Abstract: A sonar system is provided for generating live sonar images having an expanded coverage angle. The sonar system includes a first sonar transducer assembly defining a first facing direction and having array(s) of sonar transducer elements and a second sonar transducer assembly defining a second facing direction and having array(s) of sonar transducer elements. The sonar system includes processor(s) and a memory including computer program code configured to, when executed, cause the processor(s) to receive first and second sonar return data from the first and second plurality of sonar transducer assemblies, receive first and second facing direction data for the first and second sonar transducer assemblies, position first and second sonar return data based on the first and second facing direction data to form positioned first and second sonar return data, and generate a live sonar image of the underwater environment using the positioned first and second sonar return data.

Abstract: Driver circuitry is disclosed for driving an electroacoustic transducer to provide an output comprising both ultrasonic and audio signal components. The driver circuitry comprises an adjustment module configured to reduce the level of said ultrasonic component signal in response to an increase in an operational variable indicative of a level of said audio signal component, while also increasing the pulse duration, duty cycle, repetition frequency or frequency span or bandwidth of the ultrasonic component.

Abstract: A robotic mapping and tracking system including a robot and boundary posts are disclosed. The robot includes an ultrasonic transmitter, a processor and a camera component. The boundary posts are configured to be placed adjacent to a boundary of a working region. Each boundary post of the plurality of boundary posts includes an ultrasonic receiver. Time-of-flights of the ultrasonic waves are measured to identify distances in between the robot and boundary posts. The camera component of the robot captures an image of an environment of the robot. The processor of the robot analyzes the image of the environment and identifies at least a portion of the working region in front of the robot from the image. The processor of the robot determines a moving route based on the identified portion of the working region in front of the robot and the distances in between the robot and the boundary posts.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide accurate and reliable compact sonar systems for mobile structures. A sonar system includes multiple sensor channels, each comprising a sonar transmitter and a sonar receiver, and a logic device configured to provide control signals and receive sensor signals from the sensor channels. The logic device is configured to provide transmission signals to sonar transducer assemblies, where signal patterns of the transmission signals are differentiated based at least in part on frequency content. Acoustic returns are processed using the signal patterns to reduce inter-channel pickup between the sensor channels. Resulting sonar data and/or imagery may be displayed to a user and/or used to adjust a steering actuator, a propulsion system thrust, and/or other operational systems of the mobile structure.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices that perform flow scan sequences are provided. In one embodiment, an ultrasound imaging system includes an intraluminal catheter or guidewire, an annular array of acoustic elements positioned around a circumference of the catheter or guidewire, and a processor in communication with the annular array. The processor is configured to activate a first subaperture of the annular array at a first time, thereafter, activate a second interleaving subaperture, and activate the first subaperture again at a different, second time such that the scan sequence moves around the circumference of the catheter or guidewire. Temporal differences between the received ultrasound signals obtained by the first subaperture at the first and second times are determined to detect motion around the annular array. By interleaving subaperture firings, the total number of firings to form an image frame can be reduced.

Abstract: An object detector includes: an acquiring unit that acquires an oscillation signal corresponding to an oscillation of a microphone, the microphone transmitting a transmission wave, which is an ultrasonic wave, on a basis of a driving signal, and being caused to oscillate by a reflected wave generated as a result of the transmission wave being reflected from an object; a fall identifying unit that identifies a fall time point of a first drop from a value more than a threshold to the threshold or less after termination of the driving signal; a rise estimating unit that estimates a rise-in-reverberation time point of the reflected wave, the rise-in-reverberation time point being before the fall time point and after a time point of start of the driving signal; and a distance determining unit that determines a distance to the object on a basis of the rise-in-reverberation time point.

Abstract: An information providing device provides various types of information by using an information presentation sound including a fundamental tone, and at least one harmonic tone having a frequency equal to an integral multiple of a frequency of the fundamental tone. The information providing device includes a pitch setting unit that sets the pitch of the information presentation sound, and an information presentation sound output unit that outputs the information presentation sound having the pitch set by the pitch setting unit. When it is assumed that a weighted average of frequencies weighted by a parameter associated with a sound pressure is a centroid frequency, the pitch setting unit variably sets the centroid frequency of the information presentation sound according to a type of information to be provided.

Abstract: The quality of ping-based ultrasound imaging is dependent on the accuracy of information describing the precise acoustic position of transmitting and receiving transducer elements. Improving the quality of transducer element position data can substantially improve the quality of ping-based ultrasound images, particularly those obtained using a multiple aperture ultrasound imaging probe, i.e., a probe with a total aperture greater than any anticipated maximum coherent aperture width. Various systems and methods for calibrating element position data for a probe are described.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide three dimensional volume rendering of volume data for use when operating mobile structures. A three dimensional volume rendering system includes a logic device configured to communicate with a user interface and receive volume data from a volume data source. The logic device is configured to render a three dimensional representation of the volume data, generate, within the 3D representation, a two dimensional grid having several vertices, adjust vertical coordinates of the several vertices based on the volume data, and render the adjusted 2D grid as a 3D surface.

Abstract: An underwater detection apparatus is provided, which may include a transmission transducer, a reception transducer, and processing circuitry. The transmission transducer may transmit a transmission wave in an underwater transmission space. The reception transducer may include a plurality of reception elements, each reception element generating a reception signal based on a reflection wave comprising a reflection of the transmission wave on an underwater target. The processing circuitry may perform beamforming in each of a plurality of reception spaces based on the reception signals, generate a 3D image data of the target based on the beamforming performed in each reception space, and extract a contour of the target detected in at least one of the reception spaces, and generate a contour image data to be displayed along with the 3D image data on a display unit.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus according to an embodiment includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry obtains time-series data having complex values based on a reflected wave of an ultrasound wave transmitted by an ultrasound probe and calculates an expansion coefficient in a case in which the obtained time-series data is expressed as a linear sum of a plurality of mathematical functions, the time-series data having, as an argument, a first parameter related to time. The plurality of mathematical functions are mathematical functions that are possible to be generated on a basis of a function family that has, as arguments, the first parameter and a second parameter different from the first parameter.

Abstract: There is provided, for example, an ultrasonic probe capable of improving the accuracy of testing of a curved-surface structure. An array sensor (ultrasonic array sensor) includes multiple elements (oscillators) to generate an ultrasonic wave. Water (propagation member) is disposed between the array sensor and steel (test target) to propagate the ultrasonic wave. At least one reflection section reflects the ultrasonic wave reflected and returned from the surface of or the inside of the steel, and causes the ultrasonic wave to fall on any of the elements.

Abstract: There are included a data processing step of selecting two or more pieces of data from among a plurality of pieces of first element data or a plurality of pieces of first reception data generated by subjecting the pieces of first element data to phasing addition processing, and performing superimposition processing on the two or more pieces of data, a region-of-interest setting step of setting a region of interest in an imaging area, and a processing condition changing step of changing a processing condition in the data processing step, in a case where the region of interest is set in the region-of-interest setting step, on the basis of information on the set region of interest.

Abstract: A method is performed to compile input data including a plurality of pulse sequences, hardware parameters obtained from a computing device, and a mathematical model with time-dependent control parameters to decrease a computation time of the input data. The method also includes providing the input data to the computing device to allow the computing device to run a computation of the input data. The method further includes converting the pulse sequences into memory-aligned arrays to decrease the computation time of the input data. The method includes calculating optimized output data using an adaptive step size computation to decrease the computation time needed to compute the output data.

Abstract: Disclosed methods and systems may be operable to obtain non-contact diagnostic information about movements of scattering objects such as fluids in subsurface vasculature in tissue. As an example, a method may include causing a light source to illuminate the tissue with at least a first portion of the emitted light and illuminate an optical modulator with at least a second portion of the emitted light. The second portion of the emitted light may be modulated by the optical modulator. An offset source is configured to provide an offset frequency signal. An image sensor may receive optical information from the sample. A heterodyne signal based on the reference frequency signal and the offset frequency signal may be used as a gain input of each detector element of the image sensor. Based on the received information, a movement of a portion of the sample may be determined.

Abstract: According to embodiments, an ultrasonic inspection apparatus comprises: an ultrasonic array probe having a plurality of ultrasonic elements; an estimated shape reflected wave arrival time calculator for computing the estimated shape reflected wave arrival time for the estimated shape reflected wave on the basis of the estimated sound velocity in the test object; an actual shape reflected wave arrival time extractor for extracting the actual shape reflected wave arrival time on the basis of the actual shape reflected wave; a shape reflected waves time difference calculator for computing the difference by subtracting the actual shape reflected wave arrival time from the estimated shape reflected wave arrival time as shape reflected waves time difference; and a delay time calculator for computing the delay times for mutually shifting the timings of ultrasonic wave transmission and ultrasonic wave reception by the ultrasonic elements, considering the shape reflected waves time differences.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a memory and a processor. The processor is configured to receive a set of images associated with a video recorded by a moving or a non-moving camera. The processor is configured to detect a structure of a region of interest from a set of regions of interest in an image from the set of images. The processor is configured to classify the structure into a geometric class from a set of predefined geometric classes using machine learning techniques. The processor is configured to alter the region of interest to generate an altered image when the geometric class is associated with an identity of a person, such that privacy associated with the identity of the person is protected. The processor is configured to send the altered image to a user interface or store the altered image in a standardized format.

Abstract: Driver circuitry is disclosed for driving an electroacoustic transducer to provide an output comprising both ultrasonic and audio signal components. The driver circuitry comprises an adjustment module configured to reduce the level of said ultrasonic component signal in response to an increase in an operational variable indicative of a level of said audio signal component, while also increasing the pulse duration, duty cycle, repetition frequency or frequency span or bandwidth of the ultrasonic component.

Abstract: A self-calibration device for a vehicle radar, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises: a transmission part for outputting a transmission signal to a reflection plate disposed at the front of a vehicle; and a reception part for receiving a reception signal reflected by the reflection plate, wherein the reception part comprises: a phase correction part for correcting a phase of the reception signal; and an angle calculation part for setting the corrected phase as a reference value.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for oscilloscope triggering. The power spectrum entropy threshold Gp and the singular spectrum entropy threshold Gs are obtained by calculating the averages of the power spectrum entropy Hi and the singular spectrum entropy Ei of the first a waveform data frames respectively. Then, for the waveform data frame xa+1(?) and thereafter, If the power spectrum entropy Hi is greater than power spectrum entropy threshold Gp and the singular spectrum entropy Ei is greater than the singular spectrum entropy threshold Gs, the waveform data frame xi(?) is an abnormal signal, the second trigger occurs, storing and displaying the waveform data frame. Thus the storage and display of abnormal signal is realized.

Abstract: An electronic circuit for generating a delayed radio signal for use in a radio communication device configured to provide a transmit baseband signal in a baseband, to up-convert the transmit baseband signal into a transmit radio signal in a radio band, to transmit the transmit radio signal in the radio band, and to simultaneously receive a receive radio signal in the same radio band, is provided. The electronic circuit may include a delay circuit configured to delay a copy of the transmit baseband signal by an amount of time to generate a delayed baseband signal, an up-converting circuit configured to shift the frequency spectrum of the delayed baseband signal to the radio band to generate a delayed radio signal, and an output circuit configured to output the delayed radio signal for a cancellation circuit to cancel the delayed radio signal from the receive radio signal.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a toilet seat device includes a toilet seat, a sterilizer, a sprayer, a blower, and a controller. The sterilizer generates sterilizing water. The sprayer sprays a mist of the sterilizing water. The blower generates a rising air stream. The controller controls the sprayer to execute first and second processes and cause a total amount of the mist sprayed in the first process to be less than that in the second process. The first process and the second process are executed at different timing. The first process includes controlling the blower to generate a first rising air stream capable of lifting the mist toward the toilet seat. The second process includes the blower not generating the first rising air stream and not lifting the mist toward the toilet seat.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a toilet seat device includes a toilet seat, a sterilizer, a sprayer, a blower, and a controller. The sterilizer generates sterilizing water. The sprayer sprays a mist of the sterilizing water into a flush toilet. The blower generates a rising air stream. The controller controls the sprayer to simultaneously generate first and second mists in a state in which the blower generates a first rising air stream. The first mist has a particle size liftable toward the toilet seat by the first rising air stream. The second mist is generated to have a particle size larger than that of the first mist and not to be lifted toward the toilet seat by the first rising air stream. The sprayer causes a total amount of the first mist to be less than that of the second mist.

Abstract: An ultrasonography apparatus includes an acquiring unit, a calculating unit, a multiplying unit, and a generating unit. The acquiring unit acquires a plurality of reception signals that are generated by assigning various kinds of weights on multiple reflected wave signals to which a delay according to a position in a reception aperture is given, and by adding the weighted signals for respective kinds of the weights. The calculating unit calculates a coefficient corresponding to each of positions on a scan line of the reception signals, based on any one of a signal and pixel value of each of positions based on at least one reception signal. The multiplying unit multiplies any one of the values of each of positions based on at least one different reception signal from said reception signal(s) by the coefficient to acquire output data. The generating unit generates ultrasonic image data based on the data.

Abstract: According to an example embodiment, there is provided an apparatus comprising circuitry configured to derive at least two outputs, wherein each output comprises a sum of at least two intermediate signals, the circuitry being configured to derive each intermediate signal by applying a coefficient to a signal received from an antenna element, each output corresponding to an antenna beam, and at least one processing core configured to select from a preconfigured plurality of coefficient sets a first set of coefficients, and to provide the selected first set of coefficients to the circuitry for use in deriving the intermediate signals, the selection being based at least in part on an operating condition relating to the apparatus. The coefficients may be chosen to decrease a correlation between the antenna elements, for example.

Abstract: A survey system and method to improve one or more of survey quality, efficiency, and utility for example by utilizing a vessel mounted MBES and a selected survey plan to check sound speed(s) via eliciting echoes from reflectors in colocated groups of reflectors using multi-perspective ensonification.

Abstract: A portable electronic device, a wearable device and methods for operating the same are provided. The portable electronic device includes a display, a communication interface that communicates with a wearable device using wireless short-range communication, and a processor that provides, via the display, a menu for controlling data of the wearable device, receives, via the communication interface, a security status from the wearable device, limits access to at least one item in the menu if the security status corresponds to a first security state, and allows access to the at least one item in the menu if the security status corresponds to a second security state.

Abstract: An attachable article or device, such as a wristband, includes a flexible electronic display disposed thereon in a manner that is bendable or conformable to a user's wrist or other curved surface, and that enables various images to be displayed on the electronic display in a manner that is easily viewable to the user. The article further includes a connection mechanism that releasably connects the two ends of the article together. The article can, in some cases, include two different sized tail segments. As the shorter tail segment of the article tends to be subjected to more stress over time, the article can be structured in a manner that mitigates the amount of stress to which the shorter tail segment is subjected to over time, while at the same time maintaining a maximum, viewable display area on the shorter tail and longer tail segments of the article, particularly when the shorter tail segment is curved to a greater degree (e.g., when curved around a user's wrist).

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and a system for detecting running. The system for detecting running detects a moving object in an input image and detects a foreground edge of the object. Further, the system for detecting running uses the foreground edge to extract a foot-print image coordinate and extract a head coordinate of the object and uses the foot-print image coordinate, a titled angle of the camera, and an installation height of the camera to acquire a foot-print real coordinate. Here, the system for detecting running uses the foot-print real coordinate of the object and the height of the object to determine whether the object runs.

Abstract: An imaging system is configured for generating vibration region caused by ultrasound wave thereby to obtain a plurality of optically-sectioned images. In the imaging system, a stage is operable to be moved along a plurality of scanning imaging positions, and applied to deposit an object with at least one scattering material. When the object receives an ultrasound wave, a shear wave is generated to displace the scattering material thereby to form a vibration region. A laser generating device is configured to transmit a laser beam, which penetrates the vibration region to form a speckle pattern and focused at a focusing position. An optical imaging device is set at the focusing position to receive the laser beam to generate a plurality of scanning optically-sectioned images with respect to the scanning imaging positions.

Abstract: A method of recovering audio signals and corresponding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention using video or other sequence of images enables recovery of sound that causes vibrations of a surface. An embodiment method includes combining representations of local motions of a surface to produce a global motion signal of the surface. The local motions are captured in a series of images of features of the surface, and the global motion signal represents a sound within an environment in which the surface is located. Some embodiments compare representations of local motions of a surface to determine which motions are in-phase or out-of-phase with each other, enabling visualization of surface vibrational modes. Embodiments are passive, as compared to other forms of remote audio recovery that employ active sensing, such as laser microphone systems. Example applications for the embodiments include espionage and surveillance.

Abstract: An object is measured to record the relative surface coordinates. Then, a portion of the object “the front side” immersed in a fluid is imaged by directing a sonar pulse at the object and recording sonar signals reflected from the object with a sonar imaging array. Then, the recorded relative surface coordinates are iteratively fit to coordinates calculated from the sonar image. Thereafter, the coordinates of the surface of the “backside” of the object that is not observable in the sonar image are known, and a computer generated image of the backside is stitched to sonar image so that the object can be viewed from a plurality of viewpoints separated from the sonar imaging array.

Abstract: Sonar intended to be carried by a naval vehicle including at least one element for transmitting an acoustic signal, at least one element for receiving the acoustic signal transmitted and reflected on the sea bed and at least two phase centers (PC1, PC2) that are disposed along a first and a second axis (v1, v2), respectively, forming an interferometric antenna. The sonar includes elements for determining the speed of movement of the vehicle as a function of the computed value of the relative trim angle (?) formed between a straight line (d1) that is perpendicular to the axes (v1, v2) of the phase centers and a straight line (d2) that is perpendicular to the sea bed (F) and of the value determined for the angle of sight.

Abstract: A sonar system to image the seabed, comprises at least one emission antenna to emit an acoustic beam covering a useful angular sector delimited by a first direction and a second direction, the distance between the antenna and the seabed being more significant in the first direction than in the second direction. The emission device is configured to form an emission pattern whose maximum is situated substantially in the first direction and which decreases from the first direction to the second direction and from the first direction in the sense opposite to the second direction, the energy attenuation being faster in the sense opposite to the second direction than toward the second direction.

Abstract: A method uses an underwater vehicle travelling along an underwater surface projecting high frequency sound at the underwater surface to produce an image of the underwater surface with sufficient along track and cross track resolution to be able to identify cracks or other irregularities in the underwater surface.

Abstract: A method of processing an image, including estimating a point spread function (PSF) of an acquired image, and performing image restoration on the acquired image using the estimated PSF based on a generalized Gaussian model using inverse filter frequency domain so as to perform image restoration at high speed and to prevent a halo effect. The method provides high speed processing while preventing a halo effect. The apparatus includes an ultrasonic imaging apparatus including: an ultrasonic probe to irradiate an object with ultrasonic waves and to receive ultrasonic echo waves reflected from the object; a beamformer configured to perform beam forming based on the ultrasonic echo waves received by the ultrasonic probe; an image restorer configured to restore the image beam formed by the beamformer based on a generalized Gaussian model; and an postprocessor configured to suppress noise and aliasing which are produced in the process of restoring the image.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a ship draught detection apparatus and its detection method. The ship draught detection apparatus includes two servo motors, a guide rail, a sonar detection device, a traction device, a locating device, and a control device. Compared with the provision of a series of sonar detection devices in the prior art, the provision of one sonar detection device reduces the cost and there is no mutual interference between adjacent sonars.

Abstract: There is provided a system for detecting a drowning person within a water body, the system comprising (i) sonar sensors for forming a three dimensional grid of sonar waves within the water body, the grid having three dimensional grid cells; (ii) a movement path tracing unit adapted to be connected to the sonar sensors for tracing a movement path of a person within the water body by determining a sequence of successive grid cells crossed by the person within the grid in the course of said movement path, the determination of the successive grid cells being made based on detected propagation delays of the sonar waves forming the grid; and (iii) a drowning detection unit adapted to be connected to the movement path tracing unit for analyzing the movement path of the person and issuing an alarm when the movement path of the person is indicative of a drowning person movement path. There is also provided a kit and method for detecting a drowning person within a water body.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to data management. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to visualizing data and/or navigating visualized data. In one aspect, a computer-implemented method for dynamically presenting graphical and textual information in a graphical user interface is configured to: display graphical user interface elements visually representing a data set stored in memory along at least one dimension of a graphical user interface; receive activation signals generated by user input devices and corresponding to at least one dimension of the displayed graphical user interface; and, upon receiving an activation signal, display at least a portion of the data set based on the position at which the activation signal was received.

Abstract: A dual-Band phased array antenna with built-in grating lobe mitigation includes an array of radiating elements capable of working at both bands and arranged at distances small enough, avoiding grating lobes with respect to the lower band within the desired field of view. The radiating elements are arranged in planar subarrays that can be steered independently from each other and each of the subarrays has a different boresight normal vector, so that grating lobes in the upper band is mitigated.

Abstract: In an approach for determining relative positioning in a multiple display grid, a processor receives positioning information from sensors operably affixed to at least a first display and a second display. A processor analyzes the positioning information to determine a relative positioning between at least the first display and the second display. A processor generates an extended display on the at least the first display and the second display, based on the analyzed positioning information.

Abstract: A data processing system is provided for performing processing operations upon an ordered stream of input data values to form an ordered stream of output data values. A select circuit (18) includes select interval generation circuitry (34) which determines a number (interval number) of input data values between each data value to be selected for output from among the ordered stream of input data values. This interval number varies with position within the ordered stream of input data values. The select circuit (18) can thus perform selection of input data values in accordance with an interval number which may be varied, for example, in accordance with a linear piecewise approximation of an desired curve or, in other embodiments, in a piecewise quadratic variation approximating a desired curve. The processing techniques may be used, for example, in beam forming application, such as 3D beam forming of ultrasonic images.

Abstract: The present technology relates generally to portable acoustic holography systems for therapeutic ultrasound sources, and associated devices and methods. In some embodiments, a method of characterizing an ultrasound source by acoustic holography includes the use of a transducer geometry characteristic, a transducer operation characteristic, and a holography system measurement characteristic. A control computer can be instructed to determine holography measurement parameters. Based on the holography measurement parameters, the method can include scanning a target surface to obtain a hologram. Waveform measurements at a plurality of points on the target surface can be captured. Finally, the method can include processing the measurements to reconstruct at least one characteristic of the ultrasound source.

Abstract: The remote control boat with fish finder is designed to give fishermen that are fishing from the bank a way to determine the depth of the water they are fishing, to locate fish within the water they are fishing, and to determine structures and features under the water where fish may be located. The remote control boat with fish finder incorporates a remote controlled boat with an integral fish finder, LED running lights, and an LED spot light. The remote control boat with fish finder comprises a boat, an RC system, a fish finder transponder, a PDA, and a battery.

Abstract: In an approach for determining relative positioning in a multiple display grid, a processor receives positioning information from sensors operably affixed to at least a first display and a second display. A processor analyzes the positioning information to determine a relative positioning between at least the first display and the second display. A processor generates an extended display on the at least the first display and the second display, based on the analyzed positioning information.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a vehicle includes: a communication module configured to perform wireless communication between a wearable device and at least one vehicle device provided in the vehicle; and a control module configured to control the at least one vehicle device based on an operation of the wearable device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for time-delay inverted beamforming are provided. One method includes sampling, substantially uniformly in time, a set of continuous-time element signals to form a set of sampled element signals and mapping, for each sampled element signal, one or more samples substantially equally spaced in time to one or more samples non-equally spaced in time corresponding to the respective contribution of each element signal to a continuous-time beamsum signal. The method also includes forming a beamsum signal sampled substantially uniformly in time from the non-uniformly spaced, mapped samples corresponding to each sampled element signal.

Abstract: A method for recognizing a target in a sonar image, the method comprising: normalizing a sonar image; using/defining multiple test objects; rotating each test object between multiple positions; using a projection of each test object in each position as a template, so that multiple templates are provided for each test object, each template corresponding to a different rotational position; applying the multiple templates for the multiple test objects to the normalized image; and creating at least one feature vector for the image for use in target recognition.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus has a storage unit for storing the elastic volume data generated on the basis of the ultrasonic image data obtained by transmitting/receiving ultrasonic waves to/from an object to be examined, an input unit for setting a region of interest in the space which is occupied by the elastic volume data, an extraction unit for extracting from the elastic volume data a voxel group having the voxel values within a set elasticity range which is set based on the elasticity value of the voxels in the region of interest, a 3-dimensional elastic image creation unit for generating a 3-dimensional elastic image basis on the elastic volume data of the voxel group which is extracted by the extraction unit or the elastic volume data excluding the extracted voxel group; and an image display unit for displaying the 3-dimensional elastic image generated by the 3-dimensional elastic image creation unit.

Abstract: A mesh number prediction method obtains a mesh length for a case in which a mesh having an arbitrary shape is created by approximating an entire analyzing target by a three-dimensional (3D) mesh model based on data of a 3D surface model of the analyzing target, obtains a mesh number of each part forming the analyzing target for a case in which a mesh having an arbitrary shape is created by approximating each part by a 3D mesh model based on the mesh length, and obtains a predicted total mesh number of the entire analyzing target from a ratio of volumes of the entire analyzing target and each part based on the mesh number.