Current skills assessment in the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) program is labor inte... more Current skills assessment in the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) program is labor intensive, requiring one proctor for every 1-2 subjects. The ProMIS Augmented Reality (AR) simulator (Haptica, Dublin IR) allows for objective assessment of physical tasks through instrument tracking technology. We hypothesized that the ProMIS metrics could differentiate between ability groups as well as standard FLS scoring with fewer personnel requirements We recruited 60 volunteer subjects. Subjects were stratified based on their laparoscopic surgical experience. Those who had performed more than 100 laparoscopic procedures were considered experienced (n = 8). Those with fewer than 10 laparoscopic procedures were considered novices (n = 44). The rest were intermediates (n = 8). All subjects performed up to five trials of the peg transfer task from FLS in the ProMIS simulator. The FLS score, instrument path length, and instrument smoothness assessment were generated for each trial. For each of the five trials, experienced surgeons outperformed intermediates, who in turn outperformed novices. Statistically significant differences were seen between the groups across all trials for FLS score (p < 0.001), ProMIS path length (p < 0.001), and ProMIS smoothness (p < 0.001). When the FLS score was compared to the path length and smoothness metrics, a strong relationship between the scores was apparent for novices (r = 0.78, r = 0.94, p < 0.001) respectively), intermediates (r = 0.5, p = 0.2, r = 0.98, p < 0.001), and experienced surgeons (r = 0.86, p = 0.006, r = 0.99, p < 0.001). The construct that the standard scoring of the FLS peg transfer task can discriminate between experienced, intermediate, and novice surgeons is validated. The same construct is valid when the task is assessed using the metrics of the ProMIS. The high correlation between these scores establishes the concurrent validity of the ProMIS metrics. The use of AR for objective assessment of FLS tasks could reduce the personnel requirements of assessing these skills while maintaining the objectivity.
The work pertains to the application of solid-state luminescence as a characterization tool for g... more The work pertains to the application of solid-state luminescence as a characterization tool for glassy ceramic cultural artefacts. An archaeological glass bead collection excavated at the city of Thebes, Greece and considered as unique in terms of typological variety and time span was examined with the application of luminescence techniques (thermoluminescence, optically stimulated luminescence). Additionally, X-rays fluorescence (XRF) was used to provide non-destructively the elemental concentration profile of the samples. The thermoluminescence signals following laboratory irradiation provided distinct groups of spectra types according to the color classification of the samples. For each sample, the signal sensitivity and growth were examined using both thermoluminescence and optically stimulated luminescence recording. The study provides evidence for the usefulness of the combined application of luminescence and non-destructive, XRF-based, elemental analysis for the characterization of glass assemblages. Finally, due to the satisfactory level of radiation-induced signal intensity, the work suggests the possibility of chronological estimation of ancient glass beads using luminescence dating protocols.
Thermoluminescence (TL) signals of ceramic fragments from an archaeometallurgical furnace, sample... more Thermoluminescence (TL) signals of ceramic fragments from an archaeometallurgical furnace, sampled in Kythnos (Greece), were investigated using an additive dose fine-grain polymineral protocol. Based on the measurements, dates were produced that shed light on the beginnings of Cycladic Bronze Age metallurgy. Additionally, the mineralogy of the fragments was examined to study the relation between their TL characteristics and the temperatures they were exposed to during the pyrometallurgical process. The results presented here highlight sources of additional error in TL dating of ancient furnace remains, like varying sensitivity characteristics and potential mineralogical alterations.
Current skills assessment in the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) program is labor inte... more Current skills assessment in the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) program is labor intensive, requiring one proctor for every 1-2 subjects. The ProMIS Augmented Reality (AR) simulator (Haptica, Dublin IR) allows for objective assessment of physical tasks through instrument tracking technology. We hypothesized that the ProMIS metrics could differentiate between ability groups as well as standard FLS scoring with fewer personnel requirements We recruited 60 volunteer subjects. Subjects were stratified based on their laparoscopic surgical experience. Those who had performed more than 100 laparoscopic procedures were considered experienced (n = 8). Those with fewer than 10 laparoscopic procedures were considered novices (n = 44). The rest were intermediates (n = 8). All subjects performed up to five trials of the peg transfer task from FLS in the ProMIS simulator. The FLS score, instrument path length, and instrument smoothness assessment were generated for each trial. For each of the five trials, experienced surgeons outperformed intermediates, who in turn outperformed novices. Statistically significant differences were seen between the groups across all trials for FLS score (p < 0.001), ProMIS path length (p < 0.001), and ProMIS smoothness (p < 0.001). When the FLS score was compared to the path length and smoothness metrics, a strong relationship between the scores was apparent for novices (r = 0.78, r = 0.94, p < 0.001) respectively), intermediates (r = 0.5, p = 0.2, r = 0.98, p < 0.001), and experienced surgeons (r = 0.86, p = 0.006, r = 0.99, p < 0.001). The construct that the standard scoring of the FLS peg transfer task can discriminate between experienced, intermediate, and novice surgeons is validated. The same construct is valid when the task is assessed using the metrics of the ProMIS. The high correlation between these scores establishes the concurrent validity of the ProMIS metrics. The use of AR for objective assessment of FLS tasks could reduce the personnel requirements of assessing these skills while maintaining the objectivity.
The work pertains to the application of solid-state luminescence as a characterization tool for g... more The work pertains to the application of solid-state luminescence as a characterization tool for glassy ceramic cultural artefacts. An archaeological glass bead collection excavated at the city of Thebes, Greece and considered as unique in terms of typological variety and time span was examined with the application of luminescence techniques (thermoluminescence, optically stimulated luminescence). Additionally, X-rays fluorescence (XRF) was used to provide non-destructively the elemental concentration profile of the samples. The thermoluminescence signals following laboratory irradiation provided distinct groups of spectra types according to the color classification of the samples. For each sample, the signal sensitivity and growth were examined using both thermoluminescence and optically stimulated luminescence recording. The study provides evidence for the usefulness of the combined application of luminescence and non-destructive, XRF-based, elemental analysis for the characterization of glass assemblages. Finally, due to the satisfactory level of radiation-induced signal intensity, the work suggests the possibility of chronological estimation of ancient glass beads using luminescence dating protocols.
Thermoluminescence (TL) signals of ceramic fragments from an archaeometallurgical furnace, sample... more Thermoluminescence (TL) signals of ceramic fragments from an archaeometallurgical furnace, sampled in Kythnos (Greece), were investigated using an additive dose fine-grain polymineral protocol. Based on the measurements, dates were produced that shed light on the beginnings of Cycladic Bronze Age metallurgy. Additionally, the mineralogy of the fragments was examined to study the relation between their TL characteristics and the temperatures they were exposed to during the pyrometallurgical process. The results presented here highlight sources of additional error in TL dating of ancient furnace remains, like varying sensitivity characteristics and potential mineralogical alterations.
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Papers by C. Michael