3D sound for simulation of arthroscopic surgery

Arthroscopic surgery offers many advantages compared to traditional surgery. Nevertheless, the required skills to practice this kind of surgery need specific training. Surgery simulators are used to train surgeon apprentices to practice specific gestures. In this paper, we present a study showing the contribution of 3D sound in assisting the triangulation gesture in arthroscopic surgery simulation. This ability refers to the capacity of the subject to manipulate the instruments while having a modified and limited view provided by the video camera of the simulator. Our approach, based on the use of 3D sound metaphors, provides interaction cues to the subjects about the real position of the instrument. The paper reports a performance evaluation study based on the perception of 3D sound integrated in the process of training of surgical task. Despite the fact that 3D sound cueing was not shown useful to all subjects in terms of execution time, the results of the study revealed that the majority of subjects who participated to the experiment confirmed the added value of 3D sound in terms of ease of use

Boosting Economic Growth Through Advanced Machine Vision

International audienceIn this chapter, we overview the potential of machine vision and related technologies in various application domains of critical importance for economic growth and prospect. Considered domains include healthcare, energy and environment, finance, and industrial innovation. Visibility technologies considered encompass augmented and virtual reality, 3D technologies, and media content authoring tools and technologies. We overview the main challenges facing the application domains and discuss the potential of machine vision technologies to address these challenges. In healthcare, rising cases for chronic diseases among patients and the urgent need for preventive healthcare is accelerating the deployment of telemedicine. Telemedicine as defined in the EU commission staff working paper on “Telemedicine for the benefit of patients, healthcare systems and society” (COM-SEC, 2009) is the delivery of healthcare services at a distance using information and communication technologies. There are two main groups of telemedicine applications: (1) applications linking a patient with a health professional; and (2) applications linking two health professionals (such as tele-second opinion, teleradiology). Machine vision technologies, coupled with reliable networking infrastructure, are key for accelerating the penetration of telemedicine applications. Several examples will be drawn illustrating the use of machine vision technologies in telemedicine. Sustainable energy and environment are key pillars for a sustainable economy. Technology is playing an increasing vital role in energy and environment including water resources management. This would foster greater control of the demand and supply side of energy and water. On the demand side, technologies including machine vision, could help indeveloping advanced visual metering technologies. On the supply side, machine vision technologies could help in exploring alternative sources for the generation of energy and water supply. In the finance domain, financial crises and the failure of banking systems are major challenges facing the coming decade. Recovery is still far from reach entailing a major economic slowdown. Machine vision technologies offer the potential for greater risk visibility, prediction of downturns and stress test of the soundness of the financial system. Examples are drawn from 3D/AR/VR applications in finance. Innovation could be seen as the process of deploying breakthrough outcome of research in industry. The innovation process could be conceived as a feedback loop starting from channelling the outcome of basic research into industrial production. Marketing strategies and novel approaches for customer relationship management draw a feedback loop that continuously update the feed of breakthrough research in industrial production. In this respect, machine vision technologies are key along this feedback process, particularly in the visualisation of the potential market and the potential route to market. CYBER II technology (Hasenfratz et al, 2003 and 2004) is described in section 6 as a machine vision technology that has a potential use in the various application domains considered in this chapter. CYBER II technology is based on multi-camera image acquisition, from different view points, of real moving bodies. Section 6 describes CYBER II technology and its potential application in the considered domains. The chapter concludes with a comparative analysis of the penetration of machine vision in various application domains and reflects on the horizon of machine vision in boosting economic growth

Mobile Augmented Reality in Museums : Towards Enhancing Visitor's Learning Experience

This article presents the design and implementation of a handheld Augmented Reality (AR) system called Mobile Augmented Reality Touring System (M.A.R.T.S). The results of experiments conducted during museum visits using this system are also described. These experiments aim at studying how such a tool can transform the visitor’s learning experience by comparing it to two widely used museum systems. First, we present the museum’s learning experience and a related model which emerged from the state of the art. This model consists of two types of activity experienced by the observer of a work of art: sensitive and analytical. Then, we detail M.A.R.T.S architecture and implementation. Our empirical study highlights the fact that AR can direct visitors’ attention by emphasizing and superimposing. Its magnifying and sensitive effects are well perceived and appreciated by visitors. The obtained results reveal that M.A.R.T.S contributes to a worthwhile learning experience

Reducing reversal errors in localizing the source of sound in virtual environment without head tracking

This paper presents a study about the effect of using additional audio cueing and Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF) on human performance in sound source localization task without using head movement. The existing techniques of sound spatialization generate reversal errors. We intend to reduce these errors by introducing sensory cues based on sound effects. We conducted and experimental study to evaluate the impact of additional cues in sound source localization task. The results showed the benefit of combining the additional cues and HRTF in terms of the localization accuracy and the reduction of reversal errors. This technique allows significant reduction of reversal errors compared to the use of the HRTF separately. For instance, this technique could be used to improve audio spatial alerting, spatial tracking and target detection in simulation applications when head movement is not included

Technology-based reading intervention programs for elementary grades: An analytical review

In modern societies, the role of reading is becoming increasingly crucial. Hence, any impairment to the reading ability can seriously limit a person's aspirations. The enormous importance of reading as an essential skill in modern life has encouraged many researchers to try and find more effective intervention approaches. Technology has been used extensively to assist and enhance literacy learning. This analytical review aims at presenting a comprehensive overview of the existing research on technology-based or technology-assisted reading interventions for elementary grades, between 2000 and 2017, along with analyzing various aspects of these studies. After extensive research, 42 articles have met the inclusion criteria, which have evaluated a total of 32 reading programs. The studies are classified into six categories of phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, and multi-component. Each reading category begins with a brief introduction. Then, the content and instructional mechanisms of each program in the category is explained, alongside the outcome of its interventions. It is found that vocabulary interventions, as well as using mobile, tablet and other non-computer technologies are massively overlooked. Furthermore, a very limited number of programs focused on fluency, none of them addressed all its components. In addition, despite the required long-term practice for fostering fluency, the reviewed studies have an average intervention time shorter than other intervention categories. This paper provides researchers and solution developers with an extensive and informative review of the current state of the art in reading interventions. Additionally, it identifies the current knowledge gaps and defines future research directions to develop effective reading programs

Using 3D sound for providing 3D interaction in virtual environment

In this paper we describe a proposal based on the use of 3D sound metaphors for providing precise spatial cueing in virtual environment. A 3D sound metaphor is a combination of the audio spatialization and audio cueing techniques. The 3D sound metaphors are supposed to improve the user performance and perception. The interest of this kind of stimulation mechanism is that it could allow providing efficient 3D interaction for interactive tasks such as selection, manipulation and navigation among others. We describe the main related concepts, the most relevant related work, the current theoretical and technical problems, the description of our approach, our scientific objectives, our methodology and our research perspectives

Virtual and Augmented Reality in Finance: State Visibility of Events and Risk

International audienceThe recent financial crisis and its aftermath motivate our re-thinking of the role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as a driver for change in global finance and a critical factor for success and sustainability. We attribute the recent financial crisis that hit the global market, causing a drastic economic slowdown and recession, to a lack of state visibility of risk, inadequate response to events, and a slow dynamic system adaptation to events. There is evidence that ICT is not yet appropriately developed to create business value and business intelligence capable of counteracting devastating events. The aim of this chapter is to assess the potential of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality (VR / AR) technologies in supporting the dynamics of global financial systems and in addressing the grand challenges posed by unexpected events and crises. We overview, firstly, in this chapter traditional AR/VR uses. Secondly, we describe early attempts to use 3D/ VR / AR technologies in Finance. Thirdly, we consider the case study of mediating the visibility of the financial state and we explore the various dimensions of the problem. Fourthly, we assess the potential of AR / VR technologies in raising the perception of the financial state (including financial risk). We conclude the chapter with a summary and a research agenda to develop technologies capable of increasing the perception of the financial state and risk and counteracting devastating events

Effect of weight perception on human performance in a haptic-enabled virtual assembly platform

Virtual assembly platforms (VAPs) provide a means to interrogate product form, fit and function thereby shortening the design cycle time and improving product manufacturability while reducing assembly cost. VAPs lend themselves to training and can be used as offline programmable interfaces for planning and automation. Haptic devices are increasingly being chosen as the mode of interaction for VAPs over conventional glove-based and 3D-mice, the key benefit being the kinaesthetic feedback users receive while performing virtual assembly tasks in 2D/3D space leading to a virtual world closer to the real world. However, the challenge in recent years is to understand and evaluate the addedvalue of haptics. This paper reports on a haptic enabled VAP with a view to questioning the awareness of the environment and associated assembly tasks. The objective is to evaluate and compare human performance during virtual assembly and real-world assembly, and to identify conditions that may affect the performance of virtual assembly tasks. In particular, the effect of weight perception on virtual assembly tasks is investigated

Virtual and augmented reality in finance: State visibility of events and risk

The recent financial crisis and its aftermath motivate our re-thinking of the role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as a driver for change in global finance and a critical factor for success and sustainability. We attribute the recent financial crisis that hit the global market, causing a drastic economic slowdown and recession, to a lack of state visibility of risk, inadequate response to events, and a slow dynamic system adaptation to events. There is evidence that ICT is not yet appropriately developed to create business value and business intelligence capable of counteracting devastating events. The aim of this chapter is to assess the potential of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality (VR / AR) technologies in supporting the dynamics of global financial systems and in addressing the grand challenges posed by unexpected events and crises. We overview, firstly, in this chapter traditional AR/VR uses. Secondly, we describe early attempts to use 3D/ VR / AR technologies in Finance. Thirdly, we consider the case study of mediating the visibility of the financial state and we explore the various dimensions of the problem. Fourthly, we assess the potential of AR / VR technologies in raising the perception of the financial state (including financial risk). We conclude the chapter with a summary and a research agenda to develop technologies capable of increasing the perception of the financial state and risk and counteracting devastating events