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The European research network "Augmented Reality in Surgery" (ARIS*ER) developed a system that supports minimally invasive cardiac surgery based on augmented reality (AR) technology. The system supports the surgical team during aortic endoclamping where a balloon catheter has to be positioned and kept in place within the aorta. The presented system addresses the two biggest difficulties of the task: lack of visualization and difficulty in maneuvering the catheter. The system was developed using a user centered design methodology with medical doctors, engineers and human factor specialists equally involved in all the development steps. The system was implemented using the AR framework "Studierstube" developed at TU Graz and can be used to visualize in real-time the position of the balloon catheter inside the aorta. The spatial position of the catheter is measured by a magnetic tracking system and superimposed on a 3D model of the patient's thorax. The alignment is made with a rigid registration algorithm. Together with a user defined target, the spatial position data drives an actuator which adjusts the position of the catheter in the initial placement and corrects migrations during the surgery. Two user studies with a silicon phantom show promising results regarding usefulness of the system: the users perform the placement tasks faster and more accurately than with the current restricted visual support. Animal studies also provided a first indication that the system brings additional value in the real clinical setting. This work represents a major step towards safer and simpler minimally invasive cardiac surgery., Industrial Design Engineering

The European research network "Augmented Reality in Surgery" (ARIS*ER) developed a system that supports minimally invasive cardiac surgery based on augmented reality (AR) technology. The system supports the surgical team during aortic endoclamping where a balloon catheter has to be positioned and kept in place within the aorta. The presented system addresses the two biggest difficulties of the task: lack of visualization and difficulty in maneuvering the catheter. The system was developed using a user centered design methodology with medical doctors, engineers and human factor specialists equally involved in all the development steps. The system was implemented using the AR framework "Studierstube" developed at TU Graz and can be used to visualize in real-time the position of the balloon catheter inside the aorta. The spatial position of the catheter is measured by a magnetic tracking system and superimposed on a 3D model of the patient's thorax. The alignment is made with a rigid registration algorithm. Together with a user defined target, the spatial position data drives an actuator which adjusts the position of the catheter in the initial placement and corrects migrations during the surgery. Two user studies with a silicon phantom show promising results regarding usefulness of the system: the users perform the placement tasks faster and more accurately than with the current restricted visual support. Animal studies also provided a first indication that the system brings additional value in the real clinical setting. This work represents a major step towards safer and simpler minimally invasive cardiac surgery., Industrial Design Engineering

Minimally invasive therapy (MIT) is one of the most important trends in modern medicine. It includes a wide range of therapies in videoscopic surgery and interventional radiology and is performed through small incisions. It reduces hospital stay-time by allowing faster recovery and offers substantially improved cost-effectiveness for the hospital and the society. However, the introduction of MIT has also led to new problems. The manipulation of structures within the body through small incisions reduces dexterity and tactile feedback. It requires a different approach than conventional surgical procedures, since eye-hand co-ordination is not based on direct vision, but more predominantly on image guidance via endoscopes or radiological imaging modalities. ARIS*ER is a multidisciplinary consortium developing a new generation of decision support tools for MIT by augmenting visual and sensorial feedback. We will present tools based on novel concepts in visualization, robotics and haptics providing tailored solutions for a range of clinical applications. Examples from radio-frequency ablation of liver-tumors, laparoscopic liver surgery and minimally invasive cardiac surgery will be presented. Demonstrators were developed with the aim to provide a seamless workflow for the clinical user conducting image-guided therapy., Industrial Design Engineering

Minimally invasive therapy (MIT) is one of the most important trends in modern medicine. It includes a wide range of therapies in videoscopic surgery and interventional radiology and is performed through small incisions. It reduces hospital stay-time by allowing faster recovery and offers substantially improved cost-effectiveness for the hospital and the society. However, the introduction of MIT has also led to new problems. The manipulation of structures within the body through small incisions reduces dexterity and tactile feedback. It requires a different approach than conventional surgical procedures, since eye-hand co-ordination is not based on direct vision, but more predominantly on image guidance via endoscopes or radiological imaging modalities. ARIS*ER is a multidisciplinary consortium developing a new generation of decision support tools for MIT by augmenting visual and sensorial feedback. We will present tools based on novel concepts in visualization, robotics and haptics providing tailored solutions for a range of clinical applications. Examples from radio-frequency ablation of liver-tumors, laparoscopic liver surgery and minimally invasive cardiac surgery will be presented. Demonstrators were developed with the aim to provide a seamless workflow for the clinical user conducting image-guided therapy., Industrial Design Engineering