Browsing by Author "García, Marcos"

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    Neural Data Exploration with Force Feedback
    (The Eurographics Association, 2021) Raya, Laura; Otaduy, Miguel A.; García, Marcos; Silva, F. and Gutierrez, D. and Rodríguez, J. and Figueiredo, M.
    The behavior of the brain depends to a large extend on its neural structure. Therefore, understanding this neural topology is a high-priority research line for neurobiologists. Due to complexity of the brain's neural structure, visual representations look tangled, and extracting knowledge from them is a difficult task. In this work, we propose the use of multimodal interfaces to enhance neurobiologists' understanding of neural data. Our system is based on four pillars: a stereo rendering module, a camera control system, a visual aid unit, and a haptically constrained navigation tool. We observe that haptically aided navigation helps neurobiologists analyze the brain's topology. Our system uses stylus-based haptic devices with two purposes: they provide a natural interface to deal with 3D data (controlling camera motion) and they constrain the user's motion. The system was built trying to keep user interactions as intuitive as possible.
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    Projectional Radiography Simulator: an Interactive Teaching Tool
    (The Eurographics Association, 2019) Sujar, Aaron; Kelly, Graham; García, Marcos; Vidal, Franck; Vidal, Franck P. and Tam, Gary K. L. and Roberts, Jonathan C.
    Radiographers need to know a broad range of knowledge about X-ray radiography, which can be specific to each part of the body. Due to the harmfulness of the ionising radiation used, teaching and training using real patients is not ethical. Students have limited access to real X-ray rooms and anatomic phantoms during their studies. Books, and now web apps, containing a set of static pictures are then often used to illustrate clinical cases. In this study, we have built an Interactive X-ray Projectional Simulator using a deformation algorithm with a real-time X-ray image simulator. Users can load various anatomic models and the tool enables virtual model positioning in order to set a specific position and see the corresponding X-ray image. It allows teachers to simulate any particular X-ray projection in a lecturing environment without using real patients and avoiding any kind of radiation risk. This tool also allows the students to reproduce the important parameters of a real X-ray machine in a safe environment. We have performed a face and content validation in which our tool proves to be realistic (72% of the participants agreed that the simulations are visually realistic), useful (67%) and suitable (78%) for teaching X-ray radiography.