Image and Signal Processing for Networked E-Health Applications - Ilias G. Maglogiannis
ABSTRACT
E-health is closely related with networks and telecommunications when dealing with applications
of collecting or transferring medical data from distant locations for performing remote
medical collaborations and diagnosis. In this book we provide an overview of the fields of image
and signal processing for networked and distributed e-health applications and their supporting
technologies. The book is structured in 10 chapters, starting the discussion from the lower
end, that of acquisition and processing of biosignals and medical images and ending in complex
virtual reality systems and techniques providing more intuitive interaction in a networked
medical environment. The book also discusses networked clinical decision support systems
and corresponding medical standards, WWW-based applications, medical collaborative platforms,
wireless networking, and the concepts of ambient intelligence and pervasive computing
in electronic healthcare systems.
KEYWORDS
Telemedicine, Biosignals, Clinical Support Systems, Coding, Standards, Web technologies,
Medical Collaboration, Mobile health, Ambient Intelligence, Pervasive Computing, Virtual
Reality
Preface
In all societies and in all eras, health has been an issue of major importance. Our times are, of
course, no different in this, except for one thing: the kind and amount of resources available to
us are augmented. During the last couple of centuries, technology has certainly been the most
important new resource made available to mankind. Thus, we have witnessed the generation
of a large series of new tools and devices that have helped the field of medicine progress and
enhance the services it is able to offer.
In our time, it is computers and communication technology that have this role in all
aspects of human activities, including medicine. As the computer-based patient record system
expands to support more clinical activities, healthcare organizations are asking physicians and
nurses to interact increasingly with computer systems to perform their duties. We have already
seen the development of a number of medical information systems and, a few years back, we
witnessed the birth of telemedicine with the utilization of networking in the field of medicine.
As work in this direction progresses, medicine, medical information systems, and networking
become more closely integrated, forming the area of e-Health and more specifically the field of
networked and distributed e-Health.
Although e-Health has already provided a number of useful tools and applications, clearly
showing its potential, it is still a field in its very early stages. As is often the case when a field
has not yet matured, its literature is distributed in a wide range of publications of related fields.
This makes it hard for researchers to monitor the state of the art and for new researchers to
enter the field, both of which have the negative effect of slowing down the growth of the field.
In this book, we review the field of networked and distributed e-Health, hoping to
provide a solid starting point for anyone interested in this marvelous science. Readers will find
the chapters to be short and concise, briefly covering main achievements and estimated future
directions in each important component of networked e-health applications, while at the same
time offering a considerable number of current references for further reading.
We hope that the material included in this book will assist the potential reader to learn
about the state of the art and future trends in the field of networked e-health applications and
telemedicine and its supporting technologies.
The authors would also like to thank the publisher Joel Claypool for his endless patience
and support, as well as the series editor, John Enderle, for his trust. Ilias Maglogiannis dedicates
this book to Vicky, Kostas Karpouzis dedicates this book to Eleni and their two newborn
daughters, and Manolis Wallace dedicates this book to Coula, Lambrini, and Nicoletta.
Ilias Maglogiannis,
Kostas Karpouzis,
Manolis Wallace
December 2005, Athens
Download
http://s18.alxa.net/s18/srvs2/02/00...glogiannis.rar
ABSTRACT
E-health is closely related with networks and telecommunications when dealing with applications
of collecting or transferring medical data from distant locations for performing remote
medical collaborations and diagnosis. In this book we provide an overview of the fields of image
and signal processing for networked and distributed e-health applications and their supporting
technologies. The book is structured in 10 chapters, starting the discussion from the lower
end, that of acquisition and processing of biosignals and medical images and ending in complex
virtual reality systems and techniques providing more intuitive interaction in a networked
medical environment. The book also discusses networked clinical decision support systems
and corresponding medical standards, WWW-based applications, medical collaborative platforms,
wireless networking, and the concepts of ambient intelligence and pervasive computing
in electronic healthcare systems.
KEYWORDS
Telemedicine, Biosignals, Clinical Support Systems, Coding, Standards, Web technologies,
Medical Collaboration, Mobile health, Ambient Intelligence, Pervasive Computing, Virtual
Reality
Preface
In all societies and in all eras, health has been an issue of major importance. Our times are, of
course, no different in this, except for one thing: the kind and amount of resources available to
us are augmented. During the last couple of centuries, technology has certainly been the most
important new resource made available to mankind. Thus, we have witnessed the generation
of a large series of new tools and devices that have helped the field of medicine progress and
enhance the services it is able to offer.
In our time, it is computers and communication technology that have this role in all
aspects of human activities, including medicine. As the computer-based patient record system
expands to support more clinical activities, healthcare organizations are asking physicians and
nurses to interact increasingly with computer systems to perform their duties. We have already
seen the development of a number of medical information systems and, a few years back, we
witnessed the birth of telemedicine with the utilization of networking in the field of medicine.
As work in this direction progresses, medicine, medical information systems, and networking
become more closely integrated, forming the area of e-Health and more specifically the field of
networked and distributed e-Health.
Although e-Health has already provided a number of useful tools and applications, clearly
showing its potential, it is still a field in its very early stages. As is often the case when a field
has not yet matured, its literature is distributed in a wide range of publications of related fields.
This makes it hard for researchers to monitor the state of the art and for new researchers to
enter the field, both of which have the negative effect of slowing down the growth of the field.
In this book, we review the field of networked and distributed e-Health, hoping to
provide a solid starting point for anyone interested in this marvelous science. Readers will find
the chapters to be short and concise, briefly covering main achievements and estimated future
directions in each important component of networked e-health applications, while at the same
time offering a considerable number of current references for further reading.
We hope that the material included in this book will assist the potential reader to learn
about the state of the art and future trends in the field of networked e-health applications and
telemedicine and its supporting technologies.
The authors would also like to thank the publisher Joel Claypool for his endless patience
and support, as well as the series editor, John Enderle, for his trust. Ilias Maglogiannis dedicates
this book to Vicky, Kostas Karpouzis dedicates this book to Eleni and their two newborn
daughters, and Manolis Wallace dedicates this book to Coula, Lambrini, and Nicoletta.
Ilias Maglogiannis,
Kostas Karpouzis,
Manolis Wallace
December 2005, Athens
Download
http://s18.alxa.net/s18/srvs2/02/00...glogiannis.rar