Reducing mistakes caused by viewing earlier skin images
Isolating and mitigating sequentially dependent perceptual errors in clinical visual search
This project looks for ways to stop earlier skin photos from biasing clinicians who read remote dermatology images so patients get more accurate screening.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Berkeley NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Berkeley, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11308746 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers recreate the remote "store-and-forward" teledermatology workflow where clinicians view long sequences of skin photos and make judgments about features and malignancy. They will measure how a previously seen image changes perception and classification of the next image, identify the viewing conditions that produce harmful biases, and test practical fixes such as timing changes, brief visual resets, interface cues, or small training interventions. Experiments will use real clinical images and clinicians as participants, with statistical analysis to show which strategies reduce mistaken benign or malignant calls. The aim is to produce workflow or software changes that could be added to teledermatology services to reduce sequence-driven errors.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants include dermatologists and other clinicians who interpret teledermatology images, and patients who can provide de-identified skin photos for research use.
Not a fit: Patients who need immediate in-person examination, biopsy, or complex specialty care may not see immediate benefits from changes focused on image-sequence effects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reduce missed skin cancers and unnecessary false alarms in remote dermatology screening by lowering sequence-driven perceptual errors.
How similar studies have performed: Prior lab studies have demonstrated that recent visual experience biases perception, but applying and mitigating these serial dependencies specifically in teledermatology is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Berkeley, United States
- University of California Berkeley — Berkeley, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Whitney, David V — University of California Berkeley
- Study coordinator: Whitney, David V
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.