Chronic venous disorders (CVD) of lower limbs affect millions of people worldwide. Specifically, for telangiectasias and reticular veins, which represent more than 50% of all CVD, laser-based therapies are usually used. Despite their considerable advantages, treatment safety and efficacy depend on the correct identification of unhealthy veins and on the correct handling of the laser device. However, laser guidance is usually performed through a naked eye evaluation, making the correct application of this therapy challenging and dependent on the user expertise.
This project aims to develop a framework for the guidance of laser treatments for leg veins. Such tool will provide an automatic identification of unhealthy veins and a collaborative robotic handling during the treatment session. Thus, with the introduction of this technology, a minimization of side-effects and improvement of treatment effectiveness can be foreseen. Moreover, a reduction in the learning curvature is also envisioned, broadening the procedure to novices.
Awards:
Finalist of the Kuka Innovation Award 2019.
Team:
João L. Vilaça (2Ai-IPCA);
Bruno Oliveira (2Ai-IPCA and University of Minho);
Pedro Morais (2Ai-IPCA);
António Baptista (Iberia Advanced HealthCare);
Reinaldo Ribeiro (ESI);
Jaime C. Fonseca (Algoritmi, University of Minho).
Partners:
Acknowledgments:
