A fast-Fourier-transform method of topography and interferometry is proposed. By computer processing of a noncontour type of fringe pattern, automatic discrimination is achieved between elevation and depression of the object or wave-front form, which has not been possible by the fringe-contour-generation techniques. The method has advantages over moire topography and conventional fringe-contour interferometry in both accuracy and sensitivity. Unlike fringe-scanning techniques, the method is easy to apply because it uses no moving components.

Fourier-transform method of fringe-pattern analysis for computer-based topography and interferometry

An intelligent electronic appliance preferably includes a user interface, data input and/or output port, and an intelligent processor. A preferred embodiment comprises a set top box for interacting with broadband media streams, with an adaptive user interface, content-based media processing and/or media metadata processing, and telecommunications integration. An adaptive user interface models the user, by observation, feedback, and/or explicit input, and presents a user interface and/or executes functions based on the user model. A content-based media processing system analyzes media content, for example audio and video, to understand the content, for example to generate content-descriptive metadata. A media metadata processing system operates on locally or remotely generated metadata to process the media in accordance with the metadata, which may be, for example, an electronic program guide, MPEG 7 data, and/or automatically generated format. A set top box preferably includes digital trick play effects, and incorporated digital rights management features.

Intelligent electronic appliance system and method

An adaptive interface for a programmable system, for predicting a desired user function, based on user history, as well as machine internal status and context. The apparatus receives an input from the user and other data. A predicted input is presented for confirmation by the user, and the predictive mechanism is updated based on this feedback. Also provided is a pattern recognition system for a multimedia device, wherein a user input is matched to a video stream on a conceptual basis, allowing inexact programming of a multimedia device. The system analyzes a data stream for correspondence with a data pattern for processing and storage. The data stream is subjected to adaptive pattern recognition to extract features of interest to provide a highly compressed representation which may be efficiently processed to determine correspondence. Applications of the interface and system include a VCR, medical device, vehicle control system, audio device, environmental control system, securities trading terminal, and smart house. The system optionally includes an actuator for effecting the environment of operation, allowing closed-loop feedback operation and automated learning.

Ergonomic man-machine interface incorporating adaptive pattern recognition based control system

We define a new image feature called the color correlogram and use it for image indexing and comparison. This feature distills the spatial correlation of colors, and is both effective and inexpensive for content-based image retrieval. The correlogram robustly tolerates large changes in appearance and shape caused by changes in viewing positions, camera zooms, etc. Experimental evidence suggests that this new feature outperforms not only the traditional color histogram method but also the recently proposed histogram refinement methods for image indexing/retrieval.

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Image indexing using color correlograms

A self-scanned 1024 element photodiode array and minicomputer are used to measure the phase (wavefront) in the interference pattern of an interferometer to lambda/100. The photodiode array samples intensities over a 32 x 32 matrix in the interference pattern as the length of the reference arm is varied piezoelectrically. Using these data the minicomputer synchronously detects the phase at each of the 1024 points by a Fourier series method and displays the wavefront in contour and perspective plot on a storage oscilloscope in less than 1 min (Bruning et al. Paper WE16, OSA Annual Meeting, Oct. 1972). The array of intensities is sampled and averaged many times in a random fashion so that the effects of air turbulence, vibrations, and thermal drifts are minimized. Very significant is the fact that wavefront errors in the interferometer are easily determined and may be automatically subtracted from current or subsequent wavefrots. Various programs supporting the measurement system include software for determining the aperture boundary, sum and difference of wavefronts, removal or insertion of tilt and focus errors, and routines for spatial manipulation of wavefronts. FFT programs transform wavefront data into point spread function and modulus and phase of the optical transfer function of lenses. Display programs plot these functions in contour and perspective. The system has been designed to optimize the collection of data to give higher than usual accuracy in measuring the individual elements and final performance of assembled diffraction limited optical systems, and furthermore, the short loop time of a few minutes makes the system an attractive alternative to constraints imposed by test glasses in the optical shop.

Digital wavefront measuring interferometer for testing optical surfaces and lenses

We are currently developing an imaging system that combines simultaneous positron emission tomography (PET) with near-infrared (NIR) optical tomography, thus supporting two different types of molecular imaging. For this system, we are considering whether to use depth of interaction (DOI) PET detectors as simultaneous detectors of gamma rays and NIR light by changing the original upper reflectors to dichroic mirrors. The DOI-PET detector has very low spatial resolution for NIR light compared to the charge-coupled device cameras that are normally used. However, it is possible to reconstruct images of comparable value from the data acquired by low-resolution devices because the light is scattered by biological tissues and high-resolution devices are not necessarily effective at improving image quality. In this study, we demonstrate the feasibility of 3D NIR fluorescence tomography imaging by employing DOI-PET detectors in computer simulations. In the simulations, we used a 40 mm × 40 mm × 40 mm cubic phantom, a square detector geometry, and an optical diffusion equation to approximate the light propagation. We then evaluated imaging systems for 3D fluorescence tomography with different detector resolutions and excitation light arrangements using singular-value analysis and imaging simulation. We confirmed that the reconstructed images from low-resolution detectors (8 × 8 pixels for an area of 40 mm × 40 mm) are the same as those from high-resolution detectors (16 × 16 pixels for the same area).

Feasibility study of near-infrared fluorescence tomography using a positron emission tomograph equipped with depth-of-interaction PET detectors

Volume data is interpolated using pseudo color and an electro-optical-hybrid-system. The method proposed in this paper is called optical interpolation. The visualization of a volumetric array of computed tomography data is achieved using the optical interpolation technique in combination with the optical model and the electro-optical-hybrid-system. To show the advantages of optical interpolation, the results are compared with those obtained by the traditional technique.

Nagaaki Ohyama

Papers

Feasibility study of near-infrared fluorescence tomography using a positron emission tomograph equipped with depth-of-interaction PET detectors

Optical Interpolation of Volume Data Using Pseudo Color and an Electro-Optical-Hybrid-System

Information retrieval method considering the individual differences and its opto-electronic implementation