Abstract: The current consumption of a processor system in particular for hearing devices is to be reduced. To this end, a processor system with a first processor, which has at least one output and at least one second processor, which has at least one input is provided. The output of the first processor can be directly connected to the input of the second processor using a switching facility. The direct connection of the output and input of the processors obviates the need for computing power for the communication between the processors, thereby resulting in a considerable saving of current.

Abstract: An apparatus related to earmolds with venting configurations designed to relieve the occlusion effect. Various designs provide multiple vents allow residual ear canal air volume to vent to and from air outside the ear and the earmold. In various designs, the earmold includes one vent between the residual ear canal air volume and a volume of air internal to the earmold. A second vent provides passage of air internal to the earmold and air external to the ear and the inserted earmold when worn by a user.

Abstract: The present subject matter includes a switch and an operator to interface with the switch, the operator in a battery door of a hearing assistance device. One embodiment includes a housing, hearing assistance electronics disposed in the housing, a hinge electrically connected to the hearing assistance electronics, and a battery door coupled to the hinge, the battery door includes a switch comprising an operator and at least one contact connected to the hinge.

Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, is an apparatus for connection to a hearing assistance device having a DAI compatible interface compatible with direct audio input (DAI) signals. According to an embodiment, the apparatus includes a connector to connect to the DAI-compatible interface. The connector includes audio and ground connections compatible with the DAI-compatible interface. The connector further includes a power connection adapted to provide power to the hearing assistance device. The apparatus also includes a power source electrically connected to the connector. The power source is adapted to charge one or more energy storing devices, such as batteries, within the hearing assistance device, according to various embodiments. In an embodiment, the power source is adapted to supplement power provided to the hearing assistance device by the one or more energy storing devices within the device.

Abstract: The influence of interference from power supply lines in hearing devices is to be reduced. Thus a hearing device with an antenna for receiving and/or sending inductive signals, a signal processing device, to which the antenna is connected, a power supply unit for supplying power to the signal processing device and an electrical conductor for electrical connection of the power supply unit to the signal processing device is provided. The electrical conductor is L-shaped or U-shaped and closely follows the contours of the power supply unit. In addition the electrical conductor forms a part of an essentially round or rectangular ring, the axis of which has a main directional component perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the antenna. A magnetic field created by the conductor is thus perpendicular to the antenna, so that its magnetic interference influence is reduced.

Abstract: Provisions to charge the battery of a hearing apparatus without having to remove the battery from the housing are provided. A hearing apparatus separates charging contacts, which are disposed on the surface of the housing and serve to charge the battery, from the battery and to connect the battery to an amplifier circuit, when the battery is not being charged. Otherwise, when the battery is being charged, the hearing apparatus connects the charging contacts to the battery and separates the battery from the amplifier circuit. This double switching function means that the amplifier circuit is protected from charging power surges and also in the normal operating state of the hearing apparatus electrochemical reactions at the charging contacts are avoided.

Abstract: A volume control module of a hearing apparatus and specifically a hearing device is to be easily replaceable. A volume control module including a mounting element, specifically a PCB, and including a volume control mounted on the mounting element, is accordingly provided. The mounting element, e.g. the PCB, features at least one fixing recess. A pin element is inserted in the housing recess and in the fixing recess in a form-fit and removable fashion. Thus the volume control module can be removed from the housing once the pin element has been removed from the fixing recess. Secure mounting of the volume control module in the housing, but also at the same time rapid replacement of the volume control module, is thereby possible.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present subject matter provides an apparatus for disposition between a pinna and a head of a user, the apparatus including a behind-the-ear housing, the housing having a first lateral side located adjacent the user's ear and a second lateral side located adjacent the side of the user's head when the apparatus is worn as directed, hearing assistance electronics disposed in the behind-the-ear housing, and a control disposed on at least one lateral side of the behind-the-ear housing, the control coupled to the hearing assistance electronics.

Abstract: The invention relates to a securing system for a receiver tube in a hearing device. The object of the invention is to provide a securing system for the receiver tube in a hearing device, which reliably prevents the occurrence of disruptive acoustic feedback and does not require adhesive to secure the receiver tube. This object of the invention is achieved with a hearing device, in particular a BTE hearing device, in which a receiver facility is disposed, wherein the hearing device has a connector piece, which is connected to the receiver facility by way of a receiver tube, in order to conduct an acoustic signal or acoustic signals generated by the receiver facility to an acoustic output of the hearing device, with the receiver tube being provided with a connecting element, which connects the receiver tube and the connector piece to each other in an essentially acoustically sealed manner.

Abstract: In a boundary microphone, a high-frequency current caused by extraneous electromagnetic waves is prevented from flowing into a microphone case via a microphone cord that is drawn into the microphone case. A portion in which the microphone cord 31 consisting of a two-core shield covered wire is drawn into the microphone case 1 is made a shielding wire exposed part 310 formed by removing a skin 31d, and the shielding wire exposed part 310 is connected electrically to a base part 10 via an electrical connecting means 40 (preferably, a conductive cloth 41, and further preferably, the conductive cloth 41 that is formed into a washer shape having an insertion hole for the shielding wire exposed part 310 and is arranged so as to close a cord insertion hole 12), whereby the high-frequency current caused by extraneous electromagnetic waves is surely prevented from flowing into the microphone case 1.

Abstract: A condenser microphone package includes: a condenser microphone unit including a diaphragm and a back plate; a printed circuit board; a conductive connector sandwiched between and cooperating with the condenser microphone unit and the printed circuit board to form a stack; and a metal can encasing the stack and having a first end wall that is formed with a plurality of sound holes, and that abuts against the condenser microphone unit, and a second end wall that is disposed opposite to the first end wall, that abuts against the printed circuit board, and that cooperates with the first end wall to press the printed circuit board toward the condenser microphone unit.

Abstract: An apparatus for transducing between an acoustical signal and an electrical signal, comprises a backplate assembly comprising a charged layer and a conductive layer and a diaphragm assembly positioned at a predetermined distance from the backplate assembly. The diaphragm assembly comprising a support structure and a diaphragm, the diaphragm vibrates in response to an acoustical signal, is monolithically formed on the support structure, wherein the support structure and the diaphragm are composed of a common material having a thermomechanical property. The apparatus further comprises a spacer, a printed circuit board (PCB), and a housing. The spacer is formed between the backplate assembly and the diaphragm assembly, collectively constituting a motor portion. The motor portion and the PCB are disposed in the housing.

Abstract: An ear hooked earphone is provided for selectively being worn on a left or right ear of a user. The earphone includes a body and an ear hook. The body includes a first coupled portion formed on a surface thereof. The ear hook includes a hook section and a fastened section. The hook section is used for hooking around the ear of the user. The fastened section is connected with the hook section, and a separation is formed between ends of the hook section and the fastened section. The fastened section has a second coupled portion, and one of two sides of the second coupled portion is selectively coupled with the first coupled section. Thereby, the position of the separation relative to the body is able to be changed, that is, the ear hooked earphone is able to hang on the left or right ear of the user freely.

Abstract: Loudspeaker provided with a frame (101), a membrane (103) and a drive unit (105. The membrane has a flat outer circumferential edge (104a) suspended from the frame, and a flat inner circumferential edge (104b). The drive unit has a stationary part (106a) secured to the frame and a translatable part (106b) provided with a coil support (108b) secured to the inner circumferential edge of the membrane. The membrane includes a concave membrane body (104), which, viewed in a circumferential direction, has a pattern of folds radially extending between the flat inner circumferential edge and the flat outer circumferential edge of the membrane, which pattern of folds improves the stiffness of the membrane.

Abstract: A speaker with a sound generation part of a large area is provided. In the speaker, a ring-shaped protrusion part is formed at the outer circumference of the flange par in the frame, and also the inner surface of the outer circumference of the edge is coupled to the outer circumference of the protrusion. Moreover, the inner circumference of the outer end part of the edge is coupled to a step formed at the outer surface of the flange part in the frame.

Abstract: A loudspeaker (1) having a piston resonance frequency (f0) is disclosed. The loudspeaker comprises (1) an acoustic member (4) intended to operation in piston mode and provided with a plate-like body (8), (2) a drive unit (6) for translating the acoustic member along a translation axis (x) oriented substantially perpendicular to a main face (8a) of the plate-like body, and (3) a frame (2) from which the acoustic member is flexibly suspended. The plate-like body is an easy-to-manufacture polycarbonate or polymethylmethacrylate sheet (8?) having a first break-up frequency (f1) which is higher than or equal to two times the piston resonance frequency (f0).

Abstract: A motor driven acoustic oscillator or speaker that generates a single frequency acoustic sound. The motor driven acoustic oscillator may be used to emit low frequency (LF) sound waves that generates thrust on an object. The oscillator may be further configured to convert heat energy from a surrounding fluid medium into additional useful mechanical work.

Abstract: The invention relates to an appliance for measuring or controlling an optical element (3) comprising illumination means (1) and an associated artificial vision system (2), in which the optical element (3) can be inserted between the illumination means (1) and the artificial vision system (2), said illumination means (1) comprising programmable optoelectronic means for producing a luminous background with spatially and temporally variable brightness. The inventive appliance is characterised in that the programmable optoelectronic means are embodied in such a way as to consecutively generate a plurality of mires, each comprising a pattern which is repeated in a contrasted manner on a uniform background with a high spatial frequency of between 0.01 and 100 patterns/mm, or such that two adjacent patterns are separated by an angle between 0.1 and 30 degrees, said angle being measured from the point of the object on which the pattern is observed.

Abstract: A process for making an image for a papermaking belt wherein the image is the product of (a) providing an image; and (b) performing at least one image modification algorithm thereon, one of the at least one image modification algorithms being a beta image modification algorithm and the beta image modification algorithm being a three-dimensional image modification algorithm to provide a resultant image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an obtaining unit, an area setting unit, and an adding unit. The obtaining unit obtains an adding method by which additional information is to be added to image data containing content information. The area setting unit sets an additional-information area to which the additional information is to be added based on the adding method and the content information. The adding unit adds the additional information to the additional-information area by the adding method.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus configured to embed embedment information in image data includes an embedment information acquisition unit configured to acquire embedment information to be embedded in the image data, an information embedment manner determination unit configured to determine an information embedment manner to embed the embedment information according to one of the acquired embedment information and image data to be generated by embedding the acquired embedment information in the image data, and an information embedment unit configured to embed the acquired embedment information in image data according to the information embedment manner determined by the information embedment manner determination unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the measurement of human activities through video, particularly in retail environments. A method for measuring retail display effectiveness in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: detecting a moving object in a field of view of an imaging device, the imaging device obtaining image data of a product display; tracking the object in the field of view of the imaging device to obtain a track; and obtaining statistics for the track with regard to the product display.

Abstract: A method for 3-D recursive search motion estimation is provided to estimate a motion vector for a current block in a current frame. The method includes the following steps. First, provide a spatial prediction by selecting at least one motion vector for at least one neighboring block in the current frame. Then, provide a temporal prediction. After that, estimate the motion vector for the current block based on the spatial prediction and the temporal prediction. The temporal prediction is obtained by selecting at least one most frequent motion vector from a plurality of motion vectors for a plurality of blocks in a corresponding region of a previous frame, wherein the corresponding block encloses a previous block which is location corresponding to the current block in the current frame.

Abstract: System and method for visually tracking a target object silhouette in a plurality of video frames under very general conditions. The tracker does not make any assumption about the object or the scene. The tracker works by approximating, in each frame, a PDF (probability distribution function) of the target's bitmap and then estimating the maximum a posteriori bitmap. The PDF is marginalized over all possible motions per pixel, thus avoiding the stage in which optical flow is determined. This is an advantage over other general-context trackers that do not use the motion cue at all or rely on the error-prone calculation of optical flow. Using a Gibbs distribution with a first order neighborhood system yields a bitmap PDF whose maximization may be transformed into that of a quadratic pseudo-Boolean function, the maximum of which is approximated via a reduction to a maximum-flow problem.

Abstract: A motion information obtaining step successively obtains motion information from a motion sensor. An imaging information obtaining step successively obtains imaging information from an imaging means. An invalid information determination step determines whether the imaging information is valid information or invalid information for predetermined processing. A motion value calculation step calculates a motion value representing a magnitude of a motion of the operation apparatus in accordance with the motion information. A processing step executes, when the imaging information is determined as the invalid information in the invalid information determination step and when the motion value calculated in the motion calculation step is within a predetermined value range, predetermined processing in accordance with most recent valid imaging information among valid imaging information previously obtained.

Abstract: A facility for determining the 3-dimensional location and orientation of a subject surface in a distinguished perspective image of the subject surface is described. The subject surface has innate visual features, a subset of which are selected. The facility uses the location of the selected visual features in a perspective image of the subject surface that precedes the distinguished perspective image in time to identify search zones in the distinguished perspective image. The facility searches the identified search zones for the selected visual features to determine the 2-dimensional locations at which the selected visual features occur. Based on the determined 2-dimensional locations, the facility determines the 3-dimensional location and orientation of the subject surface in the distinguished perspective image.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the quantitative determination of surface properties, wherein a spatially resolved image of a surface to be analysed, which contains a large number of measured values, is recorded. In a first method step, the measured values are analysed in order to determine those surface areas which have a specific physical property. A result value of this physical property is then determined, wherein this result value is characteristic of the values of the physical property of all those surface areas of the image determined by analysing the image. According to the invention, the result value is displayed against the size of the determined surface areas.

Abstract: A texture image compressing device includes a separating unit configured to separate intensity maps that include intensity values and light source-independent texture images, those images including color components from a plurality of texture images corresponding to a plurality of different light source directions and a plurality of different viewpoint directions.

Abstract: A document processing system and method for using image quality to sort documents. The document processing system comprises: a document sorting system that designates a destination pocket for each document based on data gathered from each document; a document imaging system that captures an image of each document; and an image quality analysis system that analyzes each image and causes any document having an unacceptable image to be redirected to an unacceptable destination pocket.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for improving bit error rate (BER) performance in delay spread fading conditions, such as the fading associated with simulcast systems. BER is improved through novel symbol synchronization that comprises oversampling an input signal and filtering the samples to determine a composite symbol sample point that converges toward the center of the signal's effective eye pattern. The composite symbol sample point may be an average of previous composite symbol sample points and an instantaneous sample point determined based on samples from a synchronization field of the signal. The updated composite symbol sample point may be utilized for future sampling of the incoming signal.

Abstract: An image capturing section captures a face of an observed person. A position detecting section detects, from a face image expressing the face captured by the image capturing section, one of a position expressing a characteristic of a nose and a position expressing a characteristic of a region between eyebrows. A computing section computes a past relative position of a predetermined region of the face that is based on the position detected in the past by the position detecting section. A region position detecting section detects a position of the predetermined region on the basis of the past relative position computed by the computing section and the current position detected by the position detecting section.

Abstract: A face region detecting apparatus includes a face detection and recognition unit for encoding a face image into a face feature code through an internal operation process and storing the face feature code in the form of a database, in which the face image is extracted in a face detection step of extracting a face image from an inputted image material; and a face detection server for transmitting the face feature code through a network, comparing the transmitted face feature code with face feature codes previously stored in a database to determine whether face features are matched, and transmitting a face recognition result to the face detection and recognition unit. Accordingly, a face image of a specific person is converted into a face feature code, whereby the face feature code can be applied to recognize and detect the specific person or to search for only the specific person from a DVR real-time input image or a recorded image screen.

Abstract: An image evaluation device includes: an information acquiring unit to acquire, from an image containing at least one face, at least one type of information including at least the number of the at least one face and optionally including any of a size of the face, a position of the face in the image, an orientation of the face, a rotational angle of the face and a detection score of the face; and an individual evaluation value calculating unit to statistically calculate an individual evaluation value indicating a result of evaluation for each type of information based on the acquired information.

Abstract: Systems, devices, methods, and software are described for biometric sensors that permit a reduction in the size of the sensing area without significant reduction in biometric functionality of the sensor. A skin site of an individual is illuminated, and light scattered from the skin site is received. An image of a locally consistent feature of the skin site is formed from the received light. The locally consistent feature is analyzed to perform a biometric function.

Abstract: A system and method for processing fingerprints includes representing each minutiae in a fingerprint by determining quantized Gabor coefficients to represent texture content of the minutiae. A distance is computed between represented minutiae and stored minutiae. The minutiae matches are ranked based on the distance to identify the fingerprint.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and to a method for assisting a doctor in assessing a potentially pathological structure, such as a tumor (8) for example. In this connection, characteristic parameters (p10, p20, . . . ), such as its size or the edge contrast, are determined in a data-processing apparatus (1) from a three-dimensional image (7) of the structure (8). Furthermore, data records (4) with the characteristic parameters (p1, p2, . . . ) pertaining to documented examples, together with diagnostic additional information (q1, q2, . . . ), are stored in a database module (3). In the database module (3) it is then possible to establish those data records (4) that are similar to the structure (8) under consideration in respect of the characteristic parameters. These data records can be displayed on a monitor (5) and provide assistance to a doctor in his assessment of the current image.

Abstract: A storage medium contains a program which instructs a computer to recognize a predetermined shape of each of at least one portion of a medical assembly as a real-world fiducial in image data of a patient when the image data includes the predetermined shape and is received by the digital computer. The at-least-one portion has another function apart from functioning as a real-world fiducial. A medical apparatus includes a medical assembly and a storage medium. The medical assembly includes a component having at-least-one portion each with a predetermined shape. The storage medium contains a program which instructs a computer to recognize the predetermined shape of each of the at-least-one portion as a real-world fiducial in image data of a patient when the image data includes the predetermined shape and is received by the digital computer. The component has another function apart from functioning as a real-world fiducial.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and systems for reconstructing feature intensities from pixel level data. In certain embodiments, the invention uses an empirically determined transfer function to construct a theoretical estimate of pixel level data and then iteratively updates feature intensities based on a minimum multiplicative error between the pixel level data and the theoretical estimate of the pixel level data.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system and method for providing remotely accessible gene expression image data. The system and method allows for increased accuracy and semi-quantitative or fully quantitative data from images by enabling the remote user to select regions of interest on a compressed image, and then conducting quantitative analysis on original images at a central location. The subject invention relates to, in one embodiment, an BVIGEM (Interactive Multiple Gene Expression Maps) system: which provides internet based software tools for the extraction of functional information from gene expression images and also to act as a repository for gene expression image data.

Abstract: The invention relates to image processing, and to a method and device for recognizing the reaction results of a test sample in which various reagents are arranged on a surface, by image analysis, and assay. An object is to provide an analysis processing method and an analysis processing device which can obtain analysis results efficiently and with high accuracy, for objects which are integrated using a wound body which is wound with a linear base substance, and for which positions are uncertain.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an ultrasound system and a method of forming an elastic image, which are capable of preventing the distortion of the elastic image. The persistence of the previous frame and the present frame is performed after moving the boundary pixels set up in the previous interest frame to the boundary pixels in the present interest frame. This is so that the distortion of the elastic image may be reduced and the signal to noise ratio may be increased.

Abstract: A computer-aided method (30) comprises alternating between one or more of (i) navigational tasks and (ii) measuring, qualification, and quantification tasks of a clinical task in accordance with defined simple click style user interactions. The defined simple click style user interactions are based upon a domain knowledge (34) that includes (i) details of an anatomy and (ii) details of a clinical measurement, quantification, or workflow of the clinical task associated with the anatomy. Responsive to execution of a simple click style user interaction within a current view (36), and further in accordance with a corresponding navigational task or measuring, qualification, or quantification task, the method transitions within the clinical task and its workflow between one or more of (a) a first measurement point and a next measurement point within the current view (36) or (b) the current view (36) and a next view (38).

Abstract: An outline detection apparatus which detects an outline of a tooth in a dental image, including: a rectangular range specification device for estimating portions in the dental image as a tooth, gum, and background respectively, and specifying rectangular ranges with predetermined pixels in the positions estimated as the tooth, gum, and background; and a site estimation device for acquiring a characteristic quantity based on color information of the pixels in the rectangular ranges, finding a classification vector which maximizes the Fischer ratio based on the characteristic quantity, and estimating which of the tooth range, the gum range, and the background range, pixels other than the pixels in the rectangular ranges are positioned in according to comparison between a predetermined threshold value and an inner product between the classification vector and a pixel value vector based on color information on pixels other than the pixels in the rectangular ranges.

Abstract: A method of providing remote navigation of a specimen includes receiving a command to remotely control a microscope and a camera coupled with the microscope to view a portion of a specimen disposed on the microscope, capturing a digital image of the portion with the camera in response to the command, representing the digital image as a plurality of digital image components, each of the digital image components providing a different level of detail of the image, and transmitting the components in sequential order of increasing level of detail from least detailed to most detailed.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to easily maintain the couch positioning accuracy and reduce the couch positioning time while resolving the complexity of input operations by the operator at the time of couch positioning. To accomplish the above object, calculation points are set to a CT image at the time of treatment planning, and the 3D coordinates of the set calculation point are set to a DRR image. When a couch positioning unit 115 loads the DRR image from an image server 109, it reads the coordinates of calculation points set to the DRR image and displays them on the monitor 116 together with the DRR image. Further, when DR image data is loaded into the couch positioning unit 115, the DR image is displayed on the monitor 116 and calculation points set to the DRR image are set also to the DR image.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for noise reduction in images with locally different and directional noise, in particular for noise reduction in image data records of computed tomography. In at least one embodiment of the method, two image data records of an identical object region that have mutually independent noise are provided. The two image data records are decomposed by a discrete wavelet transformation into a number of frequency bands, detailed images having high frequency structures being obtained in at least two different directions. Noise images in the respective frequency bands and directions are obtained by subtracting a wavelet coefficient of the two input images. These noise images are used to estimate noise locally and as a function of direction, and on the basis of this estimate local threshold values are calculated and applied to the averaged wavelet coefficients of the input images. A result image with reduced noise is obtained after an inverse wavelet transformation.

Abstract: A method for visualizing a sequence of tomographic volume data records for medical imaging, which were recorded in temporal sequence with administration of contrast agents in vessels in an object volume, is provided. At least one extremal value and one time value are determined from the temporal sequence of the measured signal values for each voxel of the object volume, the time value describing a time lag of the extremal value compared to a fixed time during the recording of the volume data records. Each combination of time value and extremal value is assigned a color value and opacity value by a multi-dimensional transfer function. The transfer function is applied to the previously determined time and extremal values so that each voxel of the object volume is assigned a color value and opacity value. The voxel with the respective opacity and color values are displayed using volume rendering.

Abstract: A normal image representing a normal structure of a predetermined structure in an input medical image is generated with higher accuracy. Further, an abnormal component in the input medical image is separated with higher accuracy. A supervised learned filtering unit inputs an input image representing a predetermined structure to a supervised learned filter to generate an image representing a normal structure of the predetermined structure. The supervised learned filter is obtained through a learning process using supervisor images, each representing a normal structure of the predetermined structure in a subject (individual), and corresponding training images, each containing an abnormal component in the corresponding subject (individual). Further, a difference processing unit separates an abnormal component in the input image by calculating a difference between the input image and the image representing the normal structure.

Abstract: A technique for appropriately separating three components contained in radiographic images is disclosed. A component image generating unit separates an image component, which represents any one of a soft part component, a bone component and a heavy element component including an element having an atomic number higher than that of the bone component in a subject, from inputted three radiographic images, which represents degrees of transmission of three patterns of radiations having different energy distributions through the subject, by calculating a weighted sum for each combination of corresponding pixels between the three radiographic images using predetermined weighting factors.

Abstract: A method and/or system for making determinations regarding samples from biologic sources. A computer implemented method and/or system can be used to automate parts of the analysis.