Misterine is happy to announce the kickoff of the funded project “Advanced visualization of medical data with the help of AI” (Czech: Pokročilá vizualizace medicínských dat s podporou AI). The goal of this project is to apply the rapidly developing fields of AI and VR to make medical imaging data, like MRIs and CTs, easier to understand and to use for education.
Medical Visualization using AI and VR
Commonly available imaging methods such as MRI and CT are currently interpreted using relatively simple visualizations of the results. Highly trained specialists are required to interpret the results, not just because of the medical knowledge required, but also because the visualizations are typically primitive – essentially showing black and white images of slices of a 3D volumetric organ. The specialist needs to understand the composition of tissues but they must build that understanding of the organ and composition of the tissue in 3D space from 2D representations shown over time, which requires extensive training and specific abilities.
In this project, we will use artificial intelligence methods to automatically recognize different structures in tissues, such as blood vessels, healthy tissue of an organ, tumor, mechanically damaged part of an organ, etc. This will make it easier to understand the tissue composition. At the same time, we will create visualization tools for presenting results in virtual reality. By making the visualization spatial and with natural spatial interactions, we lower a major barrier. Not only visualization techniques will be developed, but also a haptic method of control with feedback and manipulation (controllability) of objects in virtual reality (VR).
This project will develop two software products and one functional sample to demonstrate its working. The first piece of software will perform the processing and classification methods of tissues scanned by volumetric CT methods using artificial intelligence methods. The second piece of software will create visualizations of organs in Virtual Reality. The third result will be a “Preoperative Laboratory” demonstration of the functional interconnection of Virtual Reality for preoperative preparation and consultation of experts. The sample will combine at least two VR headsets, VR haptic gloves and 2 PCs into a functional unit.
Project Realization
The AI portions of this project will be realized by IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center. Misterine will realize the visualization in VR and interactivity in our Ostrava office. This OP TAK funded project (CZ.01.01.01/01/22_002/0001028) is co-financed by the European Union and Czech ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO).