WebGL-Based Simulation of Bone Removal in Surgical Orthopeadic Procedures

The effective role of virtual reality simulators in surgical operations has been demonstrated during the last decades. The proposed work has been done to give a perspective of the actual orthopeadic surgeries such as a total shoulder arthroplasty with low incidence and visibility of the operation to the surgeon. The research in this thesis is focused on the design and implementation of a web-based graphical feedback for a total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) surgery. For portability of the simulation and powerful 3D programming features, WebGL is being applied. To simulate the reaming process of the shoulder bone, multiple steps has been passed to be able to remove the volumetric amount of bone which was touched by the reamer tool. A fast and accurate collision detection algorithm utilizing Möller –Trumbore ray-triangle method was implemented to detect the first collision of the bone and the tool in order to accelerate the computations for the bone removal process. Once the collision detected, a mesh Boolean operation using CSG method is being invoked to calculate the volumetric amount of bone which is intersected with the tool and should be removed. This work involves the user interaction to transform the tool in a Three.js scene for the simulated operation

The Effects of Anthropomorphised Virtual Conversational Assistants on Consumer Engagement and Trust During Service Encounters

Drawing on social exchange and anthropomorphism theory, this research examines the role of virtual conversational assistants (VCA) as frontline employees. Specifically, we investigate the effects of AI-derived features, such as anthropomorphism, in building Human-Machine relationships. Drawing on a qualitative interpretivist approach, 31 semi-structured interviews were conducted with global users of Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant. Our findings suggest anthropomorphism is an important factor in understanding the development of trust within Human-Machine interactions. More specifically, the effects of a humanised voice, interactive communication capability and cognitive features evoke a sense of social presence that may positively or negatively impact user trust. We propose that the interplay between a user’s perceptions of the bright and dark sides of interacting with an AI-empowered anthropomorphised machine determines categories of trust and subsequent customer engagement behaviours with this embedded form of organisational frontline