Quantitative evaluation f stereoscopic augmented reality visualization using an optical see-through head-mounted...

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Computer-Assisted Surgery
• Augmented Reality

Background:

• Augmented reality (AR) visualization offers potential for enhancing computer-assisted surgery (CAS).
• Accurate calibration of optical see-through head-mounted displays (OST-HMDs) is essential for reliable AR guidance in surgical applications.
• Existing calibration methods may not fully address the accuracy requirements for complex surgical tasks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and evaluate a calibration method for accurate AR visualization using OST-HMDs.
• To assess the visualization accuracy in the context of CAS applications.
• To investigate the impact of user experience on calibration accuracy.

Main Methods:

• An adapted stereo single-point active alignment method was employed for calibration.
• Three visualization tests were conducted: 3D space, planar, and skull phantom surface.
• Tests involved both inexperienced (5 participants) and experienced (17 participants) users.

Main Results:

• Highest accuracy (3.00 mm, std 0.75 mm) was achieved for skull phantom visualization by inexperienced users.
• Lowest accuracy (22.95 mm, std 18.04 mm) occurred in 3D space visualization for inexperienced users.
• Depth component errors were significant (18.49 mm, std 18.10 mm) for inexperienced users.

Conclusions:

• High visualization accuracy (<5 mm in space) is achievable for select users.
• Ensuring accuracy for inexperienced users remains a significant challenge.
• Visualizing objects on surfaces significantly improves point indication accuracy, supporting AR guidance in manual tasks.