Project Summary

Team: Chun Fu Chao and Aparajith Sairam

Advisor: Dr. Norman I. Badler

Based on:

An augmented reality simulator for ultrasound guided needle placement training

Authors: D. Magee. Y. Zhu. R. Ratnalingam . P. Gardner . D. Kessel

        We would like to develop an inexpensive and adaptive ultrasound guided needle placement training system that utilizes the advantage of Microsoft Kinect as a low-cost and  highly available motion tracking hardware.

In the conventional approach, needle placement training is done by foam model with plastic tube sealed within. But there are several drawbacks including: high unit cost ( around 2,000 USD for limb and over 25,000 USD for Full Torso [1]), limited use per model unit, and unrealistic scanning result compared to the human tissue. In 2011, Andrew D. Rosenberg, MD et al. proposed a fully computer simulated approach for ultrasound guided needle placement training. They collected the 2D ultrasound image planes from real human test subject and compiled images into the 3D voxel data. They also used magnetic motion tracking system to track the sensor and needle held by the trainees. Then a synthesized ultrasound image plane with fictionally injected needle is drawn on screen.

This paper opened the possibility of more realistic training environment aided by the power of modern computer. But the magnetic motion tracking system used by the paper author is still not an inexpensive option. The system set up requires two magnetic signal transmitter and two pairs of magnetic markers, which would summed up to around 7,000 USD [2]. The magnetic tracking system also requires user to disassemble the computer and install PCI cards onto motherboard, which will result in difficulties in installation and maintenance for the users who don’t have any computer hardware expertise.

So we would like to propose a new system that is solely based on Microsoft Kinect technology. Kinect Windows applications is now supported by the Microsoft development team, the new Application Programming Interface and new hardware specialized for PC were released in early 2012.[3] The official driver is available on the Microsoft website and it only requires one USB port and a PC with Windows 7 or above. Kinect provided developers with 640×480 RGB 30 FPS video stream and 320×240 30FPS depth map stream. We want to push the limit of Kinect with Computer Vision and Computer Animation algorithms and get as accurate movement as possible to simulate the sensitiveness of the real ultrasound devices. And combine into a ideal low-cost, realistic training device.

[1] : http://www.bluephantom.com/

[2] : http://www.vrealities.com/pcibird.html

[3] : http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/kinectforwindows/ 

For complete design document go to:
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B21htwSnbMf0LTZybUFaUXo4MTA