An intelligent, interactive platform for ophthalmic teaching, telemedicine, and telecollaboration: design considerations and prototype construction.

The development of technologies permitting processing, compression, and transmission of digital images and image sequences enables powerful methodologies for local and remote medical teleconsultation. We are developing a slit-lamp-based ophthalmic augmented reality (image overlay) environment incorporating features to permit real-time, interactive teaching, telemedicine, and telecollaboration. A binocular slit-lamp biomicroscope interfaced to a CCD camera, framegrabber board, and PC permits acquisition and rendering of anterior segment and retinal images. Computer-vision algorithms facilitate robust tracking, registration, and near-video-rate image overlay of previously stored retinal photographic and angiographic images onto the real-time fundus image. Our algorithms facilitate shared control of pointing, drawing, and measuring functions registered with the retinal image video stream and direct audio communication between an examiner (student, generalist) and remote observer (instructor, specialist). Bandwidth and video compression considerations limit the frame rate and latency for video stream transmission. Excellent and acceptable performance are demonstrated in model eyes over a local area network and through a modem connection, respectively. These studies represent the first investigations towards the design and implementation of an intelligent platform for ophthalmic telemedicine and telecollaboration.