On-the-fly dense 3D surface reconstruction for geometry-aware augmented reality.

Augmented Reality (AR) is an emerging technology that makes seamless connections between virtual space and the real world by superimposing computer-generated information onto the real-world environment. AR can provide additional information in a more intuitive and natural way than any other information-delivery method that a human has ever in- vented. Camera tracking is the enabling technology for AR and has been well studied for the last few decades. Apart from the tracking problems, sensing and perception of the surrounding environment are also very important and challenging problems. Although there are existing hardware solutions such as Microsoft Kinect and HoloLens that can sense and build the environmental structure, they are either too bulky or too expensive for AR. In this thesis, the challenging real-time dense 3D surface reconstruction technologies are studied and reformulated for the reinvention of basic position-aware AR towards geometry-aware and the outlook of context- aware AR. We initially propose to reconstruct the dense environmental surface using the sparse point from Simultaneous Localisation and Map- ping (SLAM), but this approach is prone to fail in challenging Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) scenes such as the presence of deformation and surgical smoke. We subsequently adopt stereo vision with SLAM for more accurate and robust results. With the success of deep learning technology in recent years, we present learning based single image re- construction and achieve the state-of-the-art results. Moreover, we pro- posed context-aware AR, one step further from purely geometry-aware AR towards the high-level conceptual interaction modelling in complex AR environment for enhanced user experience. Finally, a learning-based smoke removal method is proposed to ensure an accurate and robust reconstruction under extreme conditions such as the presence of surgical smoke

Hajj crowd management via a mobile augmented reality application: a case of The Hajj event, Saudi Arabia

Hajj event is considered as one of the Islamic pillars that each Muslim, who could afford its’ expenses and are well bodied, should perform its’ rituals at least once in a lifetime. Therefore, they could travel to Mecca city, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj rituals. This holy city hosts this event annually in the last month of the Arabic calendar, which is Dhul Hijjah, and it lasts for 6 days. In addition, those Muslim visitors or pilgrims are obligated to be accommodated at Hajj ritual places, which are Arafat, Mina and Muzdalifah. However, in the last ten years, it was noticed that the Hajj events are crowded every year. Therefore, Hajj crowd management is being a complex task, due to the huge number of the pilgrims as they are crowded at the Hajj ritual places. This huge number is causing many problems, and Hajj authorities are facing difficulties in managing those crowded pilgrims. As a result, this research focuses on three main problems that occur at Hajj events. First, difficulties in organizing the crowds’ movements of the pilgrims, as Hajj events host enormous number of pilgrims in limited geographical spaces at the ritual places. This problem leads to overcrowdings, congestions and stampedes. Second, the pilgrims could get lost at Hajj ritual places, especially when they are moving between these places. Third, lack of directional information and guidance for those lost pilgrims. This problem leads to difficulties in finding their groups at the ritual sites, because the huge number of the pilgrims. Thus, this research proposes to deploy a technology, such as a Mobile Augmented Reality application. This application would assist the Hajj authorities (staff and operators) in managing the pilgrims’ movements between the ritual places, and to provide directions to the lost pilgrims. In addition, it would help those lost pilgrims by alerting, and sending their location information to their group guide. On the other hand, the research literature review covers previous studies about the Hajj crowd management, as it is divided into two perspectives. The theoretical perspective, which explains the crowd management steps that should be followed and applied, as these steps would help the Hajj authorities to succeed in crowd management at Hajj events. The practical perspective presents some studies that are related to the Hajj events. Those studies offered some solutions to manage crowded pilgrims, to avoid overcrowdings and stampedes, and to identify, locate and guide lost pilgrims. The solutions were Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) deceives and monitoring cameras. In addition, this research conducted and distributed questionnaires on 104 respondents. They were selected as they are related to Hajj events. The results of this research method confirmed that the Hajj events face problems. For example, overcrowdings, congestions and stampedes that occur at the ritual places, due to lack of pilgrims organization in limited spaces at these places. In addition, foreign pilgrims face difficulties in guidance, due to lack of directional information, and they could get lost from their groups at the Hajj events. In addition, the respondents suggested using technology to assist Hajj authorities in Hajj crowd management. Therefore, deploying MAR application is suggested, as a solution to solve or at least reduce the Hajj problems. The proposed application could help the Hajj authorities to manage the crowded pilgrims at the Hajj ritual places as this research illustrates two scenarios in Hajj crowd management. In conclusion, this application is beneficial and significant in crowd management at Hajj events, as it could provide instant information using high-speed process in sending and receiving information. In addition, the information about the pilgrims’ movements could be gathered, presented on smart devices and shared between applications’ users. Those users will be the Hajj staff on the ground and the Hajj operators in the control room of Hajj operations

Biliary atresia at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital: A retrospective descriptive study reviewing the age of presentation, clinical course and outcome of infants presenting to RCWMCH with biliary atresia

Background: Biliary atresia (BA) is a progressive obstructive cholangiopathy of unknown aetiology, occurring during the perinatal period. If left untreated it rapidly progresses to hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis, with death occurring within 2 years. It is the leading cause of end-stage liver disease in the paediatric population and remains the most common indication for paediatric liver transplantation in South Africa. Objectives: Despite a wealth of information from developed countries, very little information is available in Africa and other developing nations. This study aimed to describe the age of presentation, clinical course and outcome of infants presenting to Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital (RCWMCH) with BA. Methods: A retrospective folder review was conducted on all patients with BA presenting to RCWMCH between January 2003 and December 2013. The main outcomes assessed were median time to presentation to tertiary services, clearance of jaundice post Kasai procedure (bilirubin <20μmol/L) and 2- and 5-year overall survival (OS) and survival with native liver (SNL). Results: The median age at presentation in the 80 cases reviewed was 70 days. Kasai procedure (KP) was performed in 62 (77.5%) patients at a median age of 68 days. 18 patients who presented late did not undergo KP. Clearance of jaundice was achieved in 39% of KPs. 13 patients underwent KP beyond 90 days with a success rate of 38%. 2- and 5-year SNL rates were 41% and 37.5% respectively with OS of 59% at 2-years and 56% at 5-years. Liver transplant was only performed in 12 of the 54 patients who showed progression to require transplantation. Conclusions: Jaundice clearance post KP and SNL compared favourably with international figures, however, lower overall survival rates reflected lack of access to transplantation. Age at KP was not a predictor of poor outcome

Aquisição, tratamento, arquivo e difusão de exames de endoscopia

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia BiomédicaDe entre os diversos tipos de exames de endoscopia, a esofagogastroduodenoscopia assume um papel preponderante devido a ser o método ideal para examinar a mucosa do trato digestivo alto, bem como para detetar inúmeras patologias gastrenterológicas. O resultado deste tipo de exames é, geralmente, um relatório composto por um conjunto de frames capturados durante o exame, eventualmente acompanhado por um vídeo. Hoje em dia, apenas as imagens juntamente com o relatório endoscópico, são arquivadas. O facto de o vídeo não ser arquivado pode conduzir a um incómodo no bem-estar do paciente, assim como a um acréscimo de custos e tempo despendido, pois frequentemente o mesmo é necessário para revisão e validação da hipótese de diagnóstico, bem como para comparação de segmentos do vídeo com exames futuros. Mesmo nos casos em que a informação é arquivada, a falta de reutilização e partilha de informação e vídeos entre entidades contribui, mais uma vez, para uma repetição desnecessária de exames. A existência de um arquivo de vídeos endoscópicos seria uma mais-valia, pois além de resolver os problemas referidos ainda possibilitaria a sua utilização para fins de pesquisa e investigação, além de disponibilizar exames para servirem como referência para estudo de casos similares. Neste trabalho é proposta uma solução abrangente para a aquisição, tratamento, arquivo e difusão de exames de endoscopia. O objetivo passa por disponibilizar um sistema capaz de gerir toda a informação clínica e administrativa (incluindo conteúdo audiovisual) desde o seu processo de aquisição até ao processo de pesquisa de exames antigos, para comparação com novos casos. De forma a garantir a compatibilidade lexical da informação partilhada no sistema, foi utilizado um vocabulário endoscópico estandardizado, o Minimal Standard Terminology (MST). Neste contexto foi planeado um dispositivo (MIVbox) orientado à aquisição do vídeo endoscópico, independentemente da câmara endoscópica utilizada. Toda a informação é armazenada de forma estruturada e normalizada, possibilitando a sua reutilização e difusão. Para facilitar este processo de partilha, o vídeo sofre algumas etapas de processamento, de forma a ser obtido um vídeo reduzido e as respetivas características do conteúdo. Deste modo, a solução proposta contempla um sistema de anotação que habilita a pesquisa por conteúdo, servindo assim como uma ferramenta versátil para a investigação nesta área. Este sistema é ainda dotado de um módulo de streaming, no qual é transmitido, em tempo real, o exame endoscópico, disponibilizando um canal de comunicação com vídeo unidirecional e áudio bidirecional, permitindo que os profissionais ausentes da sala do exame deem a sua opinião remotamente.Among the different kinds of endoscopic procedures, esophagogastroduodenoscopy plays a major role because it is the ideal method to examine the upper digestive tract, as well as to detect numerous gasteroentologic diseases. The result of such procedures is usually a written report that comprises a set of frames captured during the examination, sometimes complemented with a video. Nowadays only the images are stored along with the endoscopic report. Not storing the video may lead to discomfort concerning the patient’s well-being, as well as an increase of costs and time spent, because it is often necessary to review and validate the diagnostic hypothesis, and compare video segments in future exams. Even in the cases in which the information is stored, the lack of reutilization and share of information and videos among entities contributes, once again, for an unnecessary repetition of exams. Besides solving the problems mentioned above, the existence of an endoscopic video archive would be an asset because it would enable research and investigation activities. Furthermore it would make available exams to serve as a reference for the study of similar cases. In this work, an extended solution of acquisition, processing, archiving and diffusion of endoscopic procedures is proposed. The aim is to provide a system capable of managing all the administrative and clinical information (including audiovisual content) from its acquisition process to the searching process of previous exams, for comparison with new cases. In order to ensure compatibility of lexical information shared in the system, a standardized endoscopic vocabulary, the Minimal Standard Terminology (MST) was used. In this context, a device for the acquisition of the endoscopic video was designed (MIVbox), regardless of the endoscopic camera that is used. All the information is stored in a structured and standardized way, allowing its reuse and sharing. To facilitate this sharing process, the video undergoes some processing steps in order to obtain a summarized video and the respective content characteristics. The proposed solution provides an annotation system that enables content querying, thus becoming a versatile tool for research in this area. This system is also provided with a streaming module in which the endoscopic video is transmitted in real time. This process uses a communication channel with one-way video and two-way audio, allowing professionals absent from the exam room to give their opinion remotely

Impact of Gamification on Student Engagement in Graduate Medical Studies

Rapid technological advances have created major societal changes, transformed business sectors, and revolutionized enterprises. In contrast, the curricular structure of medical education has remained unchanged for the last 100 years, and, for the most part, medical education has been reluctant to embrace the use of technology. The prevalent pedagogical model is reliant on rote memorization. The conceptual framework that informed this study was the user-centered framework for meaningful gamification. This framework\u27s components are organismic integration theory, situational relevance, situated motivational affordance, and the universal design for learning. This quantitative study focused on key research questions related to identifying whether significant increases occurred over time in cooperative learning, cognitive level, and personal skills \u27the dependent variables\u27 when using a gamified learning method-the independent variable. The validated Student Engagement Survey was used to collect data from second-year medical students in a Southern California medical school, with N = 64. A repeated measures MANOVA with follow-up univariate ANOVAs was used, and statistical results indicated that there were significant differences over time in cooperative learning, cognitive level, and personal skills when using gamified learning methods. This research was conducted over a period of 3 months, divided into 3 Time Periods (TP). For all three variables, significant increases were noticed between TP 1 and TP 2, followed by significant decreases between TP 2 and TP 3. These findings pointed to the fact that more studies are needed to better understand whether certain types of gamification implementations are detrimental to student engagement in medical education, or whether more sound design principles ought to be explored to produce effective gamified learning components that could positively impact student engagement in medical education