PhD Candidate in Medical Robotics & Teleoperation
Recent features on the Vancouver Coastal Health website, UBC Graduate Studies website, and UBC Engineering Physics website
I am a PhD candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, studying medical robotics and imaging with Prof. Tim Salcudean. My research focuses on novel approaches to teleoperation and human computer interaction in these fields, including implementing haptic feedback on surgical robots by developing novel optical and magnetic force sensing techniques and applying control theory. Further, I am developing an exciting new concept of "human teleoperation" (see here). Currently I am working at ImFusion on autonomous robotic ultrasound for a 4-month internship. On the side, I am researching hyperspectral fluorescence spectroscopy-guided neurosurgery with researchers at the University Hospital of Münster, Germany (see here).
Additionally, I am an avid skier, paragliding pilot, speed flyer, climber, and trail runner (View some highlights - all photos on this site are of or by me). I am fluent (written and spoken) in English and German, play cello, follow the Bundesliga and Premier League, and love to travel. I am an efficient, motivated, hard worker and fast learner, and work well on teams. Below is a list of my experiences, education, etc.
David Black
May 2021 - Present
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering (Focus on Medical Robotics and Teleoperation)
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December 2023
Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery, Imperial College, London
Hamlyn Winter School on Surgical Imaging and Vision
Won runner-up best project award
September 2016 - May 2021
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering Physics
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May 2024 - Present
Robotics Engineer Intern at ImFusion GmbH, Munich, Germany
April 2021 - April 2022
Co-Founder & Lead Engineer of Snowspines Inc.
May - September 2020
Robotics Engineer Co-op at A&K Robotics
May - December 2019
UBC Robotics and Control Lab Research Student
January 2018-April 2019
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG Advanced Development Internship
September 2011 - April 2017
BC Soccer Referee
April - September 2016
Mountain Equipment Co-op Vancouver Floor Staff
July 2020 - Present
Mixed Reality Telemedicine (UBC Robotics & Control Lab)
September 2022 - Present
Low Profile Magnetic Force/Torque Sensing (UBC Robotics & Control Lab)
October 2019 - Present
Fluorescence Guided Neurosurgery Research (University Hospital of Münster, Germany; Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Oberkochen, Germany; Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia)
December 2023 - Present
SLAM for Robotic Endonasal Surgery (UBC; Moorsfield Eye Hospital, London, UK; DLR, Munich)
September 2023 - Present
Mixed Reality-Guided Trans-oral Robotic Surgery (University of British Columbia; Vancouver General Hospital)
September 2021 - December 2021
Optimal Joint Scheduling of eMBB and URLLC Traffic on the 5G NR (UBC EECE 565 Course)
September 2019 - April 2021
Robotic Anthropomorphic PET Phantom (BC Cancer Research Centre)
May - December 2019
Force/Torque Sensing for Robotic Surgery (UBC Robotics & Control Lab)
August 2019
Custom Thermal Cycler Design for CellenONE single-cell isolator and dispenser (BC Cancer Research Centre)
July - August 2018
Autonomous Mobile Robot Competition (UBC Engineering Physics Robot Course)
September 2016 - December 2017
UBC Solar Car Vehicle Dynamics Team Lead
D. Black, A. Xie, J. Gill, B. Liquet, A. Di leva, W. Stummer, E. Suero Molina. "Deep Learning-Based Hyperspectral Image Correction and Unmixing for Brain Tumor Surgery," in iScience, Oct. 2024.
D. Black, S. Salcudean. "Stability and Transparency in Mixed Reality Bilateral Teleoperation" submitted to IEEE Transactions on Robotics, October, 2024.
R. Yeung, D. Black, P. Chen, V. Lessoway, J. Reid, S. Rangel-Suarez, S. Chang, S. Salcudean. "Mixed Reality Tele-ultrasound over 750 km: a Clinical Study," submitted to the IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, Oct. 2024.
R. Vassallo, T.A. Aleef, V. Desaigoudar, Q. Zeng, D. Black, B. Wodlinger, M. Mannas, P.C. Black, S. Salcudean. "Simplifying Prostate Elastography Using Micro-Ultrasound and Transfer Function Imaging," in the MICCAI 2024 ASMUS Workshop.
D. Black, B. Liquet, S. Kaneko, A. Di leva, W. Stummer, E. Suero Molina. "A Spectral Library and Method for Sparse Unmixing of Hyperspectral Images in Fluorescence Guided Resection of Brain Tumors," in Biomedical Optics Express, accepted June 2024.
D. Black, S. Salcudean. "Robust Object Pose Tracking for Augmented Reality Guidance and Teleoperation," in IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, May 2024.
D. Black, N. Rangga, M. Nogami, A.H. Hadi Hosseinabadi, S. Salcudean. "Low Profile 6-Axis Differential Magnetic Force/Torque Sensing," in IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics and Bionics, Accepted April 2024.
D. Black, M. Nogami, S. Salcudean. "Mixed Reality Human Teleoperation with Device-Agnostic Remote Ultrasound: Communication and HCI," in Computers and Graphics, January, 2024
D. Black, D. Andjelic, S.E Salcudean. "Evaluation of Communication and Human Response Latency for (Human) Teleoperation," in IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics. January, 2024.
A.H. Hadi Hosseinabadi, D. Black, S. Salcudean. "Multi-Axis Force Sensing in Laparoscopic Surgery," in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, January 2024.
E. Suero Molina, D. Black, A. Walke, G. Azemi, F. D'Alessandro, S. König, W. Stummer. "Unraveling the blue shift in porphyrin fluorescence in glioma: The 620 nm peak and its potential significance in tumor biology," in Frontiers in Neuroscience, Vol 17. October, 2023.
D. Black, D. Byrne, A. Walke, S. Liu, A. Di leva, S. Kaneko, W. Stummer, S. Salcudean, E. Suero Molina. "Towards Machine Learning-based Quantitative Hyperspectral Image Guidance for Brain Tumor Resection," in Nature Communications Medicine, Accepted April 2024.
D. Black, A.H. Hadi Hosseinabadi, M. Nogami, N. Rangga, S. Salcudean. "Towards Differential Magnetic Force Sensing for Ultrasound Teleoperation," in IEEE World Haptics Conference, July 10-13, 2023, Delft, NL.
D. Black, S. Salcudean. "Mixed Reality Human Teleoperation," in IEEE VR, March 25-29, 2023, Shanghai, China. Workshop Presentation & Paper.
A. Walke, D. Black, W. Stummer, S. Kaiser, P. Valdes, E. Suero Molina. "Hyperspectral imaging in malignant glioma: Challenges in, and recommendations for, ex vivo biopsy measurements," in Nature Scientific Reports Vol 13. March, 2023.
D. Black, H. Moradi, S.E Salcudean. "Human-as-a-Robot Performance in Augmented Reality Teleultrasound," in International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery. Accepted March, 2023.
S.E. Salcudean, H. Moradi, D. Black, N. Navab. "Robot-assisted Medical Imaging: a Review," in Proceedings of the IEEE. Vol 110, No 7. April, 2022.
E. Suero Molina, D. Black, S. Kaneko, M. Muether, W. Stummer. "Double dose of 5-ALA and its effect on PPIX expression in Low-Grade Glioma," in Journal of Neurosurgery. February, 2022.
W. Stummer, S. Kaneko, D. Black, E. Suero Molina. "5-ALA induced porphyrin contents in various brain tumors - Implications regarding imaging device design and their validation," in Neurosurgery. Vol 89, No 6, pp 1132-1140. October, 2021.
D. Black, S. Kaneko, A. Walke, S. Koenig, W. Stummer, E. Suero Molina. "Characterization of Autofluorescence and Quantitative Protoporphyrin IX Biomarkers for Optical Spectroscopy-Guided Glioma Surgery," in Nature: Scientific Reports. Vol. 11, Oct. 8, 2021.
D. Black, Y. Oloumi, A.H. Hadi Hosseinabadi, S. Salcudean. "Human Teleoperation - a Haptically-Enabled Mixed Reality System for Teleultrasound," Human Computer Interaction. June, 2023 (submitted July 2021).
D. Black, Y. Oloumi, J. Wong, R. Fedrigo, C. Uribe, D. Kadrmas, A. Rahmim, I. Klyuzhin. "Design of an Anthropomorphic Respiratory Phantom for PET Imaging," Medical Physics. Vol 48, No 8, pp. 4205-4217. 2021.
E. Suero-Molina, S. Kaneko, P. Sporns, S. Schipmann, D. Black, W. Stummer. "Fluorescence Real-Time Kinetics of Protoporphyrin IX after 5-ALA Administration in Low-Grade Glioma," in Journal of Neurosurgery. Oct. 2020.
A. H. Hadi Hosseinabadi, D. Black and S. Salcudean, "Ultra Low-Noise FPGA-Based 6-Axis Optical Force-Torque Sensor: Hardware and Software," in IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics. Vol 68, No 10, pp. 10207 - 10217. 2020. doi: 10.1109/TIE.2020.3021648.
D. Black, A. H. H. Hosseinabadi and S. E. Salcudean, "6-DOF Force Sensing for the Master Tool Manipulator of the da Vinci Surgical System," in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 2264-2271, April 2020, doi: 10.1109/LRA.2020.2970944.
S. Kaneko, E. Suero Molina, C. Ewelt, N. Warneke, W. Stummer. "Fluorescence-Based Measurement of Real-Time Kinetics of Protoporphyrin IX After 5-Aminolevulinic Acid Administration in Human In Situ Malignant Gliomas," in Neurosurgery. 2019;85(4):E739-E746.
A.H.H. Hosseinabadi, D. Black, S. Salcudean. "Multi-Axis Force Sensing in Laparoscopic Surgery," IEEE RAS/EMBS International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics (BioRob 2024). Heidelberg, Germany, Sept 1, 2024. Podium Presentation.
D. Black, D. Byrnes, A. Walke, S. Liu, A. Di Ieva, W. Stummer, S. Salcudean, E. Suero Molina. "Towards machine learning-based quantitative hyperspectral image guidance for brain tumor resection," in German Neurosurgery Society (DGNC) Annual Conference. Göttingen, Germany. June 10, 2024. Podium presentation.
D. Black, J. Gill, A. Xie, S. Kaneko, A. Di Ieva, W. Stummer, E. Suero Molina. "Deep learning-based normalization and unmixing of hyperspectral images for brain tumor surgery," in German Neurosurgery Society (DGNC) Annual Conference. Göttingen, Germany. June 10, 2024. Poster.
D. Black, S. Kaneko, W. Stummer, E. Suero Molina. "A spectral library and method for sparse unmixing of hyperspectral images in fluorescence guided resection of brain tumors" in German Neurosurgery Society (DGNC) Annual Conference. Göttingen, Germany. June 10, 2024. Poster.
D. Black, D. Byrnes, A. Walke, S. Liu, A. Di Ieva, W. Stummer, S. Salcudean, E. Suero Molina. "Machine Learning-based Spectroscopic Tissue Differentiation in Fluorescence-Guided Neurosurgery," in Society of Neuro-Oncology (SNO) Annual Conference 2023, Vancouver, Canada. Poster.
D. Black, S. Salcudean. "A Mixed Reality System for Human Teleoperation in Tele-Ultrasound," in the Hamlyn Symposium for Medical Robotics, June 26-29, 2022, London, UK. Podium Presentation.
D. Black, S. Kaneko, A. Walke, S. Koenig, W. Stummer, E. Suero Molina. "Characterisation of autofluorescence and quantitative protoporphyrin IX biomarkers for optical spectroscopy-guided glioma surgery," in the German Neurosurgery Society (DGNC) Annual Conference. Köln, Germany. May 29-June 1, 2022. Abstract Presentation.
D. Black, Y. Oloumi, J. Wong, R. Fedrigo, C. Uribe, D. Kadrmas, A. Rahmim, I. Klyuzhin. "Design and Manufacture of Anatomically Realistic, Actuated, Elastic Lung Inserts for PET/CT Phantom Studies with Respiratory Motion," in the American Association of Physicists in Medicine / Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists joint conference 2020. AAPM e-Poster library Poster Number: BReP-SNAP-I-15.
E. Suero Molina, S. Kaneko, P. B. Sporns, S. Schipmann-Miletic, D. Black, W. Stummer. "Fluorescence real-time kinetics of protoporphyrin-IX after 5-ALA administration in low grade glioma," in the American Association of Neurosurgeons Conference. 2020. Presentation
E. Suero Molina, S. Kaneko, P. B. Sporns, S. Schipmann-Miletic, D. Black, W. Stummer. "Fluorescence real-time kinetics of protoporphyrin-IX after 5-ALA administration and factors predicting fluorescence in low-grade glioma," in the Joint Conference of the German Neurosurgery Society (DGNC) and Japanese Neurosurgery Society. 2020.
D. Black, A. H. H. Hosseinabadi and S. E. Salcudean, "6-DOF Force Sensing for the Master Tool Manipulator of the da Vinci Surgical System," in IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, June 2020.
I have written or helped write several grant proposals, which have all been funded
I have provided reviews for:
Avid backcountry skier, paragliding pilot, rock climber, mountaineer (View some highlights)
Fluent in German and English
Play cello
Computer Skills Confidence:
MATLAB, Python, C#, C++, LaTeX, Linux, ROS, ROSBridge, da Vinci Research Kit, Unity, Microsoft Mixed Reality Toolkit, WebSocket, WebRTC, CAD (SolidWorks, Fusion 360, OnShape), FEA (ANSYS, Solidworks), Microcontrollers (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, STM32), LTSpice
Computer Vision, Reinforcement Learning, Machine Learning, Android Studio, C, PCB Design (Altium, KiCAD), Communication (Networking, SPI, I2C, UART, BLE, TCP/IP, 5G)
Julia, Assembly Language, VHDL
Other Skills: