Newness and distinctiveness is claimed in the features of ornamentation as shown inside the broken line circle in the accompanying representation.

Display screen or portion thereof with graphical user interface

Curve-skeletons are thinned 1D representations of 3D objects useful for many visualization tasks including virtual navigation, reduced-model formulation, visualization improvement, animation, etc. There are many algorithms in the literature describing extraction methodologies for different applications; however, it is unclear how general and robust they are. In this paper, we provide an overview of many curve-skeleton applications and compile a set of desired properties of such representations. We also give a taxonomy of methods and analyze the advantages and drawbacks of each class of algorithms.

/pdf/curve-skeleton-properties-applications-and-algorithms-8n6p5tz4yb.pdf

Curve-Skeleton Properties, Applications, and Algorithms

Background: The main aim of this study was to develop and implement an algorithm for the rapid, accurate and automated identification of paths leading from buried protein clefts, pockets and cavities in dynamic and static protein structures to the outside solvent. Results: The algorithm to perform a skeleton search was based on a reciprocal distance function grid that was developed and implemented for the CAVER program. The program identifies and visualizes routes from the interior of the protein to the bulk solvent. CAVER was primarily developed for proteins, but the algorithm is sufficiently robust to allow the analysis of any molecular system, including nucleic acids or inorganic material. Calculations can be performed using discrete structures from crystallographic analysis and NMR experiments as well as with trajectories from molecular dynamics simulations. The fully functional program is available as a stand-alone version and as plug-in for the molecular modeling program PyMol. Additionally, selected functions are accessible in an online version. Conclusion: The algorithm developed automatically finds the path from a starting point located within the interior of a protein. The algorithm is sufficiently rapid and robust to enable routine analysis of molecular dynamics trajectories containing thousands of snapshots. The algorithm is based on reciprocal metrics and provides an easy method to find a centerline, i.e. the spine, of complicated objects such as a protein tunnel. It can also be applied to many other molecules. CAVER is freely available from the web site http://loschmidt.chemi.muni.cz/caver/.

/pdf/caver-a-new-tool-to-explore-routes-from-protein-clefts-5ey375khyw.pdf

CAVER: a new tool to explore routes from protein clefts, pockets and cavities

Systems and methods are described for obtaining and acting upon information indicative of circulatory health and related phenomena in human beings or other subjects.

Circulatory monitoring systems and methods

A distance field is a representation where, at each point within the field, we know the distance from that point to the closest point on any object within the domain. In addition to distance, other properties may be derived from the distance field, such as the direction to the surface, and when the distance field is signed, we may also determine if the point is internal or external to objects within the domain. The distance field has been found to be a useful construction within the areas of computer vision, physics, and computer graphics. This paper serves as an exposition of methods for the production of distance fields, and a review of alternative representations and applications of distance fields. In the course of this paper, we present various methods from all three of the above areas, and we answer pertinent questions such as How accurate are these methods compared to each other? How simple are they to implement?, and What is the complexity and runtime of such methods?.

/pdf/3d-distance-fields-a-survey-of-techniques-and-applications-2qj0vd6xsa.pdf

3D distance fields: a survey of techniques and applications

Methods for generating a three-dimensional visualization image of an object, such as an internal organ, using volume visualization techniques are provided. The techniques include a multi-scan imaging method; a multi-resolution imaging method; and a method for generating a skeleton of a complex three dimension object. The applications include virtual cystoscopy, virtual laryngoscopy, virtual angiography, among others.

System and method for performing a three-dimensional virtual examination of objects, such as internal organs

In this paper, we introduce a concise and concrete definition of an accurate colon centerline and provide an efficient automatic means to extract the centerline and its associated branches (caused by a forceful touching of colon and small bowel or a deep fold in twisted colon lumen). We further discuss its applications on fly-through path planning and endoscopic simulation, as well as its potential to solve the challenging touching and colon collapse problems in virtual colonoscopy. Experimental results demonstrated its centeredness, robustness, and efficiency.

Automatic centerline extraction for virtual colonoscopy

A system and method for generating a three-dimensional visualization image of an object such as an organ using volume visualization techniques and exploring the image using a guided navigation system which allows the operator to travel along a flight path and to adjust the view to a particular portion of the image of interest in order, for example, to identify polyps, cysts or other abnormal features in the visualized organ. An electronic biopsy can also be performed on an identified growth or mass in the visualized object. Virtual colonoscopy can be enhanced by electronically removing residual stool, fluid and non-colonic tissue from the image of the colon, by employing bowel preparation followed by image segmentation operations. Methods are also employed for virtually expanding regions of colon collapse using image segmentation results.

System and method for performing a three-dimensional virtual segmentation and examination

A system and method for generating a three-dimensional visualization image of an object such as an organ using volume visualization techniques and exploring the image using a guided navigation system which allows the operator to travel along a flight path and to adjust the view to a particular portion of the image of interest in order, for example, to identify polyps, cysts or other abnormal features in the visualized organ. An electronic biopsy can also be performed on an identified growth or mass in the visualized object. Improved fly-path generation and volume rendering techniques provide enhanced navigation through, and examination of, a region of interest.

System and method for performing a three-dimensional virtual examination, navigation and visualization

We present a generic method for rapid flight planning, virtual navigation and effective camera control in a volumetric environment. Directly derived from an accurate distance from boundary (DFB) field, our automatic path planning algorithm rapidly generates centered flight paths, a skeleton, in the navigable region of the virtual environment. Based on precomputed flight paths and the DFB field, our dual-mode physically based camera control model supports a smooth, safe, and sticking-free virtual navigation with six degrees of freedom. By using these techniques, combined with accelerated volume rendering, we have successfully developed a real-time virtual colonoscopy system on low-cost PCs and confirmed the high speed, high accuracy and robustness of our techniques on more than 40 patient datasets.

https://labs.cs.sunysb.edu/labs/papers/colonoscopy/Wan_Vis01.pdf

Ming Wan

Papers

System and method for performing a three-dimensional virtual examination of objects, such as internal organs

Automatic centerline extraction for virtual colonoscopy

System and method for performing a three-dimensional virtual segmentation and examination

System and method for performing a three-dimensional virtual examination, navigation and visualization

Distance-field based skeletons for virtual navigation