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Control Interfaces for MRI Machines Using Surface Computing

This is a completed project.

Description

The goal of this project is first to study the benefits of a table-based interface for MRI machines. Because such machines are usually complex to operate, they require a lot of knowledge from the operator. The benefits expected from such an interface are a better communication between the MRI physicist and the scientist for whom the experiment is run, and the ability for non-experts to run simple imaging experiments or to gather data from it.

This project will be designed according to the User Centered Design (UCD) principles, which will involve low-fidelity prototypes, their evaluation, and then a high-fidelity prototype representative for what the interface will look like, with a strong focus on the results of the early evaluation phase. The process is iterative, which means that every new version of the prototype will rely on the evaluation of the previous one, a better understanding of the user’s activity, new brainstorming sessions and design walkthroughs. The hardware used will be a combination of a horizontal, multi-touch table (control interface) in front of a vertical, single-touch display (information display). This setup will enable different people from different backgrounds (MRI physicist, animal surgeon, biologist …) to cooperate and use the machine more efficiently.

 

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Partners

NRC Institute for Biodiagnostics