We have developed an efficient and robust image reconstruction algorithm for static impedance imaging. This improved Newton-Raphson method produced more accurate images by reducing the undesirable effects of the ill-conditioned Hessian matrix. We found that our electrical impedance tomography (EIT) system could produce two-dimensional static images from a physical phantom with 7% spatial resolution at the center and 5% at the periphery. Static EIT image reconstruction requires a large amount of computation. In order to overcome the limitations on reducing the computation time by algorithmic approaches, we implemented the improved Newton-Raphson algorithm on a parallel computer system and showed that the parallel computation could reduce the computation time from hours to minutes.

The correlation search method yields velocity information by tracking scatter patterns between medical image frames. The displacement vector between a target region and the best correlated search region indicates the magnitude and direction of the inter-frame motion of that particular region. However, if the noise sources in the target region and the search region are correlated Gaussian, then the cross-correlation technique fails to work well because it estimates the cross-correlation of both signals and noises. In this paper we develop a new correlation search method which seeks the best correlated third-order statistics between a target and the search region to suppress the effect of correlated Gaussian noise sources. Our new method yields better estimations of velocity than the conventional cross-correlation method.

3차원 데이타로부터 물체 표면의 입체 도시를 위한 semi-transparent volume rendering 방법은 다른 입체 도시 방법들보다 화질면에서 뛰어나다고 알려져 있다. 본 논문에서는 이러한 semi-transparent volume rendering 방법의 장점을 가지면서 더욱 성능을 향상시킨 입체 데이타 표면의 3차원 도시를 실현시켜 보았다. Aniosotrophic resolution의 3차원 데이타는 directional interpolation을 사용하여 artifact의 발생을 줄였으며 전처리 과정에서 물체 표면까지의 깊이 정보를 구함으로써 계산시간을 줄일 수 있었고 또한 물체의 불투명도 값에 의해 결정되는 표본 간격을 사용함으로써 quantization error를 줄일 수 있었다.

In this paper, the effect of background grey levels on the visual perception of target image displayed on CRT monitor has been investigated. The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of CRT monitor as a display medium of image information especially in medical imaging field. Three sets of experiments have been performed in this study; the first was to measure the luminance response of CRT monitor and to find the best fitting equation, and the second was the psychophysical experiment measuring the threshold grey level difference between the target image and the background required for visual discrimination for various background grey levels, and the third was to develop a visual model that is predictable of the threshold grey level difference measured in the psychophysical experiment. The result of psycophysical experiment shows that the visual perception performance is significantly degraded in the range of grey levels lower than 50, which is turned out due to the low luminance change of CRT monitor in this range while human eye has been adapted to relatively bright ambient illumination.

뇌의 시세포를 전기적으로 자극할때 작고 환한 섬광을 보게된다. 이 원리를 이용하여 전기 핀 배열판으로 축구 경기장의 전광판 같은 이미지를 만들어 맹인을 위한 기능적 시각, 걷기 혹은 글 읽기를 가능케 할 수 있다. 유타대학 생체공학과는 인공시각 연구에서 최고의 역사를 가지고 있다. 최근에 개발된 실리콘 전극 배열판은 가까운 장래의 인체 실험을 남겨놓고 있다.

This paper describes and discusses the employment of EMG pattern analysis to provide upper-motor-neuron paraplegics with patient-responsive control of FES (functional electrical stimulation) for the purpose of walker-supported walking. The use of above - lesion EMG signals as a solution to the control problem is considered. The AR (autoregressive) parameters are identified by Kalman filter algorithm using DSP chip and classified by fuzzy theory. The control and stimuli part of the below-lesion are based on microprocessor(8031). The designed stimulator is a 4-channel version. The experiments described above have only attempted to discriminate between standing function and sit-down function. A further advantage of the this system is applied for motor rehabilitation of social readaption of paralyzed humans.

Two types of speech signal processores (SSP) for cochlea prosthesis are designed. One is designed using cochlear model and the other is designed using Information (formant, pitch, intensity) extraction method. For these, cochlear model and acoustic information extraction method are proposed. The result shows SSP of cochlear model type contain more acoustic cues than that of information extraction type.

In this study, peripheral auditory system has been modeled as a filter bank of overlaping bandpass filters, and auditory filter shape has been estimated by notch noise masking. The filter was centered at 1kHz, and noise level was set to 40dB SPL. Masker noise was generated by summing sinusoidal functions with random phase for very steep skirts. To estimate threshold we used two alternative forced choice with 500 msec of duration. We measured threshold with notch width at 0.05,0.1,0.2,0.3,0.4 and 0.5. The filter was asymmetric with steeper upper branch and its ERB was 168 - 192 Hz.

An automatized latency calculation method of evoked otoacoustic emission is proposed. Averaged e-OAE signal is measured from normal adult and it is processed by IBM-AT computer for latency calculation. After partition of stimulated and emitted signal on the time axis by converted linear prediction coding spectrum, latency is calculated by cross correlation method. The output is also compared with those of conventional autocorrelation and pure cross correlation methods. The result show that proposed method has better performance than those of conventional ones.

This paper describes an algorithm of pattern analysis of ECG signals by significant points extraction method. The significant points can be extracted by modified zerocrossing method, which method determines the real significant point among the significant point candidates by zerocrossing method and slope rate of left side and right side. This modified zerocrossing method improves the accuracy of detection of real significant point position. This paper also describes the pattern matching algorithm by a hierarchical AND/OR graph of ECG signals. The decomposition of ECG signals by a hierarchical AND/OR graph can make the pattern matching process easy and fast. Furthermore the pattern matching to the significant points reduces the processing time of ECG analysis.

This paper describes an algorithm that recognizing the QRS complex using attribute grammar interpreter. This System extracts primitives and their attributes by linear approximation and then evaluated by attribute grammar interpreter.

A hybrid model which uses a probabilistic model and a MLP(multi layer perceptron) model for pattern recognition of EMG(electromyogram) signals is proposed in this paper. MLP model has problems which do not guarantee global minima of error due to learning method and have different approximation grade to bayesian probabilities due to different amounts and quality of training data, the number of hidden layers and hidden nodes, etc. Especially in the case of new test data which exclude design samples, the latter problem produces quite different results. The error probability of probabilistic model is closely related to the estimation error of the parameters used in the model and fidelity of assumtion. Generally, it is impossible to introduce the bayesian classifier to the probabilistic model of EMG signals because of unknown priori probabilities and is estimated by MLE(maximum likelihood estimate). In this paper we propose the method which get the MAP(maximum a posteriori probability) in the probabilistic model by estimating the priori probability distribution which minimize the error probability using the MLP. This method minimize the error probability of the probabilistic model as long as the realization of the MLP is optimal and approximate the minimum of error probability of each class of both models selectively. Alocating the reference coordinate of EMG signal to the outside of the body make it easy to suit to the applications which it is difficult to define and seperate using internal body coordinate. Simulation results show the benefit of the proposed model compared to use the MLP and the probabilistic model seperately.

In this study electrical impedance plethysmograph was developed and each ten digital blood flow was measured for eight normal males and a patint with digital arterial reconstruction surgery. Blood flow of the digit with surgery was approximately fourty percent compared to that of the other normal digit. For the normal subjects, right-handed subjects generally have larger blood flow in right fingers than that in left fingers while it was reverse for the left-handed subjects. The relative average magnitude of the digital blood flow is the third, first, second, fourth, and fifth digit in descending order for the left and right hand, respectively. Blood flow of the fifth digit for all subjects except one was the smallest among the five digits.

Conventional compression bone fracture plates sometimes cause osteoporosis under the plate due to their high rigidity which in turn transfer physiological load mostly through the plates and screws. In order to prevent the osteopenia we have designed a system which have a viscoelastic washer between plate and screw head. The washer is made of a biocompatible ploymer (untra high molecular weight polyethylene, UHMWPE). Three-dimensional finite element meshes of the human femur with the conventional and new concept bone plate ere generated and the comparative stress analyses are performed with static half-stance loading condition. The results of analyses showed that could reduce the stress shielding effect compared with the conventional plate.

Cell kinetics and the chemical mass action principle formulate the basis of immune system dynamics which may be synthesized mathematically as cascades of bilinear systems which are connected by nonlinear nondynamical terms. In this manner, a model for cell-mediated immune response (CMI) to tumor antigens and debris is developed. We also consider parametric control variables relevant to the latest experimental data, i.e., sigmoidal dose-response relationship and Michaelis-Menten dynamics. The preliminary results show that the parametric control variable is important in the destruction of tumors. As well as that, the exacerbation theory is a good method for tumor treatment. Finally, tumor control as an application of immunotherapy is analyzed from the basis established above.

A micro-computer based system has been designed to evaluate the performance of infant incubators. The measurement system used a hybrid of analog electronics for amplification, integration and switches and micro-computer for data storage, data display, and control of relay. This approach has been applied to measure the warm-up time, temperature stability, temperature change due to open/close of door and portholes, and temperature distribution on the mattress. The micro-computer provides on-line access of multi-point temperature data.

The purpose of this reserch is to design the blood cell counting instrument which can measure the number of RBC(Red Blood Cell) and WBC(White Blood Cell) including many other blood component. The proposed method uses the electrical impedence method and the new discrimination method wi th DSP chip and software algorithm. The system consist of control unit, blood cell discrimination unit, hemoglobin spectrometer, post detect ion processor unit, and IBM-PC interface unit. In this paper, the discrimination system has been implemented using digital signal processor, which result in the reduction of system hardware and cost. The system is helpful in providing necessary clinical test for screen test and quality control of hematology.

It is well known that multipoint and computerized intraoperative mapping systems improve the results of surgery for Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and show tremendous potential for opening an entirely new era of surgical intervention for the more common and lethal types of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias such as atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation. In addition, the ability to map and ablate the sometimes fleeting automatic atrial tachycardia is greatly enhanced by computerized mapping systems. In this study, we have developed 16 channel computerized data analysis system using microcomputer for basic research of electrophysiology and electrical propagation. This system is expected to enable us to study pathophysiology of cardiac arrhythmia and to improve the results of diagnosis and surgical treatment for cardiac arrhythmia.

A sensitive surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor for the detection of odorants has been constructed by depositing different phospholipids and fatty acids on the surface of the SAW device wi th the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. The characteristics of SAW device operating at 310 MHz deposited with phosphatidylcholine were analyzed. Amyl acetate, acetoin, menthone and other organic gases showed different affinities. The identification of odorants depending on the species of lipid used for coating is discussed in terms of the similarity of the normalized resonant frequency shift pattern. Using a number of different lipid-coated SAW devices, odorants could be identified by a neural-network pattern recognition with back-propagation algorithm.