Abstract: When retrieving similar multimedia object data from a multimedia object database on the basis of the retrieval condition set by a user, a retrieval condition setting area for retrieval condition setting is displayed as an independent area. Then, a retrieval condition is set on the basis of multimedia object data which has been set in or which has been input to the retrieval condition setting area.

Abstract: A three-dimensional position and orientation sensing apparatus including: an image input section which inputs an image acquired by an image acquisition apparatus and showing at least three markers having color or geometric characteristics as one image, three-dimensional positional information of the markers with respect to an object to be measured being known in advance; a region extracting section which extracts a region corresponding to each marker in the image; a marker identifying section which identifies the individual markers based on the color or geometric characteristics of the markers in the extracted regions; and a position and orientation calculating section which calculates the three-dimensional position and orientation of the object to be measured with respect to the image acquisition apparatus, by using positions of the identified markers in the image input to the image input section, and the positional information of the markers with respect to the object to be measured.

Abstract: A position information management unit estimates position/orientation information, in an object coordinate system, of an image input unit configured to inputs an image, from the image input by the image input unit. A dynamic deformation control unit dynamically controls the deformation of three-dimensional model data arranged in the object coordinate system. A two-dimensional projection image generating unit generates two-dimensional projection image data, in a view field of the image input unit, of the three-dimensional model data deformation-controlled by the dynamic deformation control unit, based on the position/orientation information of the image input unit estimated by the position information management unit. A superposed display unit displays the two-dimensional projection image data generated by the two-dimensional projection image-generating unit, in superposed relation with the image input by the image input unit.

Abstract: A plurality of known markers is disposed in a specific district. A marker detection section detects the known markers existing in the image photographed by an image pickup device. A position/orientation relation calculation section identifies the detected known marker to calculate position and orientation relations between the identified known marker and the image pickup device. An associated information obtaining section obtains predetermined information associated with the identified known marker. An information processing section processes the obtained predetermined information based on the calculated position and orientation relations. A display device superimposes and displays the processed information on the photographed image. At least the image pickup device and display device are disposed in a portable information terminal, and the other sections are disposed in a server which can perform radio communication with the portable information terminal.

Abstract: There are disclosed a three-dimensional position/orientation sensing apparatus which can measure a broad region, when an image obtained by capturing a marker having a known position/orientation relation with an object is analyzed, a relative position/orientation relation between the marker and a capturing apparatus is obtained, and a position and orientation of the object are obtained, an information presenting system in which the captured image of an actual object can easily be compared with object data, and a model error detecting system.

Abstract: A surgical operation navigation apparatus comprises a medical image storage section that stores three-dimensional information of a subject measured by a medical image diagnosis unit. A modification information storage section modifies and stores the three-dimensional information of the subject based on predicted modification of the subject. A morphological shape measuring instrument measures a three-dimensional morphological shape of the subject. A morphological shape information storage section compares a three-dimensional morphological shape of a subject with three-dimensional information, and selects and outputs three-dimensional information of the subject that is the most analogous to the morphological shape of the subject. A data image generating section generates data image from the selected, outputted three-dimensional information of the subject.

Abstract: A reference frame adapted to be fitted to a subject of medical treatment and provided with markers for determining the position or the orientation of the subject comprises fitting section for fitting the reference frame with the subject at least three spots (tops of the left and right ears and the nasal projection) along the undulations of the surface thereof and three or more than three markers detectable at least ether in an X-ray image or in an MRI image of the reference frame, the markers being to be arranged at predetermined positions not connectable by a straight line. A surgical operation navigating system determines the coordinates of the markers in a coordinate system defined for the image taken for the purpose of medical examination of the subject who is carrying the reference frame on the basis of the obtained image.

Abstract: An information display member has an information display face of its known size. On the information display face, a first pattern is displayed to represent coordinate information indicative of a position of the displayed information display member. On the information display face, a second pattern is displayed to represent direction information indicative of an direction in which the information display face is oriented. The information display face of the information display member is image-acquired by means of a camera, and an image is acquired. A direction in which the camera is oriented is obtained by a length ratio of aspect on the information display face mapped on the image and the direction information displayed on the information display face. A distance between the camera and the information display face is obtained by a size of the information display face mapped on the image.

Abstract: A feature values definition input section inputs a feature values definition of object data used for retrieving. A feature values calculation section calculates feature values of object data previously stored in a database by using the feature values definition input by the feature values definition input section. An object data input/selection section inputs object data or previously selects object data from the database in which the object data is stored. A retrieval section retrieves similar object data from object data previously stored in the database by using the feature values of the object data input/selected by the object data input/selection section and the object data calculated by the feature values calculating section.

Abstract: An inputting/designating section inputs a multimedia object or designates a multimedia object previously stored in a database. A feature-value-determining section determines the feature value of the input or designated multimedia object. A weighting-factor-determining section determines the determined feature-value weighting factor of the multimedia object. A similarity-retrieval section retrieves the similarity of the multimedia object previously stored in the database by using the determined feature value and the determined feature-value weighting factor. A displaying section displays a multimedia object similar to the multimedia object designated by the inputting/designating section in accordance with the result of similarity retrieval. A similarity-ranking-changing section changes similarity rankings of the displayed multimedia object.

Abstract: The present invention writes the obtained two-dimensional image data of a body including a diseased portion in a computer or the like, and displays a three-dimensional image of the body including the diseased portion and the related data in the same monitor. The diseased portion data is then converted into a three-dimensional construction with use of a three-dimensional construction reconstructing section. The geometrical center of the three-dimensional constructed image is calculated by a geometrical center calculation section, and a plurality of linear lines or one linear line having the shortest distance directing from the geometrical center to the outside of the body is then calculated. The calculated line/lines is/are displayed to be overlapped on an image of the body including the diseased portion. In this manner, the present invention provides a stereotaxy operation route searching apparatus for showing a guideline of a low-invasive operation strategy to an operator, and the searching method.

Abstract: An object retrieval method used is characterized as follows. When a user selects objects, the dispersion between the objects is found with respect to each of a plurality of feature quantities. Within a retrieval range of objects, the dispersion between the objects is found with respect to each of a plurality of feature quantities. Both dispersions are compared for each feature quantity. As a result of the comparison, there may be a feature quantity which causes more converged dispersion in the selected objects. This feature quantity is provided with a weight larger than any other feature quantities to weight each feature quantity. An object is retrieved from the retrieval range based on the weighted feature quantities.

Abstract: An information presentation apparatus comprises a three-dimensional model data recording apparatus. A projection apparatus projects a marker whose three-dimensional position/posture relation with a photography object is known onto the photography object. An image input apparatus inputs the photography object on which the marker is projected. A position detection apparatus uses the position of the marker in an image to detect a relative position relation between the photography object and the image input apparatus. A display apparatus uses the position of the photography object to superpose and display three-dimensional model data of the photography object upon the image of the photography object so that the position of the image of the photography object coincides with the position of the three-dimensional model data.

Abstract: A feature quantity calculation device to calculate a feature quantity for a 3-D object from 3-D object data contained in the 3-D object includes a 3-D object data input module to input the 3-D object data, a 3-D object data analysis module to analyze the input 3-D object data, a volume data conversion module to convert the analyzed 3-D object data to volume data, and a feature quantity calculation module to calculate a feature quantity from the converted volume data.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus comprises a navigation-related information generating section and a display section. The navigation-related information generating section measures the position and orientation of an object and a target in a three-dimensional space and generate navigation-related information to be used for navigating the object toward the target. The display section displays the navigation-related information generated by the navigation-related information generating section in any of different modes depending on the relationship of the position and orientation of the object and that of the target. A surgical operation image acquisition/display apparatus comprises an observation section, an image display section and a specifying section. The observation section includes a plurality of observation sections whose position and orientation is modifiable.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, a system for displaying information in a specific region includes a capturing unit for capturing a desired subject, an image capturing unit for capturing an image of the subject, a position and attitude calculating unit for calculating at least the position and the facing direction of the capturing unit on the basis of the captured image, a determining unit for determining the subject in the image captured by the image capturing unit on the basis of an output of the position and attitude calculating unit, a related information obtaining unit for obtaining at least information related to the determined subject, and a related information superimposition display unit for displaying the obtained information together with the image related to the subject on a display unit.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus comprises a navigation-related information generating section and a display section. The navigation-related information generating section measures the position and orientation of an object and a target in a three-dimensional space and generate navigation-related information to be used for navigating the object toward the target. The display section displays the navigation-related information generated by the navigation-related information generating section in any of different modes depending on the relationship of the position and orientation of the object and that of the target. A surgical operation image acquisition/display apparatus comprises an observation section, an image display section and a specifying section. The observation section includes a plurality of observation sections whose position and orientation is modifiable.

Abstract: A medical image display apparatus includes a first image output unit which outputs a real image of a subject that is grabbed by an image input unit. A three-dimensional position posture detection unit detects a position and posture of each of the image input unit and the subject and outputs position posture information. A second image output unit generates a data image of the subject based on prerecorded data of the subject using the position posture information and outputs the data image. An image display unit superposes the real image of the subject and the data image of the subject on each other and displays a superposed image. The display area of the data image of the subject output from the second image output unit is larger than that of the real image of the subject output from the first image output unit.

Abstract: There are disclosed a three-dimensional position/orientation sensing apparatus which can measure a broad region, when an image obtained by capturing a marker having a known position/orientation relation with an object is analyzed, a relative position/orientation relation between the marker and a capturing apparatus is obtained, and a position and orientation of the object are obtained, an information presenting system in which the captured image of an actual object can easily be compared with object data, and a model error detecting system.

Abstract: A surgical operation navigation apparatus comprises a medical image storage section that stores three-dimensional information of a subject measured by a medical image diagnosis unit. A modification information storage section modifies and stores the three-dimensional information of the subject based on predicted modification of the subject. A morphological shape measuring instrument measures a three-dimensional morphological shape of the subject. A morphological shape information storage section compares a three-dimensional morphological shape of a subject with three-dimensional information, and selects and outputs three-dimensional information of the subject that is the most analogous to the morphological shape of the subject. A data image generating section generates data image from the selected, outputted three-dimensional information of the subject.