Abstract: An image registration method involves computing horizontal and vertical integral projection vectors for first and second distorted or partially distorted images. The images are registered by applying a scale factor estimation between the first and second images on the horizontal and vertical integral projection vectors.

Abstract: An image pickup control unit displays either one of a picked-up image by a first image pickup unit and a picked-up image by a second image pickup unit on a display unit as a finder image. A feature detecting unit calculates a distribution of brightness values or brightness dispersion for each of the picked-up images by the first and second image pickup units, thereby detecting features of the two picked-up images. A sameness determining unit determines the sameness between both picked-up images based on the detected features, and determines that an abnormality like the unexpected appearance of an obstacle is present when the feature largely differs. When it is determined that an abnormality is present, a warning processing unit simultaneously displays both picked-up images on the display unit, or displays the picked-up image including the abnormality on the display unit as a finder image.

Abstract: An image processing device for detecting a skin region representing a skin of a subject from a pickup image obtained by imaging said subject, the image processing device includes: a first irradiating section; a second irradiating section; an image pickup section; an adjusting section; and a skin detecting section.

Abstract: This invention provides a method and apparatus for detecting the presence of analyte particles in a sample fluid also comprising larger particles, particularly blood. It exploits diffusion to provide simultaneous filtering of the larger particles and reaction of the analyte particles. A sample stream and a reagent stream join on the upstream end of a laminar flow reaction channel and flow in adjacent laminar streams. The reagents can be in solution or immobilized on a bead. The analyte particles diffuse from the sample stream into the reagent stream, leaving behind the larger particles in the residual sample stream. In the reagent stream the analyte particles react with reagent particles and form product particles, thereby creating a product stream. At the downstream end of the reaction channel, the residual sample stream and the product stream are divided. The product particles are then detected, preferably optically, in the product stream.