PixelBNN: Augmenting the PixelCNN with Batch Normalization and the Presentation of a Fast Architecture for Retinal Vessel Segmentation.

Analysis of retinal fundus images is essential for eye-care physicians in the diagnosis, care and treatment of patients. Accurate fundus and/or retinal vessel maps give rise to longitudinal studies able to utilize multimedia image registration and disease/condition status measurements, as well as applications in surgery preparation and biometrics. The segmentation of retinal morphology has numerous applications in assessing ophthalmologic and cardiovascular disease pathologies.

Towards an understanding of conventional surgical haptics for use in MIS.

In order to define what haptics to provide to surgeons during MIS (minimally invasive surgery), it is important to determine what a surgeon experiences via the tactile modality during conventional and laparoscopic surgery. We performed a set of experiments towards this goal using a laparoscopic tool during a push and gasp task, using an Omni haptic device to simulate the elastic properties of biological tissue. We found attenuation during both tasks, more so for passive (pushing) than active (gasping) activities.