Automatic instrument localization in laparoscopic surgery

This paper presents a tracking algorithm for automatic instrument localization in robotically assisted laparoscopic surgery. We present a simple and robust system that doesn't need the presence of artificial marks, or special colours to distinguish the instruments. So, the system enables the robot to track the usual instruments used in laparoscopic operations. Since the instruments are normally the most structured objects in laparoscopic scenes, the algorithm uses the Hough transform to detect straight lines in the scene. In order to distinguish among different instruments or other structured elements present in the scene, motion information is also used. We give in this paper a detailed description of all stages of the system

Desarrollo integral de las competencias genéricas mediante mapas competenciales

Los planes de estudio del EEES deben diseñarse a partir de las competencias de la titulación, tanto específicas como genéricas. La universidad española tiene una amplia experiencia en trabajar y evaluar las competencias específicas, pero las competencias genéricas suponen un nuevo reto que es preciso abordar. En este trabajo se hace una propuesta sobre cómo trabajar y evaluar, de forma global, las competencias genéricas en una titulación de Grado. La propuesta se está implantando en los estudios de Grado en Ingeniería Informática de la Facultat d’Informàtica de Barcelona. En lugar de establecer diversos niveles de competencia y asignar cada uno de estos niveles a distintas asignaturas, como suele hacerse con las competencias específicas usando la taxonomía de Bloom, se propone definir cada competencia genérica en términos de dimensiones. Cada una de las dimensiones (aspectos de la competencia) se define en términos de objetivos a tres niveles, y son los objetivos de un determinado nivel de cada dimensión lo que se encarga a las asignaturas. De esta forma, una misma asignatura puede trabajar distintas dimensiones de una competencia genérica, cada una de ellas a un nivel diferente. Diferentes competencias pueden compartir un subconjunto de dimensiones. Evitar repetir el trabajo de estas dimensiones en diferentes asignaturas cuando no es estrictamente necesario permite optimizar el trabajo realizado y favorece que los estudiantes adquieran las competencias genéricas definidas por la titulación.In the context of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), curriculum design needs to be based on the particular degree programme competencies, including both domain-specific and generic competencies. Although Spanish universities already have a wide experience in developing and assessing domain-specific competencies, generic competencies pose a new challenge that we need to face. The present work proposes a model to globally develop and assess generic competencies in the Bachelor’s Degree in Informatics Engineering at Barcelona School of Informatics. A common procedure to develop domain-specific competencies consists in setting different competency levels (based on Bloom’s taxonomy) and then assigning them to the corresponding subjects or courses in the programme. Instead, in order to develop generic competencies into a comprehensive integrated experience, we propose a definition of each competency in terms of dimensions (or competency aspects), which are further defined according to three-level objectives. These objectives are integrated into the subjects that are considered suitable for this purpose. Thus, one subject may integrate dimensions belonging to different competencies at different levels, which contributes to an integral educational experience. In the process of designing our global map of competency dimensions, we have found that some competencies may share some subset of those dimensions, which calls for workload optimization. This global map allows us to refine the process of assigning competency objectives to subjects, and although recurrent practice may be appropriate in the development of competencies in general, we can avoid redundancy when necessary. Thus, this procedure helps us to integrate objectives into the corresponding subjects most effectively, helping students develop the generic competencies defined in the degree programme

Automatic instrument localization in laparoscopic surgery

This paper presents a tracking algorithm for automatic instrument localization in robotically assisted laparoscopic surgery. We present a simple and robust system that doesn't need the presence of artificial marks, or special colours to distinguish the instruments. So, the system enables the robot to track the usual instruments used in laparoscopic operations. Since the instruments are normally the most structured objects in laparoscopic scenes, the algorithm uses the Hough transform to detect straight lines in the scene. In order to distinguish among different instruments or other structured elements present in the scene, motion information is also used. We give in this paper a detailed description of all stages of the system