Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for accomplishing fast and accurate 3D registration of curves and surfaces using local differential information, i.e., normals and tangents. In an embodiment, a method solves the curve-vs-surface alignment problem either by using a purely online search scheme, or by taking advantage of the availability of a pre-operative model, which often happens in medical procedures, to further speed-up the computational search by performing offline processing of the pre-operative bone model. The disclosed method is also extended to solve the curve-vs-curve and surface-vs-surface alignment problems, which also have important applications in medical procedures such as arthroscopy and arthroplasty.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining the calibration of an endoscopic camera consisting in a camera-head equipped with exchangeable, rotatable optics (the rigid endoscope), which is accomplished with no user intervention in the Operating Room by first characterizing the rigid endoscope through a set of parameters ? and then using this lens descriptor ? as input in a real-time software that processes the images acquired by an arbitrary camera-head equipped with the rigid endoscope, to provide the calibration of the complete endoscopic camera arrangement at every frame time instant, irrespective of the relative rotation of the lens scope with respect to camera-head or zoom settings. Also disclosed is an image software method that detects if the lens descriptor is not compatible with the rigid endoscope in use to prevent errors and warn the user about faulty situations.

Abstract: Arthroscopes and laparoscopes are available in several lens cuts to cover different clinical situations of interest, with the surgeon having to exchange the optics in order to change the direction of view of the camera. The presently disclosed embodiments disclose real-time image processing systems and methods that enable the user to arbitrarily change the direction of view of a surgical camera with the advantage of avoiding the disruption in workflow caused by the physical exchange of the optics. In addition, the presently disclosed embodiments disclose performing zoom along an arbitrary viewing direction (directional zoom) that enables to increase the scale of a region of interest without decreasing the overall field-of-view or losing image contents.

Abstract: This invention falls within the scope of steganography, i.e., encoding of information (such as a text) into other information, for example, an image. It is the object of this invention a computational method for generating at least one image with coded information comprising the steps of: i) associating an information to be coded to a plurality of graphic elements, each of the graphic elements consisting of a symbol out of a plurality of symbols, thus generating a pattern of graphic elements and ii) generating at least one image comprising at least one pattern obtained from step i). This method introduces a consistent and highly flexible way of encoding information into an image. Additionally, this invention has also as object a system associated to the said method, images obtained from the said method, as well as a reading method and system thereof.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for accomplishing fast and accurate 3D registration of curves and surfaces using local differential information, i.e., normals and tangents. In an embodiment, a method solves the curve-vs-surface alignment problem either by using a purely online search scheme, or by taking advantage of the availability of a pre-operative model, which often happens in medical procedures, to further speed-up the computational search by performing offline processing of the pre-operative bone model. The disclosed method is also extended to solve the curve-vs-curve and surface-vs-surface alignment problems, which also have important applications in medical procedures such as arthroscopy and arthroplasty.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for accomplishing fast and accurate 3D registration of curves and surfaces using local differential information, i.e., normals and tangents. In an embodiment, a method solves the curve-vs-surface alignment problem either by using a purely online search scheme, or by taking advantage of the availability of a pre-operative model, which often happens in medical procedures, to further speed-up the computational search by performing offline processing of the pre-operative bone model. The disclosed method is also extended to solve the curve-vs-curve and surface-vs-surface alignment problems, which also have important applications in medical procedures such as arthroscopy and arthroplasty.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for accomplishing fast and accurate 3D registration of curves and surfaces using local differential information, i.e., normals and tangents. In an embodiment, a method solves the curve-vs-surface alignment problem either by using a purely online search scheme, or by taking advantage of the availability of a pre-operative model, which often happens in medical procedures, to further speed-up the computational search by performing offline processing of the pre-operative bone model. The disclosed method is also extended to solve the curve-vs-curve and surface-vs-surface alignment problems, which also have important applications in medical procedures such as arthroscopy and arthroplasty.

Abstract: This invention falls within the scope of steganography, i.e., encoding of information (such as a text) into other information, for example, an image. It is the object of this invention a computational method for generating at least one image with coded information comprising the steps of: i) associating an information to be coded to a plurality of graphic elements, each of the graphic elements consisting of a symbol out of a plurality of symbols, thus generating a pattern of graphic elements and ii) generating at least one image comprising at least one pattern obtained from step i). This method introduces a consistent and highly flexible way of encoding information into an image. Additionally, this invention has also as object a system associated to the said method, images obtained from the said method, as well as a reading method and system thereof.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for accomplishing fast and accurate 3D registration of curves and surfaces using local differential information, i.e., normals and tangents. In an embodiment, a method solves the curve-vs-surface alignment problem either by using a purely online search scheme, or by taking advantage of the availability of a pre-operative model, which often happens in medical procedures, to further speed-up the computational search by performing offline processing of the pre-operative bone model. The disclosed method is also extended to solve the curve-vs-curve and surface-vs-surface alignment problems, which also have important applications in medical procedures such as arthroscopy and arthroplasty.

Abstract: Methods and systems for describing a camera radiometrically, in terms of camera response function and vignetting, and in terms of color, suitable for non-uniform illumination set-ups. It estimates the camera response function and the camera color mapping from a single image of a generic scene with two albedos. With a second same-pose image with a different intensity of the near-light the vignetting is also estimated. The camera response function calibration involves the segmentation of the two albedos, the definition of the system of equations based on the assumption that can be made about the image formation process, and the actual estimation. For the modelling the vignetting there are three steps: computing the albedo-normalized irradiance, finding points of equal vignetting, when needed, and estimation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a concept for computer-assisted procedures of surgery and diagnosis that target rigid, non-deformable anatomical parts such as bone, tissue, or teeth. The disclosure describes attaching small visual markers to instruments and anatomy of interest (e.g. bone surface), with each marker having a printed known pattern for detection and unique identification in images acquired by a free-moving camera, and a geometry that enables estimating its rotation and translation with respect to the camera using solely image processing techniques.

Abstract: Methods and systems for describing a camera radiometrically, in terms of camera response function and vignetting, and in terms of color, suitable for non-uniform illumination set-ups. It estimates the camera response function and the camera color mapping from a single image of a generic scene with two albedos. With a second same-pose image with a different intensity of the near-light the vignetting is also estimated. The camera response function calibration involves the segmentation of the two albedos, the definition of the system of equations based on the assumption that can be made about the image formation process, and the actual estimation. For the modelling the vignetting there are three steps: computing the albedo-normalized irradiance, finding points of equal vignetting, when needed, and estimation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a concept for computer-assisted procedures of surgery and diagnosis that target rigid, non-deformable anatomical parts such as bone, tissue, or teeth. The disclosure describes attaching small visual markers to instruments and anatomy of interest (e.g. bone surface), with each marker having a printed known pattern for detection and unique identification in images acquired by a free-moving camera, and a geometry that enables estimating its rotation and translation with respect to the camera using solely image processing techniques.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a high precision method, model and apparatus for calibrating, determining the rotation of the lens scope around its symmetry axis, updating the projection model accordingly, and correcting the image radial distortion in real-time using parallel processing for best image quality. The solution provided herein relies on a complete geometric calibration of optical devices, such as cameras commonly used in medicine and in industry in general, and subsequent rendering of perspective correct image in real-time. The calibration consists on the determination of the parameters of a suitable mapping function that assigns each pixel to the 3D direction of the corresponding incident light.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for matching point regions in images with radial distortion that, given two frames acquired by a camera with radial distortion, estimates the global image distortion and the local transformations undergone by the image regions between frames, with the objective of accurately tracking an aligning these image regions in a sequence of frames, calibrating the radial distortion using only moving image points, or estimating the relative change in focal length in cameras with radial distortion and variable zoom using only moving image points, and that comprises the following steps: extracting local image features; tracking local features; and determining the radial distortion calibration based on a computational efficient procedure that uses the information for all local features being tracked.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for matching point regions in images with radial distortion that, given two frames acquired by a camera with radial distortion, estimates the global image distortion and the local transformations undergone by the image regions between frames, with the objective of accurately tracking an aligning these image regions in a sequence of frames, calibrating the radial distortion using only moving image points, or estimating the relative change in focal length in cameras with radial distortion and variable zoom using only moving image points, and that comprises the following steps: extracting local image features; tracking local features; and determining the radial distortion calibration based on a computational efficient procedure that uses the information for all local features being tracked.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a high precision method, model and apparatus for calibrating, determining the rotation of the lens scope around its symmetry axis, updating the projection model accordingly, and correcting the image radial distortion in real-time using parallel processing for best image quality. The solution provided herein relies on a complete geometric calibration of optical devices, such as cameras commonly used in medicine and in industry in general, and subsequent rendering of perspective correct image in real-time. The calibration consists on the determination of the parameters of a suitable mapping function that assigns each pixel to the 3D direction of the corresponding incident light.

Abstract: Disclosed is a concept for computer-assisted procedures of surgery and diagnosis that target rigid, non-deformable anatomical parts such as bone, tissue, or teeth. The disclosure describes attaching small visual markers to instruments and anatomy of interest (e.g. bone surface), with each marker having a printed known pattern for detection and unique identification in images acquired by a free-moving camera, and a geometry that enables estimating its rotation and translation with respect to the camera using solely image processing techniques.