astronomy and several other "high-dimensional" fields is the need systems that allow full integration of images and data cubes within a linked-view environment. The paper concludes its history and analysis of the present situation with suggestions that look toward cooperatively-developed open-source modular software as a way to create an evolving, flexible, high-dimensional, linked-view visualization environment useful in astrophysical research.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, expected to appear in Astron. Nachr. 333, No.5/6,505-514 (2012) Invited Plenary at 2011 Astronomische Gesellschaft, "Surveys and Simulations: The Real and the Virtual Universe

Rapid 3D Reconstruction Guided Embolization for Catastrophic Bleeding Following Vacuum Assisted Breast Biopsy; A Case Report and Review of the Literature

The most clinically significant complication associated with stereotactic core needle biopsy of the breast is hematoma formation, which only occurs in less than 1% of biopsies and may require treatment. Cases of uncontrollable bleeding, refractory to repeated compression, resulting from biopsy are exceedingly rare. We present a case of catastrophic, uncontrollable bleeding and large hematoma formation resulting from stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy of a breast mass identified in screening mammography. Percutaneous embolization was planned and guided using 3D reconstructions from computed tomographic angiography, and bleeding was successfully controlled with micro-coil embolization

3D visualization and 3D printing in abnormal gastrointestinal system manifestations of situs ambiguus

Situs ambiguus is a rare congenital condition whereby sufferers have abnormally positioned viscera (1,2). In such cases, it is dangerous to perform traditional diagnostic examinations, such as colonoscopy, thus anatomy is explored through invasive surgeries instead. By reconstructing a patient’s viscera three-dimensionally, it is possible to trace the physical origins of the patient’s symptoms, while eliminating the necessity for invasive surgery. We present a case of situs ambiguus with use of a combination of different approaches including 3D visualizations and patient-specific 3D printing technique to assist clinical diagnosis and patient management. This case highlights the potential value of utilising the latest visualization tools in the diagnostic assessment of complicated pathologies

X-ray phase contrast tomography; proof of principle for post-mortem imaging

Objectives: To demonstrate the feasibility of using X-ray phase contrast tomography to assess internal organs in a post-mortem piglet model, as a possible non-invasive imaging autopsy technique. Methods: Tomographic images of a new-born piglet were obtained using a Free Space Propagation (FSP) X-ray phase contrast imaging setup at a synchrotron (European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France). A monochromatic X-ray beam (52 keV) was used in combination with a detector pixel size of 46x46 μm2. A phase-retrieval algorithm was applied to all projections, which were then reconstructed into tomograms using the filtered-back projection algorithm. Images were assessed for diagnostic quality. Results: Images obtained with the FSP setup presented high soft tissue contrast and sufficient resolution for resolving organ structure. All of the main body organs (heart, lungs, kidneys, liver and intestines) were easily identified and adequately visualised. In addition, grey/white matter differentiation in the cerebellum while still contained within the skull was shown. Conclusions: The feasibility of using X-ray phase contrast tomography as a post-mortem imaging technique in an animal model has been demonstrated. Future studies will focus on translating this experiment to a laboratory-based setup