He Yingchen, Sun Susan Y, Roy Arup, Caspi Avi, Montezuma Sandra R
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America. Author to whom any correspondence should be addressed.
J Neural Eng. 2020 Aug 4;17(4):045011. doi: 10.1088/1741-2552/aba4fb.
To evaluate the benefit of integrating thermal imaging into an artificial vision therapy system, the Argus II retinal prosthesis, in simplifying a complex scene and improving mobility performance in the presence of other persons.
Four Argus II retinal implant users were evaluated on two tasks: to locate and approach target persons in a booth, and to navigate a hallway while avoiding people. They completed the tasks using both the original Argus II system (the 'Argus II camera') and a thermal-integrated Argus II system (the 'thermal camera'). The safety and efficiency of their navigation were evaluated by their walking speed, navigation errors, and the number of collisions.
Navigation performance was significantly superior when using the thermal camera compared to using the Argus II camera, including 75% smaller angle of deviation (p < 0.001), 48% smaller error of distance (p < 0.05), and 30% fewer collisions (p < 0.05). The thermal camera also brought the additional benefit of allowing the participants to perform the task in the dark as efficiently as in the light. More importantly, these benefits did not come at a cost of reduced walking speed.
Using the thermal camera in the Argus II system, compared to a visible-light camera, could improve the wearers' navigation performance by helping them better approach or avoid other persons. Adding the thermal camera to future artificial vision therapy systems may complement the visible-light camera and improve the users' mobility safety and efficiency, enhancing their quality of life.
评估将热成像技术集成到人工视觉治疗系统——阿格斯II型视网膜假体中，在简化复杂场景以及在有他人在场的情况下改善移动性能方面的益处。
对四名阿格斯II型视网膜植入用户进行了两项任务评估：在一个展位中定位并接近目标人员，以及在走廊中行走时避开人群。他们分别使用原始的阿格斯II型系统（“阿格斯II型摄像头”）和集成了热成像技术的阿格斯II型系统（“热成像摄像头”）完成任务。通过他们的行走速度、导航误差和碰撞次数来评估其导航的安全性和效率。
与使用阿格斯II型摄像头相比，使用热成像摄像头时的导航性能显著更优，包括偏差角度小75%（p < 0.001）、距离误差小48%（p < 0.05）以及碰撞次数少30%（p < 0.05）。热成像摄像头还带来了额外的好处，即让参与者在黑暗中执行任务的效率与在明亮环境中一样高。更重要的是，这些益处并没有以降低行走速度为代价。
在阿格斯II型系统中使用热成像摄像头，与可见光摄像头相比，可以通过帮助佩戴者更好地接近或避开他人来提高其导航性能。在未来的人工视觉治疗系统中添加热成像摄像头可能会补充可见光摄像头的功能，并提高用户的移动安全性和效率，提升他们的生活质量。
