Konstantinos Banitsas

A novel method to detect Heart Beat Rate using a mobile phone

Heart Beat Rate calculation has traditionally been conducted using specialized hardware most commonly in the form of pulse oximeters or Electrocardiogram devices. Even though these methods offer high reliability, they require the users to have special sensor to measure their heart rate. In this paper we propose a system capable of estimating the heart beat rate using just a camera from a commercially available mobile phone. The advantage of this method is that the user does not need specialized hardware and s/he can take a measurement in virtually any place under almost any circumstances. Moreover the measurement provided can be used as a tool for health coaching applications or effective telecare services aimed in enhancing the users well being.

Using handheld devices for real-time wireless teleconsultation

Recent advances in the hardware of handheld devices, opened up the way for newer applications in the healthcare sector, and more specifically, in the teleconsultation field. Out of these devices, this paper focuses on the services that personal digital assistants and smartphones can provide to improve the speed, quality and ease of delivering a medical opinion from a distance and laying the ground for an all-wireless hospital. In that manner, PDAs were used to wirelessly support the viewing of digital imaging and communication in medicine (DICOM) images and to allow for mobile videoconferencing while within the hospital. Smartphones were also used to carry still images, multiframes and live video outside the hospital. Both of these applications aimed at increasing the mobility of the consultant while improving the healthcare service.

Use of 3G mobile phone links for teleconsultation between a moving ambulance and a hospital base station.

We developed a mobile teleconsultation system based on third-generation mobile phone links. The system comprised a laptop computer and a digital camcorder. It was installed inside an ambulance to allow video-conferencing between the moving vehicle and a doctor at a base station. In addition to video and voice, high-quality still images could also be transmitted. A series of 17 trial runs with real ambulance patients was conducted in the city of Athens. In general, the videoconferencing sessions produced relatively clear video. The bandwidth was high enough for a satisfactory video of 10–15 frames/s. During a total testing period of 23 h and in an area of about 180 km2, there were nine instances of signal loss, amounting to a total of 17 min. The general opinion formed by the doctors was that the system produced good results. All initial diagnoses made using the system agreed with the final diagnoses of the patients. The study showed that the mobile system could reduce the time before an ambulance patient is seen by a doctor.

A Simple algorithm to monitor HR for real time treatment applications

As the demand for effective and reliable telecare systems increases rapidly over the last years, novel ideas applied on existing consumer products enables the development of innovative solutions that could enhance the users wellbeing. In this research, we are going to demonstrate the potential of a system that enables users to monitor their own heart beat rate in real time and use specialised software for personal health coaching. In this paper we will explain and demonstrate how to extract heart beat rate information from a user using the camera of a commercially available mobile phone which will enable us to supply the users of the system with vital information and utilize interactive tools useful for personal health coaching. Our industrial partner Health Smart Limited have filed a patent [1] for this application, they retain the full intellectual property of this project.

OFDM over IEEE 802.11b hardware for telemedical applications

Using a wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) to transmit live high-quality video suitable for a telemedical application presents many challenges, including ensuring sufficient Quality of Service (QoS) for the end-user to be able to make an accurate diagnosis. One of the many problems that exist when developing such a system is the multipath effect caused by the reflections of the transmitted signals on various surfaces including walls, floors, furniture and people. This degrades the signal quality and reduces the amount of available bandwidth and, thus, the quality of the image. Presently, most of Europe is using the IEEE 802.11b hardware for such applications. As an alternative to the existing modulation of 802.11b, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is investigated, especially for use inside hospitals. The advantages of using this modulation over IEEE 802.11b hardware for a telemedicine application are examined by means of simulation using three different simulation packages.

Adjusting DICOM specifications when using wireless LANs: the MedLAN example

Wireless networks will become increasingly useful in point-of-care areas such as hospitals, because of their ease of use and their flexibility. A system called MedLAN has been developed by the Central Middlesex Hospital and Brunei University to take advantage of the above desirable properties of WLANs for use in accident & emergency departments to broadcast live, high quality video images and sound over a LAN or the Internet. However, in many cases, the limited available throughput of such a WLAN system makes the use of high demanding specifications, such as DICOM, problematic especially when using no compression during transmission. In this paper we will present some practical results when combining low compression with wireless LANs. We will conclude with the assessment of images and sounds by several doctors showing that the system we have devised is very useful in this setting.

Operational parameters of a medical wireless LAN: security, range and interference issues

This paper provides an overview of the operational parameters of Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) In hospital and clinical ward environments and presents the concept of MedLAN system, dedicated to these environments. It then deals with the issues of security, range and interference with an emphasis on the first one.

DoctorEye: A clinically driven multifunctional platform, for accurate processing of tumors in medical images.

UNLABELLED This paper presents a novel, open access interactive platform for 3D medical image analysis, simulation and visualization, focusing in oncology images. The platform was developed through constant interaction and feedback from expert clinicians integrating a thorough analysis of their requirements while having an ultimate goal of assisting in accurately delineating tumors. It allows clinicians not only to work with a large number of 3D tomographic datasets but also to efficiently annotate multiple regions of interest in the same session. Manual and semi-automatic segmentation techniques combined with integrated correction tools assist in the quick and refined delineation of tumors while different users can add different components related to oncology such as tumor growth and simulation algorithms for improving therapy planning. The platform has been tested by different users and over large number of heterogeneous tomographic datasets to ensure stability, usability, extensibility and robustness with promising results. AVAILABILITY the platform, a manual and tutorial videos are available at: http://biomodeling.ics.forth.gr. it is free to use under the GNU General Public License.

DoctorEye: A multifunctional open platform for fast annotation and visualization of tumors in medical images

This paper describes a flexible and easy-to-use annotation platform (GUI) for quick and precise identification and delineation of tumors in medical images. The design of the platform is clinically driven in order to ensure that the clinician can efficiently and intuitively annotate large number of 3D tomographic datasets. Both manual and well-known semiautomatic segmentation techniques are available in the platform allowing clinician to annotate multiple regions of interest at the same session. Additionally, it includes contour drawing, refinement and labeling tools that can effectively assist in the delineation of tumors. Furthermore, segmented tumor regions can be annotated, labeled, deleted, added and redefined. The platform has been tested over several MRI datasets to assess usability, extensibility and robustness with promising results.

Securing a medical wireless LAN system

Recently the concept of MedLAN systems dedicated to application scenarios for wireless local area networks (WLAN) in hospital A&E departments has been presented. An essential element in the acceptance of the system will be reassuring all stakeholders in the system that data transmitted using the system is secure. In order for the stakeholders to be reassured technical and managerial issues have to be addressed. Technical issues to be addressed include selection of a suitable encryption algorithm with a 128-bit key for encrypting the wireless links and identification of a suitable crypto-board to be fitted to the system laptop computers. In many respects the managerial issues pose bigger challenges than the technical issues. Where the MedLAN system is being introduced members of the E-MED Systems Research Group will have to liaise with hospital managers to establish how the hospitals data security-policy can be expanded to accommodate the E-Med system and the cost implications of this expansion determined. The cost of insuring the security of the data handled by the MedLAN system will have to be determined.