View source for 2010-12-IGT-Survery

=Introduction=
In preparation for the 2011 AHM and the port to Slicer 4, we will build a comprehensive list of IGT related technologies and projects available in Slicer 3.6.x.

=Logistics=
*When:
*Where:
*Who:

=Technologies=
*Slicer Demon
*OpenIGTLink
**Trackers
**Robots
**MR scanners
**CT scanners
*Fiducials for biopsies

=Projects=
*Prostate biopsy (Andras Lasso, Junichi Tokuda)
**ProstateNav module: generic image guided biopsy module, now supports 3 different prostate biopsy devices (could be easily generalized to other devices), used for real patient cases
***registration of the manipulator to MRI image coordinate system (two methods: A. using 4 spot markers, B. using 3 Z-shaped linear markers)
***target, robot model, and workspace visualization
***planning a list of biopsy targets
***verification of reached positions vs. planned positions
**Plans
***Port ProstateNav to Slicer4 (QT): not simple, need some restructuring (to make GUI and logic more independent)
***Detect and compensate intra-procedural patient motion (using volume to volume registration, or volume to multiple 2D slices registration)
*Kidney biopsy
*IRGUS
*Liver ablation
*Intraoperative tractography
**FiducialSeeding: tool coordinates are received via BioImageSuite/OpenIGTLink bridge to drive position of fiducial for tract seeding.
**Planned: selective display of pre-computed clusters based on tool position (to reduce display latency due to computation w/ dense seeding).
*Augmented reality image overlay
**PerkStationModule: Provides image overlay needle guidance, and laser guidance for needle insertions. Can evaluate insertion error after loading a confirmation image (with the needle inside patient/phantom).
**TransformRecorder: Simple module to record needle trajectory using trackers (electromagnetic or optical), with buttons for real-time annotation of the procedure. Saves procedure to XML files. Uses OpenIGTLink connection.
**PerkProcedureEvaluator: Reads recorded needle trajectory from XML, requires needle plan and phantom position as input. Computes several metrics for the recorded procedure: procedure time, needle path length, tissue damage, deviation angles from the plan. Can also replay the procedure in the 3D view, for offline manual annotation.
**Plans: Compute more sophisticated metrics in the PerkProcedureEvaluator, and provide real-time meaningful feedback to the trainee. The goal is to have an automatic needle insertion simulation and training suite that evaluates the skill of the trainee, and helps his or her improvement.

=Slicer core improvements wishlist=
*Performance
**Faster start-up (within about 30 seconds)
**Faster image update (about 5 fps)
**Faster fiducial manipulation (add/remove/show/hide fiducials should be completed instantly)
*Increased robustness (reduce memory leaks)
*DICOM receiver, more convenient browser
*Support for sparse volumes (scout images, sparse volumes with tracking slices)
*Support for editing volume inside of a transform
*Support for temporal data (images, transforms, ...)