Enabling Digital Pathology Adoption Via Hardware Interface Innovation
Team: PathNav
- Program: Biomedical Engineering
- Course: BME Undergraduate Design Team
Project Description:
Pathology is a critical field of medicine which enables the modern diagnostics which define quality healthcare. However, while every other form of imaging has largely gone digital (in some cases, like radiology, decades ago), pathology is still analog (i.e. essentially every slide is still viewed on a physical microscope). This creates a variety of costly inefficiencies with collaboration, annotation, and storage – but yet while the technology for digital pathology exists there has still been issues with adoption. Through a human factors engineering lens and the use of the Technology Acceptance Model, it is apparent that the ease of navigation is one of the key factors hindering adoption. As such, we designed and manufactured a novel trackpad/hotkey device for digital pathology navigation. Designed with ergonomics, efficiency, and usability in mind, our solution combines the well established strengths of consumer trackpad with pathology oriented functionalities. To test, the team built a custom clinically rooted computer based testing platform with synthetic tissue and real pathological tasks from which we could quantify performance. This device has the potential to improve the objective usability, ease of use, and perceived enjoyment of digital slide navigation; consequently increasing adoption and enabling the digital pathology revolution.
Project Photo:
PathNav is focused on developing a novel device to enable the transition from analog to digital pathology by improving objective usability and perceived enjoyment of the interface. Through a human factors oriented approach we have worked to engineer novel features that enable easier navigation as well as building a unique testing platform. This is embodied via this image, showing the switch from analog to digital via a trackpad technology. Designed with ergonomics, efficiency, and usability in mind, our solution combines the well established strengths of consumer trackpad with pathology oriented functionalities, promoting digital pathology adoption.
