A novel 3D-vision–based collaborative robot as a scope holding system for port surgery: a technical feasibility study

OBJECTIVE A clear, stable, suitably located vision field is essential for port surgery. A scope is usually held by hand or a fixing device. The former yields fatigue and requires lengthy training, while the latter increases inconvenience because of needing to adjust the scope. Thus, the authors innovated a novel robotic system that can recognize the port and automatically place the scope in an optimized position. In this study, the authors executed a preliminary experiment to test this system’s technical feasibility and accuracy in vitro. METHODS A collaborative robotic (CoBot) system consisting of a mechatronic arm and a 3D camera was developed. With the 3D camera and programmed machine vision, CoBot can search a marker attached to the opening of the surgical port, followed by automatic alignment of the scope’s axis with the port’s longitudinal axis so that optimal illumination and visual observation can be achieved. Three tests were conducted. In test 1, the robot positioned a laser range finder attached to the robot’s arm to align the sheath’s center axis. The laser successfully passing through two holes in the port sheath’s central axis defined successful positioning. Researchers recorded the finder’s readings, demonstrating the actual distance between the finder and the sheath. In test 2, the robot held a high-definition exoscope and relocated it to the setting position. Test 3 was similar to test 2, but a metal holder substituted the robot. Trained neurosurgeons manually adjusted the holder. The manipulation time was recorded. Additionally, a grading system was designed to score each image captured by the exoscope at the setting position, and the scores in the two tests were compared using the rank-sum test. RESULTS The CoBot system positioned the finder successfully in all rounds in test 1; the mean height errors ± SD were 1.14 mm ± 0.38 mm (downward) and 1.60 mm ± 0.89 mm (upward). The grading scores of images in tests 2 and 3 were significantly different. Regarding the total score and four subgroups, test 2 showed a more precise, better-positioned, and more stable vision field. The total manipulation time in test 2 was 20 minutes, and for test 3 it was 52 minutes. CONCLUSIONS The CoBot system successfully acted as a robust scope holding system to provide a stable and optimized surgical view during simulated port surgery, providing further evidence for the substitution of human hands, and leading to a more efficient, user-friendly, and precise operation.

Analysis and evaluation of the effect of reflectance values on internal walls, internal roofs, and light shelf on optimal illumination levels in the diploma economics and business building of the vocational school UGM, Yogyakarta

The use of natural light as a source of lighting in buildings is an option in energy saving. One of the efforts that has been made is the installation of a light shelf. The light shelf installed in the UGM Vocational School Economics and Business Diploma (DEB SV) building is not fully working optimally. As many as 83% of the light shelf in lecture rooms is covered by curtains because it is considered to produce excess light (glare). This results in a greater consumption of lighting electricity. This study was conducted to analyze and evaluate the effect of the reflectance value (color) attached to the internal walls, internal roof, external light shelf, and internal light shelf on the indicator of illumination levels Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI). Furthermore, this study aims to determine the optimum reflectance value (color) parameter. The research was conducted with a simulation method using RadianceIES in the IESVE 2021 software. The first simulation results show the value of reflectance (color) installed (base case) on the internal wall, internal roof, external light shelf, and internal light shelf in one of the lecture rooms of the DEB SV UGM building resulting in a very large value of the UDI>2000lux indicator, which is 84,9% (not according to the criteria). The results of the second simulation provide two variations of the optimum reflectance (color) parameters in the independent variable. The first variation is the internal walls, internal roof, external light shelf, and internal light shelf, each of which has a reflectance value (color) of 90,67% (beige), 100% (white), 90,67% (beige), and 100% (white). The second variation is the internal walls, internal roof, exte rnal light shelf, and internal light shelf, each of which has a reflectance value (color) of 90,67% (beige), 100% (white), 90,67% (beige), and 90,67% (beige).

Ideal Illumination for Smartphone-based Trabeculectomy Bleb Photography

Purpose: Ophthalmology has seen numerous novel uses for smartphones over the years including fundus photography, telemedicine, and operative videography. However, anterior segment photography for assessing and documenting trabeculectomy bleb morphology using a smartphone has not been explored in detail. With the current study, we aim to characterize ideal illumination for the anterior segment smartphone photography in trabeculectomy patients. Methods: Thirty status post-trabeculectomy patients were enrolled in this study. Native camera application and FiLMiC pro camera application were used on iPhone X to compare bleb images using yellow and white pen-torches as illumination source. Measured bleb area was compared using ImageJ software from the two apps in different illumination settings by charting boxplots and using one-way ANOVA test using R software to establish consistency. Bland-Altman interoperability for repeatability of blebarea measurements was analyzed by plotting Bland-Altman plots. Signal-to-noise ratio was calculated using ImageJ for native camera images using slit-lamp camera images as reference. Subjective rating of these images was then performed by two experienced ophthalmologists and kappa coefficient was calculated for inter-operator repeatability. Statistical analysis was performed. Results: The measured bleb area from images taken from both apps showed no significant difference, thereby establishing consistency, and Bland-Altman analysis indicated good repeatability and reproducibility. It was noted that SNR was lower for images shot in close illumination as compared to the ones shot in intermediate and distant illumination. Cohen’s kappa coefficient was 0.7 for images with distant illumination using white light and 0.65 for images clicked with illumination at an intermediate distance using yellow light, suggesting substantial agreement between the observers. Conclusion: Smartphone photography is a reliable tool for morphological assessment trabeculectomy blebs. Optimal illumination helps achieve results free from digital noise and better delineation of specific morphological features. Intermediate illumination and distant illumination provides much better results in terms of high SNR while avoiding overexposure and clipping of highlight information in the images.

Hygienic Assessment of the Influence of Factors of Digital Environment on Adolescents in the Process of Educational and Leisure Activities

Background: The wide use of digital tools in teaching requires a hygienic assessment of their impact on the health and lifestyle of students. The objective of the study was to assess the impact of the digital environment on the health and lifestyle of adolescents, depending on the duration of use of electronic learning tools in educational and leisure activities. Methods: An anonymous online questionnaire-based survey of 111 high school and college students was conducted to establish their screen time in the educational process, when performing homework and at leisure, as well as indicators of wellbeing and lifestyle and health complaints. In addition, learning conditions in college computer classes, such as illumination, microclimate, air ionization, levels of electromagnetic fields, airborne concentrations of phenol and formaldehyde were assessed. Modern statistical methods (Student’s t-test, chi-squared test) and methods of evidence-based medicine were applied. Results and discussion: Almost 66 % of the respondents reported using electronic teaching aids (a computer or laptop) at school three or more times a week and severer symptoms of fatigue after such classes. Complaints typical of adult professional users were not common in adolescents, except for visual impairment over the past year (48.6 %). In computer classes, microclimate parameters were far from being optimal: illumination was lower than the regulated values; the levels of electromagnetic fields, ionization, and indoor air concentrations of phenol and formaldehyde were comparable to the appropriate standard values. We observed a high involvement of adolescents in the use of digital tools at home for educational purposes and especially at leisure. The intensive use of Internet (more than 4 hours a day) was associated with frequent complaints of headaches, visual impairment, sleep disorders, and poor self-assessment of the physical shape that may be attributed to the established decreasing number of teenagers engaged in physical culture and sports. Conclusion: The length of time spent in the Internet space for homework and leisure activities affects students’ health and lifestyle. This indicates the need to develop and implement preventive and educational programs for adolescents in order to minimize health risks posed by digital environment and confirmed by outcomes of distance learning.

Advanced sun-sensor processing and design for super-resolution performance

The performance of conventional and parametric super-resolution algorithms for estimating sun position in a spacecraft sun-sensor was analyzed. Widely employed in other applications, parametric algorithms were examined to evaluate increase in system performance without affecting the cost of the sensor system. Using a simplified model of detector illumination simulations provided quantitative comparisons of algorithm performance. Simple sensor re-design was examined by using genetic algorithms as a heuristic to optimize the illumination pattern for a single axis digital sun-sensor. Findings show that, multiple narrow peak patterns provide subpixel accuracy in resolving the sun-angle. The optimal illumination pattern can be implemented by fabricating a replacement aperture mask for the sensor and this change can be made at a minimal cost. The super-resolution algorithms were tested with a component noise model and image degradation due to Earth albedo effects were examined. Parametric algorithms display very good performance throughout the test regime. The improvements are substantial enough to validate this approach worthy of future study.

Advanced sun-sensor processing and design for super-resolution performance

The performance of conventional and parametric super-resolution algorithms for estimating sun position in a spacecraft sun-sensor was analyzed. Widely employed in other applications, parametric algorithms were examined to evaluate increase in system performance without affecting the cost of the sensor system. Using a simplified model of detector illumination simulations provided quantitative comparisons of algorithm performance. Simple sensor re-design was examined by using genetic algorithms as a heuristic to optimize the illumination pattern for a single axis digital sun-sensor. Findings show that, multiple narrow peak patterns provide subpixel accuracy in resolving the sun-angle. The optimal illumination pattern can be implemented by fabricating a replacement aperture mask for the sensor and this change can be made at a minimal cost. The super-resolution algorithms were tested with a component noise model and image degradation due to Earth albedo effects were examined. Parametric algorithms display very good performance throughout the test regime. The improvements are substantial enough to validate this approach worthy of future study.

Image segmentation and robust edge detection for collision avoidance in machine tools

Collisions are a major cause of unplanned downtime in small series manufacturing with machine tools. Existing solutions based on geometric simulation do not cover collisions due to setup errors. Therefore a solution is developed to compare camera images of the setup with the simulation, thus detecting discrepancies. The comparison focuses on the product being manufactured (workpiece) and the fixture holding the workpiece, thus the first step consists in segmenting the corresponding region of interest in the image. Subsequently edge detection is applied to the image to extract the relevant contours. Additional processing steps in the spatial and frequency domain are used to alleviate effects of the harsh conditions in the machine, including swarf, fluids and sub-optimal illumination. The comparison of the processed images with the simulation will be presented in a future publication.

LED Illumination Spectrum Manipulation for Increasing the Yield of Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.)

Manipulation of the LED illumination spectrum can enhance plant growth rate and development in grow tents. We report on the identification of the illumination spectrum required to significantly enhance the growth rate of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) plants in grow tent environments by controlling the LED wavebands illuminating the plants. Since the optimal illumination spectrum depends on the plant type, this work focuses on identifying the illumination spectrum that achieves significant basil biomass improvement compared to improvements reported in prior studies. To be able to optimize the illumination spectrum, several steps must be achieved, namely, understanding plant biology, conducting several trial-and-error experiments, iteratively refining experimental conditions, and undertaking accurate statistical analyses. In this study, basil plants are grown in three grow tents with three LED illumination treatments, namely, only white LED illumination (denoted W*), the combination of red (R) and blue (B) LED illumination (denoted BR*) (relative red (R) and blue (B) intensities are 84% and 16%, respectively) and a combination of red (R), blue (B) and far-red (F) LED illumination (denoted BRF*) (relative red (R), blue (B) and far-red (F) intensities are 79%, 11%, and 10%, respectively). The photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) was set at 155 µmol m−2 s−1 for all illumination treatments, and the photoperiod was 20 h per day. Experimental results show that a combination of blue (B), red (R), and far-red (F) LED illumination leads to a one-fold increase in the yield of a sweet basil plant in comparison with only white LED illumination (W*). On the other hand, the use of blue (B) and red (R) LED illumination results in a half-fold increase in plant yield. Understanding the effects of LED illumination spectrum on the growth of plant sweet basil plants through basic horticulture research enables farmers to significantly improve their production yield, thus food security and profitability.