Zaffino Paolo, Merola Alessio, Leuzzi Domenico, Sabatino Virgilio, Cosentino Carlo, Spadea Maria Francesca
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
Bioengineering (Basel). 2020 Sep 11;7(3):109. doi: 10.3390/bioengineering7030109.
Interaction between medical image platform and external environment is a desirable feature in several clinical, research, and educational scenarios. In this work, the integration between 3D Slicer package and Arduino board is introduced, enabling a simple and useful communication between the two software/hardware platforms. The open source extension, programmed in Python language, manages the connection process and offers a communication layer accessible from any point of the medical image suite infrastructure. Deep integration with 3D Slicer code environment is provided and a basic input-output mechanism accessible via GUI is also made available. To test the proposed extension, two exemplary use cases were implemented: (1) INPUT data to 3D Slicer, to navigate on basis of data detected by a distance sensor connected to the board, and (2) OUTPUT data from 3D Slicer, to control a servomotor on the basis of data computed through image process procedures. Both goals were achieved and quasi-real-time control was obtained without any lag or freeze, thus boosting the integration between 3D Slicer and Arduino. This integration can be easily obtained through the execution of few lines of Python code. In conclusion, SlicerArduino proved to be suitable for fast prototyping, basic input-output interaction, and educational purposes. The extension is not intended for mission-critical clinical tasks.
医学图像平台与外部环境之间的交互在多个临床、研究和教育场景中都是一项理想的功能。在这项工作中，介绍了3D Slicer软件包与Arduino开发板之间的集成，实现了两个软件/硬件平台之间简单而有用的通信。用Python语言编写的开源扩展管理连接过程，并提供一个可从医学图像套件基础设施的任何点访问的通信层。提供了与3D Slicer代码环境的深度集成，还提供了一个可通过图形用户界面访问的基本输入输出机制。为了测试所提出的扩展，实现了两个示例性用例：（1）将数据输入3D Slicer，以便根据连接到开发板的距离传感器检测到的数据进行导航，以及（2）从3D Slicer输出数据，以便根据通过图像处理程序计算的数据控制一个伺服电机。两个目标均已实现，并且获得了准实时控制，没有任何延迟或卡顿，从而促进了3D Slicer与Arduino之间的集成。通过执行几行Python代码即可轻松实现这种集成。总之，SlicerArduino被证明适用于快速原型制作、基本输入输出交互以及教育目的。该扩展不适用于关键任务的临床任务。
