Feb 23 2010
From The Space Library
RELEASE: 10-261
NASA TECHNOLOGY MAY AID INTERPRETATION OF MEDICAL IMAGERY
GREENBELT, Md. -- NASA software used to enhance Earth science imagery could help interpret medical imagery. The new MED-SEG system, developed by Bartron Medical Imaging Inc. of Largo, Md., relies on an innovative software program developed at NASA to help doctors analyze mammograms, ultrasounds, digital X-rays and other medical imaging tests. "The use of this computer-based technology could minimize human error that occurs when evaluating radiologic films and might allow for earlier detection of abnormalities within the tissues being imaged, said Dr. Thomas Rutherford, director of Gynecologic Oncology at Yale University in New Haven, Conn. The Food and Drug Administration recently cleared the system for trained professionals to process images. These images can be used in radiologists' reports and communications, but the processed images should not be used for primary diagnosis. MED-SEG is a software device that receives medical images and data from various medical imaging sources. Images and data can be stored, communicated, processed and displayed within the system or across computer networks at distributed locations. The core of Bartron's MED-SEG system is a computer algorithm, the Hierarchical Segmentation Software, developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., by computer engineer James C. Tilton. He began working on his algorithm more than 25 years ago. His goal was to advance a totally new approach for analyzing digital images, which are made up of thousands of pixels. Like a single piece of a jigsaw puzzle, a pixel often does not provide enough information about where it fits in the overall scene. To overcome the deficiency, Tilton focused on an approach called image segmentation, which organizes and groups an image's pixels together at different levels of detail. Tilton's approach to image segmentation is different than others. It finds region objects, and also groups spatially separated region objects together into region classes. For example, an Earth satellite image may contain several lakes of different depths. Deep lakes appear dark blue, and shallow lakes are a lighter shade of blue. The software first finds each individual lake; then it groups together all shallow lakes into one class and the deeper lakes into another. Because lakes are more similar than they are to vegetation, roads, buildings, and other objects, the software groups all lakes together, regardless of their varying colors. As a result, the software allows the user to distinguish important features in the scene accurately and quickly. Bartron learned of the software through Goddard's Innovative Partnerships Program Office. In 2003 the company licensed the patented technology to create a system that would differentiate hard-to-see details in complex medical images. "Trained professionals can use the MED-SEG system to separate two-dimensional images into digitally related sections or regions that, after colorization, can be individually labeled by the user, explained Fitz Walker, president and CEO of Bartron Medical Imaging. Dr. Molly Brewer, a professor with the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, would like to do clinical trials with the MED-SEG system to improve mammography as a diagnostic tool for detecting breast cancer. "One problem with mammograms is they often give a false negative for detecting abnormalities in women's breasts, Brewer said. Women who either have high breast density or a strong family history of breast cancer are often sent for MRIs, which are costly, very uncomfortable and have a high false positive rate resulting in many unnecessary biopsies. The MED-SEG processes the image allowing a doctor to see a lot more detail in a more quantitative way. This new software could save patients a lot of money by reducing the number of costly and unnecessary tests.
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RELEASE: 10-310
FALCON 9 LAUNCH POSTPONED TO NO EARLIER THAN WEDNESDAY
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A demonstration launch of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program has been rescheduled for no earlier than Wednesday, Dec. 8. The delay is because of a crack in the engine nozzle on the rocket's second stage. During a routine review of close-out photos of the rocket on Monday, SpaceX engineers discovered the crack, which measures about three-inches long. Preparations continue on the rocket at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 40 in Florida. SpaceX is considering several options, including repairing the crack or shipping a replacement part from California. More information on the launch schedule will be announced when available. To learn more about the COTS 1 launch, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/cots
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RELEASE: 10-268
NASA ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF HUMAN HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE CENTER
WASHINGTON -- NASA has established a global forum for organizations interested in advancing human health and performance innovations in space and on Earth. NASA's Human Health and Performance Center (NHHPC) will give members an opportunity to collaborate, network and share information. NHHPC members include NASA centers and partners, industry, academic institutions, government agencies and nonprofit organizations. Members will work together to advance human health and performance innovations for spaceflight, commercial aviation and any challenging environment on Earth. "The NHHPC provides a collaborative forum for many diverse organizations to develop innovative approaches to human health and performance issues in challenging environments, said Jeffrey R. Davis, M.D., director of the NHHPC and director of the Space Life Sciences Directorate at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. The NHHPC offers an opportunity to share knowledge and best practices and to develop projects so that member organizations can collaborate in addressing those issues most important to them. NHHPC's first event will be a workshop titled Collaborative Innovation: Strategies and Best Practices, which is scheduled for Jan. 19 in Houston. NHHPC members and guest speakers will address how to use various innovative approaches to achieve member organizations' goals. A WebEx broadcast of keynote speakers will be available.
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MEDIA ADVISORY: M10-008
NASA TO HOLD BRIEFING ON ADVANCED MISSION TO STUDY OUR SUN
WASHINGTON -- NASA is scheduled to host a briefing at 1 p.m. EST, on Thursday, Jan. 21, to discuss the upcoming launch and science of an unprecedented mission to study the sun and its dynamic behavior. The briefing on NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, mission will take place in the NASA Headquarters auditorium, located at 300 E St. S.W. in Washington and at the press site at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The briefing participants are: - Richard Fisher, Heliophysics division director, NASA Headquarters in Washington - Madhulika Guhathakurta, SDO program scientist, NASA Headquarters - Dean Pesnell, SDO project scientist, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. - Elizabeth Citrin, SDO project manager, Goddard The briefing will be broadcast live on NASA Television and the agency's Web site. To watch the briefing on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv Reporters unable to attend the briefing may ask questions by telephone. To reserve a telephone line, journalists should e-mail their name, media affiliation and telephone number to J.D. Harrington at: j.d.harrington@nasa.gov NOTE: Due to launch processing schedules, this briefing may move to 2 p.m. EST, Friday, Jan. 22. Media representatives should contact Harrington at 202-358-5241 Thursday morning for an update.
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RELEASE: 10-148
NASA TAKES GAMERS ON A LUNAR ADVENTURE WITH NEW ONLINE VIDEO GAME
WASHINGTON -- NASA has given gamers a taste of lunar adventure with release of Moonbase Alpha, an exciting new, free online video game. The game has single and multiplayer options that allow participants to step into the role of an exploration team member in a futuristic 3-D lunar settlement. Players must work to restore critical systems and oxygen flow after a meteor strike cripples a solar array and life support equipment. Available resources include an interactive command center, lunar rover, mobile robotic repair units and a fully-stocked equipment shed. The game is a proof of concept to show how NASA content can be combined with a cutting-edge game engine to inspire, engage and educate students about agency technologies, job opportunities and the future of space exploration. Moonbase Alpha is rated E for everyone. It is the first game in NASA's Learning Technologies project. The project supports the delivery of NASA content through interactive technologies such as virtual worlds, games and software applications to enhance science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, education. Moonbase Alpha is a precursor to a planned NASA-based massively, multiplayer online game project. The project is being designed to have content and missions that require players to gain and demonstrate STEM knowledge to succeed. NASA released the game on Valve's Steam network. The agency will use the Steamworks suite of services for server browsing, leaderboards, statistics and more. Steam has more than 25 million accounts and has released more than 1,100 games. It was built on Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3.The Army Game Studio developed the game with support from Virtual Heroes, a division of Applied Research Associates in Research Triangle Park, N.C. This collaboration between NASA and the Army's Aviation Missile Research Development and Engineering Center is an example of government agencies working together to improve education in the STEM fields.
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CONTRACT RELEASE: C10-024
NASA AWARDS BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND TECHNICAL SERVICES CONTRACT
MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. -- NASA has selected Deltha-Critique NSS Joint Venture of New Orleans to receive a contract for business operations and technical services at NASA's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif. The contract has a maximum value of $70 million. This is an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm fixed-price single award contract that begins on April 26, 2010. The contract consists of a two-year base period and includes three one-year options. The company will provide a variety of support at NASA Ames, including work in the following areas: general administration facilities engineering and real property management documentation diversity and equal opportunity human capital the Office of Chief Counsel acquisition innovative partnerships education and outreach public affairs and media relations collaborative robotics group intelligent systems exploration technology strategic management and analysis support The contract with Deltha-Critique NSS Joint Venture includes a subcontract with InDyne of Reston, Va.
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