Tactical audio and acoustic rendering in biomedical applications.

Complexity of biomedical data requires novel sophisticated analysis and presentation methods. Sonification is used as a new information display in augmented reality systems to overcome problems of existing human-computer interface (e.g., opaque or heavy head-mounted displays, slow computer graphics, etc.). A novel taxonomy of sonification methods and techniques is introduced. We present our experience with tactical audio and acoustic rendering in biomedical applications. Tactical audio as an audio feedback is used as support for precise manual positioning of a surgical instrument in the operating room. Acoustic rendering is applied as an additional information channel and/or warning signal in biomedical signal analysis and data presentation.

Audio-guided blind biopsy needle placement.

We discuss an implementation of an audio user interface for assisting surgical placement tasks. We assembled and tested an apparatus for evaluating the potential benefit of using audio guidance for assisting blind biopsy needle placement tasks. This system improves upon an earlier system we demonstrated (see [1]) by employing three dimensional audio processing as well as a facility for algorithmically-motivated arbitrary waveform synthesis. Using this apparatus an operator attempted to manually follow a predetermined biopsy needle insertion path (trajectory) with an instrumented biopsy needle. This trajectory intercepted a target object embedded within a custom biopsy phantom. The target was invisible to the operator. Audio feedback provided the only means of trajectory and target localization.

Surgical navigation using audio feedback.

Current medical visualization technology intended for positional guidance in surgical applications may only ever have limited utility in the operating room due to the preexisting visual requirements of surgical practice. Additionally, visual systems impose limits as a result of their high latency, poor image resolution, problems with stereopsis and physical strain upon the user. Audio technology is relatively unexamined in the broad range of available methodologies for medical devices. The potential to translate surgical instrument position into audio feedback presents a novel solution to the human factors and engineering problems faced by visual display technology because audio technology employs a rich and as yet unburdened sensory modality. We describe an experimental system we have developed for investigating this new interface design approach using commercially available hardware.

Three-dimensional input of body surface data using a laser light scanner.

This article presents a device for automated input of three-dimensional body surface data using a laser light scanner. The device scans the surface in a few seconds. The data are available immediately in digital form for computer-aided presentation and analysis. Although the initial cost is moderately high, the cost per patient and processing time are low. This device makes possible the quantitative evaluation of plastic surgical procedures that are designed to alter body surface form.