Abstract: A method and system for evaluating probabilistic boosting trees is disclosed. In an embodiment, input data is received at a graphics processing unit. A weighted empirical distribution associated with each node of the probabilistic boosting tree is determined using a stack implementation. The weighted empirical distribution associated with each node is added to a total posterior distribution value.

Abstract: Modeling is provided in three-dimensional simulation. Proxies are used as virtual rigid bodies to create (22) reusable part files. A custom physics object is defined (22) in the part file using the proxy to allow for control of object behavior, such as control of the rate of spinning of a spindle of a motor. By overriding (28) the part file with the proxy, links to up or owner part files may be made. Changes to physics properties in the different instances of proxies may be made without requiring or resulting in the same change to the other instances. The proxy acts as a virtual rigid body that may or may not move during simulation. The proxy body may be replaced with a rigid body from the assembly when both reference the same geometry object.

Abstract: A Model Predictive Control (MPC) framework is implemented as part of the run-time system function features of a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) system. Optimal control calculations are performed in the run-time MPC function block of the PLC. The optimal control function is determined by an MPC block in an engineering tool of the PLC, using a system dynamic matrix containing measurements from a unit step response test performed by the PLC.

Abstract: Patient specific temperature distribution in organs, due to an ablative device, is simulated. The effects of ablation are modeled. The modeling is patient specific. The vessel structure for a given patient, segmented from medical images, is accounted for as a heat sink in the model of biological heat transfer. A temperature map is generated to show the effects of ablation in a pre-operative analysis. Temperature maps resulting from different ablation currents and ablation device positions may be used to determine a more optimal location of the ablative device for a given patient. Other models may be included, such as accounting for the tissue damage during the ablation.

Abstract: Real-time marker detection in medical imaging of a stent may be provided. A plurality of frames of image data may be obtained. A plurality of candidate markers for the stent may be determined in the plurality of frames of image data. One or more markers from the plurality of candidate markers may be detected. The detecting may be based on automatic initialization using a subset of frames of image data from the plurality of frames of image data. The detecting may be performed in real-time with the obtaining.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating a laser beam illuminating a space around an object are provided. The laser beam illuminates an animal that is approaching the object in the space. The laser beam is generated by a laser illuminating at least a first micro-mirror that moves under control of a processor. Additional micro-mirrors are contemplated. The laser beam reflected from the moving micro-mirror illuminates the space around the object. Laser, processor and micro-mirrors are dimensioned to illuminate with a high probability an area with a cross-section perpendicular to a laser beam of 10 cm by 10 cm inside the space at a distance of up to 200 meters from the laser or farther.

Abstract: A method for probabilistic fatigue life prediction using nondestructive testing data considering uncertainties from nondestructive examination (NDE) data and fatigue model parameters. The method utilizes uncertainty quantification models for detection, sizing, fatigue model parameters and inputs. A probability of detection model is developed based on a log-linear model coupling an actual flaw size with a nondestructive examination (NDE) reported size. A distribution of the actual flaw size is derived for both NDE data without flaw indications and NDE data with flaw indications by using probabilistic modeling and Bayes theorem. A turbine rotor example with real world NDE inspection data is presented to demonstrate the overall methodology.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for three-dimensional (3D) visualization and analysis for automatic non-destructive examination of a rotor bore using ultrasound. Data is acquired by scanning the rotor bore with an ultrasound pulser/transducer producing a plurality of one-dimensional ultrasound scans, each scan having a plurality of sample points. Each sample point is associated with a voxel of a regular 3D grid having a plurality of voxels. A Gaussian kernel is associated with each sample point and a value for a particular voxel is determined based on a weighted sum of sample points whose kernels cover the particular voxel. The values for the other voxels of the regular 3D grid are determined similarly. A 3D visualization of the rotor bore can be displayed to a user.

Abstract: A method and system for on-line learning of landmark detection models for end-user specific diagnostic image reading is disclosed. A selection of a landmark to be detected in a 3D medical image is received. A current landmark detection result for the selected landmark in the 3D medical image is determined by automatically detecting the selected landmark in the 3D medical image using a stored landmark detection model corresponding to the selected landmark or by receiving a manual annotation of the selected landmark in the 3D medical image. The stored landmark detection model corresponding to the selected landmark is then updated based on the current landmark detection result for the selected landmark in the 3D medical image. The landmark selected in the 3D medical image can be a set of landmarks defining a custom view of the 3D medical image.

Abstract: Values for ultrasound acquisition parameters are altered in a manifold space. The number of parameters to be set is reduced using a manifold. Virtual parameters different than the acquisition parameters are used to alter the greater number of acquisition parameters. In a further use, optimum image settings may be obtained in an automated system by measuring image quality for feeding back to virtual parameter adjustment.

Abstract: A method and software system for flaw identification, grouping and sizing for fatigue life assessment for rotors used in turbines and generators. The method includes providing ultrasonic data of a plurality of rotor slices and providing volume reconstruction of the ultrasonic data. The method also includes providing in-slice identification, grouping and sizing of flaw indications in the rotor based on the volume reconstruction. Further, the method includes providing inter-slice identification, grouping and sizing of the flaw indications based on the in-slice flaw indications and providing flaw location and size information. The method can be used in both phased-array and A-scan inspections.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for optimizing a cost of electric power generation in a smart site energy management model, including determining a matrix X that minimizes a semidefinite program C·X?? ln(det(X)) subject to constraints ABL(X)=bBL, AEG(X)=bEG, AIF(X)=bIF, X0, for positive real values of ? as ? approaches zero, wherein C·X is a cost function that models a smart building-grid energy, where C is a parameter matrix, X is a decision variable matrix, ABL(X), AEG(X), and AIF(X) are sparse constraint matrices, bBL, bEG, and bIF are constants derived from the constraints, and exploiting the sparsity of matrices ABL(X), AEG(X), and AIF(X) in determining a search direction for determining the vector X.

Abstract: Heart valve operation is assessed with patient-specific medical diagnostic imaging data. To deal with the complex motion of the passive valve tissue, a hierarchal model is used. Rigid global motion of the overall valve, non-rigid local motion of landmarks of the valve, and surface motion of the valve are modeled sequentially. For the non-rigid local motion, a spectral trajectory approach is used in the model to determine location and motion of the landmarks more efficiently than detection and tracking. Given efficiencies in processing, more than one valve may be modeled at a same time. A graphic overlay representing the valve in four dimensions and/or quantities may be provided during an imaging session. One or more of these features may be used in combination or independently.

Abstract: A needle is enhanced in a medical diagnostic ultrasound image. The image intensities associated with a needle in an image are adaptively increased and/or enhanced by compounding from a plurality of ultrasound images. Filtering methods and probabilistic methods are used to locate possible needle locations. In one approach, possible needles are found in component frames that are acquired at the same time but at different beam orientations. The possible needles are associated with each other across the component frames and false detections are removed based on the associations. In one embodiment of needle detection in an ultrasound component frame, lines are found first. The lines are then searched to find possible needle segments. In another embodiment, data from different times may be used to find needle motion and differences from a reference, providing the features in additional to features from a single component frame for needle detection.

Abstract: A method for pipeline parallelizing a control program for multi-core execution includes using (12) data dependency analysis on a control program to identify tasks that can be performed in parallel, identifying (13) a largest task Tmax requiring the most execution time of the identified tasks, identifying (14) cut-points in the largest task Tmax where data dependency delays decouple the task, inserting (15) delayed data dependencies into cut-points of the largest task Tmax to create N pipeline sub-tasks, in which N is a number of cores available to a processor on which the control program will be executed, and scheduling (16) the tasks and pipeline sub-tasks to the available processor cores.

Abstract: An acoustic treatment module stack includes a plurality of stacked pipe segments. Each pipe segment includes n ultrasound amplifier-transducers with an angular separation of (360/n)° on an outer circumference of the pipe segment, in which n is a positive integer, and a reflector unit disposed in a center of the pipe segment that includes n reflectors in which each ultrasound amplifier-transducer has a corresponding reflector positioned opposite of the ultrasound amplifier-transducer. Each acoustic treatment module is rotated (360/(n×m))° with respect to a preceding acoustic treatment module, in which m is a positive integer, and the plurality of acoustic treatment modules includes at least m pipe segments.

Abstract: Deformable, anatomical trees represented by scan data from different times are matched. Coherent point drift (CPD) solved using expectation maximization is enhanced with tangent or other curve information. By including point-curve information, another characteristic than GMM-based probabilities are included in the cost function for matching. The angle information provided by the tangent, normal, or other point-curve measure may more likely match points in one set representing a tree to points in another set representing the tree.

Abstract: A system and a method for a blind direction of arrival estimation is provided for a nonlinear 1-dimensional array of M receivers of J<M unknown signals transmitted through an unknown channel and subject to Gaussian noise. The method overcomes the conditions of that signals be disjoint in the time-frequency domain and/or statistically independent. A likelihood function evaluates a probability for the directions of arrivals. A weighting and regularization scheme selects relevant frequency components. A joint likelihood function of all frequencies is interpreted as a cost or objective function. The time domain is included into the estimation procedure by using a particle filter that operates on the constructed likelihood function and a simple transition kernel for the directions.

Abstract: A method and system for tumor ablation planning and guidance based on a patient-specific model of liver tumor ablation is disclosed. A patient-specific anatomical model of the liver and circulatory system of the liver is estimated from 3D medical image data of a patient. Blood flow in the liver and the circulatory system of the liver is simulated based on the patient-specific anatomical model. Heat diffusion due to ablation is simulated based on a virtual ablation probe position and the simulated blood flow in the liver and the venous system of the liver. Cellular necrosis in the liver is simulated based on the simulated heat diffusion. A visualization of a simulated necrosis region is generated and displayed to the user for decision making and optimal therapy planning and guidance.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for reconstruction of a magnetic resonance image includes acquiring a first incomplete k-space data set comprising a plurality of first k-space lines spaced according to an acceleration factor and one or more calibration lines. A parallel imaging reconstruction technique is applied to the first incomplete k-space data to determine a plurality of second k-space lines not included in the first incomplete k-space data set, thereby yielding a second incomplete k-space data set. Then, the parallel imaging reconstruction technique is applied to the second incomplete k-space data to determine a plurality of third k-space lines not included in the second incomplete k-space data, thereby yielding a complete k-space data set.