Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable medium stores a program capable of improving the accuracy of detection of a target object. The program causes a computer to execute operations including, acquiring data in which a physical quantity is associated with each unit area acquired by dividing a given space; setting a detection region in a time space of three or more dimensions in the space or the time space; setting a control region at a position surrounding a gap with the gap surrounding the detection region disposed in a space having the same dimensions as those of the detection region; and determined whether or not one or more unit areas included in the detection region are predetermined areas on the basis of comparison between physical quantities of one or more unit areas included in the detection region and the control region that are set.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to a method for tracking a location of a surgical tool based on a radiographic image, which includes: by a photography system, photographing a surgical tool having a physical marker frame composed of three or more marker bands; by an information processor, detecting a center point of each marker band in the photographed image; and by the information processor, estimating a three-dimensional location of the surgical tool based on a distance between the detected center point and a center point of a true marker band, and a tracking apparatus for the same.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to techniques to expand the dynamic range of a detector and achieve smooth transition in images used for X-ray image processing. The image finally obtained can fully retain useful information.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment includes a candidate-position extracting circuitry and a position setting circuitry. The candidate-position extracting circuitry extracts a first position through comparison of a fundamental wave component between a plurality pieces of image data collected by performing ultrasonic scanning on a subject injected with a contrast agent. The candidate-position extracting circuitry also extracts a second position through comparison of a harmonic component between the pieces of image data. The position setting circuitry sets the first position or the second position as a position of a region of interest where predetermined analysis is performed in at least one image data of the pieces of image data.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to a brain computer interface (BCI) including a light source subsystem, an interface transmitting light from the light source subsystem to a body region of a user, and a detector subsystem coupled to the interface and configured to receive light signals from the body region of the user. The light source subsystem, the interface, and the detector subsystem are coupled to other electronics providing power, computing functionality, and/or other functionality. The BCI is designed to be worn at a head region of a user and to generate optical signals that can be used to characterize brain activity of the user, where decoded brain activity can be used as inputs to control other systems and/or electronic content provided to the user.

Abstract: An interactive event timeline system and method are disclosed. Multiple events and/or signal indicators are captured during a medical procedure, such as a cardiac procedure. Event data relevant to the cardiac procedure may include, tags, user generated points, ablation events, pacing events and other like events. An interactive event timeline is generated from the captured events and displayed on a visual display device. The interactive event timeline is correlated with a vertical listing of the events and a selected event viewer. All three views may be displayed simultaneously. The interactive event timeline allows a physician or user (collectively “user”) to see temporal relationships between the captured events. The user can see, for example, simultaneous events, long duration events versus short duration events, continuous events and specific event types.

Abstract: The present invention relates to displaying spatial information of an interventional device in a live 2D X-ray image. In order to provide a facilitated visualization technique to provide 3D information of a subject, a device (10) for providing spatial information of an interventional device in a live 2D X-ray image is provided. The device comprises an input unit (12), and a processing unit (16). The input unit is configured to provide an actual 2D X-ray image (18) of a region of interest related to a portion of a patient's body. A target location (22) lies within the region of interest. At least a portion (20) of an interventional device is arranged in the region of interest. The input unit is configured to provide actual 3D ultrasound data of at least a part of the region of interest and at least a portion of an interventional device (19). The target location (22) lies within the region of interest. The processing unit is configured to register the actual 3D ultrasound data to the actual 2D X-ray image.

Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing quality of a flow image of a sample of a subject are provided. The method comprises acquiring a first flow image from a plurality of first OMAG scans of the sample, and acquiring a structure image from a second OMAG scan of the sample. Data based on pixel intensity values from the flow image and pixel intensity values from the structure image are then plotted onto a graph and from the graph, may be differentiated into a first data group representing static structure signals and a second data group representing flow signals. The method then includes suppressing pixels in the flow image corresponding to the first data group. The flow signal may also be multiplied by a weighting factor to suppress artifacts in the image.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for skin care are provided. Some embodiments may include a device or system for skin care that may include a skin tool head portion, a skin tool head support that may be coupled with the skin tool head portion, and/or a portable microscope connector that may be configured to couple a portable microscope with the skin tool head support. Some embodiments include a device for skin care that may include a spacer configured to couple with a portable microscope. The spacer includes at least one aperture configured to facilitate the use of a skin tool. Some embodiments include a spacer coupled with a compressible structure configured to preclude a skin tool from contacting a portion of skin when in an uncompressed state and to allow the skin tool to contact the portion of skin when in a compressed state.

Abstract: Advanced reporting systems based on ontology development for quantitative imaging biomarkers, information modeling to integrate heterogeneous data types relevant to quantitative medical analysis, and a knowledge representation framework for their statistical validation.

Abstract: For topogram predication from surface data, a sensor captures the outside surface of a patient. A generative adversarial network (GAN) generates the topogram representing an interior organ based on the outside surface of the patient. To further adapt to specific patients, internal landmarks are used in the topogram prediction. The topogram generated by one generator of the GAN may be altered based on landmarks generated by another generator.

Abstract: The present invention relates to image contrast enhancement. In order to provide improved and stable contrast enhancement for each acquired image, a device (10) for image contrast enhancement of an X-ray image of a vascular structure is provided. The device (10) comprises an input unit (12) and a processing unit (14). The input unit is configured to provide an acquired X-ray image of a vascular structure with a contrast injection. The contrast injection is performed with a current contrast injection setting having at least one contrast injection parameter. The input unit is further configured to provide a generic vascular structure. The input unit is also configured to provide the current contrast injection setting. The processing unit is configured to determine an assessed contrast parameter for the generic vascular structure based on the current contrast injection setting.

Abstract: A facility for procuring and analyzing information about an anatomical surface feature from a caregiver that is usable to generate an assessment of the surface feature is described. The facility displays information about the surface feature used in the assessment of the surface feature. The facility obtains user input and/or data generated by an image capture device to assess the surface feature or update an existing assessment of the surface feature.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for a finalized processed image and related data to identify a spatial location of each pupil in the region. Each pupil is identified by a two-dimensional spatial coordinate. The method includes processing information associated with each pupil identified by the two-dimensional spatial coordinate to output a plurality of two-dimensional spatial coordinates, each of which is in reference to a time, in a two-dimensional space. The method then includes outputting a gaze information about the human user. The gaze information includes the two-dimensional spatial coordinates each of which is in reference to a time in a two-dimensional space.

Abstract: The invention provides a light therapy device for providing therapeutic treatment to a user's body, wherein the user may be a person or an animal. The device is using a light projection method for treating the body problems and/or skin disorders. Further, the device is having a rotatable assembly that automatically follows the movement of the desired area of the body needs to be treated. The device uses artificial intelligence, machine learning, localization modules, object detection module, image processing module, and 3D-mapping to automatically identify and treating the desired area of the body. Furthermore, the user can manually identify, select and prioritize desired treatment portion and can select the type of treatment required.

Abstract: A fluoroscopy-based system/method for correcting at least an inclination angle of an acetabular cup during total hip arthroplasty. A computing device processes an image of the surgical area to determine distortion, at least as a function of the reference object in the image. Thereafter, the computing device generates a correction factor and measures an inclination angle of an initially positioned acetabular cub in an anterior posterior image of a patient's pelvis, and corrects, as a function of the correction factor, the measured inclination angle to provide an accurate inclination angle of the acetabular cup.

Abstract: An optical coherence tomographic device may include a light source, a measurement light generator, a reference light generator, an interference light generator, an interference light detector, and a processor. The interference light detector may include a first and second detector that convert interference light to interference signals, a first signal processing unit that samples the interference signal from the first detector, and a second signal processing unit that samples the interference signal from the second detector. Each of the first and second signal processing units may sample the interference signal at a timing from outside. Light generated by the measurement light generator may at least include first and second correction light. The processor may correct a time lag between sampling timings of the first and second signal processing units by using a first and second correction signal converted from the first and second correction light.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a method for selecting toric intraocular lenses (IOL) and relaxing incision for correcting refractive error. The one or more toric IOL and relaxing incision combinations can be used for off-axis correction of refractive errors such as astigmatism. The disclosure provides a method for selecting toric IOL and relaxing incision combinations that have combined astigmatism correcting powers and off-axis positions or orientations of the astigmatism correcting axes of the toric IOL and relaxing incision that are effective to yield lower residual astigmatism than on axis correction methods. The toric IOL and relaxing incision combinations also allow the user to avoid incisions that will radially overlap with a cataract incision thereby provided improved outcomes.

Abstract: A deep learning (DL) convolution neural network (CNN) reduces noise in positron emission tomography (PET) images, and is trained using a range of noise levels for the low-quality images having high noise in the training dataset to produceuniform high-quality images having low noise, independently of the noise level of the input image. The DL-CNN network can be implemented by slicing a three-dimensional (3D) PET image into 2D slices along transaxial, coronal, and sagittal planes, using three separate 2D CNN networks for each respective plane, and averaging the outputs from these three separate 2D CNN networks. Feature-oriented training can be implemented by segmenting each training image into lesion and background regions, and, in the loss function, applying greater weights to voxels in the lesion region. Other medical images (e.g. MRI and CT) can be used to enhance resolution of the PET images and provide partial volume corrections.

Abstract: Methods for classifying and measuring orientations of objects, as nonlimiting examples, implants utilizing two-dimensional radiographs. One such method determines a three-dimensional orientation of an object based on its area projected onto a two-dimensional image and known or measured geometry. Another such method provides an automated solution to computationally determine the orientation and characterizing features of an implant based on two-dimensional radiographs. Orientations and characteristics of one or more objects in the vicinity of an object of interest may also be determined.

Abstract: A system and method of processing a CT scan includes receiving a plurality of radiographs and determining an axis of rotation per scan from the plurality of radiographs prior to CT reconstruction.

Abstract: The invention discloses an OCT probe used for human open lumen system, comprising a probe protector, a probe body, an oily liquid, a metal coil, a probe guard tip and a light-guided optical fiber; the probe body is match mounted will the metal coil, and the metal coil is mounted on the rear end of the probe body; the light-guided optical fiber is fixed inside the probe body; the probe guard tip is sleeved on the probe body, the probe protector is sleeved on the probe guard tip and sleeved on the metal coil; the oily liquid is filled between the probe guard tip and the probe protector, and between the metal coil and the probe protector. The invention effectively remedy for the defect that the image is unclear by filling the oily liquid between the probe protector and the probe body.

Abstract: A method of performing dose calculations for ion radiotherapy compensating for tissue in which the density within a voxel may be inhomogeneous by approximating a portion of the voxel as an air cavity. For each dose voxel, the voxel is inscribed in a three-dimensional grid comprising a number of cells and the propagation of ions through the voxel is calculated based on the cell pattern in the at least one cell overlapping the voxel. Preferably, the voxel is inscribed in the three-dimensional grid in such a way that it overlaps at least one cell fully. Each cell comprises a first portion representing a first density corresponding to a density of a tissue and a second portion representing a second density corresponding to the density of air, the first and second portions forming a cell pattern.

Abstract: The present invention relates to image processing devices and related methods. The image processing device (10) comprises a data input (11) for receiving spectral computed tomography volumetric image data organized in voxels. The image data comprises a contrast-enhanced volumetric image of a cardiac region in a subject's body and a baseline volumetric image of that cardiac region, e.g. a virtual non-contrast image, wherein the contrast-enhanced volumetric image conveys anatomical information regarding coronary artery anatomy of the subject. The device comprises a flow simulator (12) for generating, or receiving as input, a three-dimensional coronary tree model based on the volumetric image data and for simulating a coronary flow based on the three-dimensional coronary tree model.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing device (10) comprising a data input (11) for receiving volumetric image data comprising a plurality of registered volumetric images of an imaged object, a noise modeler (12) for generating a noise model indicative of a spatial distribution of noise in each of the plurality of registered volumetric images, a feature detector (13) for detecting a plurality of image features taking the volumetric image data into account, and a marker generator (14) for generating a plurality of references indicating feature positions of a subset of the plurality of detected image features, in which said subset corresponds to the detected image features that are classified as difficult to discern on a reference volumetric image in the plurality of registered volumetric images based on a classification and/or a visibility criterium, wherein the classification and/or the visibility criterium takes the or each noise model into account.

Abstract: A system and method of throat abnormal object recognition is disclosed. The system includes a throat abnormal object recognition device, a data source device, a display device, and an operation device connected to the throat abnormal object recognition device, the data source device, and the display device. The method includes the throat abnormal object recognition device generating operation parameters, the data source device generating an original X-ray image data, the throat abnormal object recognition device reading the original X-ray image data, performing a pre-stage process on the original X-ray image data to generate a pre-stage processed image data, performing a comparison process on the pre-stage processed image data to generate a comparison processed image data with an abnormal object image, employing a frame mark to mark the abnormal object image as a mark X-ray image, and employing the display device to display the mark X-ray image.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a computer program for determining a refractive error of an eye of a user are provided. The method for determining the refractive error of the eye of the user, wherein the eye of the user has a choroid, includes: ascertaining at least one value for a layer thickness of the choroid of the eye of the user over at least one region of the choroid; and determining a value for the change in the refractive error of the eye only from at least two values for the layer thickness of the choroid which were each ascertained at different times for the at least one region of the choroid, wherein the at least one region is selected from a nasal perifoveal region or a nasal parafoveal region.

Abstract: A method for assisting a surgical operator in performing a surgical procedure uses a surgical controlling system includes a controller having a processing means communicable with a controller's database, said controller configured to control the spatial position of a surgical tool. The controller's database is in communication with movement detection means. The controller's database is configured to store a predetermined set of rules according to which allowed and restricted movements of the surgical tool are determined, each detected movement by said movement detection means of said at least one surgical tool being determined as either an allowed movement or as a restricted movement according to said predetermined set of rules. The system automatically real-time analyzes and determines the location of each anatomical element in the surgical environment.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a processor configured to: set a plurality of first seed positions, pixel values of which indicate three-dimensional peaks, in a stack image of a cell; give an identification number to each first seed position; set a standard size of a cell in a predetermined direction of the stack image; set, referring to each first seed position, second seed positions within a range of the standard size centering on each first seed position, the second seed positions being positions shifted in the predetermined direction with respect to the first seed positions; give the same identification number as the identification number of the first seed position of a reference source to each second seed position; and form two-dimensional cell regions in all the first seed positions and thereafter form two-dimensional cell regions in the second seed positions.

Abstract: In an ophthalmological device, a memory stores a three dimensional data set acquired by applying OCT to a subject's eye. A fourth color coding unit assigns color information according to a depth position to the three dimensional data set. A fourth layer region identifying unit identifies layer regions by applying segmentation to the three dimensional data set, A fourth blood vessel region extracting unit extracts a blood vessel region from each of the layer regions identified. A fourth front image constructing unit constructs a front image based on each of the blood vessel regions extracted. A fourth image composing unit composes at least two of the front images constructed based on the color information, to construct a composite front image.

Abstract: Methods and systems for imaging a lumen, wherein imaging is manipulated to provide centered magnified version of the image, yielding precise and centered images for better efficacy in real-time treatment by practitioners and experts.

Abstract: There is provided a method for generating a 3D physical model of a patient specific anatomic feature from 2D medical images. The 2D medical images are uploaded by an end-user via a Web Application and sent to a server. The server processes the 2D medical images and automatically generates a 3D printable model of a patient specific anatomic feature from the 2D medical images using a segmentation technique. The 3D printable model is 3D printed as a 3D physical model such that it represents a 1:1 scale of the patient specific anatomic feature. The method includes the step of automatically identifying the patient specific anatomic feature.

Abstract: An analysis unit analyzes a medical image and acquires an analysis result. An interpretation report creation unit creates an interpretation report on a disease based on the analysis result. A display control unit displays the medical image and the interpretation report on a display. In response to an instruction to modify one of a disease region in the medical image and a description of the disease region in the interpretation report, a modification unit modifies the other one of the disease region in the medical image and the description of the disease region in the interpretation report.

Abstract: A delicate tissue retraction system for use with a navigation probe having a probe shaft and a probe tip at a distal end of the probe shaft. The delicate tissue retraction system includes a retractor and an introducer that is removably installed within the retractor. The introducer has a wall forming a hollow channel extending from a proximal introducer end to a distal introducer end. A mount is integrally formed with the introducer and extends from the distal introducer end into the channel. The mount is positioned to surround the probe tip when the navigation probe is at a fully inserted position within the introducer with the probe tip at the distal introducer end.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasound image diagnosis apparatus includes a boundary detection unit, a measurement unit, and a display control unit. The boundary detection unit detects the boundary of a structure in a subject based on volume data generated from a reflected signal of ultrasound waves transmitted toward inside of the subject. The measurement unit measures the size of the structure based on the boundary detected by the boundary detection unit. The display control unit displays the cross section of the structure according to a definition that is set in the advance and related to the size of the structure measured by the measurement unit.

Abstract: Provided is a non-invasive system and method of determining pennation angle and/or fascicle length based on image processing. An ultrasound scan image is processed to facilitate distinguishing of muscle fiber and tendon. The processed ultrasound scan image is then analyzed. The pennation angle and/or fascicle length is determined based on the analysis. An example method includes receiving an ultrasound scan image of at least a portion of a skin layer as disposed above one or more additional tissue layers, the image provided by a plurality of pixels. The method continues by introducing noise into the pixels of the image and thresholding the pixels of the image to provide a binary image having a plurality of structural elements of different sizes. The method continues with morphing the structural elements of the binary image to remove small structural elements and connect large structural elements.

Abstract: Detecting a pulmonary embolism (PE) in an image dataset of a blood vessel involves obtaining a volume of interest (VOI) in the blood vessel, generating a plurality of PE candidates within the VOI, generating a set of voxels for each PE candidate, estimating for each PE candidate an orientation of the blood vessel that contains the PE candidate, given the set of voxels for the PE candidate, and generating a visualization of the blood vessel that contains the PE candidate using the estimated orientation of the blood vessel that contains the PE candidate.

Abstract: During operation, a system may apply an external magnetic field and an RF pulse sequence to a sample. Then, the system may measure at least a component of a magnetization associated with the sample, such as MR signals of one or more types of nuclei in the sample. Moreover, the system may calculate at least a predicted component of the magnetization for voxels associated with the sample based on the measured component of the magnetization, a forward model, the external magnetic field and the RF pulse sequence. Next, the system may solve an inverse problem by iteratively modifying the parameters associated with the voxels in the forward model until a difference between the predicted component of the magnetization and the measured component of the magnetization is less than a predefined value. Note that the calculations may be performed concurrently with the measurements and may not involve performing a Fourier transform.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to apparatuses for generating a magnetic field for tracking of a target object. Such an apparatus may include a localized magnetic field transmitter that generates a magnetic field and exhibits minimal X-ray absorption when used in proximity to a fluoroscopic imaging system, for example.

Abstract: According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus comprising: a first optical fiber in communication with a light source; a second optical fiber in communication with an imaging probe; and a fiber optic rotary joint (FORJ) where a distal end of the first optical fiber and a proximal end of the second optical fiber are positioned coaxially with a gap between the fibers' end faces. The FORJ is adapted to transmit light between the fibers' end faces, and to rotate at least one of first and second optical fibers relative to the other. An actuator is configured to axially translate at least one of the first and second optical fibers relative to the other in a reciprocal motion. A light intensity sensor is adapted to measure light intensity changes due to optical interference between light reflected from the fibers' end faces.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided to iteratively reconstruct an image from gamma-ray emission data by optimizing an objective function with a spatially-varying regularization term. The image is reconstructed using a regularization term that varies spatially based on an activity-level map to spatially vary the regularization term in the objective function. For example, more smoothing (or less edge-preserving) can be imposed where the activity is lower. The activity-level map can be used to calculate a spatially-varying smoothing parameter and/or spatially-varying edge-preserving parameter. The smoothing parameter can be a regularization parameter ? that scales/weights the regularization term relative to a data fidelity term of the objective function, and the regularization parameter ? can depend on a sensitivity parameter. The edge-preserving parameter ? can control the shape of a potential function that is applied as a penalty in the regularization term of the objective function.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an operating method of an automatic brain infarction detection system on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which includes steps as follows. Images corresponding to different slices of a brain of a subject are received from the MRI machine. The image mask process is performed on first and second images of the images. It is determined whether the cerebellum image intensity and the brain image intensity in the first image are matched. When the cerebellum image intensity and the brain image intensity are not matched, the cerebellar image intensity in the first image is adjusted. The first image is processed through a nonlinear regression to obtain a third image. A neural network identify an infarct region by using the first, second and third images that are cut.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for positioning a marker (2) in a 3D ultrasonic image volume (3), a system for positioning a marker (2) in a 3D ultrasonic image volume (3), a method for positioning a marker (2) in a 3D ultrasonic image volume (3), a computer program element for controlling such device (1) for performing such method and a computer readable medium having stored such computer program element. The device (1) comprises an image provision unit (11), a marker unit (12) and a display unit (13). The image provision unit (11) is configured to provide a 3D ultrasonic image volume (3) showing an object (4). The marker unit (12) is configured to position a marker (2) in the 3D ultrasonic image volume (3). The display unit (13) is configured to display the 3D ultrasonic image volume (3) and the marker (2) in a first imaging view (31) in a first imaging plane and in a second imaging view (32) in a second, different imaging plane.

Abstract: A probe for use with an imaging system, including a scanning device configured to receive a first light beam from a light source, a beam-divider configured to split the first light beam into a plurality of second light beams, and a focusing device configured to focus each of the second light beams on respective locations in an object of interest is disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of calculating a surgical intervention plan. Based on surface data of the patient, a surface representation of a part of the patient's body is created. From a database, a plurality of surgical methods may be selected and the geometrical parameters of a surgical plan can be adapted based on each individual surgical method. Therefore, the surgeon may easily select, which of the surgical method is appropriate for the planned surgical intervention. Furthermore, the surgical intervention plan which has been adapted according to the finally selected surgical method may then be projected onto the skin of the patient such that a drawing of the incision lines is facilitated. Furthermore, the use of a remotely activatable pen based on the current position of the pen and based on the finally selected surgical plan is presented.

Abstract: A tomographic image processing device that includes an input unit configured to input a tomographic image of a subject eye; a processor; and a memory storing computer-readable instructions therein. The computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, may cause the processor to execute: acquiring a tomographic image of a normal eye; acquiring a tomographic image of an eye having an abnormal portion; extracting a feature amount of the abnormal portion by using machine learning from the tomographic image of the normal eye and the tomographic image of the eye having the abnormal portion; acquiring a tomographic image of the subject eye inputted to the input unit; and determining whether the tomographic image of the subject eye includes an abnormal portion based on the feature amount.

Abstract: A medical apparatus according to an embodiment includes control circuitry. The control circuitry is configured to: acquire a three-dimensional cumulative dose distribution of an object; set a treatment target site by treatment accompanied with X-ray irradiation to the object; and determine an X-ray irradiating direction for performing the X-ray irradiation based on the three-dimensional cumulative dose distribution and the treatment target site.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for characterizing perfusion abnormalities in tissue by means of fractal analysis (FA) of at least one part of an interface region between adequately and abnormally perfused tissue comprising the steps of providing an imaging dataset of perfusion imaging; wherein said imaging dataset visualizes the at least one part of the interface region; optional pre-processing of said imaging dataset; applying fractal analysis to the imaging dataset; wherein said fractal analysis provides at least one fractal parameter, preferably fractal dimension (FD), of the at least one part of the interface region.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus including an identification unit configured to identify a lamina cribrosa region by analyzing tomographic image data on an eye to be inspected, a generation unit configured to generate a luminance en face image and a motion contrast en face image of the eye to be inspected by using information on the identified lamina cribrosa region, and a display control unit configured to cause a display unit to display at least one of the luminance en face image and the motion contrast en face image with the information on the identified lamina cribrosa region superimposed on the displayed image.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a head-mounted apparatus, including: an optical sensor having a contact face for contacting with the head of a user; a supporting unit disposed around the optical sensor and configured to contact with the head of the user; and a sensor supporting mechanism configured to support the optical sensor so as to permit a movement of the optical sensor in a contact direction that is a direction perpendicular to the contact face.