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are noise free without losing any specific details during the image transmission process. Since radiographic images are
commonly transferred digitally, it is highly dependable on the bit error rate BER, which efficiently evaluates the amount of
bits delivered if a bit in the data stream is corrupted. Conclusively, we want to avoid any undetected delicate signs
displaying the tumour because of a few missing bits from the digital image.
3.4.2 Robot Assisted Tele-surgery
Tele-surgery is the surgical operation which can be carried out remotely by a surgeon without physically being present in the
operating theatre. It is possible nowadays since we have high precision robots which use super reliable tiny sensors and actua-
tors.
These actuators initiate the movement in the robot which is very precise. Actuator works on the instruction of the surgeon who
operates it and is able to perform three dimensional movements. Figure 3.9 shows a surgeon performing a remote operation us-
ing telemedicine system with a robot in the operating theatre. Besides the options of hand control movements, Randerson
2008 reported that there are eye controlled robots that can syn- chronize with the eye movement of the surgeon and monitor
precisely the place which the surgeon is operating. These eye controlled robots can make a 3-D mapping of the tissue; auto-
matically calculate the depth and thickness of tissues.
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Figure 3.9 Tele-robotic surgeries FONG et al 2011
Tele-robotic surgery is performed using the professional skills and techniques of a surgeon without he or she being present in
the operating theatre. However, this kind of surgery needs a lot of data exchange between the robot and surgeon. Firstly, the
surgeon needs to have a view of the operation theatre. High tech cameras with high power zooming and rotation function should
be installed in the operating theatre. The surgeon should be able to view the video image in real time without any hold ups so
that the robot can be operated without delay. A minor delay in the movement will end up with tragic and irreversible damage
on the patient. Thus latency time delay is the main problem with long distance tele-robotic surgery but sometime unavoida-
ble as transmission delay happens especially when connection is established across continents. Besides, the user interface for
controls has to be precisely engineered so that the entire system is synchronizing and work as the surgeon intended. Moreover,
voice activated control will ensure there is minimal disruption so that the operation is hassle free. Speech recognition algo-
rithm is also another matter that needs to be implemented pre- cisely so that each command given by the surgeon is correctly
interpreted. At the same time, it should be able to differentiate the voices of individuals in the operating theatre so that only the
command given by the surgeon is acted upon. By having prop-
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er recognition of speech, the tele-robot will be able to differen- tiate the voice commands of surgeon from other supporting staff
or surgeons in the operating theatre without a mixed up or wrongly carried out. Robotic control needs a high precision 3-D
control over hand movement using a pair of virtual gloves. The sensors in the virtual gloves are describe as ‘six dimensional’.
Six dimension are the both negative and positive movement along the ‘x’,’y’ and ‘z’ axis that represents the three dimen-
sional space away from any fixed reference point. as shown in Figure 3.10. The movement of sensor causes the respective ac-
tuators to make control of the robotic hand which holds a surgi- cal tool. It also controls changing surgical tool held by the
robotic hands.
Beside motion aided control, a voice channels should be pro- vided for video conferencing between the surgeon and the sup-
porting staff in the operating theatre. In conclusion, tele-surgery involves huge data transmission through real time videos imag-
es and also control signals of high precision. The transmission should be precise, with minimum time delay and highly reliable
to perform a successful tele-robotic surgery. Portable robotic surgeon could be live savers in many remote rescue tasks as
discussed in section 3.3 above. In fact the expensive robot can be written off without endangering lives if it is found to be mal-
functioning. Robots are also capable of doing underwater task Blackwell, 2006 and are even executed in high risk rescue op-
erations.
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Figure 3.10 the 3-D space representing the ‘Six-dimensions’
FONG et al 2011
3.5 Assessments of General Health
A Telemedicine use in healthcare goes beyond medical treat- ment for people with special needs. It also creates public aware-
ness in the healthy lifestyle in their daily lives. Technology is always there to aid our wellbeing and lifestyles. Information
technology fits well in many health evaluation tasks such weight management programs, skin care solutions, calculating
calorie intake and burn out, nutrition monitoring, baby alarm and even automated reminder for medical follow-up etc. Tech-
nological development continues to provide sometime for eve- ryone. Having said that, a conceptual design that makes us go
easy on certain product is much associate with IT and healthcare since good product designs lessen the risk and hazard
of using the product. Through weight management programs, telemedicine helps in the lowering the rate of obesity. The body
weight of the participants in a weight loss programs can be au- tomatically sent to a control centre for progress monitoring and
evaluation. Before concluding, we shall examine the benefits of telemedicine in our daily lives since most of the time we just
