bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Multimodal Affect Recognition for Assistive Human-Robot Interactions
Authors: Hong Alexander , Tsuboi Yuma , Nejat Goldie , Benhabib Beno 
Published: October 2017

Socially assistive robots can provide cognitive assistance with activities of daily living, and promote social interactions to those suffering from cognitive impairments and/or social disorders. They can be used as aids for a number of different populations including those living with dementia or autism spectrum disorder, and for stroke patients during post-stroke rehabilitation [1]. Our research focuses on developing socially assistive intelligent robots capable of partaking in natural human-robot interactions (HRI). In particular, we have been working on the emotional aspects of the interactions to provide engaging settings, which in turn lead to better acceptance by the intended users. Herein, we present a novel multimodal affect recognition system for the robot Luke, Fig. 1(a), to engage in emotional assistive interactions.
Current multimodal affect recognition systems mainly focus on inputs from facial expressions and vocal intonation [2], [3]. Body language has also been used to determine human affect during social interactions, but has yet to be explored in the development of multimodal recognition systems. Body language has been strongly correlated to vocal intonation [4]. The combined modalities provide emotional information due to the temporal development underlying the neural interaction in audiovisual perception [5].
In this paper, we present a novel multimodal recognition system that uniquely combines inputs from both body language and vocal intonation in order to autonomously determine user affect during assistive HRI.
Laparoscopic Skill Classification Using the Two-Third Power Law and the Isogony Principle
Authors: French Anna , Kowalewski Timothy M. 
Published: October 2017

Surgical skill evaluation is a field that attempts to improve patient outcomes by accurately assessing surgeon proficiency. An important application of the information gathered from skill evaluation is providing feedback to the surgeon on their performance. The most commonly utilized methods for judging skill all depend on some type of human intervention. Expert panels are considered the gold standard for skill evaluation, but are cost prohibitive and often take weeks or months to deliver scores. The Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) is a widely adopted surgical training regime. Its scoring method is based on task time and number of task-specific errors, which currently requires a human proctor to calculate. This scoring method requires prior information on the distribution of scores among skill levels, which creates a problem any time a new training module or technique is introduced. These scores are not normally provided while training for the FLS skills test, and [1] has shown that FLS scoring does not lend any additional information over sorting skill levels based on task time. Crowd sourced methods such as those in [2] have also been used to provide feedback and have shown concordance with patient outcomes, however it still takes a few hours to generate scores after a training session.
It is desired to find an assessment method that can deliver a score immediately following a training module (or even in real time) and depends neither on human intervention nor on task-specific probability distributions. It is hypothesized that isogony-based surgical tool motion analysis discerns surgical skill level independent of task time.
A Custom Contoured Surgical Pillow to Reduce Soring
Authors: Rizza Robert , Liu XueCheng , Clarke William , Tassone Channing 
Published: October 2017

Commercial donut pillows are used during lengthy surgical operations. With the patient anesthetized, the multiple pressure points on the head and wrinkling of the skin cut off blood circulation in the face, which leads to facial decubitus ulcers [1].
Cellular type materials such as foam, which are used in these pillows, are very effective in reducing pressure points by transferring pressure into shear forces [2]. In a similar way to surgical pillows, these materials are used to reduce foot pain due to plantar pressure in foot orthotics [3].
However, these same shear forces lead to wrinkling of the skin which generates sores. These shear forces are related to shear stress in the pillow. Pressure normal to the pillow surface is related to normal stress in the pillow, which also leads to soring. Thus, the optimal pillow design, which reduces sores due to pressure points and wrinkling, would be characterized by the design where optimal values of the normal and shear stress are obtained [2].
In a previous study [2], a surgical pillow design was developed which implemented foam wedges. The angle these foam wedges made with the transverse plane was determined to be the angle that gave minimal values of the normal and shear stresses. Thus this new pillow design reduced pressure sores as well as sores due to wrinkling of the skin.
The use of foam wedges has some fundamental disadvantages. Chief among these disadvantages is that the wedges have planar surfaces which do not match the curvature of the human body well. This tends to make the wedges uncomfortable and ineffective. In addition, the manufacturing of small wedges which then have to be connected to the main pillow structure is cumbersome and inefficient.
In this study, a new pillow design was developed which is based on the contour of the patient’s body to generate supportive surfaces that not only match the patient’s shape exactly but which minimizes normal and shear stresses.
Modification of the ASTM Platelet and Leukocyte Assay: Use of an Alternative and Clinically Relevant Anticoagulant — An In-Vitro Hemocompatibility Assessment of Blood Contacting Medical Devices
Authors: Schatz Tim , Beltrame Abby , Howard Sarah , Smith Mark 
Published: October 2017

The purpose of this test method is to assist in the determination of the thrombogenic potential of medical materials exposed to human whole blood. By evaluating surface-induced activation, platelet adherence to a material, and platelet and leukocyte depletion from blood, a material’s potential for thrombus formation can be assessed. If a significant decrease in platelets and/or leukocytes is observed in whole blood when compared to a blank control, the tested material has the potential to induce an in-vivo thrombogenic response.
The present standard for the testing of platelet and leukocyte response to cardiovascular materials, ASTM F2888-13, Standard Test Method for Platelet Leukocyte Count - An In-Vitro Measure for Hemocompatibility Assessment of Cardiovascular Materials [1], mandates the use of several reference materials in the presence of blood anticoagulated with sodium citrate. This study was designed to address the relevance of the assay method when using a potent anticoagulant, 3.2% sodium citrate, to evaluate the thrombogenic potential of medical devices. Current studies on this question are under investigation at the FDA also with the intent of improving the standard methods for this assay by evaluating blood anticoagulated with 2–3 IU/mL of heparin [2]. For this study, the effects of several biomaterials were evaluated when exposed to blood anticoagulated with sodium citrate and, concurrently, an even lower dose of heparin at 1 IU/mL also used by our laboratory in a new circulating in vitro assay for thrombogenicity [3]. We believe this test method allows for a sensitive assay that can more accurately predict potential thrombogenic outcomes of cardiovascular materials, while maintaining appropriate responses in both positive and negative control materials.
Thoracic Volumes Correlated With Pulmonary Function Tests in Adult Scoliosis Patients Following Different Treatments in Adolescence
Authors: Lee Po-Chih , Ledonio Charles , Larson A. Noelle , Erdman Arthur , Polly David 
Published: October 2017

In clinical settings, doctors classify pulmonary disorders into two main categories, obstructive lung disease and restrictive lung disease. The former is characterized by the airway obstruction which is associated with several disorders like chronic bronchitis, asthma, bronchiectasis, and emphysema [1]. The latter is caused by different conditions where one of the triggers is tied to the spine deformity. In general, a pulmonary function test (PFT) [2] is used to evaluate and diagnose lung function, and physicians depend on the test results to identify the disease patterns of the patients (obstructive or restrictive lung disease). In the PFT, some parameters including total lung capacity (TLC), vital capacity (VC), and residual volume (RV) can infer the lung volume and lung capacity. Other parameters, such as forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), are often employed to assess the pulmonary mechanics.
Scoliosis is an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine which involves not only the curvature from side to side but also an axial rotation of the vertebrae. Restrictive lung disease often happens in scoliosis patients, especially with severe spine deformity. Spine deformity if left untreated may lead to progression of the spinal curve, respiratory complications, and the reduction of life expectancy due to the decrease in thoracic volume for lung expansion. However, the relationship between thoracic volume and pulmonary function is not broadly discussed, and anatomic abnormalities in spine deformity (ex: scoliosis, kyphosis, and osteoporosis) can affect thoracic volume. Adequate thoracic volume is needed to promote pulmonary function. Previous literature has shown that the deformity of the thoracic rib cage will have detrimental effects on the respiratory function in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients [3–4]. In this paper, we aim to correlate thoracic volume and the parameters in PFTs in adult scoliosis patients 25–35 years after receiving treatments during their adolescence, either with physical bracing or spinal fusion surgery.
Instrument Guidance System for MRI-Guided Percutaneous Spinal Interventions
Authors: Squires Alexander , Oshinski John , Tse Zion Tsz Ho 
Published: October 2017

In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), neurons controlling voluntary muscles die, resulting in muscle weakness. Small animal studies have shown that neurons experience some regeneration when stem cells are injected into the ventral horn of the spinal cord [1]. These results led to large animal and human trials investigating the effects of injecting stem cells into the spinal cord. Direct injection is used for delivering cells as cells do not have to migrate to the therapy site and visual confirmation is possible [2]. This requires a multi-level laminectomy as well as dissection of the dura mater to expose the cell delivery site. In order to adopt this ALS treatment in regular clinical workflow, a minimally invasive alternative for spinal cord cell therapy is desirable.
Image-guided needle targeting and positioning systems have been developed by numerous groups which use computed tomography or ultrasound for image guidance. However, MRI must be used for this ALS study because it is the only imaging system capable of visualizing the necessary anatomical locations for delivering cellular therapeutics to the spinal cord; the cell therapy target is the gray matter within the ventral horn of the spinal cord, and only MRI can detect the contrast between gray and white matter. Innomotion and NeuroArm have been used for MRI-guided interventions [3, 4] but they are complex, take a long time to set up, and take up a great deal of space in the MRI bore. An initial solution by our research group provided targeting solutions using an adjustable template on the spine, but was manually adjusted, targeted solely on a grid, and lacked a second rotation axis[5].
The presented device, SpinoBot, percutaneously directs therapeutics under MRI guidance into the spinal cord, allowing accurate and minimally invasive spinal therapies. This study examines the accuracy and workflow of MRI-guided cellular therapeutics injections using SpinoBot, a targeting and injection needle guidance system.
Defining the Relationship of Magnetohydrodynamic Voltages and Magnetic Field Strength
Authors: Wu Kevin J. , Gregory T. Stan , Lastinger Michael C. , Boland Brian , Tse Zion Tsz Ho 
Published: October 2017

The magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effect is observed in flowing electrolytic fluids and their interactions with magnetic fields. The magnetic field (B0), when perpendicular with the electrolytic fluid flow (μ), causes the shift of the charged particles in the fluid to shift across the length of the vessel (L) normal to the plane of B0 and flow, creating a voltage (VMHD) observable through voltage potential measurements across the flow (Eqn. 1)[1].(1)VMHD=∫0Lu⇀×B0⇀·dL⇀In the medical field, this phenomenon is commonly encountered inside of a human body inside of an MRI machine (Fig. 1).
The effect appears most prominently inside the aortic arch due to orientation and size, and is a large contributing factor to noise observed in intra-MRI ECGs [2, 3]. Traditionally, this MHD induced voltage (VMHD) was filtered out to obtain clean intra-MRI ECGs, but recent studies have shown that the VMHD induced in a vessel is related to the blood flow through it (stroke volume in the case of the aortic arch) [4]. Further proof of this relationship can be shown from the increase in VMHD measured from periphery blood vessels during periods of elevated heart rate from exercise stress, when compared to baseline state [5]. Previously, a portable device was built to utilize induced VMHD as an indicator of flow [6]. The device was capable of showing change in blood flow, utilizing a blood flow metric obtained from VMHD, however a quantitative relationship between VMHD and blood flow has yet to be established.
This study aims to define the relationship between induced VMHD and magnetic field strength in a controlled setting. Through modulating the distance between a pair of magnets around a flow channel, we hope to better realize the relationship between magnetic field strength and induced VMHD with constant flow and electrolytic solution concentration.
Design of a Rotatable One-Element Snake Bone for NOTES
Authors: Zhang Aoyu , Liu Bin , Liu John , Xie Tianyu 
Published: October 2017

Over the past decade, natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) has developed out of a merger of endoscopy and surgery [1]. NOTES offers the advantages of avoiding external incisions and scars, reducing pain, and shortening recovery time by using natural body orifices as the primary portal of entry for surgeries [2]. The NOTES platform consists of a flexible, hollow body — enabling travel in the interior of the human body — and the distal end (head), the mechanical structure of which is based off of the snake bone. After the distal end passes through a natural orifice, through a transluminal opening of the stomach, vagina, bladder, or colon, and reaches the target working place in the peritoneal cavity, several therapeutic and imaging tools can be passed through the hollow conduit of the NOTES’ body for surgeries [3].
The traditional snake bone design presents two major problems. First, the movement is constrained to two bending degrees-of-freedom (DOF). A need to reorient the tool then often requires the entire body to be rotated by the physician, an unwieldly manipulation that both hinders convenience and results in imprecise control. Second, the traditional fabrication process is tedious and therefore lends to higher manufacturing costs; the bending joints must be first individually machined then assembled together piece-by-piece using rotation pins.
We propose a novel design for the snake bone that introduces an additional DOF via rotation and is simple and cost-effective to machine. The revised snake bone design features rotation segments controlled by wires that a physician can readily manipulate for increased control and convenience. Further, because surgical tools that pass through the NOTES body conduit are also installed on snake bone structures, the introduction of rotation to the snake bone design increases each tool’s mobility and manipulation. This advance therefore presents the potential to decrease both the number of required tools and the overall diameter of the NOTES body. Finally, the body is machined as a single element and therefore minimizes the work of assembly.
Design and Characterization of Shoe Embedded Pressure Sensors for Gait Analysis and Rehabilitation
Authors: Wachtel SeanWolfgang , Hassett Breanna , Qiao Zhi , Chinimilli Prudhvi Tej , Zhang Wenlong 
Published: October 2017

In clinical gait therapy, the quality of gait analysis is critical for developing a training plan and monitoring patient progress. Ground contact forces (GCFs) are often recorded to estimate joint torques which can quantify a patient’s needs and strength development. They are also useful in designing and controlling rehabilitative and assistive devices. In clinical gait analysis, force plates are used to measure GCFs objectively and precisely [1, 2]. Currently, forces sensitive resistors (FSR) are often used as a mobile platform to measure GCFs. FSR based platforms exhibit considerable hysteresis and have low durability, some requiring replacement after only 5-hour long uses. As an alternative to FSR, a pair of sensor-embedded shoes (smart shoes) relying on air pressure sensors has been presented in previous research [3]. Some details regarding the precise characteristics of the sensing abilities were unknown, though, generating unanticipated errors during use.
In this paper, the sensing units of wireless smart shoes are characterized and tested to verify their capability to provide real-time and accurate GCF measurements. For the prototype, silicon tubes were sealed on one end, wound into coils, secured to the underside of the shoe’s insole at four points of interest (heel, toe, the first and fourth metatarsophalangeal joint) routed outside the shoe, and their open ends are connected to air pressure sensors as shown in Fig. 1(a). The pressure sensors were placed on a circuit board along with a battery and microcontroller responsible for reading sensor outputs and wirelessly communicating data to a nearby device, as shown in Fig. 1(c). The sensing unit on the lateral side of the shoe is 1.2″ × 1.3″ × 3.95″. A series of calibration tests were first performed on the tube-insole subsystem in isolation to test linearity, repeatability, and hysteresis. Then practical experiments were performed on a healthy subject to determine the accuracy of GCF measurement. A previously presented hysteresis filter was implemented in practical testing [4].
Assistive Device for Patients Having Spondylitis and Spondylosis
Authors: Deva Anshuj , Nageswaran Sharmila , Vidhya S. 
Published: October 2017

Spondylitis is a very common back and neck ailment that is reported to account for one-third of social problems causing difficulty at work. It is caused due to the inflammation in vertebral joints. Its condition goes undetected until the symptoms, such as that of severe pain, develops. It causes stinging pain which is focused around cervical region of vertebra, the shoulders and the lumbar region of the spine. Accordingly, it is classified into three types: cervical, thoracic and lumbosacral spondylosis. This is different from spondylitis which causes pain due to inflammation.
Many existing devices use electric current to bring relief from pain. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is one of the most commonly used devices in this aspect. However, though this has been able to bring effective results to its patients, there is a whole lot of controversy in conditions it should be used to treat.
Studies have shown these devices to bring relief by suppressing the signals from the brain. They are not advised for patients with pacemakers or any kind of electronically powered implantable devices. They are less effective where the skin is numb or in places where there is decreased sensation. It depends entirely on the working of the nerve beneath the surface and may cause irritation on the skin if the current is too high. Moreover, these devices need to be avoided in area where infection is present. High precaution needs to be taken when working with epilepsy patients and pregnant women; the electrical stimulation can interfere with the fetus development.
With such a wide range of drawbacks, there is a need for a mechanical solution which can redress these problems and provide an effective and ergonomic solution. Along with overcoming the present barriers, research has been done to demonstrate the positive effects of vibration in increase of bone density, increase of muscle mass, increase of blood circulation, reduced back pain, reduced joint pain and boost in metabolism. The given paper discusses a device wherein vibrational motors have been incorporated, under the control of a microcontroller, to generate the requisite g-force needed for the purpose of pain alleviation and increase of bone density.
Development of a Dynamically Adjusting Soft Wheelchair Insert for Reduction of Single-Point Pressure
Authors: Hoffmann Alexandra , Gracia Beatriz , Lopez Tracy , Polygerinos Panagiotis 
Published: October 2017

Wheelchair-bound patients suffer from a number of constraining ailments that affect the digestive, respiratory, circulatory, and integumentary system. The increased risk of pressure ulcers in wheelchair users can be attributed to the combination of consistent single-point pressure and lack of regional movement for an extended period of time, leading to reduced blood circulation to the lower extremities. Pressure ulcers are especially prevalent in elderly wheelchair-bound patients due to the increased fragility of the skin with age. A study by Stockton and Parker estimated the rate of pressure ulcers in all wheelchair users to be nearly 60% [1] and the 2010 US Census reported that 30.6 million Americans have a major mobility disability that require the assistance of a wheelchair, cane or walker [2].
Products currently on the market claim to either distribute pressure more evenly across the surface or stimulate the region of pressure. The former include gel cushions which ease stress by distributing the pressure load but do not initiate movement, while the latter regularly alternate mechanical cushions that initiate movement but do not target region of highest load. Because many patients are unable to independently identify, communicate, or adjust their bodies when there is excess pressure being placed on a specific area, a method of reducing a patient’s single-point pressure on a seat without requiring direct user input could greatly improve the quality of life of wheelchair users.