Augmented reality (AR) for surgical robotic and autonomous systems: State of the art, challenges, and solutions

Despite the substantial progress achieved in the development and integration of augmented reality (AR) in surgical robotic and autonomous systems (RAS), the center of focus in most devices remains on improving end-effector dexterity and precision, as well as improved access to minimally invasive surgeries. This paper aims to provide a systematic review of different types of state-of-the-art surgical robotic platforms while identifying areas for technological improvement. We associate specific control features, such as haptic feedback, sensory stimuli, and human-robot collaboration, with AR technology to perform complex surgical interventions for increased user perception of the augmented world. Current researchers in the field have, for long, faced innumerable issues with low accuracy in tool placement around complex trajectories, pose estimation, and difficulty in depth perception during two-dimensional medical imaging. A number of robots described in this review, such as Novarad and SpineAssist, are analyzed in terms of their hardware features, computer vision systems (such as deep learning algorithms), and the clinical relevance of the literature. We attempt to outline the shortcomings in current optimization algorithms for surgical robots (such as YOLO and LTSM) whilst providing mitigating solutions to internal tool-to-organ collision detection and image reconstruction. The accuracy of results in robot end-effector collisions and reduced occlusion remain promising within the scope of our research, validating the propositions made for the surgical clearance of ever-expanding AR technology in the future

Use of Educational Technologies to assist Academics in their Teaching at the University of Mauritius

In the ever changing world of technology, traditional ways of doing classes have been greatly overtaken by the integration of educational technologies in the curriculum. In this digital era, with rapid technological innovations, the learning and teaching process is also changing rapidly at tertiary level. The use of educational technologies is becoming more interwoven in the fabric of academic life. Student management is becoming difficult and lecturers are facing various challenges every day. This study reflects the challenges that educators at the University of Mauritius face in their day to day lecture and investigate whether the integration of educational technologies in their curriculum can assist them in their teaching. Data was gathered through a survey where 169 students participated. Preliminary data suggests that educators cannot cope with too many students at a time and alternative methods to suppress this problem need to be catered. This study also elaborates on whether the introduction of eLearning technologies will be helpful to educators and will provide a solution to all their problems.Keywords: educational technologies, technological innovations, academic, eLearnin

MoBateriE: A Personalised Profile-Based Intelligent and Adaptive Energy Manager

Increasing electronic waste has forced the mobile phone industry to move into a new era of energy consumption awareness. Trends show that mobile phone manufacturers are implementing more and more features on a single device. Using these features has led to an increase in electricity consumed by mobile phones, thus forcing users to charge them more frequently. Studies have shown that one can maximise a phone's battery life by limiting the number of charging cycles (Columbus, 2013). In this study, a survey was conducted in order to collect mobile phone usage behaviour. Data concerning most frequently used mobile features together with their usage frequency were collected. Based on the information gathered, a mobile application, MoBateriE, was designed. This application consists of an expert system which at first studies users’ behaviour and later imitates them whenever needed. MoBateriE has been designed for smart phone users who want to make extensive use of the features available on their phones without exhausting the battery efficiency of the phone. This application was distributed to a large number of users. Usage logs of thirty-three users were collected and analysed. Results obtained show that after using MoBateriE, users enjoyed a four per cent increase in usage time per charging cycle.Keywords: Electronic Waste, Battery Life, Charging Cycle, Mobile Applicatio

Microultraound and small bowel inflammation:Tissue phantom studies

Capsule endoscopy represents a highly convenient but limited means of imaging inflammatory conditions of the small bowel. The inclusion of high frequency microultrasound into a capsule endoscope has the potential to enhance diagnostic capabilities with subsurface imaging of the bowel wall. Experimental studies on abattoir-obtained porcine small bowel have been carried out as an ethical means to characterize healthy and altered tissue in a preclinical setting as well as to explore other means of imaging pathology. Samples of small bowel were cannulated and perfused with phosphate buffered saline followed by variable dilutions of polystyrene microspheres. All samples were scanned with a purpose built step scanner employing a 47 MHz single element transducer. Results indicated that tissue high frequency ultrasound demonstrated sufficient sensitivity to detect the disruption normal histology with microsphere infusion. The combination of microultrasound and capsule endoscopy has the potential to enhance the diagnostic capabilities with improved qualitative and quantitative dimensions

Postmortem tissue distribution of morphine and its metabolites in a series of heroin related deaths

The abuse of heroin (diamorphine) and heroin deaths are growing around the world. The interpretation of the toxicological results from suspected heroin deaths is notoriously difficult especially in cases where there may be limited samples. In order to help forensic practitioners with heroin interpretation we determined the concentration of morphine (M), morphine‐3‐glucuronide (M3G) and morphine‐6‐glucuronide (M6G) in blood (femoral and cardiac), brain (thalamus), liver (deep right lobe), bone marrow (sternum), skeletal muscle (psoas) and vitreous humor in 44 heroin related deaths. The presence of 6‐monoacetylmorphine (6‐MAM) in any of the postmortem samples was used as confirmation of heroin use. Quantitation was carried out using a validated LC‐MS/MS method with solid phase extraction. We also determined the presence of papaverine, noscapine and codeine in the samples, substances often found in illicit heroin and that may help determine illicit heroin use. The results of this study show that vitreous is the best sample to detect 6‐MAM (100% of cases), and thus heroin use. The results of the M, M3G and M6G quantitation in this study allow a degree of interpretation when samples are limited. However in some cases it may not be possible to determine heroin/morphine use as in 4 cases in muscle (3 cases in bone marrow) no morphine, morphine‐3‐glucuronide or morphine‐6‐glucuronide was detected, even though they were detected in other case samples. As always postmortem cases of suspected morphine/heroin intoxication should be interpreted with care and with as much case knowledge as possible

Snake Robots for Surgical Applications: A Review

Although substantial advancements have been achieved in robot-assisted surgery, the blueprint to existing snake robotics predominantly focuses on the preliminary structural design, control, and human–robot interfaces, with features which have not been particularly explored in the literature. This paper aims to conduct a review of planning and operation concepts of hyper-redundant serpentine robots for surgical use, as well as any future challenges and solutions for better manipulation. Current researchers in the field of the manufacture and navigation of snake robots have faced issues, such as a low dexterity of the end-effectors around delicate organs, state estimation and the lack of depth perception on two-dimensional screens. A wide range of robots have been analysed, such as the i2Snake robot, inspiring the use of force and position feedback, visual servoing and augmented reality (AR). We present the types of actuation methods, robot kinematics, dynamics, sensing, and prospects of AR integration in snake robots, whilst addressing their shortcomings to facilitate the surgeon’s task. For a smoother gait control, validation and optimization algorithms such as deep learning databases are examined to mitigate redundancy in module linkage backlash and accidental self-collision. In essence, we aim to provide an outlook on robot configurations during motion by enhancing their material compositions within anatomical biocompatibility standards

Cavity Enhanced Immunoassay Measurements in Microtiter Plates using BBCEAS

We report on the first detailed use of broadband cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy (BBCEAS) as a detection system for immunoassay. A vertical R ≥ 0.99 optical cavity was integrated with a motorised XY stage, which functioned as a receptacle for 96 well microtiter plates. The custom built cavity enhanced microplate reader was used to make measurements on a commercially available osteocalcin sandwich ELISA kit. A 30 fold increase in path length was obtained with a minimum detectable change in the absorption coefficient, αmin(t), of 5.3 × 10-5 cm-1 Hz-1/2. This corresponded to a 39 fold increase in the sensitivity of measurement when directly compared to measurements in a conventional microplate reader. Separate measurements of a standard STREP-HRP colorimetric reaction in microtiter plates of differing optical quality produced an increase in sensitivity of up to 115 fold compared to a conventional microplate reader. The sensitivity of the developed setup compared favorably with previous liquid-phase cavity enhanced studies and approaches the sensitivity of typical fluorometric ELISAs. It could benefit any biochemical test which uses single pass absorption as a detection method, through either the label free detection of biologically important molecules at lower concentrations or the reduction in the amount of expensive biochemicals needed for a particular test, leading to cheaper tests

Analysing Transportation Data with Open Source Big Data Analytic Tools

Big data analytics allows a vast amount of structured and unstructured data to be effectively processed so that correlations, hidden patterns, and other useful information can be mined from the data. Several open source big data analytic tools that can perform tasks such as dimensionality reduction, feature extraction, transformation, optimization, are now available. One interesting area where such tools can provide effective solutions is transportation. Big data analytics can be used to efficiently manage transport infrastructure assets such as roads, airports, bus stations or ports. In this paper an overview of two open source big data analytic tools is first provided followed by a simple demonstration of application of these tools on transport dataset