You can't touch this: touch-free navigation through radiological images

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Infection Control

Background:

• Traditional input devices like keyboards and mice pose contamination risks in sterile medical environments.
• Operating rooms, intensive care units, and autopsy suites require stringent infection control measures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a low-cost, touch-free gesture control system for medical image viewers.
• To assess the feasibility and usability of a novel system for navigating medical images without physical contact.

Main Methods:

• A prototype system was developed using an iMac, OsiriX medical image viewer, and a Microsoft Kinect depth camera.
• Custom software translated depth camera data and voice recognition into keyboard and mouse commands for image manipulation.
• Ten medical professionals performed image re-creation tasks using the gesture control system and standard controls.

Main Results:

• Users adapted to the touch-free system within approximately 10 minutes, with a response time of 120 ms.
• Gesture control required 1.4 times longer for image re-creation compared to traditional mouse/keyboard use.
• Users rated the system's ease of use at 3.4 out of 5, with prior OsiriX experience positively impacting performance.

Conclusions:

• The touch-free, gesture-controlled system effectively reduces infection vectors in medical settings, enhancing patient and staff safety.
• The system's low cost, ease of integration, and lack of calibration present minimal barriers to adoption in existing healthcare infrastructure.