Nada Philip

Medical QoS provision based on reinforcement learning in ultrasound streaming over 3.5G wireless systems

The design of an efficient mobile healthcare system using 3.5G and 4G wireless networks is a challenging problem especially for bandwidth demanding telemedical applications. In this paper, we focus on the concept of medical quality of service (m-QoS) applied to a typical bandwidth demanding m-health application. Based on this concept, we propose a novel multiobjective rate-control mechanism for the optimized delivery of diagnostically acceptable ultrasound video images over 3.5G wireless networks. The performance of the proposed algorithm has been evaluated via both simulations and experimental studies. The proposed optimal rate control algorithm achieved performance improvements that are compatible with the medical QoS requirements.

The potential of Internet of m-health Things “m-IoT” for non-invasive glucose level sensing

An amalgamated concept of Internet of m-health Things (m-IoT) has been introduced recently and defined as a new concept that matches the functionalities of m-health and IoT for a new and innovative future (4G health) applications. It is well know that diabetes is a major chronic disease problem worldwide with major economic and social impact. To-date there have not been any studies that address the potential of m-IoT for non-invasive glucose level sensing with advanced opto-physiological assessment technique and diabetes management. In this paper we address the potential benefits of using m-IoT in non-invasive glucose level sensing and the potential m-IoT based architecture for diabetes management. We expect to achieve intelligent identification and management in a heterogeneous connectivity environment from the mobile healthcare perspective. Furthermore this technology will enable new communication connectivity routes between mobile patients and care services through innovative IP based networking architectures.

Cross-Layer Ultrasound Video Streaming Over Mobile WiMAX and HSUPA Networks

It is well known that the evolution of 4G-based mobile multimedia network systems will contribute significantly to future mobile healthcare (m-health) applications that require high bandwidth and fast data rates. Central to the success of such emerging applications is the compatibility of broadband networks, such as mobile Worldwide Interoperability For Microwave Access (WiMAX) and High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), and especially their rate adaption issues combined with the acceptable real-time medical quality of service requirements. In this paper, we address the relevant challenges of cross-layer design requirements for real-time rate adaptation of ultrasound video streaming in mobile WiMAX and HSUPA networks. A comparative performance analysis of such approach is validated in two experimental m-health test bed systems for both mobile WiMAX and HSUPA networks. The experimental results have shown an improved performance of mobile WiMAX compared to the HSUPA using the same cross-layer optimization approach.

Robust Multilayer Control for Enhanced Wireless Telemedical Video Streaming

M-health is an emerging area of research and one of the key challenges in future research in this area is medical video streaming over wireless channels. Contrasting requirements of almost lossless compression and low available bandwidth have to be tackled in medical quality video streaming in ultrasound and radiology applications. On one side, compression techniques need to be conservative, in order to avoid removing perceptively important information; on the other side, error resilience and correction should be provided, with the constraint of a limited bandwidth. A quality-driven, network-aware approach for joint source and channel coding based on a controller structure specifically designed for enhanced video streaming in a robotic teleultrasonography system is presented. The designed application based on robotic teleultrasonography is described and the proposed method is simulated in a wireless environment in two different scenarios; the video quality improvement achievable through the proposed scheme in such an application is remarkable, resulting in a peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) improvement of more than 4 dB in both scenarios.

Subjective and objective quality assessment in wireless teleultrasonography imaging

Mobile Robotic teleultrasonography is an emerging technology that can be applied in different clinical settings for remote ultrasound scanning without the need of the expert at the point of care. Guaranteed medical image quality for diagnostic purposes and their delivery in bandwidth limited wireless environments is a challenging issue. In this paper we present some of the subjective and objective image analysis acquired from a robotic teleultrasonography system operated remotely by the expert to provide an assessment of these medical imaging measures for such advanced wireless telemedical system.

Cross-Layer Design for Optimized Region of Interest of Ultrasound Video Data Over Mobile WiMAX

The application of advanced error concealment techniques applied as a postprocess to conceal lost video information in error-prone channels, such as the wireless channel, demands additional processing at the receiver. This increases the delivery delay and needs more computational power. However, in general, only a small region within medical video is of interest to the physician and thus if only this area is considered, the number of computations can be curtailed. In this paper, we present a technique whereby the region of interest specified by the physician is used to delimit the area where the more complex concealment techniques are applied. A cross-layer design approach in mobile worldwide interoperability for microwave access wireless communication environment is adopted in this paper to provide an optimized quality of experience in the region that matters most to the mobile physician while relaxing the requirements in the background, ensuring real-time delivery. Results show that a diagnostically acceptable peak signal-to-noise-ratio of about 36 dB can still be achieved within reasonable decoding time.

A Feasibility Study of Mobile Phone Text Messaging to Support Education and Management of Type 2 Diabetes in Iraq

BACKGROUND We undertook a feasibility study to evaluate feasibility and utility of short message services (SMSs) to support Iraqi adults with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Fifty patients from a teaching hospital clinic in Basrah in the first year after diagnosis were recruited to receive weekly SMSs relating to diabetes self-management over 29 weeks. Numbers of messages received, acceptability, cost, effect on glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and diabetes knowledge were documented. RESULTS Forty-two patients completed the study, receiving an average 22 of 28 messages. Mean knowledge score rose from 8.6 (SD 1.5) at baseline to 9.9 (SD 1.4) 6 months after receipt of SMSs (P=0.002). Baseline and 6-month knowledge scores correlated (r=0.297, P=0.049). Mean baseline HbA1c was 79 mmol/mol (SD 14 mmol/mol) (9.3% [SD 1.3%]) and decreased to 70 mmol/mol (SD 13 mmol/mol) (8.6% [SD 1.2%]) (P=0.001) 6 months after the SMS intervention. Baseline and 6-month values were correlated (r=0.898, P=0.001). Age, gender, and educational level showed no association with changes in HbA1c or knowledge score. Changes in knowledge score were correlated with postintervention HbA1c (r=-0.341, P=0.027). All patients were satisfied with text messages and wished the service to be continued after the study. The cost of SMSs was €0.065 per message. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates SMSs are acceptable, cost-effective, and feasible in supporting diabetes care in the challenging, resource-poor environment of modern-day Iraq. This study is the first in Iraq to demonstrate similar benefits of this technology on diabetes education and management to those seen from its use in better-resourced parts of the world. A randomized controlled trial is needed to assess precise benefits on self-care and knowledge.

Mapping of multiple parameter m-health scenarios to mobile WiMAX QoS variables

Multiparameter m-health scenarios with bandwidth demanding requirements will be one of key applications in future 4G mobile communication systems. These applications will potentially require specific spectrum allocations with higher quality of service requirements. Furthermore, one of the key 4G technologies targeting m-health will be medical applications based on WiMAX systems. Hence, it is timely to evaluate such multiple parametric m-health scenarios over mobile WiMAX networks. In this paper, we address the preliminary performance analysis of mobile WiMAX network for multiparametric telemedical scenarios. In particular, we map the medical QoS to typical WiMAX QoS parameters to optimise the performance of these parameters in typical m-health scenario. Preliminary performance analyses of the proposed multiparametric scenarios are evaluated to provide essential information for future medical QoS requirements and constraints in these telemedical network environments.

Fragility Issues of Medical Video Streaming over 802.11e-WLAN m-health Environments

This paper presents some of the fragility issues of a medical video streaming over 802.11e-WLAN in m-health applications. In particular, we present a medical channel-adaptive fair allocation (MCAFA) scheme for enhanced QoS support for IEEE 802.11 (WLAN), as a modification for the standard 802.11e enhanced distributed coordination function (EDCF) is proposed for enhanced medical data performance. The medical channel-adaptive fair allocation (MCAFA) proposed extends the EDCF, by halving the contention window (CW) after zeta consecutive successful transmissions to reduce the collision probability when channel is busy. Simulation results show that MCAFA outperforms EDCF in-terms of overall performance relevant to the requirements of high throughput of medical data and video streaming traffic in 3G/WLAN wireless environments

Web-of-Things inspired e-Health platform for integrated diabetes care management

Integration of physical objects (or things) within the Web has become a goal for current and future health care systems. In this paper, we propose a new e-Health platform driven by the needs of integrated diabetes care management. Architecture of this platform that is designed to be consistent with the concepts of Web-of-Things (WoT) comprises a physical sensors layer linked to a health Web-portal layer via an existing network infrastructure. The physical layer incorporates wireless nodes; each of which comprises a set of medical sensors linked wirelessly to a humanoid robot. Unlike existing e-Health systems, the proposed system is designed to support self-management of Type 1 diabetes mellitus (TIDM) not only through remote data collection and monitoring of patients data, but also through offering a support platform for real-time decisions and long-term social and behavioral change. These support services are delivered to the patients over a distance through daily patient-robot interactions that are either automatically generated be the system or assigned by specialist physicians. A prototype e-health platform which incorporates all these healthcare attributes is designed, implemented, and its end-to-end functionality is tested successfully with the aid of NHS collaborators.