A new audio-visual analysis approach and tools for parsing colonoscopy videos

Colonoscopy is an important screening tool for colorectal cancer. During a colonoscopic procedure, a tiny video camera at the tip of the endoscope generates a video signal of the internal mucosa of the colon. The video data are displayed on a monitor for real-time analysis by the endoscopist. We call videos captured from colonoscopic procedures colonoscopy videos. Because these videos possess unique characteristics, new types of semantic units and parsing techniques are required. In this paper, we introduce a new analysis approach that includes (a) a new definition of semantic unit - scene (a segment of visual and audio data that correspond to an endoscopic segment of the colon); (b) a novel scene segmentation algorithm using audio and visual analysis to recognize scene boundaries. We design a prototype system to implement the proposed approach. This system also provides the tools for video/image browsing. The tools enable the users to quickly locate and browse scenes of interest. Experiments on real colonoscopy videos show the effectiveness of our algorithms. The proposed techniques and software are useful (1) for post-procedure reviews, (2) for developing an effective content-based retrieval system for colonoscopy videos to facilitate endoscopic research and education, and (3) for development of a systematic approach to assess endoscopists\u27 procedural skills

AVIDENSE: Advanced Video Analysis System for Colonoscopy Semantics

Colonoscopy is an important screening tool for colorectal cancer. During a colonoscopic procedure, a tiny video camera at the tip of the endoscope generates a video signal of the internal mucosa of the colon. The video data are displayed on a monitor for real-time analysis by the endoscopist. We call videos captured from colonoscopic procedures colonoscopy videos . To the best of our knowledge, they are not captured for post procedural review or analysis in the current practice. Because of the unique characteristics of colonoscopy videos, new types of semantic units and new image/video analyzing techniques are required. In this dissertation, we aim to develop new image/video analysis techniques for these videos to extract important semantic units, such as colonoscopic scenes, operation shots, and appendix images. Our contributions include two parts: (a) new definitions of semantic units (colonoscopic scene, operation shot, and appendix image); and (b) novel image/video analysis algorithms, including novel scene segmentation algorithms using audio and visual information to recognize scene boundaries, new computer-aided detection approaches for operation shot detection, and new image analysis methods for appendix image classification. The new image processing and content-based video analysis algorithms can be extended to videos from other endoscopic procedures, such as upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, EGD, enteroscopy, bronchoscopy, cystoscopy, and laparoscopy. Our research is very useful for the following platforms and resources: (a) platforms for new methods to discover unknown patterns of diseases and cancers; (b) platforms for improving and assessing endoscopists procedural skills; and (c) education resources for endoscopic research

Design, Modeling, Fabrication and Testing of a Piezoresistive-Based Tactile Sensor for Minimally Invasive Surgery Applications

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has become a preferred method for surgeons for the last two decades, thanks to its crucial advantages over classical open surgeries. Although MIS has some advantages, it has a few drawbacks. Since MIS technology includes performing surgery through small incisions using long slender tools, one of the main drawbacks of MIS becomes the loss of direct contact with the patient’s body in the site of operation. Therefore, the surgeon loses the sense of touch during the operation which is one of the important tools for safe manipulation of tissue and also to determine the hardness of contact tissue in order to investigate its health condition. This Thesis presents a novel piezoresistive-based multifunctional tactile sensor that is able to measure the contact force and the relative hardness of the contact object or tissue at the same time. A prototype of the designed sensor has been simulated, analyzed, fabricated, and tested both numerically and experimentally. The experiments have been performed on hyperelastic materials, which are silicone rubber samples with different hardness values that resemble different biological tissues. The ability of the sensor to measure the contact force and relative hardness of the contact objects is tested with several experiments. A finite element (FE) model has been built in COMSOL Multiphysics (v3.4) environment to simulate both the mechanical behavior of the silicone rubber samples, and the interaction between the sensor and the silicone rubbers. Both numerical and experimental analysis proved the capability of the sensor to measure the applied force and distinguish among different silicone-rubber samples. The sensor has the potential for integration with commercially available endoscopic grasper

Sviluppo e realizzazione di un circuito di controllo per la gestione di un modulo di visione hd miniaturizzato per colonscopia

La seguente tesi ha come oggetto la progettazione di un sistema per il controllo e il testing di un sensore di immagine disegnato ad hoc per la colonscopia, l’EYE-TECH1080 e di un chip companion, l’EYE-TECH_DigitalOut, recentemente sviluppati dall’azienda EYE-TECH s.r.l., Spin-Off della Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna. L’azienda ha commissionato tale sistema al fine di eseguire la caratterizzazione ottica ed elettronica dei loro prodotti al fine di testarne le performance e di massimizzarle modificando taluni parametri elettrici, prima di immettere tali chip sul mercato. Scopo della tesi è stato pertanto il design, lo sviluppo e il test di una scheda elettronica che inglobasse il sensore d’immagine e il chip companion e tutta la componentistica elettronica necessaria. In particolare il sistema realizzato è composto da due schede impilate: un development kit della Lattice Semiconductor provvisto di protocollo di comunicazione USB 2.0 High-Speed, memorie SRAM DDR3 ed FPGA per la gestione dell’intero sistema ed una scheda custom, oggetto della tesi, in grado di interfacciarsi con il development kit. Tale scheda è stata progettata al fine di consentire la massima flessibilità operativa, garantendo più configurazioni del sistema. Tematiche di riduzione del rumore e predisposizione per una futura miniaturizzazione sono state prese in considerazione durante la fase di progettazione. Test elettrici preliminari sono stati effettuati sull'intero sistema per verificare la correttezza del design, sono inoltre state verifficate che tutte le specifiche richieste dall'azienda siano state implementate

Studio, progettazione e realizzazione del sistema di controllo wireless per capsule endoscopiche con locomozione attiva

Il lavoro di tesi sviluppato consiste nello studio, progettazione e realizzazione del sistema di controllo wireless per capsule endoscopiche con locomozione attiva. E' stata implementata l'archietettura firmware per la gestione della comunicazione wireless, è stata realizzata un'interfaccia utente per il controllo del dispositivo ed è stato condotto uno studio approfondito sulla tipologia di gait, al fine di ottimizzare l'efficienza di locomozione del dispositivo