Biomechanical model-based algorithms for computational radiology of the brain. The proposed research will develop computational framework, which will allow matching high quality pre-operative brain images with lower resolution images taken during neurosurgery. The success of this work will greatly improve effectiveness of brain tumour removal, and therefore improve clinical outcomes. The proposed work will provide enabling technology for other areas of computer aided medicine, such as virtual re ....Biomechanical model-based algorithms for computational radiology of the brain. The proposed research will develop computational framework, which will allow matching high quality pre-operative brain images with lower resolution images taken during neurosurgery. The success of this work will greatly improve effectiveness of brain tumour removal, and therefore improve clinical outcomes. The proposed work will provide enabling technology for other areas of computer aided medicine, such as virtual reality operation planning systems with realistic force and tactile feedback, control systems of neurosurgical robots with tissue deformation prediction module, etc.Read moreRead less
Influence of electromagnetic emissions from mobile phones on nervous function in the human brain and heart. This research will investigate the influence of mobile phone electromagnetic exposures on the nervous function of the human brain and heart. Brain activity will be monitored by EEG recordings, and heart function will be measured by blood pressure and ECG. As far as possible the methodologies employed will be consistent with previous reported studies in order to allow comparisons, and use ....Influence of electromagnetic emissions from mobile phones on nervous function in the human brain and heart. This research will investigate the influence of mobile phone electromagnetic exposures on the nervous function of the human brain and heart. Brain activity will be monitored by EEG recordings, and heart function will be measured by blood pressure and ECG. As far as possible the methodologies employed will be consistent with previous reported studies in order to allow comparisons, and use standardised quantifiable metrics so that the biological significance of the data can be meaningfully interpreted. The outcomes of this project will address uncertainties in the present data which are of concern to national and international regulatory and health agencies.Read moreRead less
Towards Consistent Meshless Computational Framework for Soft Tissue Damage Modelling for Traumatic Injury Prevention and Surgery Simulation. Deaths and injuries due to car crashes cost our society $18 billion per annum. This project will provide enabling computer simulation technology for reducing this cost by improving car crash safety through more accurate evaluation of injury risk as well as by reducing the risk of adverse effects in surgical procedures through better surgical training and su ....Towards Consistent Meshless Computational Framework for Soft Tissue Damage Modelling for Traumatic Injury Prevention and Surgery Simulation. Deaths and injuries due to car crashes cost our society $18 billion per annum. This project will provide enabling computer simulation technology for reducing this cost by improving car crash safety through more accurate evaluation of injury risk as well as by reducing the risk of adverse effects in surgical procedures through better surgical training and surgery planning. We will deliver this technology by creating a computational framework for modelling of soft tissue damage due to traumatic rupture and surgical dissection. This framework will enable building accurate computer models of the human body injury responses for safe car design as well as models for assisting surgeons by predicting forces and deformations in tissue dissection.Read moreRead less
Biomechanics of Needle Insertion. Needle insertion is one of the most common neurosurgical procedures. However, the biomechanics of this process is poorly understood. The unknown factors include brain tissue deformation under load imposed by the needle and needle deflection when penetrating brain tissue. We will develop computational models of needle insertion. They will include non-linear material properties of the brain tissue, large deformations, and needle-tissue contact model including fric ....Biomechanics of Needle Insertion. Needle insertion is one of the most common neurosurgical procedures. However, the biomechanics of this process is poorly understood. The unknown factors include brain tissue deformation under load imposed by the needle and needle deflection when penetrating brain tissue. We will develop computational models of needle insertion. They will include non-linear material properties of the brain tissue, large deformations, and needle-tissue contact model including friction. The Japanese group will develop testing methods to validate mathematical models. Experimental set-up includes bi-axial x-ray to measure deformation within the tissue and needle deflection, and a sensor measuring reaction force on needle tip and friction force on needle sides.Read moreRead less
Real Time Computer Simulation of Human Soft Organ Deformation for Computer Assisted Surgery. The proposed research will develop computational framework, which will allow calculation of soft organ (brain, liver, kidney, prostate, etc.) deformation during surgical operations in real time. Fully non-linear material models and geometrically non-linear finite element formulation will be used. The fundamental technology developed within this project: physically (or mechanically) realistic modelling an ....Real Time Computer Simulation of Human Soft Organ Deformation for Computer Assisted Surgery. The proposed research will develop computational framework, which will allow calculation of soft organ (brain, liver, kidney, prostate, etc.) deformation during surgical operations in real time. Fully non-linear material models and geometrically non-linear finite element formulation will be used. The fundamental technology developed within this project: physically (or mechanically) realistic modelling and real time computer simulation of soft organ deformation, will have applications in many areas of computer assisted surgery, such as intra-operative, real time non-rigid registration and virtual reality surgeon training and operation planning systems with force and tactile feedback.Read moreRead less
Neuroimage Registration Using a Graphical Processing Unit. The proposed research will develop a computational framework, which will allow matching high quality pre-operative brain images with lower resolution images taken during neurosurgery. The key idea to be pursued is conducting computations on a Graphical Processing Unit (GPU). The success of this work will greatly improve effectiveness of brain tumour removal, and therefore improve clinical outcomes. The proposed work will provide enabling ....Neuroimage Registration Using a Graphical Processing Unit. The proposed research will develop a computational framework, which will allow matching high quality pre-operative brain images with lower resolution images taken during neurosurgery. The key idea to be pursued is conducting computations on a Graphical Processing Unit (GPU). The success of this work will greatly improve effectiveness of brain tumour removal, and therefore improve clinical outcomes. The proposed work will provide enabling technology for other areas of computer aided medicine, such as virtual reality operation planning systems with realistic force and tactile feedback, control systems of neurosurgical robots with tissue deformation prediction module, etc.Read moreRead less
Computational biomechanics for image-guided neurosurgery. Our results will lead to significant improvements to the efficacy and efficiency of image-guided neurosurgery for brain tumours. Visualisation of the intra-operative configuration of the patient's brain, obtained by sparse intra-operative MRI, merged with high resolution pre-operative imaging data will become possible. In current practice, the neurosurgeon must mentally fuse the information from pre-operative fMRI and DTI by projecting it ....Computational biomechanics for image-guided neurosurgery. Our results will lead to significant improvements to the efficacy and efficiency of image-guided neurosurgery for brain tumours. Visualisation of the intra-operative configuration of the patient's brain, obtained by sparse intra-operative MRI, merged with high resolution pre-operative imaging data will become possible. In current practice, the neurosurgeon must mentally fuse the information from pre-operative fMRI and DTI by projecting it through the 3D spatial and temporal changes the patient's brain has undergone. We propose to replace this mental fusion with computations based on the biomechanical model that will allow visualisation of the transformed pre-operative data matched to the current shape of the patient's brain.Read moreRead less
Final frontier in computational modelling of movement. This project aims to create the computational models and methods needed to advance current understanding of musculoskeletal function during movement. Humans must maintain their capacity to move in order to maintain quality-of-life. Predictive modelling is potentially the most powerful approach for understanding musculoskeletal function during movement. Current computational methods are too slow and unreliable to deliver predictive simulation ....Final frontier in computational modelling of movement. This project aims to create the computational models and methods needed to advance current understanding of musculoskeletal function during movement. Humans must maintain their capacity to move in order to maintain quality-of-life. Predictive modelling is potentially the most powerful approach for understanding musculoskeletal function during movement. Current computational methods are too slow and unreliable to deliver predictive simulations of movement using realistic models of muscle and joint anatomy. This project expects to create the next generation of methods and algorithms needed to enable predictive modelling of movement. Predictive simulations will provide new insights into how muscles stabilise and control movements of the spine, pelvis and lower limbs during daily activities such as walking.Read moreRead less
Measuring large deformation tissue mechanical behaviour in living humans. This project aims to develop new in vivo imaging methods to characterise the nonlinear mechanical behaviour of soft biological tissues, and use them to measure the properties of muscle, liver and adipose tissue in human subjects. Comprehensively characterising the mechanical properties of an individual person’s body tissues in vivo is a long-standing challenge in biomechanics and biomedical engineering. These new methods a ....Measuring large deformation tissue mechanical behaviour in living humans. This project aims to develop new in vivo imaging methods to characterise the nonlinear mechanical behaviour of soft biological tissues, and use them to measure the properties of muscle, liver and adipose tissue in human subjects. Comprehensively characterising the mechanical properties of an individual person’s body tissues in vivo is a long-standing challenge in biomechanics and biomedical engineering. These new methods aim to overcome major imitations of current biomechanical imaging methods, and make new measurements of the nonlinear mechanical properties of muscle, liver and adipose tissues. These techniques may be useful for future diagnostic, biomechanics and mechanobiology applications.Read moreRead less
Patient-specific biomechanical modelling for improved treatment of spinal deformity. Spinal deformities negatively affect social acceptance, physical and mental wellbeing in children and adolescents. The direct costs of spinal deformity surgery are approximately $30 million per year in Australia, yet poor treatment outcomes due to post-operative complications incur a much higher cost as patients with persistent pain and disability face a lifetime of dependency and reduced ability to work. The pa ....Patient-specific biomechanical modelling for improved treatment of spinal deformity. Spinal deformities negatively affect social acceptance, physical and mental wellbeing in children and adolescents. The direct costs of spinal deformity surgery are approximately $30 million per year in Australia, yet poor treatment outcomes due to post-operative complications incur a much higher cost as patients with persistent pain and disability face a lifetime of dependency and reduced ability to work. The patient-specific biomechanical modelling techniques developed in this project will reduce complications and improve correction for Australian children who undergo spinal deformity surgery. Better treatment outcomes will ensure quality of life, health and productivity for spinal deformity patients throughout their entire lives.Read moreRead less