Liver biomechanical model for virtual palpation.

Palpation is a diagnostic technique used for evaluating physical properties of abdominal tissues and organs. The emulation of this procedure using virtual simulators is challenging due to trades between realism and interactivity. In this paper a virtual palpation system of the liver is proposed using a polyhedral mesh with a first order viscoelastic model defined in terms of its biomechanical properties extracted from experimental data. The hepatic tissue model is approximated to large deformations leading to a realistic haptic response of the procedure.

Anthropomorphic passive mechanism for performing hand exercises.

Hand disabilities resulting from traumas, accidents and other causes impact how people carry on everyday tasks, thus, the importance of physical therapy. This process is characterized for performing repetitive sequences of motion with the guidance of a physical therapist, and in some cases, requires doing the therapy without attendance, which may lead to unsatisfactory results due to pain, unclear guides and poor feedback on their performance. This paper presents the development of a humanoid passive mechanism for hand exercising using its limbs for achieving flexion/extension, pronation/supination and radial/ulnar deviations. Preliminary tests show an interest in having similar devices for hand training associated as a leisure activity that could be used as a stress reliever that allows entertaining while training.

Human eye haptics-based multimedia.

Immersive and interactive multimedia applications offer complementary study tools in anatomy as users can explore 3D models while obtaining information about the organ, tissue or part being explored. Haptics increases the sense of interaction with virtual objects improving user experience in a more realistic manner. Common eye studying tools are books, illustrations, assembly models, and more recently these are being complemented with mobile apps whose 3D capabilities, computing power and customers are increasing. The goal of this project is to develop a complementary eye anatomy and pathology study tool using deformable models within a multimedia application, offering the students the opportunity for exploring the eye from up close and within with relevant information. Validation of the tool provided feedback on the potential of the development, along with suggestions on improving haptic feedback and navigation.

3D liver volume reconstructed for palpation training.

Virtual Reality systems for medical procedures such as the palpation of different organs, requires fast, robust, accurate and reliable computational methods for providing realism during interaction with the 3D biological models. This paper presents the segmentation, reconstruction and palpation simulation of a healthy liver volume as a tool for training. The chosen method considers the mechanical characteristics and liver properties for correctly simulating palpation interactions, which results appropriate as a complementary tool for training medical students in familiarizing with the liver anatomy.

Video game interfaces for interactive lower and upper member therapy.

With recent advances in electronics and mechanics, a new trend in interaction is taking place changing how we interact with our environment, daily tasks and other people. Even though sensor based technologies and tracking systems have been around for several years, recently they have become affordable and used in several areas such as physical and mental rehabilitation, educational applications, physical exercises, and natural interactions, among others. This work presents the integration of two mainstream videogame interfaces as tools for developing an interactive lower and upper member therapy tool. The goal is to study the potential of these devices as complementing didactic elements for improving and following user performance during a series of exercises with virtual and real devices.

3DUI assisted lower and upper member therapy.

3DUIs are becoming very popular among researchers, developers and users as they allow more immersive and interactive experiences by taking advantage of the human dexterity. The features offered by these interfaces outside the gaming environment, have allowed the development of applications in the medical area by enhancing the user experience and aiding the therapy process in controlled and monitored environments. Using mainstream videogame 3DUIs based on inertial and image sensors available in the market, this work presents the development of a virtual environment and its navigation through lower member captured gestures for assisting motion during therapy.