Technical Note: A respiratory monitoring and processing system based on computer vision: prototype and proof of principle

PubMed Central

Atallah, Vincent; Escarmant, Patrick; Vinh‐Hung, Vincent

2016-01-01

Monitoring and controlling respiratory motion is a challenge for the accuracy and safety of therapeutic irradiation of thoracic tumors. Various commercial systems based on the monitoring of internal or external surrogates have been developed but remain costly. In this article we describe and validate Madibreast, an in‐house‐made respiratory monitoring and processing device based on optical tracking of external markers. We designed an optical apparatus to ensure real‐time submillimetric image resolution at 4 m. Using OpenCv libraries, we optically tracked high‐contrast markers set on patients' breasts. Validation of spatial and time accuracy was performed on a mechanical phantom and on human breast. Madibreast was able to track motion of markers up to a 5 cm/s speed, at a frame rate of 30 fps, with submillimetric accuracy on mechanical phantom and human breasts. Latency was below 100 ms. Concomitant monitoring of three different locations on the breast showed discrepancies in axial motion up to 4 mm for deep‐breathing patterns. This low‐cost, computer‐vision system for real‐time motion monitoring of the irradiation of breast cancer patients showed submillimetric accuracy and acceptable latency. It allowed the authors to highlight differences in surface motion that may be correlated to tumor motion. PACS number(s): 87.55.km PMID:27685116

Technical Note: A respiratory monitoring and processing system based on computer vision: prototype and proof of principle.

PubMed

Leduc, Nicolas; Atallah, Vincent; Escarmant, Patrick; Vinh-Hung, Vincent

2016-09-08

Monitoring and controlling respiratory motion is a challenge for the accuracy and safety of therapeutic irradiation of thoracic tumors. Various commercial systems based on the monitoring of internal or external surrogates have been developed but remain costly. In this article we describe and validate Madibreast, an in-house-made respiratory monitoring and processing device based on optical tracking of external markers. We designed an optical apparatus to ensure real-time submillimetric image resolution at 4 m. Using OpenCv libraries, we optically tracked high-contrast markers set on patients' breasts. Validation of spatial and time accuracy was performed on a mechanical phantom and on human breast. Madibreast was able to track motion of markers up to a 5 cm/s speed, at a frame rate of 30 fps, with submillimetric accuracy on mechanical phantom and human breasts. Latency was below 100 ms. Concomitant monitoring of three different locations on the breast showed discrepancies in axial motion up to 4 mm for deep-breathing patterns. This low-cost, computer-vision system for real-time motion monitoring of the irradiation of breast cancer patients showed submillimetric accuracy and acceptable latency. It allowed the authors to highlight differences in surface motion that may be correlated to tumor motion.v. © 2016 The Authors.

Management of three-dimensional intrafraction motion through real-time DMLC tracking.

PubMed

Sawant, Amit; Venkat, Raghu; Srivastava, Vikram; Carlson, David; Povzner, Sergey; Cattell, Herb; Keall, Paul

2008-05-01

Tumor tracking using a dynamic multileaf collimator (DMLC) represents a promising approach for intrafraction motion management in thoracic and abdominal cancer radiotherapy. In this work, we develop, empirically demonstrate, and characterize a novel 3D tracking algorithm for real-time, conformal, intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT)-based radiation delivery to targets moving in three dimensions. The algorithm obtains real-time information of target location from an independent position monitoring system and dynamically calculates MLC leaf positions to account for changes in target position. Initial studies were performed to evaluate the geometric accuracy of DMLC tracking of 3D target motion. In addition, dosimetric studies were performed on a clinical linac to evaluate the impact of real-time DMLC tracking for conformal, step-and-shoot (S-IMRT), dynamic (D-IMRT), and VMAT deliveries to a moving target. The efficiency of conformal and IMRT delivery in the presence of tracking was determined. Results show that submillimeter geometric accuracy in all three dimensions is achievable with DMLC tracking. Significant dosimetric improvements were observed in the presence of tracking for conformal and IMRT deliveries to moving targets. A gamma index evaluation with a 3%-3 mm criterion showed that deliveries without DMLC tracking exhibit between 1.7 (S-IMRT) and 4.8 (D-IMRT) times more dose points that fail the evaluation compared to corresponding deliveries with tracking. The efficiency of IMRT delivery, as measured in the lab, was observed to be significantly lower in case of tracking target motion perpendicular to MLC leaf travel compared to motion parallel to leaf travel. Nevertheless, these early results indicate that accurate, real-time DMLC tracking of 3D tumor motion is feasible and can potentially result in significant geometric and dosimetric advantages leading to more effective management of intrafraction motion.

Research on Measurement Accuracy of Laser Tracking System Based on Spherical Mirror with Rotation Errors of Gimbal Mount Axes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Zhaoyao; Song, Huixu; Chen, Hongfang; Sun, Yanqiang

2018-02-01

This paper presents a novel experimental approach for confirming that spherical mirror of a laser tracking system can reduce the influences of rotation errors of gimbal mount axes on the measurement accuracy. By simplifying the optical system model of laser tracking system based on spherical mirror, we can easily extract the laser ranging measurement error caused by rotation errors of gimbal mount axes with the positions of spherical mirror, biconvex lens, cat's eye reflector, and measuring beam. The motions of polarization beam splitter and biconvex lens along the optical axis and vertical direction of optical axis are driven by error motions of gimbal mount axes. In order to simplify the experimental process, the motion of biconvex lens is substituted by the motion of spherical mirror according to the principle of relative motion. The laser ranging measurement error caused by the rotation errors of gimbal mount axes could be recorded in the readings of laser interferometer. The experimental results showed that the laser ranging measurement error caused by rotation errors was less than 0.1 μm if radial error motion and axial error motion were within ±10 μm. The experimental method simplified the experimental procedure and the spherical mirror could reduce the influences of rotation errors of gimbal mount axes on the measurement accuracy of the laser tracking system.

Technical Note: Validation and implementation of a wireless transponder tracking system for gated stereotactic ablative radiotherapy of the liver

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

James, Joshua, E-mail: joshua.james@louisville.edu; Dunlap, Neal E.; Nguyen, Vi Nhan

Purpose: Tracking soft-tissue targets has recently been cleared as a new application of Calypso, an electromagnetic wireless transponder tracking system, allowing for gated treatment of the liver based on the motion of the target volume itself. The purpose of this study is to describe the details of validating the Calypso system for wireless transponder tracking of the liver and to present the clinical workflow for using it to deliver gated stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR). Methods: A commercial 3D diode array motion system was used to evaluate the dynamic tracking accuracy of Calypso when tracking continuous large amplitude motion. It wasmore » then used to perform end-to-end tests to evaluate the dosimetric accuracy of gated beam delivery for liver SABR. In addition, gating limits were investigated to determine how large the gating window can be while still maintaining dosimetric accuracy. The gating latency of the Calypso system was also measured using a customized motion phantom. Results: The average absolute difference between the measured and expected positional offset was 0.3 mm. The 2%/2 mm gamma pass rates for the gated treatment delivery were greater than 97%. When increasing the gating limits beyond the known extent of planned motion, the gamma pass rates decreased as expected. The 2%/2 mm gamma pass rate for a 1, 2, and 3 mm increase in gating limits was measured to be 97.8%, 82.9%, and 61.4%, respectively. The average gating latency was measured to be 63.8 ms for beam-hold and 195.8 ms for beam-on. Four liver patients with 17 total fractions have been successfully treated at our institution. Conclusions: Wireless transponder tracking was validated as a dosimetrically accurate way to provide gated SABR of the liver. The dynamic tracking accuracy of the Calypso system met manufacturer’s specification, even for continuous large amplitude motion that can be encountered when tracking liver tumors close to the diaphragm. The measured beam-hold gating latency was appropriate for targets that will traverse the gating limit each respiratory cycle causing the beam to be interrupted constantly throughout treatment delivery.« less

In vivo validation of patellofemoral kinematics during overground gait and stair ascent.

PubMed

Pitcairn, Samuel; Lesniak, Bryson; Anderst, William

2018-06-18

The patellofemoral (PF) joint is a common site for non-specific anterior knee pain. The pathophysiology of patellofemoral pain may be related to abnormal motion of the patella relative to the femur, leading to increased stress at the patellofemoral joint. Patellofemoral motion cannot be accurately measured using conventional motion capture. The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of a biplane radiography system for measuring in vivo PF motion during walking and stair ascent. Four subjects had three 1.0 mm diameter tantalum beads implanted into the patella. Participants performed three trials each of over ground walking and stair ascent while biplane radiographs were collected at 100 Hz. Patella motion was tracked using radiostereophotogrammetric analysis (RSA) as a "gold standard", and compared to a volumetric CT model-based tracking algorithm that matched digitally reconstructed radiographs to the original biplane radiographs. The average RMS difference between the RSA and model-based tracking was 0.41 mm and 1.97° when there was no obstruction from the contralateral leg. These differences increased by 34% and 40%, respectively, when the patella was at least partially obstructed by the contralateral leg. The average RMS difference in patellofemoral joint space between tracking methods was 0.9 mm or less. Previous validations of biplane radiographic systems have estimated tracking accuracy by moving cadaveric knees through simulated motions. These validations were unable to replicate in vivo kinematics, including patella motion due to muscle activation, and failed to assess the imaging and tracking challenges related to contralateral limb obstruction. By replicating the muscle contraction, movement velocity, joint range of motion, and obstruction of the patella by the contralateral limb, the present study provides a realistic estimate of patellofemoral tracking accuracy for future in vivo studies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Accuracy and precision of a custom camera-based system for 2D and 3D motion tracking during speech and nonspeech motor tasks

PubMed Central

Feng, Yongqiang; Max, Ludo

2014-01-01

Purpose Studying normal or disordered motor control requires accurate motion tracking of the effectors (e.g., orofacial structures). The cost of electromagnetic, optoelectronic, and ultrasound systems is prohibitive for many laboratories, and limits clinical applications. For external movements (lips, jaw), video-based systems may be a viable alternative, provided that they offer high temporal resolution and sub-millimeter accuracy. Method We examined the accuracy and precision of 2D and 3D data recorded with a system that combines consumer-grade digital cameras capturing 60, 120, or 240 frames per second (fps), retro-reflective markers, commercially-available computer software (APAS, Ariel Dynamics), and a custom calibration device. Results Overall mean error (RMSE) across tests was 0.15 mm for static tracking and 0.26 mm for dynamic tracking, with corresponding precision (SD) values of 0.11 and 0.19 mm, respectively. The effect of frame rate varied across conditions, but, generally, accuracy was reduced at 240 fps. The effect of marker size (3 vs. 6 mm diameter) was negligible at all frame rates for both 2D and 3D data. Conclusion Motion tracking with consumer-grade digital cameras and the APAS software can achieve sub-millimeter accuracy at frame rates that are appropriate for kinematic analyses of lip/jaw movements for both research and clinical purposes. PMID:24686484

Robust object tracking techniques for vision-based 3D motion analysis applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knyaz, Vladimir A.; Zheltov, Sergey Y.; Vishnyakov, Boris V.

2016-04-01

Automated and accurate spatial motion capturing of an object is necessary for a wide variety of applications including industry and science, virtual reality and movie, medicine and sports. For the most part of applications a reliability and an accuracy of the data obtained as well as convenience for a user are the main characteristics defining the quality of the motion capture system. Among the existing systems for 3D data acquisition, based on different physical principles (accelerometry, magnetometry, time-of-flight, vision-based), optical motion capture systems have a set of advantages such as high speed of acquisition, potential for high accuracy and automation based on advanced image processing algorithms. For vision-based motion capture accurate and robust object features detecting and tracking through the video sequence are the key elements along with a level of automation of capturing process. So for providing high accuracy of obtained spatial data the developed vision-based motion capture system "Mosca" is based on photogrammetric principles of 3D measurements and supports high speed image acquisition in synchronized mode. It includes from 2 to 4 technical vision cameras for capturing video sequences of object motion. The original camera calibration and external orientation procedures provide the basis for high accuracy of 3D measurements. A set of algorithms as for detecting, identifying and tracking of similar targets, so for marker-less object motion capture is developed and tested. The results of algorithms' evaluation show high robustness and high reliability for various motion analysis tasks in technical and biomechanics applications.

Real-time 3D motion tracking for small animal brain PET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kyme, A. Z.; Zhou, V. W.; Meikle, S. R.; Fulton, R. R.

2008-05-01

High-resolution positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of conscious, unrestrained laboratory animals presents many challenges. Some form of motion correction will normally be necessary to avoid motion artefacts in the reconstruction. The aim of the current work was to develop and evaluate a motion tracking system potentially suitable for use in small animal PET. This system is based on the commercially available stereo-optical MicronTracker S60 which we have integrated with a Siemens Focus-220 microPET scanner. We present measured performance limits of the tracker and the technical details of our implementation, including calibration and synchronization of the system. A phantom study demonstrating motion tracking and correction was also performed. The system can be calibrated with sub-millimetre accuracy, and small lightweight markers can be constructed to provide accurate 3D motion data. A marked reduction in motion artefacts was demonstrated in the phantom study. The techniques and results described here represent a step towards a practical method for rigid-body motion correction in small animal PET. There is scope to achieve further improvements in the accuracy of synchronization and pose measurements in future work.

Poster - 51: A tumor motion-compensating system with tracking and prediction – a proof-of-concept study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guo, Kaiming; Teo, Peng; Kawalec, Philip

2016-08-15

Purpose: This work reports on the development of a mechanical slider system for the counter-steering of tumor motion in adaptive Radiation Therapy (RT). The tumor motion was tracked using a weighted optical flow algorithm and its position is being predicted with a neural network (NN). Methods: The components of the proposed mechanical counter-steering system includes: (1) an actuator which provides the tumor motion, (2) the motion detection using an optical flow algorithm, (3) motion prediction using a neural network, (4) a control module and (5) a mechanical slider to counter-steer the anticipated motion of the tumor phantom. An asymmetrical cosinemore » function and five patient traces (P1–P5) were used to evaluate the tracking of a 3D printed lung tumor. In the proposed mechanical counter-steering system, both actuator (Zaber NA14D60) and slider (Zaber A-BLQ0070-E01) were programed to move independently with LabVIEW and their positions were recorded by 2 potentiometers (ETI LCP12S-25). The accuracy of this counter-steering system is given by the difference between the two potentiometers. Results: The inherent accuracy of the system, measured using the cosine function, is −0.15 ± 0.06 mm. While the errors when tracking and prediction were included, is (0.04 ± 0.71) mm. Conclusion: A prototype tumor motion counter-steering system with tracking and prediction was implemented. The inherent errors are small in comparison to the tracking and prediction errors, which in turn are small in comparison to the magnitude of tumor motion. The results show that this system is suited for evaluating RT tracking and prediction.« less

The Accuracy of Conventional 2D Video for Quantifying Upper Limb Kinematics in Repetitive Motion Occupational Tasks

PubMed Central

Chen, Chia-Hsiung; Azari, David; Hu, Yu Hen; Lindstrom, Mary J.; Thelen, Darryl; Yen, Thomas Y.; Radwin, Robert G.

2015-01-01

Objective Marker-less 2D video tracking was studied as a practical means to measure upper limb kinematics for ergonomics evaluations. Background Hand activity level (HAL) can be estimated from speed and duty cycle. Accuracy was measured using a cross correlation template-matching algorithm for tracking a region of interest on the upper extremities. Methods Ten participants performed a paced load transfer task while varying HAL (2, 4, and 5) and load (2.2 N, 8.9 N and 17.8 N). Speed and acceleration measured from 2D video were compared against ground truth measurements using 3D infrared motion capture. Results The median absolute difference between 2D video and 3D motion capture was 86.5 mm/s for speed, and 591 mm/s2 for acceleration, and less than 93 mm/s for speed and 656 mm/s2 for acceleration when camera pan and tilt were within ±30 degrees. Conclusion Single-camera 2D video had sufficient accuracy (< 100 mm/s) for evaluating HAL. Practitioner Summary This study demonstrated that 2D video tracking had sufficient accuracy to measure HAL for ascertaining the American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists Threshold Limit Value® for repetitive motion when the camera is located within ±30 degrees off the plane of motion when compared against 3D motion capture for a simulated repetitive motion task. PMID:25978764

Rapid, topology-based particle tracking for high-resolution measurements of large complex 3D motion fields.

PubMed

Patel, Mohak; Leggett, Susan E; Landauer, Alexander K; Wong, Ian Y; Franck, Christian

2018-04-03

Spatiotemporal tracking of tracer particles or objects of interest can reveal localized behaviors in biological and physical systems. However, existing tracking algorithms are most effective for relatively low numbers of particles that undergo displacements smaller than their typical interparticle separation distance. Here, we demonstrate a single particle tracking algorithm to reconstruct large complex motion fields with large particle numbers, orders of magnitude larger than previously tractably resolvable, thus opening the door for attaining very high Nyquist spatial frequency motion recovery in the images. Our key innovations are feature vectors that encode nearest neighbor positions, a rigorous outlier removal scheme, and an iterative deformation warping scheme. We test this technique for its accuracy and computational efficacy using synthetically and experimentally generated 3D particle images, including non-affine deformation fields in soft materials, complex fluid flows, and cell-generated deformations. We augment this algorithm with additional particle information (e.g., color, size, or shape) to further enhance tracking accuracy for high gradient and large displacement fields. These applications demonstrate that this versatile technique can rapidly track unprecedented numbers of particles to resolve large and complex motion fields in 2D and 3D images, particularly when spatial correlations exist.

Electromagnetic guided couch and multileaf collimator tracking on a TrueBeam accelerator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hansen, Rune; Ravkilde, Thomas; Worm, Esben Schjødt

2016-05-15

Purpose: Couch and MLC tracking are two promising methods for real-time motion compensation during radiation therapy. So far, couch and MLC tracking experiments have mainly been performed by different research groups, and no direct comparison of couch and MLC tracking of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans has been published. The Varian TrueBeam 2.0 accelerator includes a prototype tracking system with selectable couch or MLC compensation. This study provides a direct comparison of the two tracking types with an otherwise identical setup. Methods: Several experiments were performed to characterize the geometric and dosimetric performance of electromagnetic guided couch and MLCmore » tracking on a TrueBeam accelerator equipped with a Millennium MLC. The tracking system latency was determined without motion prediction as the time lag between sinusoidal target motion and the compensating motion of the couch or MLC as recorded by continuous MV portal imaging. The geometric and dosimetric tracking accuracies were measured in tracking experiments with motion phantoms that reproduced four prostate and four lung tumor trajectories. The geometric tracking error in beam’s eye view was determined as the distance between an embedded gold marker and a circular MLC aperture in continuous MV images. The dosimetric tracking error was quantified as the measured 2%/2 mm gamma failure rate of a low and a high modulation VMAT plan delivered with the eight motion trajectories using a static dose distribution as reference. Results: The MLC tracking latency was approximately 146 ms for all sinusoidal period lengths while the couch tracking latency increased from 187 to 246 ms with decreasing period length due to limitations in the couch acceleration. The mean root-mean-square geometric error was 0.80 mm (couch tracking), 0.52 mm (MLC tracking), and 2.75 mm (no tracking) parallel to the MLC leaves and 0.66 mm (couch), 1.14 mm (MLC), and 2.41 mm (no tracking) perpendicular to the leaves. The motion-induced gamma failure rate was in mean 0.1% (couch tracking), 8.1% (MLC tracking), and 30.4% (no tracking) for prostate motion and 2.9% (couch), 2.4% (MLC), and 41.2% (no tracking) for lung tumor motion. The residual tracking errors were mainly caused by inadequate adaptation to fast lung tumor motion for couch tracking and to prostate motion perpendicular to the MLC leaves for MLC tracking. Conclusions: Couch and MLC tracking markedly improved the geometric and dosimetric accuracies of VMAT delivery. However, the two tracking types have different strengths and weaknesses. While couch tracking can correct perfectly for slowly moving targets such as the prostate, MLC tracking may have considerably larger dose errors for persistent target shift perpendicular to the MLC leaves. Advantages of MLC tracking include faster dynamics with better adaptation to fast moving targets, the avoidance of moving the patient, and the potential to track target rotations and deformations.« less

[A review of progress of real-time tumor tracking radiotherapy technology based on dynamic multi-leaf collimator].

PubMed

Liu, Fubo; Li, Guangjun; Shen, Jiuling; Li, Ligin; Bai, Sen

2017-02-01

While radiation treatment to patients with tumors in thorax and abdomen is being performed, further improvement of radiation accuracy is restricted by the tumor intra-fractional motion due to respiration. Real-time tumor tracking radiation is an optimal solution to tumor intra-fractional motion. A review of the progress of real-time dynamic multi-leaf collimator(DMLC) tracking is provided in the present review, including DMLC tracking method, time lag of DMLC tracking system, and dosimetric verification.

Evaluation of Real-Time Hand Motion Tracking Using a Range Camera and the Mean-Shift Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lahamy, H.; Lichti, D.

2011-09-01

Several sensors have been tested for improving the interaction between humans and machines including traditional web cameras, special gloves, haptic devices, cameras providing stereo pairs of images and range cameras. Meanwhile, several methods are described in the literature for tracking hand motion: the Kalman filter, the mean-shift algorithm and the condensation algorithm. In this research, the combination of a range camera and the simple version of the mean-shift algorithm has been evaluated for its capability for hand motion tracking. The evaluation was assessed in terms of position accuracy of the tracking trajectory in x, y and z directions in the camera space and the time difference between image acquisition and image display. Three parameters have been analyzed regarding their influence on the tracking process: the speed of the hand movement, the distance between the camera and the hand and finally the integration time of the camera. Prior to the evaluation, the required warm-up time of the camera has been measured. This study has demonstrated the suitability of the range camera used in combination with the mean-shift algorithm for real-time hand motion tracking but for very high speed hand movement in the traverse plane with respect to the camera, the tracking accuracy is low and requires improvement.

Man-in-the-loop study of filtering in airborne head tracking tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lifshitz, S.; Merhav, S. J.

1992-01-01

A human-factors study is conducted of problems due to vibrations during the use of a helmet-mounted display (HMD) in tracking tasks whose major factors are target motion and head vibration. A method is proposed for improving aiming accuracy in such tracking tasks on the basis of (1) head-motion measurement and (2) the shifting of the reticle in the HMD in ways that inhibit much of the involuntary apparent motion of the reticle, relative to the target, and the nonvoluntary motion of the teleoperated device. The HMD inherently furnishes the visual feedback required by this scheme.

Real-time soft tissue motion estimation for lung tumors during radiotherapy delivery.

PubMed

Rottmann, Joerg; Keall, Paul; Berbeco, Ross

2013-09-01

To provide real-time lung tumor motion estimation during radiotherapy treatment delivery without the need for implanted fiducial markers or additional imaging dose to the patient. 2D radiographs from the therapy beam's-eye-view (BEV) perspective are captured at a frame rate of 12.8 Hz with a frame grabber allowing direct RAM access to the image buffer. An in-house developed real-time soft tissue localization algorithm is utilized to calculate soft tissue displacement from these images in real-time. The system is tested with a Varian TX linear accelerator and an AS-1000 amorphous silicon electronic portal imaging device operating at a resolution of 512 × 384 pixels. The accuracy of the motion estimation is verified with a dynamic motion phantom. Clinical accuracy was tested on lung SBRT images acquired at 2 fps. Real-time lung tumor motion estimation from BEV images without fiducial markers is successfully demonstrated. For the phantom study, a mean tracking error <1.0 mm [root mean square (rms) error of 0.3 mm] was observed. The tracking rms accuracy on BEV images from a lung SBRT patient (≈20 mm tumor motion range) is 1.0 mm. The authors demonstrate for the first time real-time markerless lung tumor motion estimation from BEV images alone. The described system can operate at a frame rate of 12.8 Hz and does not require prior knowledge to establish traceable landmarks for tracking on the fly. The authors show that the geometric accuracy is similar to (or better than) previously published markerless algorithms not operating in real-time.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yan, H; Chen, Z; Nath, R

Purpose: kV fluoroscopic imaging combined with MV treatment beam imaging has been investigated for intrafractional motion monitoring and correction. It is, however, subject to additional kV imaging dose to normal tissue. To balance tracking accuracy and imaging dose, we previously proposed an adaptive imaging strategy to dynamically decide future imaging type and moments based on motion tracking uncertainty. kV imaging may be used continuously for maximal accuracy or only when the position uncertainty (probability of out of threshold) is high if a preset imaging dose limit is considered. In this work, we propose more accurate methods to estimate tracking uncertaintymore » through analyzing acquired data in real-time. Methods: We simulated motion tracking process based on a previously developed imaging framework (MV + initial seconds of kV imaging) using real-time breathing data from 42 patients. Motion tracking errors for each time point were collected together with the time point’s corresponding features, such as tumor motion speed and 2D tracking error of previous time points, etc. We tested three methods for error uncertainty estimation based on the features: conditional probability distribution, logistic regression modeling, and support vector machine (SVM) classification to detect errors exceeding a threshold. Results: For conditional probability distribution, polynomial regressions on three features (previous tracking error, prediction quality, and cosine of the angle between the trajectory and the treatment beam) showed strong correlation with the variation (uncertainty) of the mean 3D tracking error and its standard deviation: R-square = 0.94 and 0.90, respectively. The logistic regression and SVM classification successfully identified about 95% of tracking errors exceeding 2.5mm threshold. Conclusion: The proposed methods can reliably estimate the motion tracking uncertainty in real-time, which can be used to guide adaptive additional imaging to confirm the tumor is within the margin or initialize motion compensation if it is out of the margin.« less

CASPER: computer-aided segmentation of imperceptible motion-a learning-based tracking of an invisible needle in ultrasound.

PubMed

Beigi, Parmida; Rohling, Robert; Salcudean, Septimiu E; Ng, Gary C

2017-11-01

This paper presents a new micro-motion-based approach to track a needle in ultrasound images captured by a handheld transducer. We propose a novel learning-based framework to track a handheld needle by detecting microscale variations of motion dynamics over time. The current state of the art on using motion analysis for needle detection uses absolute motion and hence work well only when the transducer is static. We have introduced and evaluated novel spatiotemporal and spectral features, obtained from the phase image, in a self-supervised tracking framework to improve the detection accuracy in the subsequent frames using incremental training. Our proposed tracking method involves volumetric feature selection and differential flow analysis to incorporate the neighboring pixels and mitigate the effects of the subtle tremor motion of a handheld transducer. To evaluate the detection accuracy, the method is tested on porcine tissue in-vivo, during the needle insertion in the biceps femoris muscle. Experimental results show the mean, standard deviation and root-mean-square errors of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] in the insertion angle, and 0.82, 1.21, 1.47 mm, in the needle tip, respectively. Compared to the appearance-based detection approaches, the proposed method is especially suitable for needles with ultrasonic characteristics that are imperceptible in the static image and to the naked eye.

Myocardial motion estimation of tagged cardiac magnetic resonance images using tag motion constraints and multi-level b-splines interpolation.

PubMed

Liu, Hong; Yan, Meng; Song, Enmin; Wang, Jie; Wang, Qian; Jin, Renchao; Jin, Lianghai; Hung, Chih-Cheng

2016-05-01

Myocardial motion estimation of tagged cardiac magnetic resonance (TCMR) images is of great significance in clinical diagnosis and the treatment of heart disease. Currently, the harmonic phase analysis method (HARP) and the local sine-wave modeling method (SinMod) have been proven as two state-of-the-art motion estimation methods for TCMR images, since they can directly obtain the inter-frame motion displacement vector field (MDVF) with high accuracy and fast speed. By comparison, SinMod has better performance over HARP in terms of displacement detection, noise and artifacts reduction. However, the SinMod method has some drawbacks: 1) it is unable to estimate local displacements larger than half of the tag spacing; 2) it has observable errors in tracking of tag motion; and 3) the estimated MDVF usually has large local errors. To overcome these problems, we present a novel motion estimation method in this study. The proposed method tracks the motion of tags and then estimates the dense MDVF by using the interpolation. In this new method, a parameter estimation procedure for global motion is applied to match tag intersections between different frames, ensuring specific kinds of large displacements being correctly estimated. In addition, a strategy of tag motion constraints is applied to eliminate most of errors produced by inter-frame tracking of tags and the multi-level b-splines approximation algorithm is utilized, so as to enhance the local continuity and accuracy of the final MDVF. In the estimation of the motion displacement, our proposed method can obtain a more accurate MDVF compared with the SinMod method and our method can overcome the drawbacks of the SinMod method. However, the motion estimation accuracy of our method depends on the accuracy of tag lines detection and our method has a higher time complexity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SU-E-J-188: Theoretical Estimation of Margin Necessary for Markerless Motion Tracking

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patel, R; Block, A; Harkenrider, M

2015-06-15

Purpose: To estimate the margin necessary to adequately cover the target using markerless motion tracking (MMT) of lung lesions given the uncertainty in tracking and the size of the target. Methods: Simulations were developed in Matlab to determine the effect of tumor size and tracking uncertainty on the margin necessary to achieve adequate coverage of the target. For simplicity, the lung tumor was approximated by a circle on a 2D radiograph. The tumor was varied in size from a diameter of 0.1 − 30 mm in increments of 0.1 mm. From our previous studies using dual energy markerless motion tracking,more » we estimated tracking uncertainties in x and y to have a standard deviation of 2 mm. A Gaussian was used to simulate the deviation between the tracked location and true target location. For each size tumor, 100,000 deviations were randomly generated, the margin necessary to achieve at least 95% coverage 95% of the time was recorded. Additional simulations were run for varying uncertainties to demonstrate the effect of the tracking accuracy on the margin size. Results: The simulations showed an inverse relationship between tumor size and margin necessary to achieve 95% coverage 95% of the time using the MMT technique. The margin decreased exponentially with target size. An increase in tracking accuracy expectedly showed a decrease in margin size as well. Conclusion: In our clinic a 5 mm expansion of the internal target volume (ITV) is used to define the planning target volume (PTV). These simulations show that for tracking accuracies in x and y better than 2 mm, the margin required is less than 5 mm. This simple simulation can provide physicians with a guideline estimation for the margin necessary for use of MMT clinically based on the accuracy of their tracking and the size of the tumor.« less

Dynamic tumor tracking using the Elekta Agility MLC

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fast, Martin F., E-mail: martin.fast@icr.ac.uk; Nill, Simeon, E-mail: simeon.nill@icr.ac.uk; Bedford, James L.

2014-11-01

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of the Elekta Agility multileaf collimator (MLC) for dynamic real-time tumor tracking. Methods: The authors have developed a new control software which interfaces to the Agility MLC to dynamically program the movement of individual leaves, the dynamic leaf guides (DLGs), and the Y collimators (“jaws”) based on the actual target trajectory. A motion platform was used to perform dynamic tracking experiments with sinusoidal trajectories. The actual target positions reported by the motion platform at 20, 30, or 40 Hz were used as shift vectors for the MLC in beams-eye-view. The system latency of the MLCmore » (i.e., the average latency comprising target device reporting latencies and MLC adjustment latency) and the geometric tracking accuracy were extracted from a sequence of MV portal images acquired during irradiation for the following treatment scenarios: leaf-only motion, jaw + leaf motion, and DLG + leaf motion. Results: The portal imager measurements indicated a clear dependence of the system latency on the target position reporting frequency. Deducting the effect of the target frequency, the leaf adjustment latency was measured to be 38 ± 3 ms for a maximum target speed v of 13 mm/s. The jaw + leaf adjustment latency was 53 ± 3 at a similar speed. The system latency at a target position frequency of 30 Hz was in the range of 56–61 ms for the leaves (v ≤ 31 mm/s), 71–78 ms for the jaw + leaf motion (v ≤ 25 mm/s), and 58–72 ms for the DLG + leaf motion (v ≤ 59 mm/s). The tracking accuracy showed a similar dependency on the target position frequency and the maximum target speed. For the leaves, the root-mean-squared error (RMSE) was between 0.6–1.5 mm depending on the maximum target speed. For the jaw + leaf (DLG + leaf) motion, the RMSE was between 0.7–1.5 mm (1.9–3.4 mm). Conclusions: The authors have measured the latency and geometric accuracy of the Agility MLC, facilitating its future use for clinical tracking applications.« less

Tracking prominent points in image sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hahn, Michael

1994-03-01

Measuring image motion and inferring scene geometry and camera motion are main aspects of image sequence analysis. The determination of image motion and the structure-from-motion problem are tasks that can be addressed independently or in cooperative processes. In this paper we focus on tracking prominent points. High stability, reliability, and accuracy are criteria for the extraction of prominent points. This implies that tracking should work quite well with those features; unfortunately, the reality looks quite different. In the experimental investigations we processed a long sequence of 128 images. This mono sequence is taken in an outdoor environment at the experimental field of Mercedes Benz in Rastatt. Different tracking schemes are explored and the results with respect to stability and quality are reported.

Real-time soft tissue motion estimation for lung tumors during radiotherapy delivery

PubMed Central

Rottmann, Joerg; Keall, Paul; Berbeco, Ross

2013-01-01

Purpose: To provide real-time lung tumor motion estimation during radiotherapy treatment delivery without the need for implanted fiducial markers or additional imaging dose to the patient. Methods: 2D radiographs from the therapy beam's-eye-view (BEV) perspective are captured at a frame rate of 12.8 Hz with a frame grabber allowing direct RAM access to the image buffer. An in-house developed real-time soft tissue localization algorithm is utilized to calculate soft tissue displacement from these images in real-time. The system is tested with a Varian TX linear accelerator and an AS-1000 amorphous silicon electronic portal imaging device operating at a resolution of 512 × 384 pixels. The accuracy of the motion estimation is verified with a dynamic motion phantom. Clinical accuracy was tested on lung SBRT images acquired at 2 fps. Results: Real-time lung tumor motion estimation from BEV images without fiducial markers is successfully demonstrated. For the phantom study, a mean tracking error <1.0 mm [root mean square (rms) error of 0.3 mm] was observed. The tracking rms accuracy on BEV images from a lung SBRT patient (≈20 mm tumor motion range) is 1.0 mm. Conclusions: The authors demonstrate for the first time real-time markerless lung tumor motion estimation from BEV images alone. The described system can operate at a frame rate of 12.8 Hz and does not require prior knowledge to establish traceable landmarks for tracking on the fly. The authors show that the geometric accuracy is similar to (or better than) previously published markerless algorithms not operating in real-time. PMID:24007146

Real-time subpixel-accuracy tracking of single mitochondria in neurons reveals heterogeneous mitochondrial motion.

PubMed

Alsina, Adolfo; Lai, Wu Ming; Wong, Wai Kin; Qin, Xianan; Zhang, Min; Park, Hyokeun

2017-11-04

Mitochondria are essential for cellular survival and function. In neurons, mitochondria are transported to various subcellular regions as needed. Thus, defects in the axonal transport of mitochondria are related to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, and the movement of mitochondria has been the subject of intense research. However, the inability to accurately track mitochondria with subpixel accuracy has hindered this research. Here, we report an automated method for tracking mitochondria based on the center of fluorescence. This tracking method, which is accurate to approximately one-tenth of a pixel, uses the centroid of an individual mitochondrion and provides information regarding the distance traveled between consecutive imaging frames, instantaneous speed, net distance traveled, and average speed. Importantly, this new tracking method enables researchers to observe both directed motion and undirected movement (i.e., in which the mitochondrion moves randomly within a small region, following a sub-diffusive motion). This method significantly improves our ability to analyze the movement of mitochondria and sheds light on the dynamic features of mitochondrial movement. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SU-D-207-05: Real-Time Intrafractional Motion Tracking During VMAT Delivery Using a Conventional Elekta CBCT System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Park, Yang-Kyun; Sharp, Gregory C.; Gierga, David P.

2015-06-15

Purpose: Real-time kV projection streaming capability has become recently available for Elekta XVI version 5.0. This study aims to investigate the feasibility and accuracy of real-time fiducial marker tracking during CBCT acquisition with or without simultaneous VMAT delivery using a conventional Elekta linear accelerator. Methods: A client computer was connected to an on-board kV imaging system computer, and receives and processes projection images immediately after image acquisition. In-house marker tracking software based on FFT normalized cross-correlation was developed and installed in the client computer. Three gold fiducial markers with 3 mm length were implanted in a pelvis-shaped phantom with 36more » cm width. The phantom was placed on a programmable motion platform oscillating in anterior-posterior and superior-inferior directions simultaneously. The marker motion was tracked in real-time for (1) a kV-only CBCT scan with treatment beam off and (2) a kV CBCT scan during a 6-MV VMAT delivery. The exposure parameters per projection were 120 kVp and 1.6 mAs. Tracking accuracy was assessed by comparing superior-inferior positions between the programmed and tracked trajectories. Results: The projection images were successfully transferred to the client computer at a frequency of about 5 Hz. In the kV-only scan, highly accurate marker tracking was achieved over the entire range of cone-beam projection angles (detection rate / tracking error were 100.0% / 0.6±0.5 mm). In the kV-VMAT scan, MV-scatter degraded image quality, particularly for lateral projections passing through the thickest part of the phantom (kV source angle ranging 70°-110° and 250°-290°), resulting in a reduced detection rate (90.5%). If the lateral projections are excluded, tracking performance was comparable to the kV-only case (detection rate / tracking error were 100.0% / 0.8±0.5 mm). Conclusion: Our phantom study demonstrated a promising Result for real-time motion tracking using a conventional Elekta linear accelerator. MV-scatter suppression is needed to improve tracking accuracy during MV delivery. This research is funded by Motion Management Research Grant from Elekta.« less

Simple quality assurance method of dynamic tumor tracking with the gimbaled linac system using a light field.

PubMed

Miura, Hideharu; Ozawa, Shuichi; Hayata, Masahiro; Tsuda, Shintaro; Yamada, Kiyoshi; Nagata, Yasushi

2016-09-08

We proposed a simple visual method for evaluating the dynamic tumor tracking (DTT) accuracy of a gimbal mechanism using a light field. A single photon beam was set with a field size of 30 × 30 mm2 at a gantry angle of 90°. The center of a cube phantom was set up at the isocenter of a motion table, and 4D modeling was performed based on the tumor and infrared (IR) marker motion. After 4D modeling, the cube phantom was replaced with a sheet of paper, which was placed perpen-dicularly, and a light field was projected on the sheet of paper. The light field was recorded using a web camera in a treatment room that was as dark as possible. Calculated images from each image obtained using the camera were summed to compose a total summation image. Sinusoidal motion sequences were produced by moving the phantom with a fixed amplitude of 20 mm and different breathing periods of 2, 4, 6, and 8 s. The light field was projected on the sheet of paper under three conditions: with the moving phantom and DTT based on the motion of the phantom, with the moving phantom and non-DTT, and with a stationary phantom for comparison. The values of tracking errors using the light field were 1.12 ± 0.72, 0.31 ± 0.19, 0.27 ± 0.12, and 0.15 ± 0.09 mm for breathing periods of 2, 4, 6, and 8s, respectively. The tracking accuracy showed dependence on the breath-ing period. We proposed a simple quality assurance (QA) process for the tracking accuracy of a gimbal mechanism system using a light field and web camera. Our method can assess the tracking accuracy using a light field without irradiation and clearly visualize distributions like film dosimetry. © 2016 The Authors.

Accuracy and Precision of a Custom Camera-Based System for 2-D and 3-D Motion Tracking during Speech and Nonspeech Motor Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feng, Yongqiang; Max, Ludo

2014-01-01

Purpose: Studying normal or disordered motor control requires accurate motion tracking of the effectors (e.g., orofacial structures). The cost of electromagnetic, optoelectronic, and ultrasound systems is prohibitive for many laboratories and limits clinical applications. For external movements (lips, jaw), video-based systems may be a viable…

Inertial Measures of Motion for Clinical Biomechanics: Comparative Assessment of Accuracy under Controlled Conditions – Changes in Accuracy over Time

PubMed Central

Lebel, Karina; Boissy, Patrick; Hamel, Mathieu; Duval, Christian

2015-01-01

Background Interest in 3D inertial motion tracking devices (AHRS) has been growing rapidly among the biomechanical community. Although the convenience of such tracking devices seems to open a whole new world of possibilities for evaluation in clinical biomechanics, its limitations haven’t been extensively documented. The objectives of this study are: 1) to assess the change in absolute and relative accuracy of multiple units of 3 commercially available AHRS over time; and 2) to identify different sources of errors affecting AHRS accuracy and to document how they may affect the measurements over time. Methods This study used an instrumented Gimbal table on which AHRS modules were carefully attached and put through a series of velocity-controlled sustained motions including 2 minutes motion trials (2MT) and 12 minutes multiple dynamic phases motion trials (12MDP). Absolute accuracy was assessed by comparison of the AHRS orientation measurements to those of an optical gold standard. Relative accuracy was evaluated using the variation in relative orientation between modules during the trials. Findings Both absolute and relative accuracy decreased over time during 2MT. 12MDP trials showed a significant decrease in accuracy over multiple phases, but accuracy could be enhanced significantly by resetting the reference point and/or compensating for initial Inertial frame estimation reference for each phase. Interpretation The variation in AHRS accuracy observed between the different systems and with time can be attributed in part to the dynamic estimation error, but also and foremost, to the ability of AHRS units to locate the same Inertial frame. Conclusions Mean accuracies obtained under the Gimbal table sustained conditions of motion suggest that AHRS are promising tools for clinical mobility assessment under constrained conditions of use. However, improvement in magnetic compensation and alignment between AHRS modules are desirable in order for AHRS to reach their full potential in capturing clinical outcomes. PMID:25811838

Target motion tracking in MRI-guided transrectal robotic prostate biopsy.

PubMed

Tadayyon, Hadi; Lasso, Andras; Kaushal, Aradhana; Guion, Peter; Fichtinger, Gabor

2011-11-01

MRI-guided prostate needle biopsy requires compensation for organ motion between target planning and needle placement. Two questions are studied and answered in this paper: 1) is rigid registration sufficient in tracking the targets with an error smaller than the clinically significant size of prostate cancer and 2) what is the effect of the number of intraoperative slices on registration accuracy and speed? we propose multislice-to-volume registration algorithms for tracking the biopsy targets within the prostate. Three orthogonal plus additional transverse intraoperative slices are acquired in the approximate center of the prostate and registered with a high-resolution target planning volume. Both rigid and deformable scenarios were implemented. Both simulated and clinical MRI-guided robotic prostate biopsy data were used to assess tracking accuracy. average registration errors in clinical patient data were 2.6 mm for the rigid algorithm and 2.1 mm for the deformable algorithm. rigid tracking appears to be promising. Three tracking slices yield significantly high registration speed with an affordable error.

Development of a video image-based QA system for the positional accuracy of dynamic tumor tracking irradiation in the Vero4DRT system.

PubMed

Ebe, Kazuyu; Sugimoto, Satoru; Utsunomiya, Satoru; Kagamu, Hiroshi; Aoyama, Hidefumi; Court, Laurence; Tokuyama, Katsuichi; Baba, Ryuta; Ogihara, Yoshisada; Ichikawa, Kosuke; Toyama, Joji

2015-08-01

To develop and evaluate a new video image-based QA system, including in-house software, that can display a tracking state visually and quantify the positional accuracy of dynamic tumor tracking irradiation in the Vero4DRT system. Sixteen trajectories in six patients with pulmonary cancer were obtained with the ExacTrac in the Vero4DRT system. Motion data in the cranio-caudal direction (Y direction) were used as the input for a programmable motion table (Quasar). A target phantom was placed on the motion table, which was placed on the 2D ionization chamber array (MatriXX). Then, the 4D modeling procedure was performed on the target phantom during a reproduction of the patient's tumor motion. A substitute target with the patient's tumor motion was irradiated with 6-MV x-rays under the surrogate infrared system. The 2D dose images obtained from the MatriXX (33 frames/s; 40 s) were exported to in-house video-image analyzing software. The absolute differences in the Y direction between the center of the exposed target and the center of the exposed field were calculated. Positional errors were observed. The authors' QA results were compared to 4D modeling function errors and gimbal motion errors obtained from log analyses in the ExacTrac to verify the accuracy of their QA system. The patients' tumor motions were evaluated in the wave forms, and the peak-to-peak distances were also measured to verify their reproducibility. Thirteen of sixteen trajectories (81.3%) were successfully reproduced with Quasar. The peak-to-peak distances ranged from 2.7 to 29.0 mm. Three trajectories (18.7%) were not successfully reproduced due to the limited motions of the Quasar. Thus, 13 of 16 trajectories were summarized. The mean number of video images used for analysis was 1156. The positional errors (absolute mean difference + 2 standard deviation) ranged from 0.54 to 1.55 mm. The error values differed by less than 1 mm from 4D modeling function errors and gimbal motion errors in the ExacTrac log analyses (n = 13). The newly developed video image-based QA system, including in-house software, can analyze more than a thousand images (33 frames/s). Positional errors are approximately equivalent to those in ExacTrac log analyses. This system is useful for the visual illustration of the progress of the tracking state and for the quantification of positional accuracy during dynamic tumor tracking irradiation in the Vero4DRT system.

Feasibility Study for Markerless Tracking of Lung Tumors in Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Richter, Anne, E-mail: richter_a3@klinik.uni-wuerzburg.d; Wilbert, Juergen; Baier, Kurt

2010-10-01

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of a method for markerless tracking of lung tumors in electronic portal imaging device (EPID) movies and to analyze intra- and interfractional variations in tumor motion. Methods and Materials: EPID movies were acquired during stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) given to 40 patients with 49 pulmonary targets and retrospectively analyzed. Tumor visibility and tracking accuracy were determined by three observers. Tumor motion of 30 targets was analyzed in detail via four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) and EPID in the superior-inferior direction for intra- and interfractional variations. Results: Tumor visibility was sufficient for markerless tracking inmore » 47% of the EPID movies. Tumor size and visibility in the DRR were correlated with visibility in the EPID images. The difference between automatic and manual tracking was a maximum of 2 mm for 98.3% in the x direction and 89.4% in the y direction. Motion amplitudes in 4DCT images (range, 0.7-17.9 mm; median, 4.9 mm) were closely correlated with amplitudes in the EPID movies. Intrafractional and interfractional variability of tumor motion amplitude were of similar magnitude: 1 mm on average to a maximum of 4 mm. A change in moving average of more than {+-}1 mm, {+-}2 mm, and {+-}4 mm were observed in 47.1%, 17.1%, and 4.5% of treatment time for all trajectories, respectively. Mean tumor velocity was 3.4 mm/sec, to a maximum 61 mm/sec. Conclusions: Tracking of pulmonary tumors in EPID images without implanted markers was feasible in 47% of all treatment beams. 4DCT is representative of the evaluation of mean breathing motion on average, but larger deviations occurred in target motion between treatment planning and delivery effort a monitoring during delivery.« less

Markerless motion estimation for motion-compensated clinical brain imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kyme, Andre Z.; Se, Stephen; Meikle, Steven R.; Fulton, Roger R.

2018-05-01

Motion-compensated brain imaging can dramatically reduce the artifacts and quantitative degradation associated with voluntary and involuntary subject head motion during positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and computed tomography (CT). However, motion-compensated imaging protocols are not in widespread clinical use for these modalities. A key reason for this seems to be the lack of a practical motion tracking technology that allows for smooth and reliable integration of motion-compensated imaging protocols in the clinical setting. We seek to address this problem by investigating the feasibility of a highly versatile optical motion tracking method for PET, SPECT and CT geometries. The method requires no attached markers, relying exclusively on the detection and matching of distinctive facial features. We studied the accuracy of this method in 16 volunteers in a mock imaging scenario by comparing the estimated motion with an accurate marker-based method used in applications such as image guided surgery. A range of techniques to optimize performance of the method were also studied. Our results show that the markerless motion tracking method is highly accurate (<2 mm discrepancy against a benchmarking system) on an ethnically diverse range of subjects and, moreover, exhibits lower jitter and estimation of motion over a greater range than some marker-based methods. Our optimization tests indicate that the basic pose estimation algorithm is very robust but generally benefits from rudimentary background masking. Further marginal gains in accuracy can be achieved by accounting for non-rigid motion of features. Efficiency gains can be achieved by capping the number of features used for pose estimation provided that these features adequately sample the range of head motion encountered in the study. These proof-of-principle data suggest that markerless motion tracking is amenable to motion-compensated brain imaging and holds good promise for a practical implementation in clinical PET, SPECT and CT systems.

Efficient physics-based tracking of heart surface motion for beating heart surgery robotic systems.

PubMed

Bogatyrenko, Evgeniya; Pompey, Pascal; Hanebeck, Uwe D

2011-05-01

Tracking of beating heart motion in a robotic surgery system is required for complex cardiovascular interventions. A heart surface motion tracking method is developed, including a stochastic physics-based heart surface model and an efficient reconstruction algorithm. The algorithm uses the constraints provided by the model that exploits the physical characteristics of the heart. The main advantage of the model is that it is more realistic than most standard heart models. Additionally, no explicit matching between the measurements and the model is required. The application of meshless methods significantly reduces the complexity of physics-based tracking. Based on the stochastic physical model of the heart surface, this approach considers the motion of the intervention area and is robust to occlusions and reflections. The tracking algorithm is evaluated in simulations and experiments on an artificial heart. Providing higher accuracy than the standard model-based methods, it successfully copes with occlusions and provides high performance even when all measurements are not available. Combining the physical and stochastic description of the heart surface motion ensures physically correct and accurate prediction. Automatic initialization of the physics-based cardiac motion tracking enables system evaluation in a clinical environment.

Real Time Target Tracking in a Phantom Using Ultrasonic Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, X.; Corner, G.; Huang, Z.

In this paper we present a real-time ultrasound image guidance method suitable for tracking the motion of tumors. A 2D ultrasound based motion tracking system was evaluated. A robot was used to control the focused ultrasound and position it at the target that has been segmented from a real-time ultrasound video. Tracking accuracy and precision were investigated using a lesion mimicking phantom. Experiments have been conducted and results show sufficient efficiency of the image guidance algorithm. This work could be developed as the foundation for combining the real time ultrasound imaging tracking and MRI thermometry monitoring non-invasive surgery.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chiu, T; Kearney, V; Liu, H

Purpose: Dynamic tumor tracking or motion compensation techniques have proposed to modify beam delivery following lung tumor motion on the flight. Conventional treatment plan QA could be performed in advance since every delivery may be different. Markerless lung tumor tracking using beams eye view EPID images provides a best treatment evaluation mechanism. The purpose of this study is to improve the accuracy of the online markerless lung tumor motion tracking method. Methods: The lung tumor could be located on every frame of MV images during radiation therapy treatment by comparing with corresponding digitally reconstructed radiograph (DRR). A kV-MV CT correspondingmore » curve is applied on planning kV CT to generate MV CT images for patients in order to enhance the similarity between DRRs and MV treatment images. This kV-MV CT corresponding curve was obtained by scanning a same CT electron density phantom by a kV CT scanner and MV scanner (Tomotherapy) or MV CBCT. Two sets of MV DRRs were then generated for tumor and anatomy without tumor as the references to tracking the tumor on beams eye view EPID images. Results: Phantom studies were performed on a Varian TrueBeam linac. MV treatment images were acquired continuously during each treatment beam delivery at 12 gantry angles by iTools. Markerless tumor tracking was applied with DRRs generated from simulated MVCT. Tumors were tracked on every frame of images and compared with expected positions based on programed phantom motion. It was found that the average tracking error were 2.3 mm. Conclusion: This algorithm is capable of detecting lung tumors at complicated environment without implanting markers. It should be noted that the CT data has a slice thickness of 3 mm. This shows the statistical accuracy is better than the spatial accuracy. This project has been supported by a Varian Research Grant.« less

Local characterization of hindered Brownian motion by using digital video microscopy and 3D particle tracking

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dettmer, Simon L.; Keyser, Ulrich F.; Pagliara, Stefano

In this article we present methods for measuring hindered Brownian motion in the confinement of complex 3D geometries using digital video microscopy. Here we discuss essential features of automated 3D particle tracking as well as diffusion data analysis. By introducing local mean squared displacement-vs-time curves, we are able to simultaneously measure the spatial dependence of diffusion coefficients, tracking accuracies and drift velocities. Such local measurements allow a more detailed and appropriate description of strongly heterogeneous systems as opposed to global measurements. Finite size effects of the tracking region on measuring mean squared displacements are also discussed. The use of thesemore » methods was crucial for the measurement of the diffusive behavior of spherical polystyrene particles (505 nm diameter) in a microfluidic chip. The particles explored an array of parallel channels with different cross sections as well as the bulk reservoirs. For this experiment we present the measurement of local tracking accuracies in all three axial directions as well as the diffusivity parallel to the channel axis while we observed no significant flow but purely Brownian motion. Finally, the presented algorithm is suitable also for tracking of fluorescently labeled particles and particles driven by an external force, e.g., electrokinetic or dielectrophoretic forces.« less

Real-Time Robust Tracking for Motion Blur and Fast Motion via Correlation Filters.

PubMed

Xu, Lingyun; Luo, Haibo; Hui, Bin; Chang, Zheng

2016-09-07

Visual tracking has extensive applications in intelligent monitoring and guidance systems. Among state-of-the-art tracking algorithms, Correlation Filter methods perform favorably in robustness, accuracy and speed. However, it also has shortcomings when dealing with pervasive target scale variation, motion blur and fast motion. In this paper we proposed a new real-time robust scheme based on Kernelized Correlation Filter (KCF) to significantly improve performance on motion blur and fast motion. By fusing KCF and STC trackers, our algorithm also solve the estimation of scale variation in many scenarios. We theoretically analyze the problem for CFs towards motions and utilize the point sharpness function of the target patch to evaluate the motion state of target. Then we set up an efficient scheme to handle the motion and scale variation without much time consuming. Our algorithm preserves the properties of KCF besides the ability to handle special scenarios. In the end extensive experimental results on benchmark of VOT datasets show our algorithm performs advantageously competed with the top-rank trackers.

Manifolds for pose tracking from monocular video

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basu, Saurav; Poulin, Joshua; Acton, Scott T.

2015-03-01

We formulate a simple human-pose tracking theory from monocular video based on the fundamental relationship between changes in pose and image motion vectors. We investigate the natural embedding of the low-dimensional body pose space into a high-dimensional space of body configurations that behaves locally in a linear manner. The embedded manifold facilitates the decomposition of the image motion vectors into basis motion vector fields of the tangent space to the manifold. This approach benefits from the style invariance of image motion flow vectors, and experiments to validate the fundamental theory show reasonable accuracy (within 4.9 deg of the ground truth).

Digital stereophotogrammetry based on circular markers and zooming cameras: evaluation of a method for 3D analysis of small motions in orthopaedic research

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Orthopaedic research projects focusing on small displacements in a small measurement volume require a radiation free, three dimensional motion analysis system. A stereophotogrammetrical motion analysis system can track wireless, small, light-weight markers attached to the objects. Thereby the disturbance of the measured objects through the marker tracking can be kept at minimum. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a non-position fixed compact motion analysis system configured for a small measurement volume and able to zoom while tracking small round flat markers in respect to a fiducial marker which was used for the camera pose estimation. Methods The system consisted of two web cameras and the fiducial marker placed in front of them. The markers to track were black circles on a white background. The algorithm to detect a centre of the projected circle on the image plane was described and applied. In order to evaluate the accuracy (mean measurement error) and precision (standard deviation of the measurement error) of the optical measurement system, two experiments were performed: 1) inter-marker distance measurement and 2) marker displacement measurement. Results The first experiment of the 10 mm distances measurement showed a total accuracy of 0.0086 mm and precision of ± 0.1002 mm. In the second experiment, translations from 0.5 mm to 5 mm were measured with total accuracy of 0.0038 mm and precision of ± 0.0461 mm. The rotations of 2.25° amount were measured with the entire accuracy of 0.058° and the precision was of ± 0.172°. Conclusions The description of the non-proprietary measurement device with very good levels of accuracy and precision may provide opportunities for new, cost effective applications of stereophotogrammetrical analysis in musculoskeletal research projects, focusing on kinematics of small displacements in a small measurement volume. PMID:21284867

Motion estimation accuracy for visible-light/gamma-ray imaging fusion for portable portal monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karnowski, Thomas P.; Cunningham, Mark F.; Goddard, James S.; Cheriyadat, Anil M.; Hornback, Donald E.; Fabris, Lorenzo; Kerekes, Ryan A.; Ziock, Klaus-Peter; Gee, Timothy F.

2010-01-01

The use of radiation sensors as portal monitors is increasing due to heightened concerns over the smuggling of fissile material. Portable systems that can detect significant quantities of fissile material that might be present in vehicular traffic are of particular interest. We have constructed a prototype, rapid-deployment portal gamma-ray imaging portal monitor that uses machine vision and gamma-ray imaging to monitor multiple lanes of traffic. Vehicles are detected and tracked by using point detection and optical flow methods as implemented in the OpenCV software library. Points are clustered together but imperfections in the detected points and tracks cause errors in the accuracy of the vehicle position estimates. The resulting errors cause a "blurring" effect in the gamma image of the vehicle. To minimize these errors, we have compared a variety of motion estimation techniques including an estimate using the median of the clustered points, a "best-track" filtering algorithm, and a constant velocity motion estimation model. The accuracy of these methods are contrasted and compared to a manually verified ground-truth measurement by quantifying the rootmean- square differences in the times the vehicles cross the gamma-ray image pixel boundaries compared with a groundtruth manual measurement.

Assessing the Accuracy of a Wrist Motion Tracking Method for Counting Bites across Demographic and Food Variables

PubMed Central

Shen, Yiru; Salley, James; Muth, Eric; Hoover, Adam

2017-01-01

This paper describes a study to test the accuracy of a method that tracks wrist motion during eating to detect and count bites. The purpose was to assess its accuracy across demographic (age, gender, ethnicity) and bite (utensil, container, hand used, food type) variables. Data were collected in a cafeteria under normal eating conditions. A total of 271 participants ate a single meal while wearing a watch-like device to track their wrist motion. Video was simultaneously recorded of each participant and subsequently reviewed to determine the ground truth times of bites. Bite times were operationally defined as the moment when food or beverage was placed into the mouth. Food and beverage choices were not scripted or restricted. Participants were seated in groups of 2–4 and were encouraged to eat naturally. A total of 24,088 bites of 374 different food and beverage items were consumed. Overall the method for automatically detecting bites had a sensitivity of 75% with a positive predictive value of 89%. A range of 62–86% sensitivity was found across demographic variables, with slower eating rates trending towards higher sensitivity. Variations in sensitivity due to food type showed a modest correlation with the total wrist motion during the bite, possibly due to an increase in head-towards-plate motion and decrease in hand-towards-mouth motion for some food types. Overall, the findings provide the largest evidence to date that the method produces a reliable automated measure of intake during unrestricted eating. PMID:28113994

Two-dimensional flow nanometry of biological nanoparticles for accurate determination of their size and emission intensity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Block, Stephan; Fast, Björn Johansson; Lundgren, Anders; Zhdanov, Vladimir P.; Höök, Fredrik

2016-09-01

Biological nanoparticles (BNPs) are of high interest due to their key role in various biological processes and use as biomarkers. BNP size and composition are decisive for their functions, but simultaneous determination of both properties with high accuracy remains challenging. Optical microscopy allows precise determination of fluorescence/scattering intensity, but not the size of individual BNPs. The latter is better determined by tracking their random motion in bulk, but the limited illumination volume for tracking this motion impedes reliable intensity determination. Here, we show that by attaching BNPs to a supported lipid bilayer, subjecting them to hydrodynamic flows and tracking their motion via surface-sensitive optical imaging enable determination of their diffusion coefficients and flow-induced drifts, from which accurate quantification of both BNP size and emission intensity can be made. For vesicles, the accuracy of this approach is demonstrated by resolving the expected radius-squared dependence of their fluorescence intensity for radii down to 15 nm.

Pupil Tracking for Real-Time Motion Corrected Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography

PubMed Central

Carrasco-Zevallos, Oscar M.; Nankivil, Derek; Viehland, Christian; Keller, Brenton; Izatt, Joseph A.

2016-01-01

Volumetric acquisition with anterior segment optical coherence tomography (ASOCT) is necessary to obtain accurate representations of the tissue structure and to account for asymmetries of the anterior eye anatomy. Additionally, recent interest in imaging of anterior segment vasculature and aqueous humor flow resulted in application of OCT angiography techniques to generate en face and 3D micro-vasculature maps of the anterior segment. Unfortunately, ASOCT structural and vasculature imaging systems do not capture volumes instantaneously and are subject to motion artifacts due to involuntary eye motion that may hinder their accuracy and repeatability. Several groups have demonstrated real-time tracking for motion-compensated in vivo OCT retinal imaging, but these techniques are not applicable in the anterior segment. In this work, we demonstrate a simple and low-cost pupil tracking system integrated into a custom swept-source OCT system for real-time motion-compensated anterior segment volumetric imaging. Pupil oculography hardware coaxial with the swept-source OCT system enabled fast detection and tracking of the pupil centroid. The pupil tracking ASOCT system with a field of view of 15 x 15 mm achieved diffraction-limited imaging over a lateral tracking range of +/- 2.5 mm and was able to correct eye motion at up to 22 Hz. Pupil tracking ASOCT offers a novel real-time motion compensation approach that may facilitate accurate and reproducible anterior segment imaging. PMID:27574800

Effect of motion cues during complex curved approach and landing tasks: A piloted simulation study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scanlon, Charles H.

1987-01-01

A piloted simulation study was conducted to examine the effect of motion cues using a high fidelity simulation of commercial aircraft during the performance of complex approach and landing tasks in the Microwave Landing System (MLS) signal environment. The data from these tests indicate that in a high complexity MLS approach task with moderate turbulence and wind, the pilot uses motion cues to improve path tracking performance. No significant differences in tracking accuracy were noted for the low and medium complexity tasks, regardless of the presence of motion cues. Higher control input rates were measured for all tasks when motion was used. Pilot eye scan, as measured by instrument dwell time, was faster when motion cues were used regardless of the complexity of the approach tasks. Pilot comments indicated a preference for motion. With motion cues, pilots appeared to work harder in all levels of task complexity and to improve tracking performance in the most complex approach task.

SU-E-T-570: New Quality Assurance Method Using Motion Tracking for 6D Robotic Couches

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cheon, W; Cho, J; Ahn, S

Purpose: To accommodate geometrically accurate patient positioning, a robotic couch that is capable of 6-degrees of freedom has been introduced. However, conventional couch QA methods are not sufficient to enable the necessary accuracy of tests. Therefore, we have developed a camera based motion detection and geometry calibration system for couch QA. Methods: Employing a Visual-Tracking System (VTS, BonitaB10, Vicon, UK) which tracks infrared reflective(IR) markers, camera calibration was conducted using a 5.7 × 5.7 × 5.7 cm{sup 3} cube attached with IR markers at each corner. After positioning a robotic-couch at the origin with the cube on the table top,more » 3D coordinates of the cube’s eight corners were acquired by VTS in the VTS coordinate system. Next, positions in reference coordinates (roomcoordinates) were assigned using the known relation between each point. Finally, camera calibration was completed by finding a transformation matrix between VTS and reference coordinate systems and by applying a pseudo inverse matrix method. After the calibration, the accuracy of linear and rotational motions as well as couch sagging could be measured by analyzing the continuously acquired data of the cube while the couch moves to a designated position. Accuracy of the developed software was verified through comparison with measurement data when using a Laser tracker (FARO, Lake Mary, USA) for a robotic-couch installed for proton therapy. Results: VTS system could track couch motion accurately and measured position in room-coordinates. The VTS measurements and Laser tracker data agreed within 1% of difference for linear and rotational motions. Also because the program analyzes motion in 3-Dimension, it can compute couch sagging. Conclusion: Developed QA system provides submillimeter/ degree accuracy which fulfills the high-end couch QA. This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning. (2013M2A2A7043507 and 2012M3A9B6055201)« less

Development and clinical evaluation of a simple optical method to detect and measure patient external motion.

PubMed

Barbés, Benigno; Azcona, Juan Diego; Prieto, Elena; de Foronda, José Manuel; García, Marina; Burguete, Javier

2015-09-08

A simple and independent system to detect and measure the position of a number of points in space was devised and implemented. Its application aimed to detect patient motion during radiotherapy treatments, alert of out-of-tolerances motion, and record the trajectories for subsequent studies. The system obtains the 3D position of points in space, through its projections in 2D images recorded by two cameras. It tracks black dots on a white sticker placed on the surface of the moving object. The system was tested with linear displacements of a phantom, circular trajectories of a rotating disk, oscillations of an in-house phantom, and oscillations of a 4D phantom. It was also used to track 461 trajectories of points on the surface of patients during their radiotherapy treatments. Trajectories of several points were reproduced with accuracy better than 0.3 mm in the three spatial directions. The system was able to follow periodic motion with amplitudes lower than 0.5 mm, to follow trajectories of rotating points at speeds up to 11.5 cm/s, and to track accurately the motion of a respiratory phantom. The technique has been used to track the motion of patients during radiotherapy and to analyze that motion. The method is flexible. Its installation and calibration are simple and quick. It is easy to use and can be implemented at a very affordable price. Data collection does not involve any discomfort to the patient and does not delay the treatment, so the system can be used routinely in all treatments. It has an accuracy similar to that of other, more sophisticated, commercially available systems. It is suitable to implement a gating system or any other application requiring motion detection, such as 4D CT, MRI or PET.

Markerless rat head motion tracking using structured light for brain PET imaging of unrestrained awake small animals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miranda, Alan; Staelens, Steven; Stroobants, Sigrid; Verhaeghe, Jeroen

2017-03-01

Preclinical positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in small animals is generally performed under anesthesia to immobilize the animal during scanning. More recently, for rat brain PET studies, methods to perform scans of unrestrained awake rats are being developed in order to avoid the unwanted effects of anesthesia on the brain response. Here, we investigate the use of a projected structure stereo camera to track the motion of the rat head during the PET scan. The motion information is then used to correct the PET data. The stereo camera calculates a 3D point cloud representation of the scene and the tracking is performed by point cloud matching using the iterative closest point algorithm. The main advantage of the proposed motion tracking is that no intervention, e.g. for marker attachment, is needed. A manually moved microDerenzo phantom experiment and 3 awake rat [18F]FDG experiments were performed to evaluate the proposed tracking method. The tracking accuracy was 0.33 mm rms. After motion correction image reconstruction, the microDerenzo phantom was recovered albeit with some loss of resolution. The reconstructed FWHM of the 2.5 and 3 mm rods increased with 0.94 and 0.51 mm respectively in comparison with the motion-free case. In the rat experiments, the average tracking success rate was 64.7%. The correlation of relative brain regional [18F]FDG uptake between the anesthesia and awake scan reconstructions was increased from on average 0.291 (not significant) before correction to 0.909 (p  <  0.0001) after motion correction. Markerless motion tracking using structured light can be successfully used for tracking of the rat head for motion correction in awake rat PET scans.

Visual tracking using objectness-bounding box regression and correlation filters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mbelwa, Jimmy T.; Zhao, Qingjie; Lu, Yao; Wang, Fasheng; Mbise, Mercy

2018-03-01

Visual tracking is a fundamental problem in computer vision with extensive application domains in surveillance and intelligent systems. Recently, correlation filter-based tracking methods have shown a great achievement in terms of robustness, accuracy, and speed. However, such methods have a problem of dealing with fast motion (FM), motion blur (MB), illumination variation (IV), and drifting caused by occlusion (OCC). To solve this problem, a tracking method that integrates objectness-bounding box regression (O-BBR) model and a scheme based on kernelized correlation filter (KCF) is proposed. The scheme based on KCF is used to improve the tracking performance of FM and MB. For handling drift problem caused by OCC and IV, we propose objectness proposals trained in bounding box regression as prior knowledge to provide candidates and background suppression. Finally, scheme KCF as a base tracker and O-BBR are fused to obtain a state of a target object. Extensive experimental comparisons of the developed tracking method with other state-of-the-art trackers are performed on some of the challenging video sequences. Experimental comparison results show that our proposed tracking method outperforms other state-of-the-art tracking methods in terms of effectiveness, accuracy, and robustness.

Development of a video image-based QA system for the positional accuracy of dynamic tumor tracking irradiation in the Vero4DRT system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ebe, Kazuyu, E-mail: nrr24490@nifty.com; Tokuyama, Katsuichi; Baba, Ryuta

Purpose: To develop and evaluate a new video image-based QA system, including in-house software, that can display a tracking state visually and quantify the positional accuracy of dynamic tumor tracking irradiation in the Vero4DRT system. Methods: Sixteen trajectories in six patients with pulmonary cancer were obtained with the ExacTrac in the Vero4DRT system. Motion data in the cranio–caudal direction (Y direction) were used as the input for a programmable motion table (Quasar). A target phantom was placed on the motion table, which was placed on the 2D ionization chamber array (MatriXX). Then, the 4D modeling procedure was performed on themore » target phantom during a reproduction of the patient’s tumor motion. A substitute target with the patient’s tumor motion was irradiated with 6-MV x-rays under the surrogate infrared system. The 2D dose images obtained from the MatriXX (33 frames/s; 40 s) were exported to in-house video-image analyzing software. The absolute differences in the Y direction between the center of the exposed target and the center of the exposed field were calculated. Positional errors were observed. The authors’ QA results were compared to 4D modeling function errors and gimbal motion errors obtained from log analyses in the ExacTrac to verify the accuracy of their QA system. The patients’ tumor motions were evaluated in the wave forms, and the peak-to-peak distances were also measured to verify their reproducibility. Results: Thirteen of sixteen trajectories (81.3%) were successfully reproduced with Quasar. The peak-to-peak distances ranged from 2.7 to 29.0 mm. Three trajectories (18.7%) were not successfully reproduced due to the limited motions of the Quasar. Thus, 13 of 16 trajectories were summarized. The mean number of video images used for analysis was 1156. The positional errors (absolute mean difference + 2 standard deviation) ranged from 0.54 to 1.55 mm. The error values differed by less than 1 mm from 4D modeling function errors and gimbal motion errors in the ExacTrac log analyses (n = 13). Conclusions: The newly developed video image-based QA system, including in-house software, can analyze more than a thousand images (33 frames/s). Positional errors are approximately equivalent to those in ExacTrac log analyses. This system is useful for the visual illustration of the progress of the tracking state and for the quantification of positional accuracy during dynamic tumor tracking irradiation in the Vero4DRT system.« less

TH-AB-202-11: Spatial and Rotational Quality Assurance of 6DOF Patient Tracking Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Belcher, AH; Liu, X; Grelewicz, Z

2016-06-15

Purpose: External tracking systems used for patient positioning and motion monitoring during radiotherapy are now capable of detecting both translations and rotations (6DOF). In this work, we develop a novel technique to evaluate the 6DOF performance of external motion tracking systems. We apply this methodology to an infrared (IR) marker tracking system and two 3D optical surface mapping systems in a common tumor 6DOF workspace. Methods: An in-house designed and built 6DOF parallel kinematics robotic motion phantom was used to follow input trajectories with sub-millimeter and sub-degree accuracy. The 6DOF positions of the robotic system were then tracked and recordedmore » independently by three optical camera systems. A calibration methodology which associates the motion phantom and camera coordinate frames was first employed, followed by a comprehensive 6DOF trajectory evaluation, which spanned a full range of positions and orientations in a 20×20×16 mm and 5×5×5 degree workspace. The intended input motions were compared to the calibrated 6DOF measured points. Results: The technique found the accuracy of the IR marker tracking system to have maximal root mean square error (RMSE) values of 0.25 mm translationally and 0.09 degrees rotationally, in any one axis, comparing intended 6DOF positions to positions measured by the IR camera. The 6DOF RSME discrepancy for the first 3D optical surface tracking unit yielded maximal values of 0.60 mm and 0.11 degrees over the same 6DOF volume. An earlier generation 3D optical surface tracker was observed to have worse tracking capabilities than both the IR camera unit and the newer 3D surface tracking system with maximal RMSE of 0.74 mm and 0.28 degrees within the same 6DOF evaluation space. Conclusion: The proposed technique was effective at evaluating the performance of 6DOF patient tracking systems. All systems examined exhibited tracking capabilities at the sub-millimeter and sub-degree level within a 6DOF workspace.« less

SU-E-J-191: Motion Prediction Using Extreme Learning Machine in Image Guided Radiotherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jia, J; Cao, R; Pei, X

Purpose: Real-time motion tracking is a critical issue in image guided radiotherapy due to the time latency caused by image processing and system response. It is of great necessity to fast and accurately predict the future position of the respiratory motion and the tumor location. Methods: The prediction of respiratory position was done based on the positioning and tracking module in ARTS-IGRT system which was developed by FDS Team (www.fds.org.cn). An approach involving with the extreme learning machine (ELM) was adopted to predict the future respiratory position as well as the tumor’s location by training the past trajectories. For themore » training process, a feed-forward neural network with one single hidden layer was used for the learning. First, the number of hidden nodes was figured out for the single layered feed forward network (SLFN). Then the input weights and hidden layer biases of the SLFN were randomly assigned to calculate the hidden neuron output matrix. Finally, the predicted movement were obtained by applying the output weights and compared with the actual movement. Breathing movement acquired from the external infrared markers was used to test the prediction accuracy. And the implanted marker movement for the prostate cancer was used to test the implementation of the tumor motion prediction. Results: The accuracy of the predicted motion and the actual motion was tested. Five volunteers with different breathing patterns were tested. The average prediction time was 0.281s. And the standard deviation of prediction accuracy was 0.002 for the respiratory motion and 0.001 for the tumor motion. Conclusion: The extreme learning machine method can provide an accurate and fast prediction of the respiratory motion and the tumor location and therefore can meet the requirements of real-time tumor-tracking in image guided radiotherapy.« less

Adaptive particle filter for robust visual tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Jianghua; Yu, Shengsheng; Sun, Weiping; Chen, Xiaoping; Xiang, Jinhai

2009-10-01

Object tracking plays a key role in the field of computer vision. Particle filter has been widely used for visual tracking under nonlinear and/or non-Gaussian circumstances. In particle filter, the state transition model for predicting the next location of tracked object assumes the object motion is invariable, which cannot well approximate the varying dynamics of the motion changes. In addition, the state estimate calculated by the mean of all the weighted particles is coarse or inaccurate due to various noise disturbances. Both these two factors may degrade tracking performance greatly. In this work, an adaptive particle filter (APF) with a velocity-updating based transition model (VTM) and an adaptive state estimate approach (ASEA) is proposed to improve object tracking. In APF, the motion velocity embedded into the state transition model is updated continuously by a recursive equation, and the state estimate is obtained adaptively according to the state posterior distribution. The experiment results show that the APF can increase the tracking accuracy and efficiency in complex environments.

Improved accuracy of markerless motion tracking on bone suppression images: preliminary study for image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Rie; Sanada, Shigeru; Sakuta, Keita; Kawashima, Hiroki

2015-05-01

The bone suppression technique based on advanced image processing can suppress the conspicuity of bones on chest radiographs, creating soft tissue images obtained by the dual-energy subtraction technique. This study was performed to evaluate the usefulness of bone suppression image processing in image-guided radiation therapy. We demonstrated the improved accuracy of markerless motion tracking on bone suppression images. Chest fluoroscopic images of nine patients with lung nodules during respiration were obtained using a flat-panel detector system (120 kV, 0.1 mAs/pulse, 5 fps). Commercial bone suppression image processing software was applied to the fluoroscopic images to create corresponding bone suppression images. Regions of interest were manually located on lung nodules and automatic target tracking was conducted based on the template matching technique. To evaluate the accuracy of target tracking, the maximum tracking error in the resulting images was compared with that of conventional fluoroscopic images. The tracking errors were decreased by half in eight of nine cases. The average maximum tracking errors in bone suppression and conventional fluoroscopic images were 1.3   ±   1.0 and 3.3   ±   3.3 mm, respectively. The bone suppression technique was especially effective in the lower lung area where pulmonary vessels, bronchi, and ribs showed complex movements. The bone suppression technique improved tracking accuracy without special equipment and implantation of fiducial markers, and with only additional small dose to the patient. Bone suppression fluoroscopy is a potential measure for respiratory displacement of the target. This paper was presented at RSNA 2013 and was carried out at Kanazawa University, JAPAN.

Visual servoing for a US-guided therapeutic HIFU system by coagulated lesion tracking: a phantom study.

PubMed

Seo, Joonho; Koizumi, Norihiro; Funamoto, Takakazu; Sugita, Naohiko; Yoshinaka, Kiyoshi; Nomiya, Akira; Homma, Yukio; Matsumoto, Yoichiro; Mitsuishi, Mamoru

2011-06-01

Applying ultrasound (US)-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy for kidney tumours is currently very difficult, due to the unclearly observed tumour area and renal motion induced by human respiration. In this research, we propose new methods by which to track the indistinct tumour area and to compensate the respiratory tumour motion for US-guided HIFU treatment. For tracking indistinct tumour areas, we detect the US speckle change created by HIFU irradiation. In other words, HIFU thermal ablation can coagulate tissue in the tumour area and an intraoperatively created coagulated lesion (CL) is used as a spatial landmark for US visual tracking. Specifically, the condensation algorithm was applied to robust and real-time CL speckle pattern tracking in the sequence of US images. Moreover, biplanar US imaging was used to locate the three-dimensional position of the CL, and a three-actuator system drives the end-effector to compensate for the motion. Finally, we tested the proposed method by using a newly devised phantom model that enables both visual tracking and a thermal response by HIFU irradiation. In the experiment, after generation of the CL in the phantom kidney, the end-effector successfully synchronized with the phantom motion, which was modelled by the captured motion data for the human kidney. The accuracy of the motion compensation was evaluated by the error between the end-effector and the respiratory motion, the RMS error of which was approximately 2 mm. This research shows that a HIFU-induced CL provides a very good landmark for target motion tracking. By using the CL tracking method, target motion compensation can be realized in the US-guided robotic HIFU system. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging–Guided versus Surrogate-Based Motion Tracking in Liver Radiation Therapy: A Prospective Comparative Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Paganelli, Chiara, E-mail: chiara.paganelli@polimi.it; Seregni, Matteo; Fattori, Giovanni

Purpose: This study applied automatic feature detection on cine–magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) liver images in order to provide a prospective comparison between MRI-guided and surrogate-based tracking methods for motion-compensated liver radiation therapy. Methods and Materials: In a population of 30 subjects (5 volunteers plus 25 patients), 2 oblique sagittal slices were acquired across the liver at high temporal resolution. An algorithm based on scale invariant feature transform (SIFT) was used to extract and track multiple features throughout the image sequence. The position of abdominal markers was also measured directly from the image series, and the internal motion of each featuremore » was quantified through multiparametric analysis. Surrogate-based tumor tracking with a state-of-the-art external/internal correlation model was simulated. The geometrical tracking error was measured, and its correlation with external motion parameters was also investigated. Finally, the potential gain in tracking accuracy relying on MRI guidance was quantified as a function of the maximum allowed tracking error. Results: An average of 45 features was extracted for each subject across the whole liver. The multi-parametric motion analysis reported relevant inter- and intrasubject variability, highlighting the value of patient-specific and spatially-distributed measurements. Surrogate-based tracking errors (relative to the motion amplitude) were were in the range 7% to 23% (1.02-3.57mm) and were significantly influenced by external motion parameters. The gain of MRI guidance compared to surrogate-based motion tracking was larger than 30% in 50% of the subjects when considering a 1.5-mm tracking error tolerance. Conclusions: Automatic feature detection applied to cine-MRI allows detailed liver motion description to be obtained. Such information was used to quantify the performance of surrogate-based tracking methods and to provide a prospective comparison with respect to MRI-guided radiation therapy, which could support the definition of patient-specific optimal treatment strategies.« less

SU-G-JeP1-14: Respiratory Motion Tracking Using Kinect V2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Silverstein, E; Snyder, M

Purpose: Investigate capability and accuracy of Kinect v2 camera for tracking respiratory motion to use as a tool during 4DCT or in combination with motion management during radiotherapy treatments. Methods: Utilizing the depth sensor on the Kinect as well as code written in C#, the respiratory motion of a patient was tracked by recording the depth (distance) values obtained at several points on the patient. Respiratory traces were also obtained using Varian’s RPM system, which traces the movement of a propriety marker placed on the patient’s abdomen, as well as an Anzai belt, which utilizes a pressure sensor to trackmore » respiratory motion. With the Kinect mounted 60 cm above the patient and pointing straight down, 11 breathing cycles were recorded with each system simultaneously. Relative displacement values during this time period were saved to file. While RPM and the Kinect give displacement values in distance units, the Anzai system has arbitrary units. As such, displacement for all three are displayed relative to the maximum value for the time interval from that system. Additional analysis was performed between RPM and Kinect for absolute displacement values. Results: Analysis of the data from all three systems indicates the relative motion obtained from the Kinect is both accurate and in sync with the data from RPM and Anzai. The absolute displacement data from RPM and Kinect show similar displacement values throughout the acquisition except for the depth obtained from the Kinect during maximum exhalation (largest distance from Kinect). Conclusion: By simply utilizing the depth data of specific points on a patient obtained from the Kinect, respiratory motion can be tracked and visualized with accuracy comparable to that of the Varian RPM and Anzai belt.« less

Development of a robust and cost-effective 3D respiratory motion monitoring system using the kinect device: Accuracy comparison with the conventional stereovision navigation system.

PubMed

Bae, Myungsoo; Lee, Sangmin; Kim, Namkug

2018-07-01

To develop and validate a robust and cost-effective 3D respiratory monitoring system based on a Kinect device with a custom-made simple marker. A 3D respiratory monitoring system comprising the simple marker and the Microsoft Kinect v2 device was developed. The marker was designed for simple and robust detection, and the tracking algorithm was developed using the depth, RGB, and infra-red images acquired from the Kinect sensor. A Kalman filter was used to suppress movement noises. The major movements of the marker attached to the four different locations of body surface were determined from the initially collected tracking points of the marker while breathing. The signal level of respiratory motion with the tracking point was estimated along the major direction vector. The accuracy of the results was evaluated through a comparison with those of the conventional stereovision navigation system (NDI Polaris Spectra). Sixteen normal volunteers were enrolled to evaluate the accuracy of this system. The correlation coefficients between the respiratory motion signal from the Kinect device and conventional navigation system ranged from 0.970 to 0.999 and from 0.837 to 0.995 at the abdominal and thoracic surfaces, respectively. The respiratory motion signal from this system was obtained at 27-30 frames/s. This system with the Kinect v2 device and simple marker could be used for cost-effective, robust and accurate 3D respiratory motion monitoring. In addition, this system is as reliable for respiratory motion signal generation and as practically useful as the conventional stereovision navigation system and is less sensitive to patient posture. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Real-Time Robust Tracking for Motion Blur and Fast Motion via Correlation Filters

PubMed Central

Xu, Lingyun; Luo, Haibo; Hui, Bin; Chang, Zheng

2016-01-01

Visual tracking has extensive applications in intelligent monitoring and guidance systems. Among state-of-the-art tracking algorithms, Correlation Filter methods perform favorably in robustness, accuracy and speed. However, it also has shortcomings when dealing with pervasive target scale variation, motion blur and fast motion. In this paper we proposed a new real-time robust scheme based on Kernelized Correlation Filter (KCF) to significantly improve performance on motion blur and fast motion. By fusing KCF and STC trackers, our algorithm also solve the estimation of scale variation in many scenarios. We theoretically analyze the problem for CFs towards motions and utilize the point sharpness function of the target patch to evaluate the motion state of target. Then we set up an efficient scheme to handle the motion and scale variation without much time consuming. Our algorithm preserves the properties of KCF besides the ability to handle special scenarios. In the end extensive experimental results on benchmark of VOT datasets show our algorithm performs advantageously competed with the top-rank trackers. PMID:27618046

Analysis of orbit determination from Earth-based tracking for relay satellites in a perturbed areostationary orbit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romero, P.; Pablos, B.; Barderas, G.

2017-07-01

Areostationary satellites are considered a high interest group of satellites to satisfy the telecommunications needs of the foreseen missions to Mars. An areostationary satellite, in an areoequatorial circular orbit with a period of 1 Martian sidereal day, would orbit Mars remaining at a fixed location over the Martian surface, analogous to a geostationary satellite around the Earth. This work addresses an analysis of the perturbed orbital motion of an areostationary satellite as well as a preliminary analysis of the aerostationary orbit estimation accuracy based on Earth tracking observations. First, the models for the perturbations due to the Mars gravitational field, the gravitational attraction of the Sun and the Martian moons, Phobos and Deimos, and solar radiation pressure are described. Then, the observability from Earth including possible occultations by Mars of an areostationary satellite in a perturbed areosynchronous motion is analyzed. The results show that continuous Earth-based tracking is achievable using observations from the three NASA Deep Space Network Complexes in Madrid, Goldstone and Canberra in an occultation-free scenario. Finally, an analysis of the orbit determination accuracy is addressed considering several scenarios including discontinuous tracking schedules for different epochs and different areoestationary satellites. Simulations also allow to quantify the aerostationary orbit estimation accuracy for various tracking series durations and observed orbit arc-lengths.

SU-E-J-90: 2D/3D Registration Using KV-MV Image Pairs for Higher Accuracy Image Guided Radiotherapy.

PubMed

Furtado, H; Figl, M; Stock, M; Georg, D; Birkfellner, W

2012-06-01

In this work, we investigate the impact of using paired portal mega-voltage (MV) and kilo-voltage (kV) images, on 2D/3D registration accuracy with the purpose of improving tumor motion tracking during radiotherapy. Tumor motion tracking is important as motion remains one of the biggest sources of uncertainty in dose application. 2D/3D registration is successfully used in online tumor motion tracking, nevertheless, one limitation of this technique is the inability to resolve movement along the imaging beam axis using only one projection image. Our evaluation consisted in comparing the accuracy of registration using different 2D image combinations: only one 2D image (1-kV), one kV and one MV image (1kV-1MV) and two kV images (2-kV). For each of the image combinations we evaluated the registration results using 250 starting points as initial displacements from the gold standard. We measured the final mean target registration error (mTRE) and the success rate for each registration. Each of the combinations was evaluated using four different merit functions. When using the MI merit function (a popular choice for this application) the RMS mTRE drops from 6.4 mm when using only one image to 2.1 mm when using image pairs. The success rate increases from 62% to 99.6%. A similar trend was observed for all four merit functions. Typically, the results are slightly better with 2-kV images than with 1kV-1MV. We evaluated the impact of using different image combinations on accuracy of 2D/3D registration for tumor motion monitoring. Our results show that using a kV-MV image pair, leads to improved results as motion can be accurately resolved in six degrees of freedom. Given the possibility to acquire these two images simultaneously, this is not only very workflow efficient but is also shown to be a good approach to improve registration accuracy. © 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ono, Tomohiro; Miyabe, Yuki, E-mail: miyabe@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Yamada, Masahiro

Purpose: The Vero4DRT system has the capability for dynamic tumor-tracking (DTT) stereotactic irradiation using a unique gimbaled x-ray head. The purposes of this study were to develop DTT conformal arc irradiation and to estimate its geometric and dosimetric accuracy. Methods: The gimbaled x-ray head, supported on an O-ring gantry, was moved in the pan and tilt directions during O-ring gantry rotation. To evaluate the mechanical accuracy, the gimbaled x-ray head was moved during the gantry rotating according to input command signals without a target tracking, and a machine log analysis was performed. The difference between a command and a measuredmore » position was calculated as mechanical error. To evaluate beam-positioning accuracy, a moving phantom, which had a steel ball fixed at the center, was driven based on a sinusoidal wave (amplitude [A]: 20 mm, time period [T]: 4 s), a patient breathing motion with a regular pattern (A: 16 mm, average T: 4.5 s), and an irregular pattern (A: 7.2–23.0 mm, T: 2.3–10.0 s), and irradiated with DTT during gantry rotation. The beam-positioning error was evaluated as the difference between the centroid position of the irradiated field and the steel ball on images from an electronic portal imaging device. For dosimetric accuracy, dose distributions in static and moving targets were evaluated with DTT conformal arc irradiation. Results: The root mean squares (RMSs) of the mechanical error were up to 0.11 mm for pan motion and up to 0.14 mm for tilt motion. The RMSs of the beam-positioning error were within 0.23 mm for each pattern. The dose distribution in a moving phantom with tracking arc irradiation was in good agreement with that in static conditions. Conclusions: The gimbal positional accuracy was not degraded by gantry motion. As in the case of a fixed port, the Vero4DRT system showed adequate accuracy of DTT conformal arc irradiation.« less

Sliding-mode control combined with improved adaptive feedforward for wafer scanner

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaojie; Wang, Yiguang

2018-03-01

In this paper, a sliding-mode control method combined with improved adaptive feedforward is proposed for wafer scanner to improve the tracking performance of the closed-loop system. Particularly, In addition to the inverse model, the nonlinear force ripple effect which may degrade the tracking accuracy of permanent magnet linear motor (PMLM) is considered in the proposed method. The dominant position periodicity of force ripple is determined by using the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) analysis for experimental data and the improved feedforward control is achieved by the online recursive least-squares (RLS) estimation of the inverse model and the force ripple. The improved adaptive feedforward is given in a general form of nth-order model with force ripple effect. This proposed method is motivated by the motion controller design of the long-stroke PMLM and short-stroke voice coil motor for wafer scanner. The stability of the closed-loop control system and the convergence of the motion tracking are guaranteed by the proposed sliding-mode feedback and adaptive feedforward methods theoretically. Comparative experiments on a precision linear motion platform can verify the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed method. The experimental results show that comparing to traditional method the proposed one has better performance of rapidity and robustness, especially for high speed motion trajectory. And, the improvements on both tracking accuracy and settling time can be achieved.

The validity of the first and second generation Microsoft Kinect™ for identifying joint center locations during static postures.

PubMed

Xu, Xu; McGorry, Raymond W

2015-07-01

The Kinect™ sensor released by Microsoft is a low-cost, portable, and marker-less motion tracking system for the video game industry. Since the first generation Kinect sensor was released in 2010, many studies have been conducted to examine the validity of this sensor when used to measure body movement in different research areas. In 2014, Microsoft released the computer-used second generation Kinect sensor with a better resolution for the depth sensor. However, very few studies have performed a direct comparison between all the Kinect sensor-identified joint center locations and their corresponding motion tracking system-identified counterparts, the result of which may provide some insight into the error of the Kinect-identified segment length, joint angles, as well as the feasibility of adapting inverse dynamics to Kinect-identified joint centers. The purpose of the current study is to first propose a method to align the coordinate system of the Kinect sensor with respect to the global coordinate system of a motion tracking system, and then to examine the accuracy of the Kinect sensor-identified coordinates of joint locations during 8 standing and 8 sitting postures of daily activities. The results indicate the proposed alignment method can effectively align the Kinect sensor with respect to the motion tracking system. The accuracy level of the Kinect-identified joint center location is posture-dependent and joint-dependent. For upright standing posture, the average error across all the participants and all Kinect-identified joint centers is 76 mm and 87 mm for the first and second generation Kinect sensor, respectively. In general, standing postures can be identified with better accuracy than sitting postures, and the identification accuracy of the joints of the upper extremities is better than for the lower extremities. This result may provide some information regarding the feasibility of using the Kinect sensor in future studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Hybrid Orientation Based Human Limbs Motion Tracking Method

PubMed Central

Glonek, Grzegorz; Wojciechowski, Adam

2017-01-01

One of the key technologies that lays behind the human–machine interaction and human motion diagnosis is the limbs motion tracking. To make the limbs tracking efficient, it must be able to estimate a precise and unambiguous position of each tracked human joint and resulting body part pose. In recent years, body pose estimation became very popular and broadly available for home users because of easy access to cheap tracking devices. Their robustness can be improved by different tracking modes data fusion. The paper defines the novel approach—orientation based data fusion—instead of dominating in literature position based approach, for two classes of tracking devices: depth sensors (i.e., Microsoft Kinect) and inertial measurement units (IMU). The detailed analysis of their working characteristics allowed to elaborate a new method that let fuse more precisely limbs orientation data from both devices and compensates their imprecisions. The paper presents the series of performed experiments that verified the method’s accuracy. This novel approach allowed to outperform the precision of position-based joints tracking, the methods dominating in the literature, of up to 18%. PMID:29232832

Improved cardiac motion detection from ultrasound images using TDIOF: a combined B-mode/ tissue Doppler approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tavakoli, Vahid; Stoddard, Marcus F.; Amini, Amir A.

2013-03-01

Quantitative motion analysis of echocardiographic images helps clinicians with the diagnosis and therapy of patients suffering from cardiac disease. Quantitative analysis is usually based on TDI (Tissue Doppler Imaging) or speckle tracking. These methods are based on two independent techniques - the Doppler Effect and image registration, respectively. In order to increase the accuracy of the speckle tracking technique and cope with the angle dependency of TDI, herein, a combined approach dubbed TDIOF (Tissue Doppler Imaging Optical Flow) is proposed. TDIOF is formulated based on the combination of B-mode and Doppler energy terms in an optical flow framework and minimized using algebraic equations. In this paper, we report on validations with simulated, physical cardiac phantom, and in-vivo patient data. It is shown that the additional Doppler term is able to increase the accuracy of speckle tracking, the basis for several commercially available echocardiography analysis techniques.

Indoor Pedestrian Navigation Using Foot-Mounted IMU and Portable Ultrasound Range Sensors

PubMed Central

Girard, Gabriel; Côté, Stéphane; Zlatanova, Sisi; Barette, Yannick; St-Pierre, Johanne; van Oosterom, Peter

2011-01-01

Many solutions have been proposed for indoor pedestrian navigation. Some rely on pre-installed sensor networks, which offer good accuracy but are limited to areas that have been prepared for that purpose, thus requiring an expensive and possibly time-consuming process. Such methods are therefore inappropriate for navigation in emergency situations since the power supply may be disturbed. Other types of solutions track the user without requiring a prepared environment. However, they may have low accuracy. Offline tracking has been proposed to increase accuracy, however this prevents users from knowing their position in real time. This paper describes a real time indoor navigation system that does not require prepared building environments and provides tracking accuracy superior to previously described tracking methods. The system uses a combination of four techniques: foot-mounted IMU (Inertial Motion Unit), ultrasonic ranging, particle filtering and model-based navigation. The very purpose of the project is to combine these four well-known techniques in a novel way to provide better indoor tracking results for pedestrians. PMID:22164034

Inertial Measures of Motion for Clinical Biomechanics: Comparative Assessment of Accuracy under Controlled Conditions - Effect of Velocity

PubMed Central

Lebel, Karina; Boissy, Patrick; Hamel, Mathieu; Duval, Christian

2013-01-01

Background Inertial measurement of motion with Attitude and Heading Reference Systems (AHRS) is emerging as an alternative to 3D motion capture systems in biomechanics. The objectives of this study are: 1) to describe the absolute and relative accuracy of multiple units of commercially available AHRS under various types of motion; and 2) to evaluate the effect of motion velocity on the accuracy of these measurements. Methods The criterion validity of accuracy was established under controlled conditions using an instrumented Gimbal table. AHRS modules were carefully attached to the center plate of the Gimbal table and put through experimental static and dynamic conditions. Static and absolute accuracy was assessed by comparing the AHRS orientation measurement to those obtained using an optical gold standard. Relative accuracy was assessed by measuring the variation in relative orientation between modules during trials. Findings Evaluated AHRS systems demonstrated good absolute static accuracy (mean error < 0.5o) and clinically acceptable absolute accuracy under condition of slow motions (mean error between 0.5o and 3.1o). In slow motions, relative accuracy varied from 2o to 7o depending on the type of AHRS and the type of rotation. Absolute and relative accuracy were significantly affected (p<0.05) by velocity during sustained motions. The extent of that effect varied across AHRS. Interpretation Absolute and relative accuracy of AHRS are affected by environmental magnetic perturbations and conditions of motions. Relative accuracy of AHRS is mostly affected by the ability of all modules to locate the same global reference coordinate system at all time. Conclusions Existing AHRS systems can be considered for use in clinical biomechanics under constrained conditions of use. While their individual capacity to track absolute motion is relatively consistent, the use of multiple AHRS modules to compute relative motion between rigid bodies needs to be optimized according to the conditions of operation. PMID:24260324

Target Tracking Using SePDAF under Ambiguous Angles for Distributed Array Radar.

PubMed

Long, Teng; Zhang, Honggang; Zeng, Tao; Chen, Xinliang; Liu, Quanhua; Zheng, Le

2016-09-09

Distributed array radar can improve radar detection capability and measurement accuracy. However, it will suffer cyclic ambiguity in its angle estimates according to the spatial Nyquist sampling theorem since the large sparse array is undersampling. Consequently, the state estimation accuracy and track validity probability degrades when the ambiguous angles are directly used for target tracking. This paper proposes a second probability data association filter (SePDAF)-based tracking method for distributed array radar. Firstly, the target motion model and radar measurement model is built. Secondly, the fusion result of each radar's estimation is employed to the extended Kalman filter (EKF) to finish the first filtering. Thirdly, taking this result as prior knowledge, and associating with the array-processed ambiguous angles, the SePDAF is applied to accomplish the second filtering, and then achieving a high accuracy and stable trajectory with relatively low computational complexity. Moreover, the azimuth filtering accuracy will be promoted dramatically and the position filtering accuracy will also improve. Finally, simulations illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Motion-compensated speckle tracking via particle filtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Lixin; Yagi, Shin-ichi; Bian, Hongyu

2015-07-01

Recently, an improved motion compensation method that uses the sum of absolute differences (SAD) has been applied to frame persistence utilized in conventional ultrasonic imaging because of its high accuracy and relative simplicity in implementation. However, high time consumption is still a significant drawback of this space-domain method. To seek for a more accelerated motion compensation method and verify if it is possible to eliminate conventional traversal correlation, motion-compensated speckle tracking between two temporally adjacent B-mode frames based on particle filtering is discussed. The optimal initial density of particles, the least number of iterations, and the optimal transition radius of the second iteration are analyzed from simulation results for the sake of evaluating the proposed method quantitatively. The speckle tracking results obtained using the optimized parameters indicate that the proposed method is capable of tracking the micromotion of speckle throughout the region of interest (ROI) that is superposed with global motion. The computational cost of the proposed method is reduced by 25% compared with that of the previous algorithm and further improvement is necessary.

Improved Leg Tracking Considering Gait Phase and Spline-Based Interpolation during Turning Motion in Walk Tests.

PubMed

Yorozu, Ayanori; Moriguchi, Toshiki; Takahashi, Masaki

2015-09-04

Falling is a common problem in the growing elderly population, and fall-risk assessment systems are needed for community-based fall prevention programs. In particular, the timed up and go test (TUG) is the clinical test most often used to evaluate elderly individual ambulatory ability in many clinical institutions or local communities. This study presents an improved leg tracking method using a laser range sensor (LRS) for a gait measurement system to evaluate the motor function in walk tests, such as the TUG. The system tracks both legs and measures the trajectory of both legs. However, both legs might be close to each other, and one leg might be hidden from the sensor. This is especially the case during the turning motion in the TUG, where the time that a leg is hidden from the LRS is longer than that during straight walking and the moving direction rapidly changes. These situations are likely to lead to false tracking and deteriorate the measurement accuracy of the leg positions. To solve these problems, a novel data association considering gait phase and a Catmull-Rom spline-based interpolation during the occlusion are proposed. From the experimental results with young people, we confirm   that the proposed methods can reduce the chances of false tracking. In addition, we verify the measurement accuracy of the leg trajectory compared to a three-dimensional motion analysis system (VICON).

Tracking 3-D body motion for docking and robot control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donath, M.; Sorensen, B.; Yang, G. B.; Starr, R.

1987-01-01

An advanced method of tracking three-dimensional motion of bodies has been developed. This system has the potential to dynamically characterize machine and other structural motion, even in the presence of structural flexibility, thus facilitating closed loop structural motion control. The system's operation is based on the concept that the intersection of three planes defines a point. Three rotating planes of laser light, fixed and moving photovoltaic diode targets, and a pipe-lined architecture of analog and digital electronics are used to locate multiple targets whose number is only limited by available computer memory. Data collection rates are a function of the laser scan rotation speed and are currently selectable up to 480 Hz. The tested performance on a preliminary prototype designed for 0.1 in accuracy (for tracking human motion) at a 480 Hz data rate includes a worst case resolution of 0.8 mm (0.03 inches), a repeatability of plus or minus 0.635 mm (plus or minus 0.025 inches), and an absolute accuracy of plus or minus 2.0 mm (plus or minus 0.08 inches) within an eight cubic meter volume with all results applicable at the 95 percent level of confidence along each coordinate region. The full six degrees of freedom of a body can be computed by attaching three or more target detectors to the body of interest.

Correlation between external and internal respiratory motion: a validation study.

PubMed

Ernst, Floris; Bruder, Ralf; Schlaefer, Alexander; Schweikard, Achim

2012-05-01

In motion-compensated image-guided radiotherapy, accurate tracking of the target region is required. This tracking process includes building a correlation model between external surrogate motion and the motion of the target region. A novel correlation method is presented and compared with the commonly used polynomial model. The CyberKnife system (Accuray, Inc., Sunnyvale/CA) uses a polynomial correlation model to relate externally measured surrogate data (optical fibres on the patient's chest emitting red light) to infrequently acquired internal measurements (X-ray data). A new correlation algorithm based on ɛ -Support Vector Regression (SVR) was developed. Validation and comparison testing were done with human volunteers using live 3D ultrasound and externally measured infrared light-emitting diodes (IR LEDs). Seven data sets (5:03-6:27 min long) were recorded from six volunteers. Polynomial correlation algorithms were compared to the SVR-based algorithm demonstrating an average increase in root mean square (RMS) accuracy of 21.3% (0.4 mm). For three signals, the increase was more than 29% and for one signal as much as 45.6% (corresponding to more than 1.5 mm RMS). Further analysis showed the improvement to be statistically significant. The new SVR-based correlation method outperforms traditional polynomial correlation methods for motion tracking. This method is suitable for clinical implementation and may improve the overall accuracy of targeted radiotherapy.

First Steps Toward Ultrasound-Based Motion Compensation for Imaging and Therapy: Calibration with an Optical System and 4D PET Imaging

PubMed Central

Schwaab, Julia; Kurz, Christopher; Sarti, Cristina; Bongers, André; Schoenahl, Frédéric; Bert, Christoph; Debus, Jürgen; Parodi, Katia; Jenne, Jürgen Walter

2015-01-01

Target motion, particularly in the abdomen, due to respiration or patient movement is still a challenge in many diagnostic and therapeutic processes. Hence, methods to detect and compensate this motion are required. Diagnostic ultrasound (US) represents a non-invasive and dose-free alternative to fluoroscopy, providing more information about internal target motion than respiration belt or optical tracking. The goal of this project is to develop an US-based motion tracking for real-time motion correction in radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging, notably in 4D positron emission tomography (PET). In this work, a workflow is established to enable the transformation of US tracking data to the coordinates of the treatment delivery or imaging system – even if the US probe is moving due to respiration. It is shown that the US tracking signal is equally adequate for 4D PET image reconstruction as the clinically used respiration belt and provides additional opportunities in this concern. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the US probe being within the PET field of view generally has no relevant influence on the image quality. The accuracy and precision of all the steps in the calibration workflow for US tracking-based 4D PET imaging are found to be in an acceptable range for clinical implementation. Eventually, we show in vitro that an US-based motion tracking in absolute room coordinates with a moving US transducer is feasible. PMID:26649277

SU-F-T-255: Accuracy and Precision of Dynamic Tracking Irradiation with VERO-4DRT System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hayashi, N; Takada, Y; Mizuno, T

2016-06-15

Purpose: The VERO-4DRT system is able to provide dynamic tracking irradiation (DTI) for the target with respiratory motion. This technique requires enough commissioning for clinical implementation. The purpose of this study is to make sure the accuracy and precision of DTI using VERO- 4DRT through commissioning from fundamental evaluation to end-to-end test. Method: We evaluated several contents for DTI commissioning: the accuracy of absorption dose at isocenter in DTI, the field size and penumbra of DTI, the accuracy of 4D modeling in DTI. All evaluations were performed by respiratory motion phantom (Quasar phantom). These contents were compared the results betweenmore » static irradiation and DTI. The shape of radiation field was set to square from 3 cm × 3 cm to 10 cm × 10 cm. The micro 3D chamber and Gafchromic EBT3 film were used for absorbed dose and relative dose distribution measurement, respectively. The sine and irregular shaped waves were used for demonstrative respiratory motion. The visicoil was implanted into the phantom for guidance of respiratory motion. The respiration patterns of frequency and motion amount were set to 10–15 BPM and 1–2 cm, respectively. Results: As the result of absorbed dose of DTI in comparison with static irradiation, the average dose error at isocenter was 0.5% even though various respiratory patterns were set on. As the result of relative dose distribution, the field size (set it on 50% dose line) was not significantly changed in all respiratory patterns. However, the penumbra was larger in greater respiratory motion (up to 4.1 mm). The 4D modeling coincidence between actual and created waves was within 1%. Conclusion: The DTI using VERO-4DRT can provide sufficient accuracy and precision in absorbed dose and distribution. However, the patientspecific quantitative internal margin corresponding respiratory motion should be taken into consideration with image guidance.« less

Simulation of intrafraction motion and overall geometric accuracy of a frameless intracranial radiosurgery process

PubMed Central

Walker, Luke; Chinnaiyan, Prakash; Forster, Kenneth

2008-01-01

We conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the clinical accuracy of an image‐guided frameless intracranial radiosurgery system. All links in the process chain were tested. Using healthy volunteers, we evaluated a novel method to prospectively quantify the range of target motion for optimal determination of the planning target volume (PTV) margin. The overall system isocentric accuracy was tested using a rigid anthropomorphic phantom containing a hidden target. Intrafraction motion was simulated in 5 healthy volunteers. Reinforced head‐and‐shoulders thermoplastic masks were used for immobilization. The subjects were placed in a treatment position for 15 minutes (the maximum expected time between repeated isocenter localizations) and the six‐degrees‐of‐freedom target displacements were recorded with high frequency by tracking infrared markers. The markers were placed on a customized piece of thermoplastic secured to the head independently of the immobilization mask. Additional data were collected with the subjects holding their breath, talking, and deliberately moving. As compared with fiducial matching, the automatic registration algorithm did not introduce clinically significant errors (<0.3 mm difference). The hidden target test confirmed overall system isocentric accuracy of ≤1 mm (total three‐dimensional displacement). The subjects exhibited various patterns and ranges of head motion during the mock treatment. The total displacement vector encompassing 95% of the positional points varied from 0.4 mm to 2.9 mm. Pre‐planning motion simulation with optical tracking was tested on volunteers and appears promising for determination of patient‐specific PTV margins. Further patient study is necessary and is planned. In the meantime, system accuracy is sufficient for confident clinical use with 3 mm PTV margins. PACS number: 87.53.Ly

Accuracy and Reliability of the Kinect Version 2 for Clinical Measurement of Motor Function

PubMed Central

Kayser, Bastian; Mansow-Model, Sebastian; Verrel, Julius; Paul, Friedemann; Brandt, Alexander U.; Schmitz-Hübsch, Tanja

2016-01-01

Background The introduction of low cost optical 3D motion tracking sensors provides new options for effective quantification of motor dysfunction. Objective The present study aimed to evaluate the Kinect V2 sensor against a gold standard motion capture system with respect to accuracy of tracked landmark movements and accuracy and repeatability of derived clinical parameters. Methods Nineteen healthy subjects were concurrently recorded with a Kinect V2 sensor and an optical motion tracking system (Vicon). Six different movement tasks were recorded with 3D full-body kinematics from both systems. Tasks included walking in different conditions, balance and adaptive postural control. After temporal and spatial alignment, agreement of movements signals was described by Pearson’s correlation coefficient and signal to noise ratios per dimension. From these movement signals, 45 clinical parameters were calculated, including ranges of motions, torso sway, movement velocities and cadence. Accuracy of parameters was described as absolute agreement, consistency agreement and limits of agreement. Intra-session reliability of 3 to 5 measurement repetitions was described as repeatability coefficient and standard error of measurement for each system. Results Accuracy of Kinect V2 landmark movements was moderate to excellent and depended on movement dimension, landmark location and performed task. Signal to noise ratio provided information about Kinect V2 landmark stability and indicated larger noise behaviour in feet and ankles. Most of the derived clinical parameters showed good to excellent absolute agreement (30 parameters showed ICC(3,1) > 0.7) and consistency (38 parameters showed r > 0.7) between both systems. Conclusion Given that this system is low-cost, portable and does not require any sensors to be attached to the body, it could provide numerous advantages when compared to established marker- or wearable sensor based system. The Kinect V2 has the potential to be used as a reliable and valid clinical measurement tool. PMID:27861541

Design and preliminary accuracy studies of an MRI-guided transrectal prostate intervention system.

PubMed

Krieger, Axel; Csoma, Csaba; Iordachital, Iulian I; Guion, Peter; Singh, Anurag K; Fichtinger, Gabor; Whitcomb, Louis L

2007-01-01

This paper reports a novel system for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guided transrectal prostate interventions, such as needle biopsy, fiducial marker placement, and therapy delivery. The system utilizes a hybrid tracking method, comprised of passive fiducial tracking for initial registration and subsequent incremental motion measurement along the degrees of freedom using fiber-optical encoders and mechanical scales. Targeting accuracy of the system is evaluated in prostate phantom experiments. Achieved targeting accuracy and procedure times were found to compare favorably with existing systems using passive and active tracking methods. Moreover, the portable design of the system using only standard MRI image sequences and minimal custom scanner interfacing allows the system to be easily used on different MRI scanners.

A Simulation Study of a Radiofrequency Localization System for Tracking Patient Motion in Radiotherapy.

PubMed

Ostyn, Mark; Kim, Siyong; Yeo, Woon-Hong

2016-04-13

One of the most widely used tools in cancer treatment is external beam radiotherapy. However, the major risk involved in radiotherapy is excess radiation dose to healthy tissue, exacerbated by patient motion. Here, we present a simulation study of a potential radiofrequency (RF) localization system designed to track intrafraction motion (target motion during the radiation treatment). This system includes skin-wearable RF beacons and an external tracking system. We develop an analytical model for direction of arrival measurement with radio frequencies (GHz range) for use in a localization estimate. We use a Monte Carlo simulation to investigate the relationship between a localization estimate and angular resolution of sensors (signal receivers) in a simulated room. The results indicate that the external sensor needs an angular resolution of about 0.03 degrees to achieve millimeter-level localization accuracy in a treatment room. This fundamental study of a novel RF localization system offers the groundwork to design a radiotherapy-compatible patient positioning system for active motion compensation.

Dictionary learning-based spatiotemporal regularization for 3D dense speckle tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Allen; Zontak, Maria; Parajuli, Nripesh; Stendahl, John C.; Boutagy, Nabil; Eberle, Melissa; O'Donnell, Matthew; Sinusas, Albert J.; Duncan, James S.

2017-03-01

Speckle tracking is a common method for non-rigid tissue motion analysis in 3D echocardiography, where unique texture patterns are tracked through the cardiac cycle. However, poor tracking often occurs due to inherent ultrasound issues, such as image artifacts and speckle decorrelation; thus regularization is required. Various methods, such as optical flow, elastic registration, and block matching techniques have been proposed to track speckle motion. Such methods typically apply spatial and temporal regularization in a separate manner. In this paper, we propose a joint spatiotemporal regularization method based on an adaptive dictionary representation of the dense 3D+time Lagrangian motion field. Sparse dictionaries have good signal adaptive and noise-reduction properties; however, they are prone to quantization errors. Our method takes advantage of the desirable noise suppression, while avoiding the undesirable quantization error. The idea is to enforce regularization only on the poorly tracked trajectories. Specifically, our method 1.) builds data-driven 4-dimensional dictionary of Lagrangian displacements using sparse learning, 2.) automatically identifies poorly tracked trajectories (outliers) based on sparse reconstruction errors, and 3.) performs sparse reconstruction of the outliers only. Our approach can be applied on dense Lagrangian motion fields calculated by any method. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach on a baseline block matching speckle tracking and evaluate performance of the proposed algorithm using tracking and strain accuracy analysis.

Spatial and rotational quality assurance of 6DOF patient tracking systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Belcher, Andrew H.; Liu, Xinmin; Grelewicz, Zachary

Purpose: External tracking systems used for patient positioning and motion monitoring during radiotherapy are now capable of detecting both translations and rotations. In this work, the authors develop a novel technique to evaluate the 6 degree of freedom 6(DOF) (translations and rotations) performance of external motion tracking systems. The authors apply this methodology to an infrared marker tracking system and two 3D optical surface mapping systems in a common tumor 6DOF workspace. Methods: An in-house designed and built 6DOF parallel kinematics robotic motion phantom was used to perform motions with sub-millimeter and subdegree accuracy in a 6DOF workspace. An infraredmore » marker tracking system was first used to validate a calibration algorithm which associates the motion phantom coordinate frame to the camera frame. The 6DOF positions of the mobile robotic system in this space were then tracked and recorded independently by an optical surface tracking system after a cranial phantom was rigidly fixed to the moveable platform of the robotic stage. The calibration methodology was first employed, followed by a comprehensive 6DOF trajectory evaluation, which spanned a full range of positions and orientations in a 20 × 20 × 16 mm and 5° × 5° × 5° workspace. The intended input motions were compared to the calibrated 6DOF measured points. Results: The technique found the accuracy of the infrared (IR) marker tracking system to have maximal root-mean square error (RMSE) values of 0.18, 0.25, 0.07 mm, 0.05°, 0.05°, and 0.09° in left–right (LR), superior–inferior (SI), anterior–posterior (AP), pitch, roll, and yaw, respectively, comparing the intended 6DOF position and the measured position by the IR camera. Similarly, the 6DOF RSME discrepancy for the HD optical surface tracker yielded maximal values of 0.46, 0.60, 0.54 mm, 0.06°, 0.11°, and 0.08° in LR, SI, AP, pitch, roll, and yaw, respectively, over the same 6DOF evaluative workspace. An earlier generation 3D optical surface tracking unit was observed to have worse tracking capabilities than both the IR camera unit and the newer 3D surface tracking system with maximal RMSE of 0.69, 0.74, 0.47 mm, 0.28°, 0.19°, and 0.18°, in LR, SI, AP, pitch, roll, and yaw, respectively, in the same 6DOF evaluation space. Conclusions: The proposed technique was found to be effective at evaluating the performance of 6DOF patient tracking systems. All observed optical tracking systems were found to exhibit tracking capabilities at the sub-millimeter and subdegree level within a 6DOF workspace.« less

Real time eye tracking using Kalman extended spatio-temporal context learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munir, Farzeen; Minhas, Fayyaz ul Amir Asfar; Jalil, Abdul; Jeon, Moongu

2017-06-01

Real time eye tracking has numerous applications in human computer interaction such as a mouse cursor control in a computer system. It is useful for persons with muscular or motion impairments. However, tracking the movement of the eye is complicated by occlusion due to blinking, head movement, screen glare, rapid eye movements, etc. In this work, we present the algorithmic and construction details of a real time eye tracking system. Our proposed system is an extension of Spatio-Temporal context learning through Kalman Filtering. Spatio-Temporal Context Learning offers state of the art accuracy in general object tracking but its performance suffers due to object occlusion. Addition of the Kalman filter allows the proposed method to model the dynamics of the motion of the eye and provide robust eye tracking in cases of occlusion. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this tracking technique by controlling the computer cursor in real time by eye movements.

Security Applications Of Computer Motion Detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernat, Andrew P.; Nelan, Joseph; Riter, Stephen; Frankel, Harry

1987-05-01

An important area of application of computer vision is the detection of human motion in security systems. This paper describes the development of a computer vision system which can detect and track human movement across the international border between the United States and Mexico. Because of the wide range of environmental conditions, this application represents a stringent test of computer vision algorithms for motion detection and object identification. The desired output of this vision system is accurate, real-time locations for individual aliens and accurate statistical data as to the frequency of illegal border crossings. Because most detection and tracking routines assume rigid body motion, which is not characteristic of humans, new algorithms capable of reliable operation in our application are required. Furthermore, most current detection and tracking algorithms assume a uniform background against which motion is viewed - the urban environment along the US-Mexican border is anything but uniform. The system works in three stages: motion detection, object tracking and object identi-fication. We have implemented motion detection using simple frame differencing, maximum likelihood estimation, mean and median tests and are evaluating them for accuracy and computational efficiency. Due to the complex nature of the urban environment (background and foreground objects consisting of buildings, vegetation, vehicles, wind-blown debris, animals, etc.), motion detection alone is not sufficiently accurate. Object tracking and identification are handled by an expert system which takes shape, location and trajectory information as input and determines if the moving object is indeed representative of an illegal border crossing.

Periscopic Spine Surgery

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-01

Guided Technologies, Boulder, CO; motion path built from three orthogonal sinusoidal paths is Optotrak , Northern Digital, Waterloo, ON) optical tracking...Hopkins University using an Optotrak to evaluate the simulated motions. The Optotrak (Northern Digital, Inc.) is an optical high- precision 3-D motion...verify the accuracy of the RMS, tests were carried out using the Optotrak , which was placed about 2 m from the simulator. For each test, two sets of data

A Real-Time Position-Locating Algorithm for CCD-Based Sunspot Tracking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, Jaime R.

1996-01-01

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) EXperimental Vector Magnetograph (EXVM) polarimeter measures the sun's vector magnetic field. These measurements are taken to improve understanding of the sun's magnetic field in the hopes to better predict solar flares. Part of the procedure for the EXVM requires image motion stabilization over a period of a few minutes. A high speed tracker can be used to reduce image motion produced by wind loading on the EXVM, fluctuations in the atmosphere and other vibrations. The tracker consists of two elements, an image motion detector and a control system. The image motion detector determines the image movement from one frame to the next and sends an error signal to the control system. For the ground based application to reduce image motion due to atmospheric fluctuations requires an error determination at the rate of at least 100 hz. It would be desirable to have an error determination rate of 1 kHz to assure that higher rate image motion is reduced and to increase the control system stability. Two algorithms are presented that are typically used for tracking. These algorithms are examined for their applicability for tracking sunspots, specifically their accuracy if only one column and one row of CCD pixels are used. To examine the accuracy of this method two techniques are used. One involves moving a sunspot image a known distance with computer software, then applying the particular algorithm to see how accurately it determines this movement. The second technique involves using a rate table to control the object motion, then applying the algorithms to see how accurately each determines the actual motion. Results from these two techniques are presented.

Development of an in vitro diaphragm motion reproduction system.

PubMed

Liao, Ai-Ho; Chuang, Ho-Chiao; Shih, Ming-Chih; Hsu, Hsiao-Yu; Tien, Der-Chi; Kuo, Chia-Chun; Jeng, Shiu-Chen; Chiou, Jeng-Fong

2017-07-01

This study developed an in vitro diaphragm motion reproduction system (IVDMRS) based on noninvasive and real-time ultrasound imaging to track the internal displacement of the human diaphragm and diaphragm phantoms with a respiration simulation system (RSS). An ultrasound image tracking algorithm (UITA) was used to retrieve the displacement data of the tracking target and reproduce the diaphragm motion in real time using a red laser to irradiate the diaphragm phantom in vitro. This study also recorded the respiration patterns in 10 volunteers. Both simulated and the respiration patterns in 10 human volunteers signals were input to the RSS for conducting experiments involving the reproduction of diaphragm motion in vitro using the IVDMRS. The reproduction accuracy of the IVDMRS was calculated and analyzed. The results indicate that the respiration frequency substantially affects the correlation between ultrasound and kV images, as well as the reproduction accuracy of the IVDMRS due to the system delay time (0.35s) of ultrasound imaging and signal transmission. The utilization of a phase lead compensator (PLC) reduced the error caused by this delay, thereby improving the reproduction accuracy of the IVDMRS by 14.09-46.98%. Applying the IVDMRS in clinical treatments will allow medical staff to monitor the target displacements in real time by observing the movement of the laser beam. If the target displacement moves outside the planning target volume (PTV), the treatment can be immediately stopped to ensure that healthy tissues do not receive high doses of radiation. Copyright © 2017 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Accuracy and efficiency of an infrared based positioning and tracking system for patient set-up and monitoring in image guided radiotherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Jing; Xu, Gongming; Pei, Xi; Cao, Ruifen; Hu, Liqin; Wu, Yican

2015-03-01

An infrared based positioning and tracking (IPT) system was introduced and its accuracy and efficiency for patient setup and monitoring were tested for daily radiotherapy treatment. The IPT system consists of a pair of floor mounted infrared stereoscopic cameras, passive infrared markers and tools used for acquiring localization information as well as a custom controlled software which can perform the positioning and tracking functions. The evaluation of IPT system characteristics was conducted based on the AAPM 147 task report. Experiments on spatial drift and reproducibility as well as static and dynamic localization accuracy were carried out to test the efficiency of the IPT system. Measurements of known translational (up to 55.0 mm) set-up errors in three dimensions have been performed on a calibration phantom. The accuracy of positioning was evaluated on an anthropomorphic phantom with five markers attached to the surface; the precision of the tracking ability was investigated through a sinusoidal motion platform. For the monitoring of the respiration, three volunteers contributed to the breathing testing in real time. The spatial drift of the IPT system was 0.65 mm within 60 min to be stable. The reproducibility of position variations were between 0.01 and 0.04 mm. The standard deviation of static marker localization was 0.26 mm. The repositioning accuracy was 0.19 mm, 0.29 mm, and 0.53 mm in the left/right (L/R), superior/inferior (S/I) and anterior/posterior (A/P) directions, respectively. The measured dynamic accuracy was 0.57 mm and discrepancies measured for the respiratory motion tracking was better than 1 mm. The overall positioning accuracy of the IPT system was within 2 mm. In conclusion, the IPT system is an accurate and effective tool for assisting patient positioning in the treatment room. The characteristics of the IPT system can successfully meet the needs for real time external marker tracking and patient positioning as well as respiration monitoring during image guided radiotherapy treatments.

SU-E-J-112: The Impact of Cine EPID Image Acquisition Frame Rate On Markerless Soft-Tissue Tracking

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yip, S; Rottmann, J; Berbeco, R

2014-06-01

Purpose: Although reduction of the cine EPID acquisition frame rate through multiple frame averaging may reduce hardware memory burden and decrease image noise, it can hinder the continuity of soft-tissue motion leading to poor auto-tracking results. The impact of motion blurring and image noise on the tracking performance was investigated. Methods: Phantom and patient images were acquired at a frame rate of 12.87Hz on an AS1000 portal imager. Low frame rate images were obtained by continuous frame averaging. A previously validated tracking algorithm was employed for auto-tracking. The difference between the programmed and auto-tracked positions of a Las Vegas phantommore » moving in the superior-inferior direction defined the tracking error (δ). Motion blurring was assessed by measuring the area change of the circle with the greatest depth. Additionally, lung tumors on 1747 frames acquired at eleven field angles from four radiotherapy patients are manually and automatically tracked with varying frame averaging. δ was defined by the position difference of the two tracking methods. Image noise was defined as the standard deviation of the background intensity. Motion blurring and image noise were correlated with δ using Pearson correlation coefficient (R). Results: For both phantom and patient studies, the auto-tracking errors increased at frame rates lower than 4.29Hz. Above 4.29Hz, changes in errors were negligible with δ<1.60mm. Motion blurring and image noise were observed to increase and decrease with frame averaging, respectively. Motion blurring and tracking errors were significantly correlated for the phantom (R=0.94) and patient studies (R=0.72). Moderate to poor correlation was found between image noise and tracking error with R -0.58 and -0.19 for both studies, respectively. Conclusion: An image acquisition frame rate of at least 4.29Hz is recommended for cine EPID tracking. Motion blurring in images with frame rates below 4.39Hz can substantially reduce the accuracy of auto-tracking. This work is supported in part by the Varian Medical Systems, Inc.« less

Motion Tracking of the Carotid Artery Wall From Ultrasound Image Sequences: a Nonlinear State-Space Approach.

PubMed

Gao, Zhifan; Li, Yanjie; Sun, Yuanyuan; Yang, Jiayuan; Xiong, Huahua; Zhang, Heye; Liu, Xin; Wu, Wanqing; Liang, Dong; Li, Shuo

2018-01-01

The motion of the common carotid artery (CCA) wall has been established to be useful in early diagnosis of atherosclerotic disease. However, tracking the CCA wall motion from ultrasound images remains a challenging task. In this paper, a nonlinear state-space approach has been developed to track CCA wall motion from ultrasound sequences. In this approach, a nonlinear state-space equation with a time-variant control signal was constructed from a mathematical model of the dynamics of the CCA wall. Then, the unscented Kalman filter (UKF) was adopted to solve the nonlinear state transfer function in order to evolve the state of the target tissue, which involves estimation of the motion trajectory of the CCA wall from noisy ultrasound images. The performance of this approach has been validated on 30 simulated ultrasound sequences and a real ultrasound dataset of 103 subjects by comparing the motion tracking results obtained in this study to those of three state-of-the-art methods and of the manual tracing method performed by two experienced ultrasound physicians. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed approach is highly correlated with (intra-class correlation coefficient ≥ 0.9948 for the longitudinal motion and ≥ 0.9966 for the radial motion) and well agrees (the 95% confidence interval width is 0.8871 mm for the longitudinal motion and 0.4159 mm for the radial motion) with the manual tracing method on real data and also exhibits high accuracy on simulated data (0.1161 ~ 0.1260 mm). These results appear to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach for motion tracking of the CCA wall.

Comparison of method using phase-sensitive motion estimator with speckle tracking method and application to measurement of arterial wall motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyajo, Akira; Hasegawa, Hideyuki

2018-07-01

At present, the speckle tracking method is widely used as a two- or three-dimensional (2D or 3D) motion estimator for the measurement of cardiovascular dynamics. However, this method requires high-level interpolation of a function, which evaluates the similarity between ultrasonic echo signals in two frames, to estimate a subsample small displacement in high-frame-rate ultrasound, which results in a high computational cost. To overcome this problem, a 2D motion estimator using the 2D Fourier transform, which does not require any interpolation process, was proposed by our group. In this study, we compared the accuracies of the speckle tracking method and our method using a 2D motion estimator, and applied the proposed method to the measurement of motion of a human carotid arterial wall. The bias error and standard deviation in the lateral velocity estimates obtained by the proposed method were 0.048 and 0.282 mm/s, respectively, which were significantly better than those (‑0.366 and 1.169 mm/s) obtained by the speckle tracking method. The calculation time of the proposed phase-sensitive method was 97% shorter than the speckle tracking method. Furthermore, the in vivo experimental results showed that a characteristic change in velocity around the carotid bifurcation could be detected by the proposed method.

A simple model for studying rotation errors of gimbal mount axes in laser tracking system based on spherical mirror as a reflection unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Huixu; Shi, Zhaoyao; Chen, Hongfang; Sun, Yanqiang

2018-01-01

This paper presents a novel experimental approach and a simple model for verifying that spherical mirror of laser tracking system could lessen the effect of rotation errors of gimbal mount axes based on relative motion thinking. Enough material and evidence are provided to support that this simple model could replace complex optical system in laser tracking system. This experimental approach and model interchange the kinematic relationship between spherical mirror and gimbal mount axes in laser tracking system. Being fixed stably, gimbal mount axes' rotation error motions are replaced by spatial micro-displacements of spherical mirror. These motions are simulated by driving spherical mirror along the optical axis and vertical direction with the use of precision positioning platform. The effect on the laser ranging measurement accuracy of displacement caused by the rotation errors of gimbal mount axes could be recorded according to the outcome of laser interferometer. The experimental results show that laser ranging measurement error caused by the rotation errors is less than 0.1 μm if radial error motion and axial error motion are under 10 μm. The method based on relative motion thinking not only simplifies the experimental procedure but also achieves that spherical mirror owns the ability to reduce the effect of rotation errors of gimbal mount axes in laser tracking system.

2-D Myocardial Deformation Imaging Based on RF-Based Nonrigid Image Registration.

PubMed

Chakraborty, Bidisha; Liu, Zhi; Heyde, Brecht; Luo, Jianwen; D'hooge, Jan

2018-06-01

Myocardial deformation imaging is a well-established echocardiographic technique for the assessment of myocardial function. Although some solutions make use of speckle tracking of the reconstructed B-mode images, others apply block matching (BM) on the underlying radio frequency (RF) data in order to increase sensitivity to small interframe motion and deformation. However, for both approaches, lateral motion estimation remains a challenge due to the relatively poor lateral resolution of the ultrasound image in combination with the lack of phase information in this direction. Hereto, nonrigid image registration (NRIR) of B-mode images has previously been proposed as an attractive solution. However, hereby, the advantages of RF-based tracking were lost. The aim of this paper was, therefore, to develop an NRIR motion estimator adapted to RF data sets. The accuracy of this estimator was quantified using synthetic data and was contrasted against a state-of-the-art BM solution. The results show that RF-based NRIR outperforms BM in terms of tracking accuracy, particularly, as hypothesized, in the lateral direction. Finally, this RF-based NRIR algorithm was applied clinically, illustrating its ability to estimate both in-plane velocity components in vivo.

Method for targetless tracking subpixel in-plane movements.

PubMed

Espinosa, Julian; Perez, Jorge; Ferrer, Belen; Mas, David

2015-09-01

We present a targetless motion tracking method for detecting planar movements with subpixel accuracy. This method is based on the computation and tracking of the intersection of two nonparallel straight-line segments in the image of a moving object in a scene. The method is simple and easy to implement because no complex structures have to be detected. It has been tested and validated using a lab experiment consisting of a vibrating object that was recorded with a high-speed camera working at 1000 fps. We managed to track displacements with an accuracy of hundredths of pixel or even of thousandths of pixel in the case of tracking harmonic vibrations. The method is widely applicable because it can be used for distance measuring amplitude and frequency of vibrations with a vision system.

Multi-Stage Target Tracking with Drift Correction and Position Prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xin; Ren, Keyan; Hou, Yibin

2018-04-01

Most existing tracking methods are hard to combine accuracy and performance, and do not consider the shift between clarity and blur that often occurs. In this paper, we propound a multi-stage tracking framework with two particular modules: position prediction and corrective measure. We conduct tracking based on correlation filter with a corrective measure module to increase both performance and accuracy. Specifically, a convolutional network is used for solving the blur problem in realistic scene, training methodology that training dataset with blur images generated by the three blur algorithms. Then, we propose a position prediction module to reduce the computation cost and make tracker more capable of fast motion. Experimental result shows that our tracking method is more robust compared to others and more accurate on the benchmark sequences.

SU-E-J-45: Design and Study of An In-House Respiratory Gating Phantom Platform for Gated Radiotherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Senthilkumar, S

2014-06-01

Purpose: The main purpose of this work was to develop an in-house low cost respiratory motion phantom platform for testing the accuracy of the gated radiotherapy system and analyze the dosimetric difference during gated radiotherapy. Methods: An in-house respiratory motion platform(RMP) was designed and constructed for testing the targeting accuracy of respiratory tracking system. The RMP consist of acrylic Chest Wall Platform, 2 DC motors, 4 IR sensors, speed controller circuit, 2 LED and 2 moving rods inside the RMP. The velocity of the movement can be varied from 0 to 30 cycles per minute. The platform mounted to amore » base using precision linear bearings. The base and platform are made of clear, 15mm thick polycarbonate plastic and the linear ball bearings are oriented to restrict the platform to a movement of approximately 50mm up and down with very little friction. Results: The targeting accuracy of the respiratory tracking system was evaluated using phantom with and without respiratory movement with varied amplitude. We have found the 5% dose difference to the PTV during the movement in comparison with stable PTV. The RMP can perform sinusoidal motion in 1D with fixed peak to peak motion of 5 to 50mm and cycle interval from 2 to 6 seconds. The RMP was designed to be able to simulate the gross anatomical anterior posterior motion attributable to respiration-induced motion of the thoracic region. Conclusion: The unique RMP simulates breathing providing the means to create a comprehensive program for commissioning, training, quality assurance and dose verification of gated radiotherapy treatments. Create the anterior/posterior movement of a target over a 5 to 50 mm distance to replicate tumor movement. The targeting error of the respiratory tracking system is less than 1.0 mm which shows suitable for clinical treatment with highly performance.« less

SU-G-JeP1-07: Development of a Programmable Motion Testbed for the Validation of Ultrasound Tracking Algorithms

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shepard, A; Matrosic, C; Zagzebski, J

Purpose: To develop an advanced testbed that combines a 3D motion stage and ultrasound phantom to optimize and validate 2D and 3D tracking algorithms for real-time motion management during radiation therapy. Methods: A Siemens S2000 Ultrasound scanner utilizing a 9L4 transducer was coupled with the Washington University 4D Phantom to simulate patient motion. The transducer was securely fastened to the 3D stage and positioned to image three cylinders of varying contrast in a Gammex 404GS LE phantom. The transducer was placed within a water bath above the phantom in order to maintain sufficient coupling for the entire range of simulatedmore » motion. A programmed motion sequence was used to move the transducer during image acquisition and a cine video was acquired for one minute to allow for long sequence tracking. Images were analyzed using a normalized cross-correlation block matching tracking algorithm and compared to the known motion of the transducer relative to the phantom. Results: The setup produced stable ultrasound motion traces consistent with those programmed into the 3D motion stage. The acquired ultrasound images showed minimal artifacts and an image quality that was more than suitable for tracking algorithm verification. Comparisons of a block matching tracking algorithm with the known motion trace for the three features resulted in an average tracking error of 0.59 mm. Conclusion: The high accuracy and programmability of the 4D phantom allows for the acquisition of ultrasound motion sequences that are highly customizable; allowing for focused analysis of some common pitfalls of tracking algorithms such as partial feature occlusion or feature disappearance, among others. The design can easily be modified to adapt to any probe such that the process can be extended to 3D acquisition. Further development of an anatomy specific phantom better resembling true anatomical landmarks could lead to an even more robust validation. This work is partially funded by NIH grant R01CA190298.« less

Development and evaluation of a prototype tracking system using the treatment couch

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lang, Stephanie, E-mail: stephanie.lang@usz.ch; Riesterer, Oliver; Klöck, Stephan

2014-02-15

Purpose: Tumor motion increases safety margins around the clinical target volume and leads to an increased dose to the surrounding healthy tissue. The authors have developed and evaluated a one-dimensional treatment couch tracking system to counter steer respiratory tumor motion. Three different motion detection sensors with different lag times were evaluated. Methods: The couch tracking system consists of a motion detection sensor, which can be the topometrical system Topos (Cyber Technologies, Germany), the respiratory gating system RPM (Varian Medical Systems) or a laser triangulation system (Micro Epsilon), and the Protura treatment couch (Civco Medical Systems). The control of the treatmentmore » couch was implemented in the block diagram environment Simulink (MathWorks). To achieve real time performance, the Simulink models were executed on a real time engine, provided by Real-Time Windows Target (MathWorks). A proportional-integral control system was implemented. The lag time of the couch tracking system using the three different motion detection sensors was measured. The geometrical accuracy of the system was evaluated by measuring the mean absolute deviation from the reference (static position) during motion tracking. This deviation was compared to the mean absolute deviation without tracking and a reduction factor was defined. A hexapod system was moving according to seven respiration patterns previously acquired with the RPM system as well as according to a sin{sup 6} function with two different frequencies (0.33 and 0.17 Hz) and the treatment table compensated the motion. Results: A prototype system for treatment couch tracking of respiratory motion was developed. The laser based tracking system with a small lag time of 57 ms reduced the residual motion by a factor of 11.9 ± 5.5 (mean value ± standard deviation). An increase in delay time from 57 to 130 ms (RPM based system) resulted in a reduction by a factor of 4.7 ± 2.6. The Topos based tracking system with the largest lag time of 300 ms achieved a mean reduction by a factor of 3.4 ± 2.3. The increase in the penumbra of a profile (1 × 1 cm{sup 2}) for a motion of 6 mm was 1.4 mm. With tracking applied there was no increase in the penumbra. Conclusions: Couch tracking with the Protura treatment couch is achievable. To reliably track all possible respiration patterns without prediction filters a short lag time below 100 ms is needed. More scientific work is necessary to extend our prototype to tracking of internal motion.« less

Robustness of external/internal correlation models for real-time tumor tracking to breathing motion variations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seregni, M.; Cerveri, P.; Riboldi, M.; Pella, A.; Baroni, G.

2012-11-01

In radiotherapy, organ motion mitigation by means of dynamic tumor tracking requires continuous information about the internal tumor position, which can be estimated relying on external/internal correlation models as a function of external surface surrogates. In this work, we propose a validation of a time-independent artificial neural networks-based tumor tracking method in the presence of changes in the breathing pattern, evaluating the performance on two datasets. First, simulated breathing motion traces were specifically generated to include gradually increasing respiratory irregularities. Then, seven publically available human liver motion traces were analyzed for the assessment of tracking accuracy, whose sensitivity with respect to the structural parameters of the model was also investigated. Results on simulated data showed that the proposed method was not affected by hysteretic target trajectories and it was able to cope with different respiratory irregularities, such as baseline drift and internal/external phase shift. The analysis of the liver motion traces reported an average RMS error equal to 1.10 mm, with five out of seven cases below 1 mm. In conclusion, this validation study proved that the proposed method is able to deal with respiratory irregularities both in controlled and real conditions.

A fast hybrid algorithm combining regularized motion tracking and predictive search for reducing the occurrence of large displacement errors.

PubMed

Jiang, Jingfeng; Hall, Timothy J

2011-04-01

A hybrid approach that inherits both the robustness of the regularized motion tracking approach and the efficiency of the predictive search approach is reported. The basic idea is to use regularized speckle tracking to obtain high-quality seeds in an explorative search that can be used in the subsequent intelligent predictive search. The performance of the hybrid speckle-tracking algorithm was compared with three published speckle-tracking methods using in vivo breast lesion data. We found that the hybrid algorithm provided higher displacement quality metric values, lower root mean squared errors compared with a locally smoothed displacement field, and higher improvement ratios compared with the classic block-matching algorithm. On the basis of these comparisons, we concluded that the hybrid method can further enhance the accuracy of speckle tracking compared with its real-time counterparts, at the expense of slightly higher computational demands. © 2011 IEEE

Target Tracking Using SePDAF under Ambiguous Angles for Distributed Array Radar

PubMed Central

Long, Teng; Zhang, Honggang; Zeng, Tao; Chen, Xinliang; Liu, Quanhua; Zheng, Le

2016-01-01

Distributed array radar can improve radar detection capability and measurement accuracy. However, it will suffer cyclic ambiguity in its angle estimates according to the spatial Nyquist sampling theorem since the large sparse array is undersampling. Consequently, the state estimation accuracy and track validity probability degrades when the ambiguous angles are directly used for target tracking. This paper proposes a second probability data association filter (SePDAF)-based tracking method for distributed array radar. Firstly, the target motion model and radar measurement model is built. Secondly, the fusion result of each radar’s estimation is employed to the extended Kalman filter (EKF) to finish the first filtering. Thirdly, taking this result as prior knowledge, and associating with the array-processed ambiguous angles, the SePDAF is applied to accomplish the second filtering, and then achieving a high accuracy and stable trajectory with relatively low computational complexity. Moreover, the azimuth filtering accuracy will be promoted dramatically and the position filtering accuracy will also improve. Finally, simulations illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. PMID:27618058

TH-CD-207A-03: A Surface Deformation Driven Respiratory Model for Organ Motion Tracking in Lung Cancer Radiotherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, H; Zhen, X; Zhou, L

Purpose: To propose and validate a novel real-time surface-mesh-based internal organ-external surface motion and deformation tracking method for lung cancer radiotherapy. Methods: Deformation vector fields (DVFs) which characterizes the internal and external motion are obtained by registering the internal organ and tumor contours and external surface meshes to a reference phase in the 4D CT images using a recent developed local topology preserved non-rigid point matching algorithm (TOP). A composite matrix is constructed by combing the estimated internal and external DVFs. Principle component analysis (PCA) is then applied on the composite matrix to extract principal motion characteristics and finally yieldmore » the respiratory motion model parameters which correlates the internal and external motion and deformation. The accuracy of the respiratory motion model is evaluated using a 4D NURBS-based cardiac-torso (NCAT) synthetic phantom and three lung cancer cases. The center of mass (COM) difference is used to measure the tumor motion tracking accuracy, and the Dice’s coefficient (DC), percent error (PE) and Housdourf’s distance (HD) are used to measure the agreement between the predicted and ground truth tumor shape. Results: The mean COM is 0.84±0.49mm and 0.50±0.47mm for the phantom and patient data respectively. The mean DC, PE and HD are 0.93±0.01, 0.13±0.03 and 1.24±0.34 voxels for the phantom, and 0.91±0.04, 0.17±0.07 and 3.93±2.12 voxels for the three lung cancer patients, respectively. Conclusions: We have proposed and validate a real-time surface-mesh-based organ motion and deformation tracking method with an internal-external motion modeling. The preliminary results conducted on a synthetic 4D NCAT phantom and 4D CT images from three lung cancer cases show that the proposed method is reliable and accurate in tracking both the tumor motion trajectory and deformation, which can serve as a potential tool for real-time organ motion and deformation monitoring in lung cancer radiotherapy. This work is supported in part by grant from VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (no 81428019 and no 81301940), the Guangdong Natural Science Foundation (2015A030313302)and the 2015 Pearl River S&T Nova Program of Guangzhou (201506010096).« less

Potential benefits of dosimetric VMAT tracking verified with 3D film measurements.

PubMed

Crijns, Wouter; Defraene, Gilles; Van Herck, Hans; Depuydt, Tom; Haustermans, Karin; Maes, Frederik; Van den Heuvel, Frank

2016-05-01

To evaluate three different plan adaptation strategies using 3D film-stack dose measurements of both focal boost and hypofractionated prostate VMAT treatments. The adaptation strategies (a couch shift, geometric tracking, and dosimetric tracking) were applied for three realistic intrafraction prostate motions. A focal boost (35 × 2.2 and 35 × 2.7 Gy) and a hypofractionated (5 × 7.25 Gy) prostate VMAT plan were created for a heterogeneous phantom that allows for internal prostate motion. For these plans geometric tracking and dosimetric tracking were evaluated by ionization chamber (IC) point dose measurements (zero-D) and measurements using a stack of EBT3 films (3D). The geometric tracking applied translations, rotations, and scaling of the MLC aperture in response to realistic prostate motions. The dosimetric tracking additionally corrected the monitor units to resolve variations due to difference in depth, tissue heterogeneity, and MLC-aperture. The tracking was based on the positions of four fiducial points only. The film measurements were compared to the gold standard (i.e., IC measurements) and the planned dose distribution. Additionally, the 3D measurements were converted to dose volume histograms, tumor control probability, and normal tissue complication probability parameters (DVH/TCP/NTCP) as a direct estimate of clinical relevance of the proposed tracking. Compared to the planned dose distribution, measurements without prostate motion and tracking showed already a reduced homogeneity of the dose distribution. Adding prostate motion further blurs the DVHs for all treatment approaches. The clinical practice (no tracking) delivered the dose distribution inside the PTV but off target (CTV), resulting in boost dose errors up to 10%. The geometric and dosimetric tracking corrected the dose distribution's position. Moreover, the dosimetric tracking could achieve the planned boost DVH, but not the DVH of the more homogeneously irradiated prostate. A drawback of both the geometric and dosimetric tracking was a reduced MLC blocking caused by the rotational component of the MLC aperture corrections. Because of the used CTV to PTV margins and the high doses in the considered fractionation schemes, the TCP differed less than 0.02 from the planned value for all targets and all correction methods. The rectal NTCP constraints, however, could not be realized using any of these methods. The geometric and dosimetric tracking use only a limited input, but they deposit the dose distribution with higher geometric accuracy than the clinical practice. The latter case has boost dose errors up to 10%. The increased accuracy has a modest impact [Δ(NT)CP < 0.02] because of the applied margins and the high dose levels used. To allow further margin reduction tracking methods are vital. The proposed methodology could further be improved by implementing a rotational correction using collimator rotations.

Real-time 3D internal marker tracking during arc radiotherapy by the use of combined MV kV imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, W.; Wiersma, R. D.; Mao, W.; Luxton, G.; Xing, L.

2008-12-01

To minimize the adverse dosimetric effect caused by tumor motion, it is desirable to have real-time knowledge of the tumor position throughout the beam delivery process. A promising technique to realize the real-time image guided scheme in external beam radiation therapy is through the combined use of MV and onboard kV beam imaging. The success of this MV-kV triangulation approach for fixed-gantry radiation therapy has been demonstrated. With the increasing acceptance of modern arc radiotherapy in the clinics, a timely and clinically important question is whether the image guidance strategy can be extended to arc therapy to provide the urgently needed real-time tumor motion information. While conceptually feasible, there are a number of theoretical and practical issues specific to the arc delivery that need to be resolved before clinical implementation. The purpose of this work is to establish a robust procedure of system calibration for combined MV and kV imaging for internal marker tracking during arc delivery and to demonstrate the feasibility and accuracy of the technique. A commercially available LINAC equipped with an onboard kV imager and electronic portal imaging device (EPID) was used for the study. A custom built phantom with multiple ball bearings was used to calibrate the stereoscopic MV-kV imaging system to provide the transformation parameters from imaging pixels to 3D world coordinates. The accuracy of the fiducial tracking system was examined using a 4D motion phantom capable of moving in accordance with a pre-programmed trajectory. Overall, spatial accuracy of MV-kV fiducial tracking during the arc delivery process for normal adult breathing amplitude and period was found to be better than 1 mm. For fast motion, the results depended on the imaging frame rates. The RMS error ranged from ~0.5 mm for the normal adult breathing pattern to ~1.5 mm for more extreme cases with a low imaging frame rate of 3.4 Hz. In general, highly accurate real-time tracking of implanted markers using hybrid MV-kV imaging is achievable and the technique should be useful to improve the beam targeting accuracy of arc therapy.

Real-time 3D internal marker tracking during arc radiotherapy by the use of combined MV-kV imaging.

PubMed

Liu, W; Wiersma, R D; Mao, W; Luxton, G; Xing, L

2008-12-21

To minimize the adverse dosimetric effect caused by tumor motion, it is desirable to have real-time knowledge of the tumor position throughout the beam delivery process. A promising technique to realize the real-time image guided scheme in external beam radiation therapy is through the combined use of MV and onboard kV beam imaging. The success of this MV-kV triangulation approach for fixed-gantry radiation therapy has been demonstrated. With the increasing acceptance of modern arc radiotherapy in the clinics, a timely and clinically important question is whether the image guidance strategy can be extended to arc therapy to provide the urgently needed real-time tumor motion information. While conceptually feasible, there are a number of theoretical and practical issues specific to the arc delivery that need to be resolved before clinical implementation. The purpose of this work is to establish a robust procedure of system calibration for combined MV and kV imaging for internal marker tracking during arc delivery and to demonstrate the feasibility and accuracy of the technique. A commercially available LINAC equipped with an onboard kV imager and electronic portal imaging device (EPID) was used for the study. A custom built phantom with multiple ball bearings was used to calibrate the stereoscopic MV-kV imaging system to provide the transformation parameters from imaging pixels to 3D world coordinates. The accuracy of the fiducial tracking system was examined using a 4D motion phantom capable of moving in accordance with a pre-programmed trajectory. Overall, spatial accuracy of MV-kV fiducial tracking during the arc delivery process for normal adult breathing amplitude and period was found to be better than 1 mm. For fast motion, the results depended on the imaging frame rates. The RMS error ranged from approximately 0.5 mm for the normal adult breathing pattern to approximately 1.5 mm for more extreme cases with a low imaging frame rate of 3.4 Hz. In general, highly accurate real-time tracking of implanted markers using hybrid MV-kV imaging is achievable and the technique should be useful to improve the beam targeting accuracy of arc therapy.

TH-AB-202-05: BEST IN PHYSICS (JOINT IMAGING-THERAPY): First Online Ultrasound-Guided MLC Tracking for Real-Time Motion Compensation in Radiotherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ipsen, S; Bruder, R; Schweikard, A

Purpose: While MLC tracking has been successfully used for motion compensation of moving targets, current real-time target localization methods rely on correlation models with x-ray imaging or implanted electromagnetic transponders rather than direct target visualization. In contrast, ultrasound imaging yields volumetric data in real-time (4D) without ionizing radiation. We report the first results of online 4D ultrasound-guided MLC tracking in a phantom. Methods: A real-time tracking framework was installed on a 4D ultrasound station (Vivid7 dimension, GE) and used to detect a 2mm spherical lead marker inside a water tank. The volumetric frame rate was 21.3Hz (47ms). The marker wasmore » rigidly attached to a motion stage programmed to reproduce nine tumor trajectories (five prostate, four lung). The 3D marker position from ultrasound was used for real-time MLC aperture adaption. The tracking system latency was measured and compensated by prediction for lung trajectories. To measure geometric accuracy, anterior and lateral conformal fields with 10cm circular aperture were delivered for each trajectory. The tracking error was measured as the difference between marker position and MLC aperture in continuous portal imaging. For dosimetric evaluation, 358° VMAT fields were delivered to a biplanar diode array dosimeter using the same trajectories. Dose measurements with and without MLC tracking were compared to a static reference dose using a 3%/3 mm γ-test. Results: The tracking system latency was 170ms. The mean root-mean-square tracking error was 1.01mm (0.75mm prostate, 1.33mm lung). Tracking reduced the mean γ-failure rate from 13.9% to 4.6% for prostate and from 21.8% to 0.6% for lung with high-modulation VMAT plans and from 5% (prostate) and 18% (lung) to 0% with low modulation. Conclusion: Real-time ultrasound tracking was successfully integrated with MLC tracking for the first time and showed similar accuracy and latency as other methods while holding the potential to measure target motion non-invasively. SI was supported by the Graduate School for Computing in Medicine and Life Science, German Excellence Initiative [grant DFG GSC 235/1].« less

A new method for automatic tracking of facial landmarks in 3D motion captured images (4D).

PubMed

Al-Anezi, T; Khambay, B; Peng, M J; O'Leary, E; Ju, X; Ayoub, A

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to validate the automatic tracking of facial landmarks in 3D image sequences. 32 subjects (16 males and 16 females) aged 18-35 years were recruited. 23 anthropometric landmarks were marked on the face of each subject with non-permanent ink using a 0.5mm pen. The subjects were asked to perform three facial animations (maximal smile, lip purse and cheek puff) from rest position. Each animation was captured by the 3D imaging system. A single operator manually digitised the landmarks on the 3D facial models and their locations were compared with those of the automatically tracked ones. To investigate the accuracy of manual digitisation, the operator re-digitised the same set of 3D images of 10 subjects (5 male and 5 female) at 1 month interval. The discrepancies in x, y and z coordinates between the 3D position of the manual digitised landmarks and that of the automatic tracked facial landmarks were within 0.17mm. The mean distance between the manually digitised and the automatically tracked landmarks using the tracking software was within 0.55 mm. The automatic tracking of facial landmarks demonstrated satisfactory accuracy which would facilitate the analysis of the dynamic motion during facial animations. Copyright © 2012 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crijns, Wouter, E-mail: wouter.crijns@uzleuven.be; Depuydt, Tom; Haustermans, Karin

Purpose: To evaluate three different plan adaptation strategies using 3D film-stack dose measurements of both focal boost and hypofractionated prostate VMAT treatments. The adaptation strategies (a couch shift, geometric tracking, and dosimetric tracking) were applied for three realistic intrafraction prostate motions. Methods: A focal boost (35 × 2.2 and 35 × 2.7 Gy) and a hypofractionated (5 × 7.25 Gy) prostate VMAT plan were created for a heterogeneous phantom that allows for internal prostate motion. For these plans geometric tracking and dosimetric tracking were evaluated by ionization chamber (IC) point dose measurements (zero-D) and measurements using a stack of EBT3more » films (3D). The geometric tracking applied translations, rotations, and scaling of the MLC aperture in response to realistic prostate motions. The dosimetric tracking additionally corrected the monitor units to resolve variations due to difference in depth, tissue heterogeneity, and MLC-aperture. The tracking was based on the positions of four fiducial points only. The film measurements were compared to the gold standard (i.e., IC measurements) and the planned dose distribution. Additionally, the 3D measurements were converted to dose volume histograms, tumor control probability, and normal tissue complication probability parameters (DVH/TCP/NTCP) as a direct estimate of clinical relevance of the proposed tracking. Results: Compared to the planned dose distribution, measurements without prostate motion and tracking showed already a reduced homogeneity of the dose distribution. Adding prostate motion further blurs the DVHs for all treatment approaches. The clinical practice (no tracking) delivered the dose distribution inside the PTV but off target (CTV), resulting in boost dose errors up to 10%. The geometric and dosimetric tracking corrected the dose distribution’s position. Moreover, the dosimetric tracking could achieve the planned boost DVH, but not the DVH of the more homogeneously irradiated prostate. A drawback of both the geometric and dosimetric tracking was a reduced MLC blocking caused by the rotational component of the MLC aperture corrections. Because of the used CTV to PTV margins and the high doses in the considered fractionation schemes, the TCP differed less than 0.02 from the planned value for all targets and all correction methods. The rectal NTCP constraints, however, could not be realized using any of these methods. Conclusions: The geometric and dosimetric tracking use only a limited input, but they deposit the dose distribution with higher geometric accuracy than the clinical practice. The latter case has boost dose errors up to 10%. The increased accuracy has a modest impact [Δ(NT)CP < 0.02] because of the applied margins and the high dose levels used. To allow further margin reduction tracking methods are vital. The proposed methodology could further be improved by implementing a rotational correction using collimator rotations.« less

A coarse-to-fine kernel matching approach for mean-shift based visual tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liangfu, L.; Zuren, F.; Weidong, C.; Ming, J.

2009-03-01

Mean shift is an efficient pattern match algorithm. It is widely used in visual tracking fields since it need not perform whole search in the image space. It employs gradient optimization method to reduce the time of feature matching and realize rapid object localization, and uses Bhattacharyya coefficient as the similarity measure between object template and candidate template. This thesis presents a mean shift algorithm based on coarse-to-fine search for the best kernel matching. This paper researches for object tracking with large motion area based on mean shift. To realize efficient tracking of such an object, we present a kernel matching method from coarseness to fine. If the motion areas of the object between two frames are very large and they are not overlapped in image space, then the traditional mean shift method can only obtain local optimal value by iterative computing in the old object window area, so the real tracking position cannot be obtained and the object tracking will be disabled. Our proposed algorithm can efficiently use a similarity measure function to realize the rough location of motion object, then use mean shift method to obtain the accurate local optimal value by iterative computing, which successfully realizes object tracking with large motion. Experimental results show its good performance in accuracy and speed when compared with background-weighted histogram algorithm in the literature.

Reference respiratory waveforms by minimum jerk model analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anetai, Yusuke, E-mail: anetai@radonc.med.osaka-u.ac.jp; Sumida, Iori; Takahashi, Yutaka

Purpose: CyberKnife{sup ®} robotic surgery system has the ability to deliver radiation to a tumor subject to respiratory movements using Synchrony{sup ®} mode with less than 2 mm tracking accuracy. However, rapid and rough motion tracking causes mechanical tracking errors and puts mechanical stress on the robotic joint, leading to unexpected radiation delivery errors. During clinical treatment, patient respiratory motions are much more complicated, suggesting the need for patient-specific modeling of respiratory motion. The purpose of this study was to propose a novel method that provides a reference respiratory wave to enable smooth tracking for each patient. Methods: The minimummore » jerk model, which mathematically derives smoothness by means of jerk, or the third derivative of position and the derivative of acceleration with respect to time that is proportional to the time rate of force changed was introduced to model a patient-specific respiratory motion wave to provide smooth motion tracking using CyberKnife{sup ®}. To verify that patient-specific minimum jerk respiratory waves were being tracked smoothly by Synchrony{sup ®} mode, a tracking laser projection from CyberKnife{sup ®} was optically analyzed every 0.1 s using a webcam and a calibrated grid on a motion phantom whose motion was in accordance with three pattern waves (cosine, typical free-breathing, and minimum jerk theoretical wave models) for the clinically relevant superior–inferior directions from six volunteers assessed on the same node of the same isocentric plan. Results: Tracking discrepancy from the center of the grid to the beam projection was evaluated. The minimum jerk theoretical wave reduced the maximum-peak amplitude of radial tracking discrepancy compared with that of the waveforms modeled by cosine and typical free-breathing model by 22% and 35%, respectively, and provided smooth tracking for radial direction. Motion tracking constancy as indicated by radial tracking discrepancy affected by respiratory phase was improved in the minimum jerk theoretical model by 7.0% and 13% compared with that of the waveforms modeled by cosine and free-breathing model, respectively. Conclusions: The minimum jerk theoretical respiratory wave can achieve smooth tracking by CyberKnife{sup ®} and may provide patient-specific respiratory modeling, which may be useful for respiratory training and coaching, as well as quality assurance of the mechanical CyberKnife{sup ®} robotic trajectory.« less

Evaluation of mechanical accuracy for couch‐based tracking system (CBTS)

PubMed Central

Lee, Suk; Chang, Kyung‐Hwan; Shim, Jand Bo; Cao, Yuanjie; Lee, Chang Ki; Cho, Sam Ju; Yang, Dae Sik; Park, Young Je; Yoon, Won Seob

2012-01-01

This study evaluated the mechanical accuracy of an in‐house–developed couch‐based tracking system (CBTS) according to respiration data. The overall delay time of the CBTS was calculated, and the accuracy, reproducibility, and loading effect of the CBTS were evaluated according to the sinusoidal waveform and various respiratory motion data of real patients with and without a volunteer weighing 75 kg. The root mean square (rms) error of the accuracy, the reproducibility, and the sagging measurements were calculated for the three axes (X, Y, and Z directions) of the CBTS. The overall delay time of the CBTS was 0.251 sec. The accuracy and reproducibility in the Z direction in real patient data were poor, as indicated by high rms errors. The results of the loading effect were within 1.0 mm in all directions. This novel CBTS has the potential for clinical application for tumor tracking in radiation therapy. PACS number: 87.55.ne PMID:23149775

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chao, M; Yuan, Y; Lo, Y

Purpose: To develop a novel strategy to extract the lung tumor motion from cone beam CT (CBCT) projections by an active contour model with interpolated respiration learned from diaphragm motion. Methods: Tumor tracking on CBCT projections was accomplished with the templates derived from planning CT (pCT). There are three major steps in the proposed algorithm: 1) The pCT was modified to form two CT sets: a tumor removed pCT and a tumor only pCT, the respective digitally reconstructed radiographs DRRtr and DRRto following the same geometry of the CBCT projections were generated correspondingly. 2) The DRRtr was rigidly registered withmore » the CBCT projections on the frame-by-frame basis. Difference images between CBCT projections and the registered DRRtr were generated where the tumor visibility was appreciably enhanced. 3) An active contour method was applied to track the tumor motion on the tumor enhanced projections with DRRto as templates to initialize the tumor tracking while the respiratory motion was compensated for by interpolating the diaphragm motion estimated by our novel constrained linear regression approach. CBCT and pCT from five patients undergoing stereotactic body radiotherapy were included in addition to scans from a Quasar phantom programmed with known motion. Manual tumor tracking was performed on CBCT projections and was compared to the automatic tracking to evaluate the algorithm accuracy. Results: The phantom study showed that the error between the automatic tracking and the ground truth was within 0.2mm. For the patients the discrepancy between the calculation and the manual tracking was between 1.4 and 2.2 mm depending on the location and shape of the lung tumor. Similar patterns were observed in the frequency domain. Conclusion: The new algorithm demonstrated the feasibility to track the lung tumor from noisy CBCT projections, providing a potential solution to better motion management for lung radiation therapy.« less

A low cost real-time motion tracking approach using webcam technology.

PubMed

Krishnan, Chandramouli; Washabaugh, Edward P; Seetharaman, Yogesh

2015-02-05

Physical therapy is an important component of gait recovery for individuals with locomotor dysfunction. There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that incorporating a motor learning task through visual feedback of movement trajectory is a useful approach to facilitate therapeutic outcomes. Visual feedback is typically provided by recording the subject's limb movement patterns using a three-dimensional motion capture system and displaying it in real-time using customized software. However, this approach can seldom be used in the clinic because of the technical expertise required to operate this device and the cost involved in procuring a three-dimensional motion capture system. In this paper, we describe a low cost two-dimensional real-time motion tracking approach using a simple webcam and an image processing algorithm in LabVIEW Vision Assistant. We also evaluated the accuracy of this approach using a high precision robotic device (Lokomat) across various walking speeds. Further, the reliability and feasibility of real-time motion-tracking were evaluated in healthy human participants. The results indicated that the measurements from the webcam tracking approach were reliable and accurate. Experiments on human subjects also showed that participants could utilize the real-time kinematic feedback generated from this device to successfully perform a motor learning task while walking on a treadmill. These findings suggest that the webcam motion tracking approach is a feasible low cost solution to perform real-time movement analysis and training. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A low cost real-time motion tracking approach using webcam technology

PubMed Central

Krishnan, Chandramouli; Washabaugh, Edward P.; Seetharaman, Yogesh

2014-01-01

Physical therapy is an important component of gait recovery for individuals with locomotor dysfunction. There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that incorporating a motor learning task through visual feedback of movement trajectory is a useful approach to facilitate therapeutic outcomes. Visual feedback is typically provided by recording the subject’s limb movement patterns using a three-dimensional motion capture system and displaying it in real-time using customized software. However, this approach can seldom be used in the clinic because of the technical expertise required to operate this device and the cost involved in procuring a three-dimensional motion capture system. In this paper, we describe a low cost two-dimensional real-time motion tracking approach using a simple webcam and an image processing algorithm in LabVIEW Vision Assistant. We also evaluated the accuracy of this approach using a high precision robotic device (Lokomat) across various walking speeds. Further, the reliability and feasibility of real-time motion-tracking were evaluated in healthy human participants. The results indicated that the measurements from the webcam tracking approach were reliable and accurate. Experiments on human subjects also showed that participants could utilize the real-time kinematic feedback generated from this device to successfully perform a motor learning task while walking on a treadmill. These findings suggest that the webcam motion tracking approach is a feasible low cost solution to perform real-time movement analysis and training. PMID:25555306

Combined Feature Based and Shape Based Visual Tracker for Robot Navigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deans, J.; Kunz, C.; Sargent, R.; Park, E.; Pedersen, L.

2005-01-01

We have developed a combined feature based and shape based visual tracking system designed to enable a planetary rover to visually track and servo to specific points chosen by a user with centimeter precision. The feature based tracker uses invariant feature detection and matching across a stereo pair, as well as matching pairs before and after robot movement in order to compute an incremental 6-DOF motion at each tracker update. This tracking method is subject to drift over time, which can be compensated by the shape based method. The shape based tracking method consists of 3D model registration, which recovers 6-DOF motion given sufficient shape and proper initialization. By integrating complementary algorithms, the combined tracker leverages the efficiency and robustness of feature based methods with the precision and accuracy of model registration. In this paper, we present the algorithms and their integration into a combined visual tracking system.

Navigator Accuracy Requirements for Prospective Motion Correction

PubMed Central

Maclaren, Julian; Speck, Oliver; Stucht, Daniel; Schulze, Peter; Hennig, Jürgen; Zaitsev, Maxim

2010-01-01

Prospective motion correction in MR imaging is becoming increasingly popular to prevent the image artefacts that result from subject motion. Navigator information is used to update the position of the imaging volume before every spin excitation so that lines of acquired k-space data are consistent. Errors in the navigator information, however, result in residual errors in each k-space line. This paper presents an analysis linking noise in the tracking system to the power of the resulting image artefacts. An expression is formulated for the required navigator accuracy based on the properties of the imaged object and the desired resolution. Analytical results are compared with computer simulations and experimental data. PMID:19918892

Feature tracking for automated volume of interest stabilization on 4D-OCT images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laves, Max-Heinrich; Schoob, Andreas; Kahrs, Lüder A.; Pfeiffer, Tom; Huber, Robert; Ortmaier, Tobias

2017-03-01

A common representation of volumetric medical image data is the triplanar view (TV), in which the surgeon manually selects slices showing the anatomical structure of interest. In addition to common medical imaging such as MRI or computed tomography, recent advances in the field of optical coherence tomography (OCT) have enabled live processing and volumetric rendering of four-dimensional images of the human body. Due to the region of interest undergoing motion, it is challenging for the surgeon to simultaneously keep track of an object by continuously adjusting the TV to desired slices. To select these slices in subsequent frames automatically, it is necessary to track movements of the volume of interest (VOI). This has not been addressed with respect to 4DOCT images yet. Therefore, this paper evaluates motion tracking by applying state-of-the-art tracking schemes on maximum intensity projections (MIP) of 4D-OCT images. Estimated VOI location is used to conveniently show corresponding slices and to improve the MIPs by calculating thin-slab MIPs. Tracking performances are evaluated on an in-vivo sequence of human skin, captured at 26 volumes per second. Among investigated tracking schemes, our recently presented tracking scheme for soft tissue motion provides highest accuracy with an error of under 2.2 voxels for the first 80 volumes. Object tracking on 4D-OCT images enables its use for sub-epithelial tracking of microvessels for image-guidance.

Automatic cloud tracking applied to GOES and Meteosat observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Endlich, R. M.; Wolf, D. E.

1981-01-01

An improved automatic processing method for the tracking of cloud motions as revealed by satellite imagery is presented and applications of the method to GOES observations of Hurricane Eloise and Meteosat water vapor and infrared data are presented. The method is shown to involve steps of picture smoothing, target selection and the calculation of cloud motion vectors by the matching of a group at a given time with its best likeness at a later time, or by a cross-correlation computation. Cloud motion computations can be made in as many as four separate layers simultaneously. For data of 4 and 8 km resolution in the eye of Hurricane Eloise, the automatic system is found to provide results comparable in accuracy and coverage to those obtained by NASA analysts using the Atmospheric and Oceanographic Information Processing System, with results obtained by the pattern recognition and cross correlation computations differing by only fractions of a pixel. For Meteosat water vapor data from the tropics and midlatitudes, the automatic motion computations are found to be reliable only in areas where the water vapor fields contained small-scale structure, although excellent results are obtained using Meteosat IR data in the same regions. The automatic method thus appears to be competitive in accuracy and coverage with motion determination by human analysts.

Adaptive quaternion tracking with nonlinear extended state observer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Yu-liang; Wang, Xiao-gang; Xu, Jiang-tao; Cui, Nai-gang

2017-10-01

This paper addresses the problem of attitude tracking for spacecraft in the presence of uncertainties in moments of inertia and environmental disturbances. An adaptive quaternion tracking control is combined with a nonlinear extended state observer and the disturbances compensated for in each sampling period. The tracking controller is proved to asymptotically track a prescribed motion in the presence of these uncertainties. Simulations of a nano-spacecraft demonstrate a significant improvement in pointing accuracy and tracking error when compared to a conventional attitude controller. The proposed tracking control is completely deterministic, simple to implement, does not require knowledge of the uncertainties and does not suffer from chattering.

An analysis of the precision and reliability of the leap motion sensor and its suitability for static and dynamic tracking.

PubMed

Guna, Jože; Jakus, Grega; Pogačnik, Matevž; Tomažič, Sašo; Sodnik, Jaka

2014-02-21

We present the results of an evaluation of the performance of the Leap Motion Controller with the aid of a professional, high-precision, fast motion tracking system. A set of static and dynamic measurements was performed with different numbers of tracking objects and configurations. For the static measurements, a plastic arm model simulating a human arm was used. A set of 37 reference locations was selected to cover the controller's sensory space. For the dynamic measurements, a special V-shaped tool, consisting of two tracking objects maintaining a constant distance between them, was created to simulate two human fingers. In the static scenario, the standard deviation was less than 0.5 mm. The linear correlation revealed a significant increase in the standard deviation when moving away from the controller. The results of the dynamic scenario revealed the inconsistent performance of the controller, with a significant drop in accuracy for samples taken more than 250 mm above the controller's surface. The Leap Motion Controller undoubtedly represents a revolutionary input device for gesture-based human-computer interaction; however, due to its rather limited sensory space and inconsistent sampling frequency, in its current configuration it cannot currently be used as a professional tracking system.

An Analysis of the Precision and Reliability of the Leap Motion Sensor and Its Suitability for Static and Dynamic Tracking

PubMed Central

Guna, Jože; Jakus, Grega; Pogačnik, Matevž; Tomažič, Sašo; Sodnik, Jaka

2014-01-01

We present the results of an evaluation of the performance of the Leap Motion Controller with the aid of a professional, high-precision, fast motion tracking system. A set of static and dynamic measurements was performed with different numbers of tracking objects and configurations. For the static measurements, a plastic arm model simulating a human arm was used. A set of 37 reference locations was selected to cover the controller's sensory space. For the dynamic measurements, a special V-shaped tool, consisting of two tracking objects maintaining a constant distance between them, was created to simulate two human fingers. In the static scenario, the standard deviation was less than 0.5 mm. The linear correlation revealed a significant increase in the standard deviation when moving away from the controller. The results of the dynamic scenario revealed the inconsistent performance of the controller, with a significant drop in accuracy for samples taken more than 250 mm above the controller's surface. The Leap Motion Controller undoubtedly represents a revolutionary input device for gesture-based human-computer interaction; however, due to its rather limited sensory space and inconsistent sampling frequency, in its current configuration it cannot currently be used as a professional tracking system. PMID:24566635

Gaze-contingent control for minimally invasive robotic surgery.

PubMed

Mylonas, George P; Darzi, Ara; Yang, Guang Zhong

2006-09-01

Recovering tissue depth and deformation during robotically assisted minimally invasive procedures is an important step towards motion compensation, stabilization and co-registration with preoperative data. This work demonstrates that eye gaze derived from binocular eye tracking can be effectively used to recover 3D motion and deformation of the soft tissue. A binocular eye-tracking device was integrated into the stereoscopic surgical console. After calibration, the 3D fixation point of the participating subjects could be accurately resolved in real time. A CT-scanned phantom heart model was used to demonstrate the accuracy of gaze-contingent depth extraction and motion stabilization of the soft tissue. The dynamic response of the oculomotor system was assessed with the proposed framework by using autoregressive modeling techniques. In vivo data were also used to perform gaze-contingent decoupling of cardiac and respiratory motion. Depth reconstruction, deformation tracking, and motion stabilization of the soft tissue were possible with binocular eye tracking. The dynamic response of the oculomotor system was able to cope with frequencies likely to occur under most routine minimally invasive surgical operations. The proposed framework presents a novel approach towards the tight integration of a human and a surgical robot where interaction in response to sensing is required to be under the control of the operating surgeon.

A rigid motion correction method for helical computed tomography (CT)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, J.-H.; Nuyts, J.; Kyme, A.; Kuncic, Z.; Fulton, R.

2015-03-01

We propose a method to compensate for six degree-of-freedom rigid motion in helical CT of the head. The method is demonstrated in simulations and in helical scans performed on a 16-slice CT scanner. Scans of a Hoffman brain phantom were acquired while an optical motion tracking system recorded the motion of the bed and the phantom. Motion correction was performed by restoring projection consistency using data from the motion tracking system, and reconstructing with an iterative fully 3D algorithm. Motion correction accuracy was evaluated by comparing reconstructed images with a stationary reference scan. We also investigated the effects on accuracy of tracker sampling rate, measurement jitter, interpolation of tracker measurements, and the synchronization of motion data and CT projections. After optimization of these aspects, motion corrected images corresponded remarkably closely to images of the stationary phantom with correlation and similarity coefficients both above 0.9. We performed a simulation study using volunteer head motion and found similarly that our method is capable of compensating effectively for realistic human head movements. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first practical demonstration of generalized rigid motion correction in helical CT. Its clinical value, which we have yet to explore, may be significant. For example it could reduce the necessity for repeat scans and resource-intensive anesthetic and sedation procedures in patient groups prone to motion, such as young children. It is not only applicable to dedicated CT imaging, but also to hybrid PET/CT and SPECT/CT, where it could also ensure an accurate CT image for lesion localization and attenuation correction of the functional image data.

Optimum location of external markers using feature selection algorithms for real‐time tumor tracking in external‐beam radiotherapy: a virtual phantom study

PubMed Central

Nankali, Saber; Miandoab, Payam Samadi; Baghizadeh, Amin

2016-01-01

In external‐beam radiotherapy, using external markers is one of the most reliable tools to predict tumor position, in clinical applications. The main challenge in this approach is tumor motion tracking with highest accuracy that depends heavily on external markers location, and this issue is the objective of this study. Four commercially available feature selection algorithms entitled 1) Correlation‐based Feature Selection, 2) Classifier, 3) Principal Components, and 4) Relief were proposed to find optimum location of external markers in combination with two “Genetic” and “Ranker” searching procedures. The performance of these algorithms has been evaluated using four‐dimensional extended cardiac‐torso anthropomorphic phantom. Six tumors in lung, three tumors in liver, and 49 points on the thorax surface were taken into account to simulate internal and external motions, respectively. The root mean square error of an adaptive neuro‐fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) as prediction model was considered as metric for quantitatively evaluating the performance of proposed feature selection algorithms. To do this, the thorax surface region was divided into nine smaller segments and predefined tumors motion was predicted by ANFIS using external motion data of given markers at each small segment, separately. Our comparative results showed that all feature selection algorithms can reasonably select specific external markers from those segments where the root mean square error of the ANFIS model is minimum. Moreover, the performance accuracy of proposed feature selection algorithms was compared, separately. For this, each tumor motion was predicted using motion data of those external markers selected by each feature selection algorithm. Duncan statistical test, followed by F‐test, on final results reflected that all proposed feature selection algorithms have the same performance accuracy for lung tumors. But for liver tumors, a correlation‐based feature selection algorithm, in combination with a genetic search algorithm, proved to yield best performance accuracy for selecting optimum markers. PACS numbers: 87.55.km, 87.56.Fc PMID:26894358

Optimum location of external markers using feature selection algorithms for real-time tumor tracking in external-beam radiotherapy: a virtual phantom study.

PubMed

Nankali, Saber; Torshabi, Ahmad Esmaili; Miandoab, Payam Samadi; Baghizadeh, Amin

2016-01-08

In external-beam radiotherapy, using external markers is one of the most reliable tools to predict tumor position, in clinical applications. The main challenge in this approach is tumor motion tracking with highest accuracy that depends heavily on external markers location, and this issue is the objective of this study. Four commercially available feature selection algorithms entitled 1) Correlation-based Feature Selection, 2) Classifier, 3) Principal Components, and 4) Relief were proposed to find optimum location of external markers in combination with two "Genetic" and "Ranker" searching procedures. The performance of these algorithms has been evaluated using four-dimensional extended cardiac-torso anthropomorphic phantom. Six tumors in lung, three tumors in liver, and 49 points on the thorax surface were taken into account to simulate internal and external motions, respectively. The root mean square error of an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) as prediction model was considered as metric for quantitatively evaluating the performance of proposed feature selection algorithms. To do this, the thorax surface region was divided into nine smaller segments and predefined tumors motion was predicted by ANFIS using external motion data of given markers at each small segment, separately. Our comparative results showed that all feature selection algorithms can reasonably select specific external markers from those segments where the root mean square error of the ANFIS model is minimum. Moreover, the performance accuracy of proposed feature selection algorithms was compared, separately. For this, each tumor motion was predicted using motion data of those external markers selected by each feature selection algorithm. Duncan statistical test, followed by F-test, on final results reflected that all proposed feature selection algorithms have the same performance accuracy for lung tumors. But for liver tumors, a correlation-based feature selection algorithm, in combination with a genetic search algorithm, proved to yield best performance accuracy for selecting optimum markers.

Adaptive robust motion trajectory tracking control of pneumatic cylinders with LuGre model-based friction compensation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Deyuan; Tao, Guoliang; Liu, Hao; Zhu, Xiaocong

2014-07-01

Friction compensation is particularly important for motion trajectory tracking control of pneumatic cylinders at low speed movement. However, most of the existing model-based friction compensation schemes use simple classical models, which are not enough to address applications with high-accuracy position requirements. Furthermore, the friction force in the cylinder is time-varying, and there exist rather severe unmodelled dynamics and unknown disturbances in the pneumatic system. To deal with these problems effectively, an adaptive robust controller with LuGre model-based dynamic friction compensation is constructed. The proposed controller employs on-line recursive least squares estimation (RLSE) to reduce the extent of parametric uncertainties, and utilizes the sliding mode control method to attenuate the effects of parameter estimation errors, unmodelled dynamics and disturbances. In addition, in order to realize LuGre model-based friction compensation, the modified dual-observer structure for estimating immeasurable friction internal state is developed. Therefore, a prescribed motion tracking transient performance and final tracking accuracy can be guaranteed. Since the system model uncertainties are unmatched, the recursive backstepping design technology is applied. In order to solve the conflicts between the sliding mode control design and the adaptive control design, the projection mapping is used to condition the RLSE algorithm so that the parameter estimates are kept within a known bounded convex set. Finally, the proposed controller is tested for tracking sinusoidal trajectories and smooth square trajectory under different loads and sudden disturbance. The testing results demonstrate that the achievable performance of the proposed controller is excellent and is much better than most other studies in literature. Especially when a 0.5 Hz sinusoidal trajectory is tracked, the maximum tracking error is 0.96 mm and the average tracking error is 0.45 mm. This paper constructs an adaptive robust controller which can compensate the friction force in the cylinder.

Laboratory test results of the high speed optical tracking system for the Spaceborne Geodynamic Ranging System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zagwodzki, Thomas W.; White, David L.

1987-01-01

The high speed, high resolution optical tracking system for the Spaceborne Geodynamic Ranging System employs a two-axis gimbaled pointing device that can operate from a Space Shuttle platform and can track multiple retroreflector ground targets with arcsec accuracy. Laboratory tests of the stepping characteristics of the pointing system for various step sizes and directions has shown arcsec repeatability with little wasted motion, overshoot, or ringing. The worst rms tracking jitter was 1 and 2 arcsec in the roll and pitch axes, respectively, at the maximum tracking rate of 2 deg/sec.

Adaptive learning compressive tracking based on Markov location prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Xingyu; Fu, Dongmei; Yang, Tao; Shi, Yanan

2017-03-01

Object tracking is an interdisciplinary research topic in image processing, pattern recognition, and computer vision which has theoretical and practical application value in video surveillance, virtual reality, and automatic navigation. Compressive tracking (CT) has many advantages, such as efficiency and accuracy. However, when there are object occlusion, abrupt motion and blur, similar objects, and scale changing, the CT has the problem of tracking drift. We propose the Markov object location prediction to get the initial position of the object. Then CT is used to locate the object accurately, and the classifier parameter adaptive updating strategy is given based on the confidence map. At the same time according to the object location, extract the scale features, which is able to deal with object scale variations effectively. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has better tracking accuracy and robustness than current advanced algorithms and achieves real-time performance.

Validation of enhanced kinect sensor based motion capturing for gait assessment

PubMed Central

Müller, Björn; Ilg, Winfried; Giese, Martin A.

2017-01-01

Optical motion capturing systems are expensive and require substantial dedicated space to be set up. On the other hand, they provide unsurpassed accuracy and reliability. In many situations however flexibility is required and the motion capturing system can only temporarily be placed. The Microsoft Kinect v2 sensor is comparatively cheap and with respect to gait analysis promising results have been published. We here present a motion capturing system that is easy to set up, flexible with respect to the sensor locations and delivers high accuracy in gait parameters comparable to a gold standard motion capturing system (VICON). Further, we demonstrate that sensor setups which track the person only from one-side are less accurate and should be replaced by two-sided setups. With respect to commonly analyzed gait parameters, especially step width, our system shows higher agreement with the VICON system than previous reports. PMID:28410413

A biomechanical modeling guided simultaneous motion estimation and image reconstruction technique (SMEIR-Bio) for 4D-CBCT reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Xiaokun; Zhang, You; Wang, Jing

2017-03-01

Four-dimensional (4D) cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) enables motion tracking of anatomical structures and removes artifacts introduced by motion. However, the imaging time/dose of 4D-CBCT is substantially longer/higher than traditional 3D-CBCT. We previously developed a simultaneous motion estimation and image reconstruction (SMEIR) algorithm, to reconstruct high-quality 4D-CBCT from limited number of projections to reduce the imaging time/dose. However, the accuracy of SMEIR is limited in reconstructing low-contrast regions with fine structure details. In this study, we incorporate biomechanical modeling into the SMEIR algorithm (SMEIR-Bio), to improve the reconstruction accuracy at low-contrast regions with fine details. The efficacy of SMEIR-Bio is evaluated using 11 lung patient cases and compared to that of the original SMEIR algorithm. Qualitative and quantitative comparisons showed that SMEIR-Bio greatly enhances the accuracy of reconstructed 4D-CBCT volume in low-contrast regions, which can potentially benefit multiple clinical applications including the treatment outcome analysis.

The Effectiveness of Simulator Motion in the Transfer of Performance on a Tracking Task Is Influenced by Vision and Motion Disturbance Cues.

PubMed

Grundy, John G; Nazar, Stefan; O'Malley, Shannon; Mohrenshildt, Martin V; Shedden, Judith M

2016-06-01

To examine the importance of platform motion to the transfer of performance in motion simulators. The importance of platform motion in simulators for pilot training is strongly debated. We hypothesized that the type of motion (e.g., disturbance) contributes significantly to performance differences. Participants used a joystick to perform a target tracking task in a pod on top of a MOOG Stewart motion platform. Five conditions compared training without motion, with correlated motion, with disturbance motion, with disturbance motion isolated to the visual display, and with both correlated and disturbance motion. The test condition involved the full motion model with both correlated and disturbance motion. We analyzed speed and accuracy across training and test as well as strategic differences in joystick control. Training with disturbance cues produced critical behavioral differences compared to training without disturbance; motion itself was less important. Incorporation of disturbance cues is a potentially important source of variance between studies that do or do not show a benefit of motion platforms in the transfer of performance in simulators. Potential applications of this research include the assessment of the importance of motion platforms in flight simulators, with a focus on the efficacy of incorporating disturbance cues during training. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

An integrated model-driven method for in-treatment upper airway motion tracking using cine MRI in head and neck radiation therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Hua, E-mail: huli@radonc.wustl.edu; Chen, Hsin

Purpose: For the first time, MRI-guided radiation therapy systems can acquire cine images to dynamically monitor in-treatment internal organ motion. However, the complex head and neck (H&N) structures and low-contrast/resolution of on-board cine MRI images make automatic motion tracking a very challenging task. In this study, the authors proposed an integrated model-driven method to automatically track the in-treatment motion of the H&N upper airway, a complex and highly deformable region wherein internal motion often occurs in an either voluntary or involuntary manner, from cine MRI images for the analysis of H&N motion patterns. Methods: Considering the complex H&N structures andmore » ensuring automatic and robust upper airway motion tracking, the authors firstly built a set of linked statistical shapes (including face, face-jaw, and face-jaw-palate) using principal component analysis from clinically approved contours delineated on a set of training data. The linked statistical shapes integrate explicit landmarks and implicit shape representation. Then, a hierarchical model-fitting algorithm was developed to align the linked shapes on the first image frame of a to-be-tracked cine sequence and to localize the upper airway region. Finally, a multifeature level set contour propagation scheme was performed to identify the upper airway shape change, frame-by-frame, on the entire image sequence. The multifeature fitting energy, including the information of intensity variations, edge saliency, curve geometry, and temporal shape continuity, was minimized to capture the details of moving airway boundaries. Sagittal cine MR image sequences acquired from three H&N cancer patients were utilized to demonstrate the performance of the proposed motion tracking method. Results: The tracking accuracy was validated by comparing the results to the average of two manual delineations in 50 randomly selected cine image frames from each patient. The resulting average dice similarity coefficient (93.28%  ±  1.46%) and margin error (0.49  ±  0.12 mm) showed good agreement between the automatic and manual results. The comparison with three other deformable model-based segmentation methods illustrated the superior shape tracking performance of the proposed method. Large interpatient variations of swallowing frequency, swallowing duration, and upper airway cross-sectional area were observed from the testing cine image sequences. Conclusions: The proposed motion tracking method can provide accurate upper airway motion tracking results, and enable automatic and quantitative identification and analysis of in-treatment H&N upper airway motion. By integrating explicit and implicit linked-shape representations within a hierarchical model-fitting process, the proposed tracking method can process complex H&N structures and low-contrast/resolution cine MRI images. Future research will focus on the improvement of method reliability, patient motion pattern analysis for providing more information on patient-specific prediction of structure displacements, and motion effects on dosimetry for better H&N motion management in radiation therapy.« less

An integrated model-driven method for in-treatment upper airway motion tracking using cine MRI in head and neck radiation therapy.

PubMed

Li, Hua; Chen, Hsin-Chen; Dolly, Steven; Li, Harold; Fischer-Valuck, Benjamin; Victoria, James; Dempsey, James; Ruan, Su; Anastasio, Mark; Mazur, Thomas; Gach, Michael; Kashani, Rojano; Green, Olga; Rodriguez, Vivian; Gay, Hiram; Thorstad, Wade; Mutic, Sasa

2016-08-01

For the first time, MRI-guided radiation therapy systems can acquire cine images to dynamically monitor in-treatment internal organ motion. However, the complex head and neck (H&N) structures and low-contrast/resolution of on-board cine MRI images make automatic motion tracking a very challenging task. In this study, the authors proposed an integrated model-driven method to automatically track the in-treatment motion of the H&N upper airway, a complex and highly deformable region wherein internal motion often occurs in an either voluntary or involuntary manner, from cine MRI images for the analysis of H&N motion patterns. Considering the complex H&N structures and ensuring automatic and robust upper airway motion tracking, the authors firstly built a set of linked statistical shapes (including face, face-jaw, and face-jaw-palate) using principal component analysis from clinically approved contours delineated on a set of training data. The linked statistical shapes integrate explicit landmarks and implicit shape representation. Then, a hierarchical model-fitting algorithm was developed to align the linked shapes on the first image frame of a to-be-tracked cine sequence and to localize the upper airway region. Finally, a multifeature level set contour propagation scheme was performed to identify the upper airway shape change, frame-by-frame, on the entire image sequence. The multifeature fitting energy, including the information of intensity variations, edge saliency, curve geometry, and temporal shape continuity, was minimized to capture the details of moving airway boundaries. Sagittal cine MR image sequences acquired from three H&N cancer patients were utilized to demonstrate the performance of the proposed motion tracking method. The tracking accuracy was validated by comparing the results to the average of two manual delineations in 50 randomly selected cine image frames from each patient. The resulting average dice similarity coefficient (93.28%  ±  1.46%) and margin error (0.49  ±  0.12 mm) showed good agreement between the automatic and manual results. The comparison with three other deformable model-based segmentation methods illustrated the superior shape tracking performance of the proposed method. Large interpatient variations of swallowing frequency, swallowing duration, and upper airway cross-sectional area were observed from the testing cine image sequences. The proposed motion tracking method can provide accurate upper airway motion tracking results, and enable automatic and quantitative identification and analysis of in-treatment H&N upper airway motion. By integrating explicit and implicit linked-shape representations within a hierarchical model-fitting process, the proposed tracking method can process complex H&N structures and low-contrast/resolution cine MRI images. Future research will focus on the improvement of method reliability, patient motion pattern analysis for providing more information on patient-specific prediction of structure displacements, and motion effects on dosimetry for better H&N motion management in radiation therapy.

Auto-tracking system for human lumbar motion analysis.

PubMed

Sui, Fuge; Zhang, Da; Lam, Shing Chun Benny; Zhao, Lifeng; Wang, Dongjun; Bi, Zhenggang; Hu, Yong

2011-01-01

Previous lumbar motion analyses suggest the usefulness of quantitatively characterizing spine motion. However, the application of such measurements is still limited by the lack of user-friendly automatic spine motion analysis systems. This paper describes an automatic analysis system to measure lumbar spine disorders that consists of a spine motion guidance device, an X-ray imaging modality to acquire digitized video fluoroscopy (DVF) sequences and an automated tracking module with a graphical user interface (GUI). DVF sequences of the lumbar spine are recorded during flexion-extension under a guidance device. The automatic tracking software utilizing a particle filter locates the vertebra-of-interest in every frame of the sequence, and the tracking result is displayed on the GUI. Kinematic parameters are also extracted from the tracking results for motion analysis. We observed that, in a bone model test, the maximum fiducial error was 3.7%, and the maximum repeatability error in translation and rotation was 1.2% and 2.6%, respectively. In our simulated DVF sequence study, the automatic tracking was not successful when the noise intensity was greater than 0.50. In a noisy situation, the maximal difference was 1.3 mm in translation and 1° in the rotation angle. The errors were calculated in translation (fiducial error: 2.4%, repeatability error: 0.5%) and in the rotation angle (fiducial error: 1.0%, repeatability error: 0.7%). However, the automatic tracking software could successfully track simulated sequences contaminated by noise at a density ≤ 0.5 with very high accuracy, providing good reliability and robustness. A clinical trial with 10 healthy subjects and 2 lumbar spondylolisthesis patients were enrolled in this study. The measurement with auto-tacking of DVF provided some information not seen in the conventional X-ray. The results proposed the potential use of the proposed system for clinical applications.

Health Monitors for Chronic Disease by Gait Analysis with Mobile Phones

PubMed Central

Juen, Joshua; Cheng, Qian; Prieto-Centurion, Valentin; Krishnan, Jerry A.

2014-01-01

Abstract We have developed GaitTrack, a phone application to detect health status while the smartphone is carried normally. GaitTrack software monitors walking patterns, using only accelerometers embedded in phones to record spatiotemporal motion, without the need for sensors external to the phone. Our software transforms smartphones into health monitors, using eight parameters of phone motion transformed into body motion by the gait model. GaitTrack is designed to detect health status while the smartphone is carried during normal activities, namely, free-living walking. The current method for assessing free-living walking is medical accelerometers, so we present evidence that mobile phones running our software are more accurate. We then show our gait model is more accurate than medical pedometers for counting steps of patients with chronic disease. Our gait model was evaluated in a pilot study involving 30 patients with chronic lung disease. The six-minute walk test (6MWT) is a major assessment for chronic heart and lung disease, including congestive heart failure and especially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), affecting millions of persons. The 6MWT consists of walking back and forth along a measured distance for 6 minutes. The gait model using linear regression performed with 94.13% accuracy in measuring walk distance, compared with the established standard of direct observation. We also evaluated a different statistical model using the same gait parameters to predict health status through lung function. This gait model has high accuracy when applied to demographic cohorts, for example, 89.22% accuracy testing the cohort of 12 female patients with ages 50–64 years. PMID:24694291

A hybrid approach to estimate the complex motions of clouds in sky images

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peng, Zhenzhou; Yu, Dantong; Huang, Dong

Tracking the motion of clouds is essential to forecasting the weather and to predicting the short-term solar energy generation. Existing techniques mainly fall into two categories: variational optical flow, and block matching. In this article, we summarize recent advances in estimating cloud motion using ground-based sky imagers and quantitatively evaluate state-of-the-art approaches. Then we propose a hybrid tracking framework to incorporate the strength of both block matching and optical flow models. To validate the accuracy of the proposed approach, we introduce a series of synthetic images to simulate the cloud movement and deformation, and thereafter comprehensively compare our hybrid approachmore » with several representative tracking algorithms over both simulated and real images collected from various sites/imagers. The results show that our hybrid approach outperforms state-of-the-art models by reducing at least 30% motion estimation errors compared with the ground-truth motions in most of simulated image sequences. Furthermore, our hybrid model demonstrates its superior efficiency in several real cloud image datasets by lowering at least 15% Mean Absolute Error (MAE) between predicted images and ground-truth images.« less

A hybrid approach to estimate the complex motions of clouds in sky images

DOE PAGES

Peng, Zhenzhou; Yu, Dantong; Huang, Dong; ...

2016-09-14

Tracking the motion of clouds is essential to forecasting the weather and to predicting the short-term solar energy generation. Existing techniques mainly fall into two categories: variational optical flow, and block matching. In this article, we summarize recent advances in estimating cloud motion using ground-based sky imagers and quantitatively evaluate state-of-the-art approaches. Then we propose a hybrid tracking framework to incorporate the strength of both block matching and optical flow models. To validate the accuracy of the proposed approach, we introduce a series of synthetic images to simulate the cloud movement and deformation, and thereafter comprehensively compare our hybrid approachmore » with several representative tracking algorithms over both simulated and real images collected from various sites/imagers. The results show that our hybrid approach outperforms state-of-the-art models by reducing at least 30% motion estimation errors compared with the ground-truth motions in most of simulated image sequences. Furthermore, our hybrid model demonstrates its superior efficiency in several real cloud image datasets by lowering at least 15% Mean Absolute Error (MAE) between predicted images and ground-truth images.« less

Motion tracking to enable pre-surgical margin mapping in basal cell carcinoma using optical imaging modalities: initial feasibility study using optical coherence tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duffy, M.; Richardson, T. J.; Craythorne, E.; Mallipeddi, R.; Coleman, A. J.

2014-02-01

A system has been developed to assess the feasibility of using motion tracking to enable pre-surgical margin mapping of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) in the clinic using optical coherence tomography (OCT). This system consists of a commercial OCT imaging system (the VivoSight 1500, MDL Ltd., Orpington, UK), which has been adapted to incorporate a webcam and a single-sensor electromagnetic positional tracking module (the Flock of Birds, Ascension Technology Corp, Vermont, USA). A supporting software interface has also been developed which allows positional data to be captured and projected onto a 2D dermoscopic image in real-time. Initial results using a stationary test phantom are encouraging, with maximum errors in the projected map in the order of 1-2mm. Initial clinical results were poor due to motion artefact, despite attempts to stabilise the patient. However, the authors present several suggested modifications that are expected to reduce the effects of motion artefact and improve the overall accuracy and clinical usability of the system.

A virtual reality system for arm and hand rehabilitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Zhiqiang; Lim, Chee Kian; Chen, I.-Ming; Yeo, Song Huat

2011-03-01

This paper presents a virtual reality (VR) system for upper limb rehabilitation. The system incorporates two motion track components, the Arm Suit and the Smart Glove which are composed of a range of the optical linear encoders (OLE) and the inertial measurement units (IMU), and two interactive practice applications designed for driving users to perform the required functional and non-functional motor recovery tasks. We describe the technique details about the two motion track components and the rational to design two practice applications. The experiment results show that, compared with the marker-based tracking system, the Arm Suit can accurately track the elbow and wrist positions. The repeatability of the Smart Glove on measuring the five fingers' movement can be satisfied. Given the low cost, high accuracy and easy installation, the system thus promises to be a valuable complement to conventional therapeutic programs offered in rehabilitation clinics and at home.

Feasibility evaluation of a motion detection system with face images for stereotactic radiosurgery.

PubMed

Yamakawa, Takuya; Ogawa, Koichi; Iyatomi, Hitoshi; Kunieda, Etsuo

2011-01-01

In stereotactic radiosurgery we can irradiate a targeted volume precisely with a narrow high-energy x-ray beam, and thus the motion of a targeted area may cause side effects to normal organs. This paper describes our motion detection system with three USB cameras. To reduce the effect of change in illuminance in a tracking area we used an infrared light and USB cameras that were sensitive to the infrared light. The motion detection of a patient was performed by tracking his/her ears and nose with three USB cameras, where pattern matching between a predefined template image for each view and acquired images was done by an exhaustive search method with a general-purpose computing on a graphics processing unit (GPGPU). The results of the experiments showed that the measurement accuracy of our system was less than 0.7 mm, amounting to less than half of that of our previous system.

Ultrasound thermography: A new temperature reconstruction model and in vivo results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayat, Mahdi; Ballard, John R.; Ebbini, Emad S.

2017-03-01

The recursive echo strain filter (RESF) model is presented as a new echo shift-based ultrasound temperature estimation model. The model is shown to have an infinite impulse response (IIR) filter realization of a differentitor-integrator operator. This model is then used for tracking sub-therapeutic temperature changes due to high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) shots in the hind limb of the Copenhagen rats in vivo. In addition to the reconstruction filter, a motion compensation method is presented which takes advantage of the deformation field outside the region of interest to correct the motion errors during temperature tracking. The combination of the RESF model and motion compensation algorithm is shown to greatly enhance the accuracy of the in vivo temperature estimation using ultrasound echo shifts.

Harmonic motion detection in a vibrating scattering medium.

PubMed

Urban, Matthew W; Chen, Shigao; Greenleaf, James

2008-09-01

Elasticity imaging is an emerging medical imaging modality that seeks to map the spatial distribution of tissue stiffness. Ultrasound radiation force excitation and motion tracking using pulse-echo ultrasound have been used in numerous methods. Dynamic radiation force is used in vibrometry to cause an object or tissue to vibrate, and the vibration amplitude and phase can be measured with exceptional accuracy. This paper presents a model that simulates harmonic motion detection in a vibrating scattering medium incorporating 3-D beam shapes for radiation force excitation and motion tracking. A parameterized analysis using this model provides a platform to optimize motion detection for vibrometry applications in tissue. An experimental method that produces a multifrequency radiation force is also presented. Experimental harmonic motion detection of simultaneous multifrequency vibration is demonstrated using a single transducer. This method can accurately detect motion with displacement amplitude as low as 100 to 200 nm in bovine muscle. Vibration phase can be measured within 10 degrees or less. The experimental results validate the conclusions observed from the model and show multifrequency vibration induction and measurements can be performed simultaneously.

Circular motion geometry using minimal data.

PubMed

Jiang, Guang; Quan, Long; Tsui, Hung-Tat

2004-06-01

Circular motion or single axis motion is widely used in computer vision and graphics for 3D model acquisition. This paper describes a new and simple method for recovering the geometry of uncalibrated circular motion from a minimal set of only two points in four images. This problem has been previously solved using nonminimal data either by computing the fundamental matrix and trifocal tensor in three images or by fitting conics to tracked points in five or more images. It is first established that two sets of tracked points in different images under circular motion for two distinct space points are related by a homography. Then, we compute a plane homography from a minimal two points in four images. After that, we show that the unique pair of complex conjugate eigenvectors of this homography are the image of the circular points of the parallel planes of the circular motion. Subsequently, all other motion and structure parameters are computed from this homography in a straighforward manner. The experiments on real image sequences demonstrate the simplicity, accuracy, and robustness of the new method.

Harmonic Motion Detection in a Vibrating Scattering Medium

PubMed Central

Urban, Matthew W.; Chen, Shigao; Greenleaf, James F.

2008-01-01

Elasticity imaging is an emerging medical imaging modality that seeks to map the spatial distribution of tissue stiffness. Ultrasound radiation force excitation and motion tracking using pulse-echo ultrasound have been used in numerous methods. Dynamic radiation force is used in vibrometry to cause an object or tissue to vibrate, and the vibration amplitude and phase can be measured with exceptional accuracy. This paper presents a model that simulates harmonic motion detection in a vibrating scattering medium incorporating 3-D beam shapes for radiation force excitation and motion tracking. A parameterized analysis using this model provides a platform to optimize motion detection for vibrometry applications in tissue. An experimental method that produces a multifrequency radiation force is also presented. Experimental harmonic motion detection of simultaneous multifrequency vibration is demonstrated using a single transducer. This method can accurately detect motion with displacement amplitude as low as 100 to 200 nm in bovine muscle. Vibration phase can be measured within 10° or less. The experimental results validate the conclusions observed from the model and show multifrequency vibration induction and measurements can be performed simultaneously. PMID:18986892

SU-E-J-150: Impact of Intrafractional Prostate Motion On the Accuracy and Efficiency of Prostate SBRT Delivery: A Retrospective Analysis of Prostate Tracking Log Files

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xiang, H; Hirsch, A; Willins, J

2014-06-01

Purpose: To measure intrafractional prostate motion by time-based stereotactic x-ray imaging and investigate the impact on the accuracy and efficiency of prostate SBRT delivery. Methods: Prostate tracking log files with 1,892 x-ray image registrations from 18 SBRT fractions for 6 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Patient setup and beam delivery sessions were reviewed to identify extended periods of large prostate motion that caused delays in setup or interruptions in beam delivery. The 6D prostate motions were compared to the clinically used PTV margin of 3–5 mm (3 mm posterior, 5 mm all other directions), a hypothetical PTV margin of 2–3 mmmore » (2 mm posterior, 3 mm all other directions), and the rotation correction limits (roll ±2°, pitch ±5° and yaw ±3°) of CyberKnife to quantify beam delivery accuracy. Results: Significant incidents of treatment start delay and beam delivery interruption were observed, mostly related to large pitch rotations of ≥±5°. Optimal setup time of 5–15 minutes was recorded in 61% of the fractions, and optimal beam delivery time of 30–40 minutes in 67% of the fractions. At a default imaging interval of 15 seconds, the percentage of prostate motion beyond PTV margin of 3–5 mm varied among patients, with a mean at 12.8% (range 0.0%–31.1%); and the percentage beyond PTV margin of 2–3 mm was at a mean of 36.0% (range 3.3%–83.1%). These timely detected offsets were all corrected real-time by the robotic manipulator or by operator intervention at the time of treatment interruptions. Conclusion: The durations of patient setup and beam delivery were directly affected by the occurrence of large prostate motion. Frequent imaging of down to 15 second interval is necessary for certain patients. Techniques for reducing prostate motion, such as using endorectal balloon, can be considered to assure consistently higher accuracy and efficiency of prostate SBRT delivery.« less

MetaTracker: integration and abstraction of 3D motion tracking data from multiple hardware systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopecky, Ken; Winer, Eliot

2014-06-01

Motion tracking has long been one of the primary challenges in mixed reality (MR), augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR). Military and defense training can provide particularly difficult challenges for motion tracking, such as in the case of Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) and other dismounted, close quarters simulations. These simulations can take place across multiple rooms, with many fast-moving objects that need to be tracked with a high degree of accuracy and low latency. Many tracking technologies exist, such as optical, inertial, ultrasonic, and magnetic. Some tracking systems even combine these technologies to complement each other. However, there are no systems that provide a high-resolution, flexible, wide-area solution that is resistant to occlusion. While frameworks exist that simplify the use of tracking systems and other input devices, none allow data from multiple tracking systems to be combined, as if from a single system. In this paper, we introduce a method for compensating for the weaknesses of individual tracking systems by combining data from multiple sources and presenting it as a single tracking system. Individual tracked objects are identified by name, and their data is provided to simulation applications through a server program. This allows tracked objects to transition seamlessly from the area of one tracking system to another. Furthermore, it abstracts away the individual drivers, APIs, and data formats for each system, providing a simplified API that can be used to receive data from any of the available tracking systems. Finally, when single-piece tracking systems are used, those systems can themselves be tracked, allowing for real-time adjustment of the trackable area. This allows simulation operators to leverage limited resources in more effective ways, improving the quality of training.

Relative tracking control of constellation satellites considering inter-satellite link

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fakoor, M.; Amozegary, F.; Bakhtiari, M.; Daneshjou, K.

2017-11-01

In this article, two main issues related to the large-scale relative motion of satellites in the constellation are investigated to establish the Inter Satellite Link (ISL) which means the dynamic and control problems. In the section related to dynamic problems, a detailed and effective analytical solution is initially provided for the problem of satellite relative motion considering perturbations. The direct geometric method utilizing spherical coordinates is employed to achieve this solution. The evaluation of simulation shows that the solution obtained from the geometric method calculates the relative motion of the satellite with high accuracy. Thus, the proposed analytical solution will be applicable and effective. In the section related to control problems, the relative tracking control system between two satellites will be designed in order to establish a communication link between the satellites utilizing analytical solution for relative motion of satellites with respect to the reference trajectory. Sliding mode control approach is employed to develop the relative tracking control system for body to body and payload to payload tracking control. Efficiency of sliding mode control approach is compared with PID and LQR controllers. Two types of payload to payload tracking control considering with and without payload degree of freedom are designed and suitable one for practical ISL applications is introduced. Also, Fuzzy controller is utilized to eliminate the control input in the sliding mode controller.

Real-time tracking of respiratory-induced tumor motion by dose-rate regulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han-Oh, Yeonju Sarah

We have developed a novel real-time tumor-tracking technology, called Dose-Rate-Regulated Tracking (DRRT), to compensate for tumor motion caused by breathing. Unlike other previously proposed tumor-tracking methods, this new method uses a preprogrammed dynamic multileaf collimator (MLC) sequence in combination with real-time dose-rate control. This new scheme circumvents the technical challenge in MLC-based tumor tracking, that is to control the MLC motion in real time, based on real-time detected tumor motion. The preprogrammed MLC sequence describes the movement of the tumor, as a function of breathing phase, amplitude, or tidal volume. The irregularity of tumor motion during treatment is handled by real-time regulation of the dose rate, which effectively speeds up or slows down the delivery of radiation as needed. This method is based on the fact that all of the parameters in dynamic radiation delivery, including MLC motion, are enslaved to the cumulative dose, which, in turn, can be accelerated or decelerated by varying the dose rate. Because commercially available MLC systems do not allow the MLC delivery sequence to be modified in real time based on the patient's breathing signal, previously proposed tumor-tracking techniques using a MLC cannot be readily implemented in the clinic today. By using a preprogrammed MLC sequence to handle the required motion, the task for real-time control is greatly simplified. We have developed and tested the pre- programmed MLC sequence and the dose-rate regulation algorithm using lung-cancer patients breathing signals. It has been shown that DRRT can track the tumor with an accuracy of less than 2 mm for a latency of the DRRT system of less than 0.35 s. We also have evaluated the usefulness of guided breathing for DRRT. Since DRRT by its very nature can compensate for breathing-period changes, guided breathing was shown to be unnecessary for real-time tracking when using DRRT. Finally, DRRT uses the existing dose-rate control system that is provided for current linear accelerators. Therefore, DRRT can be achieved with minimal modification of existing technology, and this can shorten substantially the time necessary to establish DRRT in clinical practice.

The impact of cine EPID image acquisition frame rate on markerless soft-tissue tracking

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yip, Stephen, E-mail: syip@lroc.harvard.edu; Rottmann, Joerg; Berbeco, Ross

2014-06-15

Purpose: Although reduction of the cine electronic portal imaging device (EPID) acquisition frame rate through multiple frame averaging may reduce hardware memory burden and decrease image noise, it can hinder the continuity of soft-tissue motion leading to poor autotracking results. The impact of motion blurring and image noise on the tracking performance was investigated. Methods: Phantom and patient images were acquired at a frame rate of 12.87 Hz with an amorphous silicon portal imager (AS1000, Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). The maximum frame rate of 12.87 Hz is imposed by the EPID. Low frame rate images were obtained bymore » continuous frame averaging. A previously validated tracking algorithm was employed for autotracking. The difference between the programmed and autotracked positions of a Las Vegas phantom moving in the superior-inferior direction defined the tracking error (δ). Motion blurring was assessed by measuring the area change of the circle with the greatest depth. Additionally, lung tumors on 1747 frames acquired at 11 field angles from four radiotherapy patients are manually and automatically tracked with varying frame averaging. δ was defined by the position difference of the two tracking methods. Image noise was defined as the standard deviation of the background intensity. Motion blurring and image noise are correlated with δ using Pearson correlation coefficient (R). Results: For both phantom and patient studies, the autotracking errors increased at frame rates lower than 4.29 Hz. Above 4.29 Hz, changes in errors were negligible withδ < 1.60 mm. Motion blurring and image noise were observed to increase and decrease with frame averaging, respectively. Motion blurring and tracking errors were significantly correlated for the phantom (R = 0.94) and patient studies (R = 0.72). Moderate to poor correlation was found between image noise and tracking error with R −0.58 and −0.19 for both studies, respectively. Conclusions: Cine EPID image acquisition at the frame rate of at least 4.29 Hz is recommended. Motion blurring in the images with frame rates below 4.29 Hz can significantly reduce the accuracy of autotracking.« less

SU-C-18A-02: Image-Based Camera Tracking: Towards Registration of Endoscopic Video to CT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ingram, S; Rao, A; Wendt, R

Purpose: Endoscopic examinations are routinely performed on head and neck and esophageal cancer patients. However, these images are underutilized for radiation therapy because there is currently no way to register them to a CT of the patient. The purpose of this work is to develop a method to track the motion of an endoscope within a structure using images from standard clinical equipment. This method will be incorporated into a broader endoscopy/CT registration framework. Methods: We developed a software algorithm to track the motion of an endoscope within an arbitrary structure. We computed frame-to-frame rotation and translation of the cameramore » by tracking surface points across the video sequence and utilizing two-camera epipolar geometry. The resulting 3D camera path was used to recover the surrounding structure via triangulation methods. We tested this algorithm on a rigid cylindrical phantom with a pattern spray-painted on the inside. We did not constrain the motion of the endoscope while recording, and we did not constrain our measurements using the known structure of the phantom. Results: Our software algorithm can successfully track the general motion of the endoscope as it moves through the phantom. However, our preliminary data do not show a high degree of accuracy in the triangulation of 3D point locations. More rigorous data will be presented at the annual meeting. Conclusion: Image-based camera tracking is a promising method for endoscopy/CT image registration, and it requires only standard clinical equipment. It is one of two major components needed to achieve endoscopy/CT registration, the second of which is tying the camera path to absolute patient geometry. In addition to this second component, future work will focus on validating our camera tracking algorithm in the presence of clinical imaging features such as patient motion, erratic camera motion, and dynamic scene illumination.« less

Real-Time External Respiratory Motion Measuring Technique Using an RGB-D Camera and Principal Component Analysis †

PubMed Central

Wijenayake, Udaya; Park, Soon-Yong

2017-01-01

Accurate tracking and modeling of internal and external respiratory motion in the thoracic and abdominal regions of a human body is a highly discussed topic in external beam radiotherapy treatment. Errors in target/normal tissue delineation and dose calculation and the increment of the healthy tissues being exposed to high radiation doses are some of the unsolicited problems caused due to inaccurate tracking of the respiratory motion. Many related works have been introduced for respiratory motion modeling, but a majority of them highly depend on radiography/fluoroscopy imaging, wearable markers or surgical node implanting techniques. We, in this article, propose a new respiratory motion tracking approach by exploiting the advantages of an RGB-D camera. First, we create a patient-specific respiratory motion model using principal component analysis (PCA) removing the spatial and temporal noise of the input depth data. Then, this model is utilized for real-time external respiratory motion measurement with high accuracy. Additionally, we introduce a marker-based depth frame registration technique to limit the measuring area into an anatomically consistent region that helps to handle the patient movements during the treatment. We achieved a 0.97 correlation comparing to a spirometer and 0.53 mm average error considering a laser line scanning result as the ground truth. As future work, we will use this accurate measurement of external respiratory motion to generate a correlated motion model that describes the movements of internal tumors. PMID:28792468

Precise tracking of remote sensing satellites with the Global Positioning System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yunck, Thomas P.; Wu, Sien-Chong; Wu, Jiun-Tsong; Thornton, Catherine L.

1990-01-01

The Global Positioning System (GPS) can be applied in a number of ways to track remote sensing satellites at altitudes below 3000 km with accuracies of better than 10 cm. All techniques use a precise global network of GPS ground receivers operating in concert with a receiver aboard the user satellite, and all estimate the user orbit, GPS orbits, and selected ground locations simultaneously. The GPS orbit solutions are always dynamic, relying on the laws of motion, while the user orbit solution can range from purely dynamic to purely kinematic (geometric). Two variations show considerable promise. The first one features an optimal synthesis of dynamics and kinematics in the user solution, while the second introduces a novel gravity model adjustment technique to exploit data from repeat ground tracks. These techniques, to be demonstrated on the Topex/Poseidon mission in 1992, will offer subdecimeter tracking accuracy for dynamically unpredictable satellites down to the lowest orbital altitudes.

MR-based motion correction for PET imaging using wired active MR microcoils in simultaneous PET-MR: Phantom study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, Chuan; Brady, Thomas J.; El Fakhri, Georges

2014-04-15

Purpose: Artifacts caused by head motion present a major challenge in brain positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. The authors investigated the feasibility of using wired active MR microcoils to track head motion and incorporate the measured rigid motion fields into iterative PET reconstruction. Methods: Several wired active MR microcoils and a dedicated MR coil-tracking sequence were developed. The microcoils were attached to the outer surface of an anthropomorphic{sup 18}F-filled Hoffman phantom to mimic a brain PET scan. Complex rotation/translation motion of the phantom was induced by a balloon, which was connected to a ventilator. PET list-mode and MR tracking datamore » were acquired simultaneously on a PET-MR scanner. The acquired dynamic PET data were reconstructed iteratively with and without motion correction. Additionally, static phantom data were acquired and used as the gold standard. Results: Motion artifacts in PET images were effectively removed by wired active MR microcoil based motion correction. Motion correction yielded an activity concentration bias ranging from −0.6% to 3.4% as compared to a bias ranging from −25.0% to 16.6% if no motion correction was applied. The contrast recovery values were improved by 37%–156% with motion correction as compared to no motion correction. The image correlation (mean ± standard deviation) between the motion corrected (uncorrected) images of 20 independent noise realizations and static reference was R{sup 2} = 0.978 ± 0.007 (0.588 ± 0.010, respectively). Conclusions: Wired active MR microcoil based motion correction significantly improves brain PET quantitative accuracy and image contrast.« less

MR-based motion correction for PET imaging using wired active MR microcoils in simultaneous PET-MR: Phantom study1

PubMed Central

Huang, Chuan; Ackerman, Jerome L.; Petibon, Yoann; Brady, Thomas J.; El Fakhri, Georges; Ouyang, Jinsong

2014-01-01

Purpose: Artifacts caused by head motion present a major challenge in brain positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. The authors investigated the feasibility of using wired active MR microcoils to track head motion and incorporate the measured rigid motion fields into iterative PET reconstruction. Methods: Several wired active MR microcoils and a dedicated MR coil-tracking sequence were developed. The microcoils were attached to the outer surface of an anthropomorphic 18F-filled Hoffman phantom to mimic a brain PET scan. Complex rotation/translation motion of the phantom was induced by a balloon, which was connected to a ventilator. PET list-mode and MR tracking data were acquired simultaneously on a PET-MR scanner. The acquired dynamic PET data were reconstructed iteratively with and without motion correction. Additionally, static phantom data were acquired and used as the gold standard. Results: Motion artifacts in PET images were effectively removed by wired active MR microcoil based motion correction. Motion correction yielded an activity concentration bias ranging from −0.6% to 3.4% as compared to a bias ranging from −25.0% to 16.6% if no motion correction was applied. The contrast recovery values were improved by 37%–156% with motion correction as compared to no motion correction. The image correlation (mean ± standard deviation) between the motion corrected (uncorrected) images of 20 independent noise realizations and static reference was R2 = 0.978 ± 0.007 (0.588 ± 0.010, respectively). Conclusions: Wired active MR microcoil based motion correction significantly improves brain PET quantitative accuracy and image contrast. PMID:24694141

Influence of ultrasound speckle tracking strategies for motion and strain estimation.

PubMed

Curiale, Ariel H; Vegas-Sánchez-Ferrero, Gonzalo; Aja-Fernández, Santiago

2016-08-01

Speckle Tracking is one of the most prominent techniques used to estimate the regional movement of the heart based on ultrasound acquisitions. Many different approaches have been proposed, proving their suitability to obtain quantitative and qualitative information regarding myocardial deformation, motion and function assessment. New proposals to improve the basic algorithm usually focus on one of these three steps: (1) the similarity measure between images and the speckle model; (2) the transformation model, i.e. the type of motion considered between images; (3) the optimization strategies, such as the use of different optimization techniques in the transformation step or the inclusion of structural information. While many contributions have shown their good performance independently, it is not always clear how they perform when integrated in a whole pipeline. Every step will have a degree of influence over the following and hence over the final result. Thus, a Speckle Tracking pipeline must be analyzed as a whole when developing novel methods, since improvements in a particular step might be undermined by the choices taken in further steps. This work presents two main contributions: (1) We provide a complete analysis of the influence of the different steps in a Speckle Tracking pipeline over the motion and strain estimation accuracy. (2) The study proposes a methodology for the analysis of Speckle Tracking systems specifically designed to provide an easy and systematic way to include other strategies. We close the analysis with some conclusions and recommendations that can be used as an orientation of the degree of influence of the models for speckle, the transformation models, interpolation schemes and optimization strategies over the estimation of motion features. They can be further use to evaluate and design new strategy into a Speckle Tracking system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Real-time ultrasound-tagging to track the 2D motion of the common carotid artery wall in vivo

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zahnd, Guillaume, E-mail: g.zahnd@erasmusmc.nl; Salles, Sébastien; Liebgott, Hervé

2015-02-15

Purpose: Tracking the motion of biological tissues represents an important issue in the field of medical ultrasound imaging. However, the longitudinal component of the motion (i.e., perpendicular to the beam axis) remains more challenging to extract due to the rather coarse resolution cell of ultrasound scanners along this direction. The aim of this study is to introduce a real-time beamforming strategy dedicated to acquire tagged images featuring a distinct pattern in the objective to ease the tracking. Methods: Under the conditions of the Fraunhofer approximation, a specific apodization function was applied to the received raw channel data, in real-time duringmore » image acquisition, in order to introduce a periodic oscillations pattern along the longitudinal direction of the radio frequency signal. Analytic signals were then extracted from the tagged images, and subpixel motion tracking of the intima–media complex was subsequently performed offline, by means of a previously introduced bidimensional analytic phase-based estimator. Results: The authors’ framework was applied in vivo on the common carotid artery from 20 young healthy volunteers and 6 elderly patients with high atherosclerosis risk. Cine-loops of tagged images were acquired during three cardiac cycles. Evaluated against reference trajectories manually generated by three experienced analysts, the mean absolute tracking error was 98 ± 84 μm and 55 ± 44 μm in the longitudinal and axial directions, respectively. These errors corresponded to 28% ± 23% and 13% ± 9% of the longitudinal and axial amplitude of the assessed motion, respectively. Conclusions: The proposed framework enables tagged ultrasound images of in vivo tissues to be acquired in real-time. Such unconventional beamforming strategy contributes to improve tracking accuracy and could potentially benefit to the interpretation and diagnosis of biomedical images.« less

MRI-assisted PET motion correction for neurologic studies in an integrated MR-PET scanner.

PubMed

Catana, Ciprian; Benner, Thomas; van der Kouwe, Andre; Byars, Larry; Hamm, Michael; Chonde, Daniel B; Michel, Christian J; El Fakhri, Georges; Schmand, Matthias; Sorensen, A Gregory

2011-01-01

Head motion is difficult to avoid in long PET studies, degrading the image quality and offsetting the benefit of using a high-resolution scanner. As a potential solution in an integrated MR-PET scanner, the simultaneously acquired MRI data can be used for motion tracking. In this work, a novel algorithm for data processing and rigid-body motion correction (MC) for the MRI-compatible BrainPET prototype scanner is described, and proof-of-principle phantom and human studies are presented. To account for motion, the PET prompt and random coincidences and sensitivity data for postnormalization were processed in the line-of-response (LOR) space according to the MRI-derived motion estimates. The processing time on the standard BrainPET workstation is approximately 16 s for each motion estimate. After rebinning in the sinogram space, the motion corrected data were summed, and the PET volume was reconstructed using the attenuation and scatter sinograms in the reference position. The accuracy of the MC algorithm was first tested using a Hoffman phantom. Next, human volunteer studies were performed, and motion estimates were obtained using 2 high-temporal-resolution MRI-based motion-tracking techniques. After accounting for the misalignment between the 2 scanners, perfectly coregistered MRI and PET volumes were reproducibly obtained. The MRI output gates inserted into the PET list-mode allow the temporal correlation of the 2 datasets within 0.2 ms. The Hoffman phantom volume reconstructed by processing the PET data in the LOR space was similar to the one obtained by processing the data using the standard methods and applying the MC in the image space, demonstrating the quantitative accuracy of the procedure. In human volunteer studies, motion estimates were obtained from echo planar imaging and cloverleaf navigator sequences every 3 s and 20 ms, respectively. Motion-deblurred PET images, with excellent delineation of specific brain structures, were obtained using these 2 MRI-based estimates. An MRI-based MC algorithm was implemented for an integrated MR-PET scanner. High-temporal-resolution MRI-derived motion estimates (obtained while simultaneously acquiring anatomic or functional MRI data) can be used for PET MC. An MRI-based MC method has the potential to improve PET image quality, increasing its reliability, reproducibility, and quantitative accuracy, and to benefit many neurologic applications.

Markerless human motion tracking using hierarchical multi-swarm cooperative particle swarm optimization.

PubMed

Saini, Sanjay; Zakaria, Nordin; Rambli, Dayang Rohaya Awang; Sulaiman, Suziah

2015-01-01

The high-dimensional search space involved in markerless full-body articulated human motion tracking from multiple-views video sequences has led to a number of solutions based on metaheuristics, the most recent form of which is Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). However, the classical PSO suffers from premature convergence and it is trapped easily into local optima, significantly affecting the tracking accuracy. To overcome these drawbacks, we have developed a method for the problem based on Hierarchical Multi-Swarm Cooperative Particle Swarm Optimization (H-MCPSO). The tracking problem is formulated as a non-linear 34-dimensional function optimization problem where the fitness function quantifies the difference between the observed image and a projection of the model configuration. Both the silhouette and edge likelihoods are used in the fitness function. Experiments using Brown and HumanEva-II dataset demonstrated that H-MCPSO performance is better than two leading alternative approaches-Annealed Particle Filter (APF) and Hierarchical Particle Swarm Optimization (HPSO). Further, the proposed tracking method is capable of automatic initialization and self-recovery from temporary tracking failures. Comprehensive experimental results are presented to support the claims.

Feature-based respiratory motion tracking in native fluoroscopic sequences for dynamic roadmaps during minimally invasive procedures in the thorax and abdomen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, Martin G.; Laeseke, Paul F.; Schubert, Tilman; Slagowski, Jordan M.; Speidel, Michael A.; Mistretta, Charles A.

2017-03-01

Fluoroscopic image guidance for minimally invasive procedures in the thorax and abdomen suffers from respiratory and cardiac motion, which can cause severe subtraction artifacts and inaccurate image guidance. This work proposes novel techniques for respiratory motion tracking in native fluoroscopic images as well as a model based estimation of vessel deformation. This would allow compensation for respiratory motion during the procedure and therefore simplify the workflow for minimally invasive procedures such as liver embolization. The method first establishes dynamic motion models for both the contrast-enhanced vasculature and curvilinear background features based on a native (non-contrast) and a contrast-enhanced image sequence acquired prior to device manipulation, under free breathing conditions. The model of vascular motion is generated by applying the diffeomorphic demons algorithm to an automatic segmentation of the subtraction sequence. The model of curvilinear background features is based on feature tracking in the native sequence. The two models establish the relationship between the respiratory state, which is inferred from curvilinear background features, and the vascular morphology during that same respiratory state. During subsequent fluoroscopy, curvilinear feature detection is applied to determine the appropriate vessel mask to display. The result is a dynamic motioncompensated vessel mask superimposed on the fluoroscopic image. Quantitative evaluation of the proposed methods was performed using a digital 4D CT-phantom (XCAT), which provides realistic human anatomy including sophisticated respiratory and cardiac motion models. Four groups of datasets were generated, where different parameters (cycle length, maximum diaphragm motion and maximum chest expansion) were modified within each image sequence. Each group contains 4 datasets consisting of the initial native and contrast enhanced sequences as well as a sequence, where the respiratory motion is tracked. The respiratory motion tracking error was between 1.00 % and 1.09 %. The estimated dynamic vessel masks yielded a Sørensen-Dice coefficient between 0.94 and 0.96. Finally, the accuracy of the vessel contours was measured in terms of the 99th percentile of the error, which ranged between 0.64 and 0.96 mm. The presented results show that the approach is feasible for respiratory motion tracking and compensation and could therefore considerably improve the workflow of minimally invasive procedures in the thorax and abdomen

Handheld pose tracking using vision-inertial sensors with occlusion handling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Juan; Slembrouck, Maarten; Deboeverie, Francis; Bernardos, Ana M.; Besada, Juan A.; Veelaert, Peter; Aghajan, Hamid; Casar, José R.; Philips, Wilfried

2016-07-01

Tracking of a handheld device's three-dimensional (3-D) position and orientation is fundamental to various application domains, including augmented reality (AR), virtual reality, and interaction in smart spaces. Existing systems still offer limited performance in terms of accuracy, robustness, computational cost, and ease of deployment. We present a low-cost, accurate, and robust system for handheld pose tracking using fused vision and inertial data. The integration of measurements from embedded accelerometers reduces the number of unknown parameters in the six-degree-of-freedom pose calculation. The proposed system requires two light-emitting diode (LED) markers to be attached to the device, which are tracked by external cameras through a robust algorithm against illumination changes. Three data fusion methods have been proposed, including the triangulation-based stereo-vision system, constraint-based stereo-vision system with occlusion handling, and triangulation-based multivision system. Real-time demonstrations of the proposed system applied to AR and 3-D gaming are also included. The accuracy assessment of the proposed system is carried out by comparing with the data generated by the state-of-the-art commercial motion tracking system OptiTrack. Experimental results show that the proposed system has achieved high accuracy of few centimeters in position estimation and few degrees in orientation estimation.

An Integrated Processing Strategy for Mountain Glacier Motion Monitoring Based on SAR Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruan, Z.; Yan, S.; Liu, G.; LV, M.

2017-12-01

Mountain glacier dynamic variables are important parameters in studies of environment and climate change in High Mountain Asia. Due to the increasing events of abnormal glacier-related hazards, research of monitoring glacier movements has attracted more interest during these years. Glacier velocities are sensitive and changing fast under complex conditions of high mountain regions, which implies that analysis of glacier dynamic changes requires comprehensive and frequent observations with relatively high accuracy. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has been successfully exploited to detect glacier motion in a number of previous studies, usually with pixel-tracking and interferometry methods. However, the traditional algorithms applied to mountain glacier regions are constrained by the complex terrain and diverse glacial motion types. Interferometry techniques are prone to fail in mountain glaciers because of their narrow size and the steep terrain, while pixel-tracking algorithm, which is more robust in high mountain areas, is subject to accuracy loss. In order to derive glacier velocities continually and efficiently, we propose a modified strategy to exploit SAR data information for mountain glaciers. In our approach, we integrate a set of algorithms for compensating non-glacial-motion-related signals which exist in the offset values retrieved by sub-pixel cross-correlation of SAR image pairs. We exploit modified elastic deformation model to remove the offsets associated with orbit and sensor attitude, and for the topographic residual offset we utilize a set of operations including DEM-assisted compensation algorithm and wavelet-based algorithm. At the last step of the flow, an integrated algorithm combining phase and intensity information of SAR images will be used to improve regional motion results failed in cross-correlation related processing. The proposed strategy is applied to the West Kunlun Mountain and Muztagh Ata region in western China using ALOS/PALSAR data. The results show that the strategy can effectively improve the accuracy of velocity estimation by reducing the mean and standard deviation values from 0.32 m and 0.4 m to 0.16 m. It is proved to be highly appropriate for monitoring glacier motion over a widely varying range of ice velocities with a relatively high accuracy.

A robust motion estimation system for minimal invasive laparoscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marcinczak, Jan Marek; von Öhsen, Udo; Grigat, Rolf-Rainer

2012-02-01

Laparoscopy is a reliable imaging method to examine the liver. However, due to the limited field of view, a lot of experience is required from the surgeon to interpret the observed anatomy. Reconstruction of organ surfaces provide valuable additional information to the surgeon for a reliable diagnosis. Without an additional external tracking system the structure can be recovered from feature correspondences between different frames. In laparoscopic images blurred frames, specular reflections and inhomogeneous illumination make feature tracking a challenging task. We propose an ego-motion estimation system for minimal invasive laparoscopy that can cope with specular reflection, inhomogeneous illumination and blurred frames. To obtain robust feature correspondence, the approach combines SIFT and specular reflection segmentation with a multi-frame tracking scheme. The calibrated five-point algorithm is used with the MSAC robust estimator to compute the motion of the endoscope from multi-frame correspondence. The algorithm is evaluated using endoscopic videos of a phantom. The small incisions and the rigid endoscope limit the motion in minimal invasive laparoscopy. These limitations are considered in our evaluation and are used to analyze the accuracy of pose estimation that can be achieved by our approach. The endoscope is moved by a robotic system and the ground truth motion is recorded. The evaluation on typical endoscopic motion gives precise results and demonstrates the practicability of the proposed pose estimation system.

A New Multi-Sensor Fusion Scheme to Improve the Accuracy of Knee Flexion Kinematics for Functional Rehabilitation Movements.

PubMed

Tannous, Halim; Istrate, Dan; Benlarbi-Delai, Aziz; Sarrazin, Julien; Gamet, Didier; Ho Ba Tho, Marie Christine; Dao, Tien Tuan

2016-11-15

Exergames have been proposed as a potential tool to improve the current practice of musculoskeletal rehabilitation. Inertial or optical motion capture sensors are commonly used to track the subject's movements. However, the use of these motion capture tools suffers from the lack of accuracy in estimating joint angles, which could lead to wrong data interpretation. In this study, we proposed a real time quaternion-based fusion scheme, based on the extended Kalman filter, between inertial and visual motion capture sensors, to improve the estimation accuracy of joint angles. The fusion outcome was compared to angles measured using a goniometer. The fusion output shows a better estimation, when compared to inertial measurement units and Kinect outputs. We noted a smaller error (3.96°) compared to the one obtained using inertial sensors (5.04°). The proposed multi-sensor fusion system is therefore accurate enough to be applied, in future works, to our serious game for musculoskeletal rehabilitation.

Motion correction for improved estimation of heart rate using a visual spectrum camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarbox, Elizabeth A.; Rios, Christian; Kaur, Balvinder; Meyer, Shaun; Hirt, Lauren; Tran, Vy; Scott, Kaitlyn; Ikonomidou, Vasiliki

2017-05-01

Heart rate measurement using a visual spectrum recording of the face has drawn interest over the last few years as a technology that can have various health and security applications. In our previous work, we have shown that it is possible to estimate the heart beat timing accurately enough to perform heart rate variability analysis for contactless stress detection. However, a major confounding factor in this approach is the presence of movement, which can interfere with the measurements. To mitigate the effects of movement, in this work we propose the use of face detection and tracking based on the Karhunen-Loewe algorithm in order to counteract measurement errors introduced by normal subject motion, as expected during a common seated conversation setting. We analyze the requirements on image acquisition for the algorithm to work, and its performance under different ranges of motion, changes of distance to the camera, as well and the effect of illumination changes due to different positioning with respect to light sources on the acquired signal. Our results suggest that the effect of face tracking on visual-spectrum based cardiac signal estimation depends on the amplitude of the motion. While for larger-scale conversation-induced motion it can significantly improve estimation accuracy, with smaller-scale movements, such as the ones caused by breathing or talking without major movement errors in facial tracking may interfere with signal estimation. Overall, employing facial tracking is a crucial step in adapting this technology to real-life situations with satisfactory results.

Object tracking using multiple camera video streams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehrubeoglu, Mehrube; Rojas, Diego; McLauchlan, Lifford

2010-05-01

Two synchronized cameras are utilized to obtain independent video streams to detect moving objects from two different viewing angles. The video frames are directly correlated in time. Moving objects in image frames from the two cameras are identified and tagged for tracking. One advantage of such a system involves overcoming effects of occlusions that could result in an object in partial or full view in one camera, when the same object is fully visible in another camera. Object registration is achieved by determining the location of common features in the moving object across simultaneous frames. Perspective differences are adjusted. Combining information from images from multiple cameras increases robustness of the tracking process. Motion tracking is achieved by determining anomalies caused by the objects' movement across frames in time in each and the combined video information. The path of each object is determined heuristically. Accuracy of detection is dependent on the speed of the object as well as variations in direction of motion. Fast cameras increase accuracy but limit the speed and complexity of the algorithm. Such an imaging system has applications in traffic analysis, surveillance and security, as well as object modeling from multi-view images. The system can easily be expanded by increasing the number of cameras such that there is an overlap between the scenes from at least two cameras in proximity. An object can then be tracked long distances or across multiple cameras continuously, applicable, for example, in wireless sensor networks for surveillance or navigation.

Real-time tracking of liver motion and deformation using a flexible needle

PubMed Central

Lei, Peng; Moeslein, Fred; Wood, Bradford J.

2012-01-01

Purpose A real-time 3D image guidance system is needed to facilitate treatment of liver masses using radiofrequency ablation, for example. This study investigates the feasibility and accuracy of using an electromagnetically tracked flexible needle inserted into the liver to track liver motion and deformation. Methods This proof-of-principle study was conducted both ex vivo and in vivo with a CT scanner taking the place of an electromagnetic tracking system as the spatial tracker. Deformations of excised livers were artificially created by altering the shape of the stage on which the excised livers rested. Free breathing or controlled ventilation created deformations of live swine livers. The positions of the needle and test targets were determined through CT scans. The shape of the needle was reconstructed using data simulating multiple embedded electromagnetic sensors. Displacement of liver tissues in the vicinity of the needle was derived from the change in the reconstructed shape of the needle. Results The needle shape was successfully reconstructed with tracking information of two on-needle points. Within 30 mm of the needle, the registration error of implanted test targets was 2.4 ± 1.0 mm ex vivo and 2.8 ± 1.5 mm in vivo. Conclusion A practical approach was developed to measure the motion and deformation of the liver in real time within a region of interest. The approach relies on redesigning the often-used seeker needle to include embedded electromagnetic tracking sensors. With the nonrigid motion and deformation information of the tracked needle, a single- or multimodality 3D image of the intraprocedural liver, now clinically obtained with some delay, can be updated continuously to monitor intraprocedural changes in hepatic anatomy. This capability may be useful in radiofrequency ablation and other percutaneous ablative procedures. PMID:20700662

Impact of extraneous mispositioned events on motion-corrected brain SPECT images of freely moving animals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Angelis, Georgios I., E-mail: georgios.angelis@sydney.edu.au; Ryder, William J.; Bashar, Rezaul

Purpose: Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) brain imaging of freely moving small animals would allow a wide range of important neurological processes and behaviors to be studied, which are normally inhibited by anesthetic drugs or precluded due to the animal being restrained. While rigid body motion of the head can be tracked and accounted for in the reconstruction, activity in the torso may confound brain measurements, especially since motion of the torso is more complex (i.e., nonrigid) and not well correlated with that of the head. The authors investigated the impact of mispositioned events and attenuation due to themore » torso on the accuracy of motion corrected brain images of freely moving mice. Methods: Monte Carlo simulations of a realistic voxelized mouse phantom and a dual compartment phantom were performed. Each phantom comprised a target and an extraneous compartment which were able to move independently of each other. Motion correction was performed based on the known motion of the target compartment only. Two SPECT camera geometries were investigated: a rotating single head detector and a stationary full ring detector. The effects of motion, detector geometry, and energy of the emitted photons (hence, attenuation) on bias and noise in reconstructed brain regions were evaluated. Results: The authors observed two main sources of bias: (a) motion-related inconsistencies in the projection data and (b) the mismatch between attenuation and emission. Both effects are caused by the assumption that the orientation of the torso is difficult to track and model, and therefore cannot be conveniently corrected for. The motion induced bias in some regions was up to 12% when no attenuation effects were considered, while it reached 40% when also combined with attenuation related inconsistencies. The detector geometry (i.e., rotating vs full ring) has a big impact on the accuracy of the reconstructed images, with the full ring detector being more advantageous. Conclusions: Motion-induced inconsistencies in the projection data and attenuation/emission mismatch are the two main causes of bias in reconstructed brain images when there is complex motion. It appears that these two factors have a synergistic effect on the qualitative and quantitative accuracy of the reconstructed images.« less

A motion-compensated image filter for low-dose fluoroscopy in a real-time tumor-tracking radiotherapy system

PubMed Central

Miyamoto, Naoki; Ishikawa, Masayori; Sutherland, Kenneth; Suzuki, Ryusuke; Matsuura, Taeko; Toramatsu, Chie; Takao, Seishin; Nihongi, Hideaki; Shimizu, Shinichi; Umegaki, Kikuo; Shirato, Hiroki

2015-01-01

In the real-time tumor-tracking radiotherapy system, a surrogate fiducial marker inserted in or near the tumor is detected by fluoroscopy to realize respiratory-gated radiotherapy. The imaging dose caused by fluoroscopy should be minimized. In this work, an image processing technique is proposed for tracing a moving marker in low-dose imaging. The proposed tracking technique is a combination of a motion-compensated recursive filter and template pattern matching. The proposed image filter can reduce motion artifacts resulting from the recursive process based on the determination of the region of interest for the next frame according to the current marker position in the fluoroscopic images. The effectiveness of the proposed technique and the expected clinical benefit were examined by phantom experimental studies with actual tumor trajectories generated from clinical patient data. It was demonstrated that the marker motion could be traced in low-dose imaging by applying the proposed algorithm with acceptable registration error and high pattern recognition score in all trajectories, although some trajectories were not able to be tracked with the conventional spatial filters or without image filters. The positional accuracy is expected to be kept within ±2 mm. The total computation time required to determine the marker position is a few milliseconds. The proposed image processing technique is applicable for imaging dose reduction. PMID:25129556

Validation of XMALab software for marker-based XROMM.

PubMed

Knörlein, Benjamin J; Baier, David B; Gatesy, Stephen M; Laurence-Chasen, J D; Brainerd, Elizabeth L

2016-12-01

Marker-based XROMM requires software tools for: (1) correcting fluoroscope distortion; (2) calibrating X-ray cameras; (3) tracking radio-opaque markers; and (4) calculating rigid body motion. In this paper we describe and validate XMALab, a new open-source software package for marker-based XROMM (C++ source and compiled versions on Bitbucket). Most marker-based XROMM studies to date have used XrayProject in MATLAB. XrayProject can produce results with excellent accuracy and precision, but it is somewhat cumbersome to use and requires a MATLAB license. We have designed XMALab to accelerate the XROMM process and to make it more accessible to new users. Features include the four XROMM steps (listed above) in one cohesive user interface, real-time plot windows for detecting errors, and integration with an online data management system, XMAPortal. Accuracy and precision of XMALab when tracking markers in a machined object are ±0.010 and ±0.043 mm, respectively. Mean precision for nine users tracking markers in a tutorial dataset of minipig feeding was ±0.062 mm in XMALab and ±0.14 mm in XrayProject. Reproducibility of 3D point locations across nine users was 10-fold greater in XMALab than in XrayProject, and six degree-of-freedom bone motions calculated with a joint coordinate system were 3- to 6-fold more reproducible in XMALab. XMALab is also suitable for tracking white or black markers in standard light videos with optional checkerboard calibration. We expect XMALab to increase both the quality and quantity of animal motion data available for comparative biomechanics research. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Kinect based real-time position calibration for nasal endoscopic surgical navigation system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Jingfan; Yang, Jian; Chu, Yakui; Ma, Shaodong; Wang, Yongtian

2016-03-01

Unanticipated, reactive motion of the patient during skull based tumor resective surgery is the source of the consequence that the nasal endoscopic tracking system is compelled to be recalibrated. To accommodate the calibration process with patient's movement, this paper developed a Kinect based Real-time positional calibration method for nasal endoscopic surgical navigation system. In this method, a Kinect scanner was employed as the acquisition part of the point cloud volumetric reconstruction of the patient's head during surgery. Then, a convex hull based registration algorithm aligned the real-time image of the patient head with a model built upon the CT scans performed in the preoperative preparation to dynamically calibrate the tracking system if a movement was detected. Experimental results confirmed the robustness of the proposed method, presenting a total tracking error within 1 mm under the circumstance of relatively violent motions. These results point out the tracking accuracy can be retained stably and the potential to expedite the calibration of the tracking system against strong interfering conditions, demonstrating high suitability for a wide range of surgical applications.

A restraint-free small animal SPECT imaging system with motion tracking

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weisenberger, A.G.; Gleason, S.S.; Goddard, J.

2005-06-01

We report on an approach toward the development of a high-resolution single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) system to image the biodistribution of radiolabeled tracers such as Tc-99m and I-125 in unrestrained/unanesthetized mice. An infrared (IR)-based position tracking apparatus has been developed and integrated into a SPECT gantry. The tracking system is designed to measure the spatial position of a mouse's head at a rate of 10-15 frames per second with submillimeter accuracy. The high-resolution, gamma imaging detectors are based on pixellated NaI(Tl) crystal scintillator arrays, position-sensitive photomultiplier tubes, and novel readout circuitry requiring fewer analog-digital converter (ADC) channels whilemore » retaining high spatial resolution. Two SPECT gamma camera detector heads based upon position-sensitive photomultiplier tubes have been built and installed onto the gantry. The IR landmark-based pose measurement and tracking system is under development to provide animal position data during a SPECT scan. The animal position and orientation data acquired by the tracking system will be used for motion correction during the tomographic image reconstruction.« less

Air motion determination by tracking humidity patterns in isentropic layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mancuso, R. L.; Hall, D. J.

1975-01-01

Determining air motions by tracking humidity patterns in isentropic layers was investigated. Upper-air rawinsonde data from the NSSL network and from the AVE-II pilot experiment were used to simulate temperature and humidity profile data that will eventually be available from geosynchronous satellites. Polynomial surfaces that move with time were fitted to the mixing-ratio values of the different isentropic layers. The velocity components of the polynomial surfaces are part of the coefficients that are determined in order to give an optimum fitting of the data. In the mid-troposphere, the derived humidity motions were in good agreement with the winds measured by rawinsondes so long as there were few or no clouds and the lapse rate was relatively stable. In the lower troposphere, the humidity motions were unreliable primarily because of nonadiabatic processes and unstable lapse rates. In the upper troposphere, the humidity amounts were too low to be measured with sufficient accuracy to give reliable results. However, it appears that humidity motions could be used to provide mid-tropospheric wind data over large regions of the globe.

Satellite-tracking and earth-dynamics research programs. [NASA Programs on satellite orbits and satellite ground tracks of geodetic satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

Observations and research progress of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory are reported. Satellite tracking networks (ground stations) are discussed and equipment (Baker-Nunn cameras) used to observe the satellites is described. The improvement of the accuracy of a laser ranging system of the ground stations is discussed. Also, research efforts in satellite geodesy (tides, gravity anomalies, plate tectonics) is discussed. The use of data processing for geophysical data is examined, and a data base for the Earth and Ocean Physics Applications Program is proposed. Analytical models of the earth's motion (computerized simulation) are described and the computation (numerical integration and algorithms) of satellite orbits affected by the earth's albedo, using computer techniques, is also considered. Research efforts in the study of the atmosphere are examined (the effect of drag on satellite motion), and models of the atmosphere based on satellite data are described.

The effect of action video game playing on sensorimotor learning: Evidence from a movement tracking task.

PubMed

Gozli, Davood G; Bavelier, Daphne; Pratt, Jay

2014-10-12

Research on the impact of action video game playing has revealed performance advantages on a wide range of perceptual and cognitive tasks. It is not known, however, if playing such games confers similar advantages in sensorimotor learning. To address this issue, the present study used a manual motion-tracking task that allowed for a sensitive measure of both accuracy and improvement over time. When the target motion pattern was consistent over trials, gamers improved with a faster rate and eventually outperformed non-gamers. Performance between the two groups, however, did not differ initially. When the target motion was inconsistent, changing on every trial, results revealed no difference between gamers and non-gamers. Together, our findings suggest that video game playing confers no reliable benefit in sensorimotor control, but it does enhance sensorimotor learning, enabling superior performance in tasks with consistent and predictable structure. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Accurate motion parameter estimation for colonoscopy tracking using a regression method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jianfei; Subramanian, Kalpathi R.; Yoo, Terry S.

2010-03-01

Co-located optical and virtual colonoscopy images have the potential to provide important clinical information during routine colonoscopy procedures. In our earlier work, we presented an optical flow based algorithm to compute egomotion from live colonoscopy video, permitting navigation and visualization of the corresponding patient anatomy. In the original algorithm, motion parameters were estimated using the traditional Least Sum of squares(LS) procedure which can be unstable in the context of optical flow vectors with large errors. In the improved algorithm, we use the Least Median of Squares (LMS) method, a robust regression method for motion parameter estimation. Using the LMS method, we iteratively analyze and converge toward the main distribution of the flow vectors, while disregarding outliers. We show through three experiments the improvement in tracking results obtained using the LMS method, in comparison to the LS estimator. The first experiment demonstrates better spatial accuracy in positioning the virtual camera in the sigmoid colon. The second and third experiments demonstrate the robustness of this estimator, resulting in longer tracked sequences: from 300 to 1310 in the ascending colon, and 410 to 1316 in the transverse colon.

Experimental Validation of Displacement Underestimation in ARFI Ultrasound

PubMed Central

Czernuszewicz, Tomasz J.; Streeter, Jason E.; Dayton, Paul A.; Gallippi, Caterina M.

2014-01-01

Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging is an elastography technique that uses ultrasonic pulses to both displace and track tissue motion. Previous modeling studies have shown that ARFI displacements are susceptible to underestimation due to lateral and elevational shearing that occurs within the tracking resolution cell. In this study, optical tracking was utilized to experimentally measure the displacement underestimation achieved by acoustic tracking using a clinical ultrasound system. Three optically translucent phantoms of varying stiffness were created, embedded with sub-wavelength diameter microspheres, and ARFI excitation pulses with F/1.5 or F/3 lateral focal configurations were transmitted from a standard linear array to induce phantom motion. Displacements were tracked using confocal optical and acoustic methods. As predicted by earlier FEM studies, significant acoustic displacement underestimation was observed for both excitation focal configurations; the maximum underestimation error was 35% of the optically measured displacement for the F/1.5 excitation pulse in the softest phantom. Using higher F/#, less tightly focused beams in the lateral dimension improved accuracy of displacements by approximately 10 percentage points. This work experimentally demonstrates limitations of ARFI implemented on a clinical scanner using a standard linear array and sets up a framework for future displacement tracking validation studies. PMID:23858054

Virtual remote center of motion control for needle placement robots.

PubMed

Boctor, Emad M; Webster, Robert J; Mathieu, Herve; Okamura, Allison M; Fichtinger, Gabor

2004-01-01

We present an algorithm that enables percutaneous needle-placement procedures to be performed with unencoded, unregistered, minimally calibrated robots while removing the constraint of placing the needle tip on a mechanically enforced Remote Center of Motion (RCM). The algorithm requires only online tracking of the surgical tool and a five-degree-of-freedom (5-DOF) robot comprising three prismatic DOF and two rotational DOF. An incremental adaptive motion control cycle guides the needle to the insertion point and also orients it to align with the target-entry-point line. The robot executes RCM motion without having a physically constrained fulcrum point. The proof-of-concept prototype system achieved 0.78 mm translation accuracy and 1.4 degrees rotational accuracy (this is within the tracker accuracy) within 17 iterative steps (0.5-1 s). This research enables robotic assistant systems for image-guided percutaneous procedures to be prototyped/constructed more quickly and less expensively than has been previously possible. Since the clinical utility of such systems is clear and has been demonstrated in the literature, our work may help promote widespread clinical adoption of this technology by lowering system cost and complexity.

A low-cost tracked C-arm (TC-arm) upgrade system for versatile quantitative intraoperative imaging.

PubMed

Amiri, Shahram; Wilson, David R; Masri, Bassam A; Anglin, Carolyn

2014-07-01

C-arm fluoroscopy is frequently used in clinical applications as a low-cost and mobile real-time qualitative assessment tool. C-arms, however, are not widely accepted for applications involving quantitative assessments, mainly due to the lack of reliable and low-cost position tracking methods, as well as adequate calibration and registration techniques. The solution suggested in this work is a tracked C-arm (TC-arm) which employs a low-cost sensor tracking module that can be retrofitted to any conventional C-arm for tracking the individual joints of the device. Registration and offline calibration methods were developed that allow accurate tracking of the gantry and determination of the exact intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of the imaging system for any acquired fluoroscopic image. The performance of the system was evaluated in comparison to an Optotrak[Formula: see text] motion tracking system and by a series of experiments on accurately built ball-bearing phantoms. Accuracies of the system were determined for 2D-3D registration, three-dimensional landmark localization, and for generating panoramic stitched views in simulated intraoperative applications. The system was able to track the center point of the gantry with an accuracy of [Formula: see text] mm or better. Accuracies of 2D-3D registrations were [Formula: see text] mm and [Formula: see text]. Three-dimensional landmark localization had an accuracy of [Formula: see text] of the length (or [Formula: see text] mm) on average, depending on whether the landmarks were located along, above, or across the table. The overall accuracies of the two-dimensional measurements conducted on stitched panoramic images of the femur and lumbar spine were 2.5 [Formula: see text] 2.0 % [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively. The TC-arm system has the potential to achieve sophisticated quantitative fluoroscopy assessment capabilities using an existing C-arm imaging system. This technology may be useful to improve the quality of orthopedic surgery and interventional radiology.

A Method for Testing the Dynamic Accuracy of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) Magnetic, Angular Rate, and Gravity (MARG) Sensors for Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) and Human Motion Tracking Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

32 2. Low-Cost Framework........................................................................33 3. Low Magnetic Field ...that have a significant impact on the magnetic field measured by a MARG, which could potentially add errors that are due entirely to the test...minimize the impact on the local magnetic field , and the apparatus was made as rigidly as possible using 2 x 4s to minimize any out of plane motions that

Repurposing the Microsoft Kinect for Windows v2 for external head motion tracking for brain PET.

PubMed

Noonan, P J; Howard, J; Hallett, W A; Gunn, R N

2015-11-21

Medical imaging systems such as those used in positron emission tomography (PET) are capable of spatial resolutions that enable the imaging of small, functionally important brain structures. However, the quality of data from PET brain studies is often limited by subject motion during acquisition. This is particularly challenging for patients with neurological disorders or with dynamic research studies that can last 90 min or more. Restraining head movement during the scan does not eliminate motion entirely and can be unpleasant for the subject. Head motion can be detected and measured using a variety of techniques that either use the PET data itself or an external tracking system. Advances in computer vision arising from the video gaming industry could offer significant benefits when re-purposed for medical applications. A method for measuring rigid body type head motion using the Microsoft Kinect v2 is described with results presenting  ⩽0.5 mm spatial accuracy. Motion data is measured in real-time at 30 Hz using the KinectFusion algorithm. Non-rigid motion is detected using the residual alignment energy data of the KinectFusion algorithm allowing for unreliable motion to be discarded. Motion data is aligned to PET listmode data using injected pulse sequences into the PET/CT gantry allowing for correction of rigid body motion. Pilot data from a clinical dynamic PET/CT examination is shown.

Repurposing the Microsoft Kinect for Windows v2 for external head motion tracking for brain PET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noonan, P. J.; Howard, J.; Hallett, W. A.; Gunn, R. N.

2015-11-01

Medical imaging systems such as those used in positron emission tomography (PET) are capable of spatial resolutions that enable the imaging of small, functionally important brain structures. However, the quality of data from PET brain studies is often limited by subject motion during acquisition. This is particularly challenging for patients with neurological disorders or with dynamic research studies that can last 90 min or more. Restraining head movement during the scan does not eliminate motion entirely and can be unpleasant for the subject. Head motion can be detected and measured using a variety of techniques that either use the PET data itself or an external tracking system. Advances in computer vision arising from the video gaming industry could offer significant benefits when re-purposed for medical applications. A method for measuring rigid body type head motion using the Microsoft Kinect v2 is described with results presenting  ⩽0.5 mm spatial accuracy. Motion data is measured in real-time at 30 Hz using the KinectFusion algorithm. Non-rigid motion is detected using the residual alignment energy data of the KinectFusion algorithm allowing for unreliable motion to be discarded. Motion data is aligned to PET listmode data using injected pulse sequences into the PET/CT gantry allowing for correction of rigid body motion. Pilot data from a clinical dynamic PET/CT examination is shown.

Bivariate Gaussian bridges: directional factorization of diffusion in Brownian bridge models.

PubMed

Kranstauber, Bart; Safi, Kamran; Bartumeus, Frederic

2014-01-01

In recent years high resolution animal tracking data has become the standard in movement ecology. The Brownian Bridge Movement Model (BBMM) is a widely adopted approach to describe animal space use from such high resolution tracks. One of the underlying assumptions of the BBMM is isotropic diffusive motion between consecutive locations, i.e. invariant with respect to the direction. Here we propose to relax this often unrealistic assumption by separating the Brownian motion variance into two directional components, one parallel and one orthogonal to the direction of the motion. Our new model, the Bivariate Gaussian bridge (BGB), tracks movement heterogeneity across time. Using the BGB and identifying directed and non-directed movement within a trajectory resulted in more accurate utilisation distributions compared to dynamic Brownian bridges, especially for trajectories with a non-isotropic diffusion, such as directed movement or Lévy like movements. We evaluated our model with simulated trajectories and observed tracks, demonstrating that the improvement of our model scales with the directional correlation of a correlated random walk. We find that many of the animal trajectories do not adhere to the assumptions of the BBMM. The proposed model improves accuracy when describing the space use both in simulated correlated random walks as well as observed animal tracks. Our novel approach is implemented and available within the "move" package for R.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rottmann, J; Berbeco, R; Keall, P

Purpose: To maximize normal tissue sparing for treatments requiring motion encompassing margins. Motion mitigation techniques including DMLC or couch tracking can freeze tumor motion within the treatment aperture potentially allowing for smaller treatment margins and thus better sparing of normal tissue. To enable for a safe application of this concept in the clinic we propose adapting margins dynamically in real-time during radiotherapy delivery based on personalized tumor localization confidence. To demonstrate technical feasibility we present a phantom study. Methods: We utilize a realistic anthropomorphic dynamic thorax phantom with a lung tumor model embedded close to the spine. The tumor, amore » 3D-printout of a patient's GTV, is moved 15mm peak-to-peak by diaphragm compression and monitored by continuous EPID imaging in real-time. Two treatment apertures are created for each beam, one representing ITV -based and the other GTV-based margin expansion. A soft tissue localization (STiL) algorithm utilizing the continuous EPID images is employed to freeze tumor motion within the treatment aperture by means of DMLC tracking. Depending on a tracking confidence measure (TCM), the treatment aperture is adjusted between the ITV and the GTV leaf. Results: We successfully demonstrate real-time personalized margin adjustment in a phantom study. We measured a system latency of about 250 ms which we compensated by utilizing a respiratory motion prediction algorithm (ridge regression). With prediction in place we observe tracking accuracies better than 1mm. For TCM=0 (as during startup) an ITV-based treatment aperture is chosen, for TCM=1 a GTV-based aperture and for 0« less

Satellite-tracking and Earth dynamics research programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The activities carried out by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) are described. The SAO network continued to track LAGEOS at highest priority for polar motion and Earth rotation studies, and for other geophysical investigations, including crustal dynamics, Earth and ocean tides, and the general development of precision orbit determination. The network performed regular tracking of several other retroreflector satellites including GEOS-1, GEOS-3, BE-C, and Starlette for refined determinations of station coordinates and the Earth's gravity field and for studies of solid Earth dynamics. A major program in laser upgrading continued to improve ranging accuracy and data yield. This program includes an increase in pulse repetition rate from 8 ppm to 30 ppm, a reduction in laser pulse width from 6 nsec to 2 to 3 nsec, improvements in the photoreceiver and the electronics to improve daylight ranging, and an analog pulse detection system to improve range noise and accuracy. Data processing hardware and software are discussed.

Trans-dimensional MCMC methods for fully automatic motion analysis in tagged MRI.

PubMed

Smal, Ihor; Carranza-Herrezuelo, Noemí; Klein, Stefan; Niessen, Wiro; Meijering, Erik

2011-01-01

Tagged magnetic resonance imaging (tMRI) is a well-known noninvasive method allowing quantitative analysis of regional heart dynamics. Its clinical use has so far been limited, in part due to the lack of robustness and accuracy of existing tag tracking algorithms in dealing with low (and intrinsically time-varying) image quality. In this paper, we propose a novel probabilistic method for tag tracking, implemented by means of Bayesian particle filtering and a trans-dimensional Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach, which efficiently combines information about the imaging process and tag appearance with prior knowledge about the heart dynamics obtained by means of non-rigid image registration. Experiments using synthetic image data (with ground truth) and real data (with expert manual annotation) from preclinical (small animal) and clinical (human) studies confirm that the proposed method yields higher consistency, accuracy, and intrinsic tag reliability assessment in comparison with other frequently used tag tracking methods.

SU-G-BRA-15: Dosimetric Evaluation of Dynamic Tumor Tracking Radiation Therapy Using Digital Phantom: A Study On Margin and Desired Accuracy of Tracking

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Uchida, T; Osanai, M; Homma, N

2016-06-15

Purpose: Dynamic tumor tracking radiation therapy can potentially reduce internal margin without prolongation of irradiation time. However, dynamic tumor tracking technique requires an extra margin (tracking margin, TM) for the uncertainty of tumor localization, prediction, and beam repositioning. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a dosimetric impact caused by TM. Methods: We used 4D XCAT to create 9 digital phantom datasets of different tumor size and motion range: tumor diameter TD=(1, 3, 5) cm and motion range MR=(1, 2, 3) cm. For each dataset, respiratory gating (30%–70% phase) and tumor tracking treatment plans were created using 8-field 3D-CRTmore » by 4D dose calculation implemented in RayStation. The dose constraint was based on RTOG0618. For the tracking plan, TMs of (0, 2.5, 5) mm were considered by surrounding a normal setup margin: SM=5 mm. We calculated V20 of normal lung to evaluate the dosimetric impact for each case, and estimated an equivalent TM that affects the same impact on V20 obtained by the gated plan. Results: The equivalent TMs for (TD=1 cm, MR=2 cm), (TD=1 cm, MR=3 cm), (TD=5 cm, MR=2 cm), and (TD=5 cm, MR=3 cm) were estimated as 1.47 mm, 3.95 mm, 1.04 mm, and 2.13 mm, respectively. The larger the tumor size, the equivalent TM became smaller. On the other hand, the larger the motion range, the equivalent TM was found to be increased. Conclusion: Our results showed the equivalent TM changes depending on tumor size and motion range. The tracking plan with TM less than the equivalent TM achieves a dosimetric impact better than the gated plan in less treatment time. This study was partially supported by JSPS Kakenhi and Varian Medical Systems.« less

A comparison of gantry-mounted x-ray-based real-time target tracking methods.

PubMed

Montanaro, Tim; Nguyen, Doan Trang; Keall, Paul J; Booth, Jeremy; Caillet, Vincent; Eade, Thomas; Haddad, Carol; Shieh, Chun-Chien

2018-03-01

Most modern radiotherapy machines are built with a 2D kV imaging system. Combining this imaging system with a 2D-3D inference method would allow for a ready-made option for real-time 3D tumor tracking. This work investigates and compares the accuracy of four existing 2D-3D inference methods using both motion traces inferred from external surrogates and measured internally from implanted beacons. Tumor motion data from 160 fractions (46 thoracic/abdominal patients) of Synchrony traces (inferred traces), and 28 fractions (7 lung patients) of Calypso traces (internal traces) from the LIGHT SABR trial (NCT02514512) were used in this study. The motion traces were used as the ground truth. The ground truth trajectories were used in silico to generate 2D positions projected on the kV detector. These 2D traces were then passed to the 2D-3D inference methods: interdimensional correlation, Gaussian probability density function (PDF), arbitrary-shape PDF, and the Kalman filter. The inferred 3D positions were compared with the ground truth to determine tracking errors. The relationships between tracking error and motion magnitude, interdimensional correlation, and breathing periodicity index (BPI) were also investigated. Larger tracking errors were observed from the Calypso traces, with RMS and 95th percentile 3D errors of 0.84-1.25 mm and 1.72-2.64 mm, compared to 0.45-0.68 mm and 0.74-1.13 mm from the Synchrony traces. The Gaussian PDF method was found to be the most accurate, followed by the Kalman filter, the interdimensional correlation method, and the arbitrary-shape PDF method. Tracking error was found to strongly and positively correlate with motion magnitude for both the Synchrony and Calypso traces and for all four methods. Interdimensional correlation and BPI were found to negatively correlate with tracking error only for the Synchrony traces. The Synchrony traces exhibited higher interdimensional correlation than the Calypso traces especially in the anterior-posterior direction. Inferred traces often exhibit higher interdimensional correlation, which are not true representation of thoracic/abdominal motion and may underestimate kV-based tracking errors. The use of internal traces acquired from systems such as Calypso is advised for future kV-based tracking studies. The Gaussian PDF method is the most accurate 2D-3D inference method for tracking thoracic/abdominal targets. Motion magnitude has significant impact on 2D-3D inference error, and should be considered when estimating kV-based tracking error. © 2018 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Surrogate-driven deformable motion model for organ motion tracking in particle radiation therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fassi, Aurora; Seregni, Matteo; Riboldi, Marco; Cerveri, Pietro; Sarrut, David; Battista Ivaldi, Giovanni; Tabarelli de Fatis, Paola; Liotta, Marco; Baroni, Guido

2015-02-01

The aim of this study is the development and experimental testing of a tumor tracking method for particle radiation therapy, providing the daily respiratory dynamics of the patient’s thoraco-abdominal anatomy as a function of an external surface surrogate combined with an a priori motion model. The proposed tracking approach is based on a patient-specific breathing motion model, estimated from the four-dimensional (4D) planning computed tomography (CT) through deformable image registration. The model is adapted to the interfraction baseline variations in the patient’s anatomical configuration. The driving amplitude and phase parameters are obtained intrafractionally from a respiratory surrogate signal derived from the external surface displacement. The developed technique was assessed on a dataset of seven lung cancer patients, who underwent two repeated 4D CT scans. The first 4D CT was used to build the respiratory motion model, which was tested on the second scan. The geometric accuracy in localizing lung lesions, mediated over all breathing phases, ranged between 0.6 and 1.7 mm across all patients. Errors in tracking the surrounding organs at risk, such as lungs, trachea and esophagus, were lower than 1.3 mm on average. The median absolute variation in water equivalent path length (WEL) within the target volume did not exceed 1.9 mm-WEL for simulated particle beams. A significant improvement was achieved compared with error compensation based on standard rigid alignment. The present work can be regarded as a feasibility study for the potential extension of tumor tracking techniques in particle treatments. Differently from current tracking methods applied in conventional radiotherapy, the proposed approach allows for the dynamic localization of all anatomical structures scanned in the planning CT, thus providing complete information on density and WEL variations required for particle beam range adaptation.

Monitoring of breathing motion in image-guided PBS proton therapy: comparative analysis of optical and electromagnetic technologies.

PubMed

Fattori, Giovanni; Safai, Sairos; Carmona, Pablo Fernández; Peroni, Marta; Perrin, Rosalind; Weber, Damien Charles; Lomax, Antony John

2017-03-31

Motion monitoring is essential when treating non-static tumours with pencil beam scanned protons. 4D medical imaging typically relies on the detected body surface displacement, considered as a surrogate of the patient's anatomical changes, a concept similarly applied by most motion mitigation techniques. In this study, we investigate benefits and pitfalls of optical and electromagnetic tracking, key technologies for non-invasive surface motion monitoring, in the specific environment of image-guided, gantry-based proton therapy. Polaris SPECTRA optical tracking system and the Aurora V3 electromagnetic tracking system from Northern Digital Inc. (NDI, Waterloo, CA) have been compared both technically, by measuring tracking errors and system latencies under laboratory conditions, and clinically, by assessing their practicalities and sensitivities when used with imaging devices and PBS treatment gantries. Additionally, we investigated the impact of using different surrogate signals, from different systems, on the reconstructed 4D CT images. Even though in controlled laboratory conditions both technologies allow for the localization of static fiducials with sub-millimetre jitter and low latency (31.6 ± 1 msec worst case), significant dynamic and environmental distortions limit the potential of the electromagnetic approach in a clinical setting. The measurement error in case of close proximity to a CT scanner is up to 10.5 mm and precludes its use for the monitoring of respiratory motion during 4DCT acquisitions. Similarly, the motion of the treatment gantry distorts up to 22 mm the tracking result. Despite the line of sight requirement, the optical solution offers the best potential, being the most robust against environmental factors and providing the highest spatial accuracy. The significant difference in the temporal location of the reconstructed phase points is used to speculate on the need to apply the same monitoring system for imaging and treatment to ensure the consistency of detected phases.

An Improved Method for Deriving Mountain Glacier Motion by Integrating Information of Intensity and Phase Based on SAR Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruan, Z.; Yan, S.; Liu, G.; Guo, H.; LV, M.

2016-12-01

Glacier dynamic parameters, such as velocity fields and motion patterns, play a crucial role in the estimation of ice mass balance variations and in the monitoring of glacier-related hazards. Characterized by being independent of cloud cover and solar illumination, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) at long wavelength has provided an invaluable way to measure mountain glacier motion. Compared with optical imagery and in-situ surveys, it has been successfully exploited to detect glacier motion in many previous studies, usually with pixel-tracking (PT), differential interferometric SAR (D-InSAR) and multi-aperture interferometry (MAI) methods. However, the reliability of the extracted glacier velocities heavily depends on complex terrain topography and diverse glacial motion types. D-InSAR and MAI techniques are prone to fail in the case of mountain glaciers because of the steep terrain and their narrow sizes. PT method is considered to be the alternative way, although it is subject to a low accuracy.We propose an integrated strategy based on comprehensive utilization of the phase information (D-InSAR and MAI) and intensity information (PT) of SAR images, which is used to yield an accurate and detailed ice motion pattern for the typical glaciers in the West Kunlun Mountains, China, by fully exploiting the SAR imagery. In order to avoid the error introduced by the motion decomposition operation, the derived ice motion is presented in the SAR imaging dimension composed of the along-track and slant-range directions. The Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) digital elevation model (DEM) at 3 arc-sec resolution is employed to remove and compensate for the topography-related signal in the D-InSAR, MAI, and PT methods. Compared with the traditional SAR-based methods, the proposed approach can determine the ice motion over a widely varying range of ice velocities with a relatively high accuracy. Its capability is proved by the detailed ice displacement pattern with the average accuracy of 0.2 m covering the entire glacier surface, which shows a maximum ice movement of 4.9 m over 46 days. Therefore, the integrated approach could present us with a novel way to comprehensively and accurately understand glacier dynamics by overcoming the incoherence phenomenon, and has great potential for glaciology study.

Real-time Awake Animal Motion Tracking System for SPECT Imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goddard Jr, James Samuel; Baba, Justin S; Lee, Seung Joon

Enhancements have been made in the development of a real-time optical pose measurement and tracking system that provides 3D position and orientation data for a single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging system for awake, unanesthetized, unrestrained small animals. Three optical cameras with infrared (IR) illumination view the head movements of an animal enclosed in a transparent burrow. Markers placed on the head provide landmark points for image segmentation. Strobed IR LED s are synchronized to the cameras and illuminate the markers to prevent motion blur for each set of images. The system using the three cameras automatically segments themore » markers, detects missing data, rejects false reflections, performs trinocular marker correspondence, and calculates the 3D pose of the animal s head. Improvements have been made in methods for segmentation, tracking, and 3D calculation to give higher speed and more accurate measurements during a scan. The optical hardware has been installed within a Siemens MicroCAT II small animal scanner at Johns Hopkins without requiring functional changes to the scanner operation. The system has undergone testing using both phantoms and live mice and has been characterized in terms of speed, accuracy, robustness, and reliability. Experimental data showing these motion tracking results are given.« less

A Robust Random Forest-Based Approach for Heart Rate Monitoring Using Photoplethysmography Signal Contaminated by Intense Motion Artifacts.

PubMed

Ye, Yalan; He, Wenwen; Cheng, Yunfei; Huang, Wenxia; Zhang, Zhilin

2017-02-16

The estimation of heart rate (HR) based on wearable devices is of interest in fitness. Photoplethysmography (PPG) is a promising approach to estimate HR due to low cost; however, it is easily corrupted by motion artifacts (MA). In this work, a robust approach based on random forest is proposed for accurately estimating HR from the photoplethysmography signal contaminated by intense motion artifacts, consisting of two stages. Stage 1 proposes a hybrid method to effectively remove MA with a low computation complexity, where two MA removal algorithms are combined by an accurate binary decision algorithm whose aim is to decide whether or not to adopt the second MA removal algorithm. Stage 2 proposes a random forest-based spectral peak-tracking algorithm, whose aim is to locate the spectral peak corresponding to HR, formulating the problem of spectral peak tracking into a pattern classification problem. Experiments on the PPG datasets including 22 subjects used in the 2015 IEEE Signal Processing Cup showed that the proposed approach achieved the average absolute error of 1.65 beats per minute (BPM) on the 22 PPG datasets. Compared to state-of-the-art approaches, the proposed approach has better accuracy and robustness to intense motion artifacts, indicating its potential use in wearable sensors for health monitoring and fitness tracking.

The first clinical implementation of a real-time six degree of freedom target tracking system during radiation therapy based on Kilovoltage Intrafraction Monitoring (KIM).

PubMed

Nguyen, Doan Trang; O'Brien, Ricky; Kim, Jung-Ha; Huang, Chen-Yu; Wilton, Lee; Greer, Peter; Legge, Kimberley; Booth, Jeremy T; Poulsen, Per Rugaard; Martin, Jarad; Keall, Paul J

2017-04-01

We present the first clinical implementation of a real-time six-degree of freedom (6DoF) Kilovoltage Intrafraction Monitoring (KIM) system which tracks the cancer target translational and rotational motions during treatment. The method was applied to measure and correct for target motion during stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for prostate cancer. Patient: A patient with prostate adenocarcinoma undergoing SBRT with 36.25Gy, delivered in 5 fractions was enrolled in the study. 6DoF KIM technology: 2D positions of three implanted gold markers in each of the kV images (125kV, 10mA at 11Hz) were acquired continuously during treatment. The 2D→3D target position estimation was based on a probability distribution function. The 3D→6DoF target rotation was calculated using an iterative closest point algorithm. The accuracy and precision of the KIM method was measured by comparing the real-time results with kV-MV triangulation. Of the five treatment fractions, KIM was utilised successfully in four fractions. The intrafraction prostate motion resulted in three couch shifts in two fractions when the prostate motion exceeded the pre-set action threshold of 2mm for more than 5s. KIM translational accuracy and precision were 0.3±0.6mm, -0.2±0.3mm and 0.2±0.7mm in the Left-Right (LR), Superior-Inferior (SI) and Anterior-Posterior (AP) directions, respectively. The KIM rotational accuracy and precision were 0.8°±2.0°, -0.5°±3.3° and 0.3°±1.6° in the roll, pitch and yaw directions, respectively. This treatment represents, to the best of our knowledge, the first time a cancer patient's tumour position and rotation have been monitored in real-time during treatment. The 6 DoF KIM system has sub-millimetre accuracy and precision in all three translational axes, and less than 1° accuracy and 4° precision in all three rotational axes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interactive cervical motion kinematics: sensitivity, specificity and clinically significant values for identifying kinematic impairments in patients with chronic neck pain.

PubMed

Sarig Bahat, Hilla; Chen, Xiaoqi; Reznik, David; Kodesh, Einat; Treleaven, Julia

2015-04-01

Chronic neck pain has been consistently shown to be associated with impaired kinematic control including reduced range, velocity and smoothness of cervical motion, that seem relevant to daily function as in quick neck motion in response to surrounding stimuli. The objectives of this study were: to compare interactive cervical kinematics in patients with neck pain and controls; to explore the new measures of cervical motion accuracy; and to find the sensitivity, specificity, and optimal cutoff values for defining impaired kinematics in those with neck pain. In this cross-section study, 33 patients with chronic neck pain and 22 asymptomatic controls were assessed for their cervical kinematic control using interactive virtual reality hardware and customized software utilizing a head mounted display with built-in head tracking. Outcome measures included peak and mean velocity, smoothness (represented by number of velocity peaks (NVP)), symmetry (represented by time to peak velocity percentage (TTPP)), and accuracy of cervical motion. Results demonstrated significant and strong effect-size differences in peak and mean velocities, NVP and TTPP in all directions excluding TTPP in left rotation, and good effect-size group differences in 5/8 accuracy measures. Regression results emphasized the high clinical value of neck motion velocity, with very high sensitivity and specificity (85%-100%), followed by motion smoothness, symmetry and accuracy. These finding suggest cervical kinematics should be evaluated clinically, and screened by the provided cut off values for identification of relevant impairments in those with neck pain. Such identification of presence or absence of kinematic impairments may direct treatment strategies and additional evaluation when needed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

TH-EF-BRB-08: Robotic Motion Compensation for Radiation Therapy: A 6DOF Phantom Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Belcher, AH; Liu, X; Wiersma, R

Purpose: The high accuracy of frame-based stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), which uses a rigid frame fixed to the patient’s skull, is offset by potential drawbacks of poor patient compliance and clinical workflow restrictions. Recent research into frameless SRS has so far resulted in reduced accuracy. In this study, we investigate the use of a novel 6 degree-of-freedom (6DOF) robotic head motion cancellation system that continuously detects and compensates for patient head motions during a SRS delivery. This approach has the potential to reduce invasiveness while still achieving accuracies better or equal to traditional frame-based SRS. Methods: A 6DOF parallel kinematics roboticsmore » stage was constructed, and controlled using an inverse kinematics-based motion compensation algorithm. A 6DOF stereoscopic infrared (IR) marker tracking system was used to monitor real-time motions at sub-millimeter and sub-degree levels. A novel 6DOF calibration technique was first applied to properly orient the camera coordinate frame to match that of the LINAC and robotic control frames. Simulated head motions were measured by the system, and the robotic stage responded to these 6DOF motions automatically, returning the reflective marker coordinate frame to its original position. Results: After the motions were introduced to the system in the phantom-based study, the robotic stage automatically and rapidly returned the phantom to LINAC isocenter. When errors exceeded the compensation lower threshold of 0.25 mm or 0.25 degrees, the system registered the 6DOF error and generated a cancellation trajectory. The system responded in less than 0.5 seconds and returned all axes to less than 0.1 mm and 0.1 degree after the 6DOF compensation was performed. Conclusion: The 6DOF real-time motion cancellation system was found to be effective at compensating for translational and rotational motions to current SRS requirements. This system can improve frameless SRS by automatically returning patients to isocenter with high 6DOF accuracy.« less

Towards designing an optical-flow based colonoscopy tracking algorithm: a comparative study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jianfei; Subramanian, Kalpathi R.; Yoo, Terry S.

2013-03-01

Automatic co-alignment of optical and virtual colonoscopy images can supplement traditional endoscopic procedures, by providing more complete information of clinical value to the gastroenterologist. In this work, we present a comparative analysis of our optical flow based technique for colonoscopy tracking, in relation to current state of the art methods, in terms of tracking accuracy, system stability, and computational efficiency. Our optical-flow based colonoscopy tracking algorithm starts with computing multi-scale dense and sparse optical flow fields to measure image displacements. Camera motion parameters are then determined from optical flow fields by employing a Focus of Expansion (FOE) constrained egomotion estimation scheme. We analyze the design choices involved in the three major components of our algorithm: dense optical flow, sparse optical flow, and egomotion estimation. Brox's optical flow method,1 due to its high accuracy, was used to compare and evaluate our multi-scale dense optical flow scheme. SIFT6 and Harris-affine features7 were used to assess the accuracy of the multi-scale sparse optical flow, because of their wide use in tracking applications; the FOE-constrained egomotion estimation was compared with collinear,2 image deformation10 and image derivative4 based egomotion estimation methods, to understand the stability of our tracking system. Two virtual colonoscopy (VC) image sequences were used in the study, since the exact camera parameters(for each frame) were known; dense optical flow results indicated that Brox's method was superior to multi-scale dense optical flow in estimating camera rotational velocities, but the final tracking errors were comparable, viz., 6mm vs. 8mm after the VC camera traveled 110mm. Our approach was computationally more efficient, averaging 7.2 sec. vs. 38 sec. per frame. SIFT and Harris affine features resulted in tracking errors of up to 70mm, while our sparse optical flow error was 6mm. The comparison among egomotion estimation algorithms showed that our FOE-constrained egomotion estimation method achieved the optimal balance between tracking accuracy and robustness. The comparative study demonstrated that our optical-flow based colonoscopy tracking algorithm maintains good accuracy and stability for routine use in clinical practice.

Glue detection based on teaching points constraint and tracking model of pixel convolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geng, Lei; Ma, Xiao; Xiao, Zhitao; Wang, Wen

2018-01-01

On-line glue detection based on machine version is significant for rust protection and strengthening in car production. Shadow stripes caused by reflect light and unevenness of inside front cover of car reduce the accuracy of glue detection. In this paper, we propose an effective algorithm to distinguish the edges of the glue and shadow stripes. Teaching points are utilized to calculate slope between the two adjacent points. Then a tracking model based on pixel convolution along motion direction is designed to segment several local rectangular regions using distance. The distance is the height of rectangular region. The pixel convolution along the motion direction is proposed to extract edges of gules in local rectangular region. A dataset with different illumination and complexity shape stripes are used to evaluate proposed method, which include 500 thousand images captured from the camera of glue gun machine. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can detect the edges of glue accurately. The shadow stripes are distinguished and removed effectively. Our method achieves the 99.9% accuracies for the image dataset.

Tracking and people counting using Particle Filter Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulistyaningrum, D. R.; Setiyono, B.; Rizky, M. S.

2018-03-01

In recent years, technology has developed quite rapidly, especially in the field of object tracking. Moreover, if the object under study is a person and the number of people a lot. The purpose of this research is to apply Particle Filter method for tracking and counting people in certain area. Tracking people will be rather difficult if there are some obstacles, one of which is occlusion. The stages of tracking and people counting scheme in this study include pre-processing, segmentation using Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM), tracking using particle filter, and counting based on centroid. The Particle Filter method uses the estimated motion included in the model used. The test results show that the tracking and people counting can be done well with an average accuracy of 89.33% and 77.33% respectively from six videos test data. In the process of tracking people, the results are good if there is partial occlusion and no occlusion

SU-G-JeP1-11: Feasibility Study of Markerless Tracking Using Dual Energy Fluoroscopic Images for Real-Time Tumor-Tracking Radiotherapy System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shiinoki, T; Shibuya, K; Sawada, A

Purpose: The new real-time tumor-tracking radiotherapy (RTRT) system was installed in our institution. This system consists of two x-ray tubes and color image intensifiers (I.I.s). The fiducial marker which was implanted near the tumor was tracked using color fluoroscopic images. However, the implantation of the fiducial marker is very invasive. Color fluoroscopic images enable to increase the recognition of the tumor. However, these images were not suitable to track the tumor without fiducial marker. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of markerless tracking using dual energy colored fluoroscopic images for real-time tumor-tracking radiotherapy system. Methods: Themore » colored fluoroscopic images of static and moving phantom that had the simulated tumor (30 mm diameter sphere) were experimentally acquired using the RTRT system. The programmable respiratory motion phantom was driven using the sinusoidal pattern in cranio-caudal direction (Amplitude: 20 mm, Time: 4 s). The x-ray condition was set to 55 kV, 50 mA and 105 kV, 50 mA for low energy and high energy, respectively. Dual energy images were calculated based on the weighted logarithmic subtraction of high and low energy images of RGB images. The usefulness of dual energy imaging for real-time tracking with an automated template image matching algorithm was investigated. Results: Our proposed dual energy subtraction improve the contrast between tumor and background to suppress the bone structure. For static phantom, our results showed that high tracking accuracy using dual energy subtraction images. For moving phantom, our results showed that good tracking accuracy using dual energy subtraction images. However, tracking accuracy was dependent on tumor position, tumor size and x-ray conditions. Conclusion: We indicated that feasibility of markerless tracking using dual energy fluoroscopic images for real-time tumor-tracking radiotherapy system. Furthermore, it is needed to investigate the tracking accuracy using proposed dual energy subtraction images for clinical cases.« less

Effects of reward on the accuracy and dynamics of smooth pursuit eye movements.

PubMed

Brielmann, Aenne A; Spering, Miriam

2015-08-01

Reward modulates behavioral choices and biases goal-oriented behavior, such as eye or hand movements, toward locations or stimuli associated with higher rewards. We investigated reward effects on the accuracy and timing of smooth pursuit eye movements in 4 experiments. Eye movements were recorded in participants tracking a moving visual target on a computer monitor. Before target motion onset, a monetary reward cue indicated whether participants could earn money by tracking accurately, or whether the trial was unrewarded (Experiments 1 and 2, n = 11 each). Reward significantly improved eye-movement accuracy across different levels of task difficulty. Improvements were seen even in the earliest phase of the eye movement, within 70 ms of tracking onset, indicating that reward impacts visual-motor processing at an early level. We obtained similar findings when reward was not precued but explicitly associated with the pursuit target (Experiment 3, n = 16); critically, these results were not driven by stimulus prevalence or other factors such as preparation or motivation. Numerical cues (Experiment 4, n = 9) were not effective. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

A dosimetric comparison of real-time adaptive and non-adaptive radiotherapy: A multi-institutional study encompassing robotic, gimbaled, multileaf collimator and couch tracking.

PubMed

Colvill, Emma; Booth, Jeremy; Nill, Simeon; Fast, Martin; Bedford, James; Oelfke, Uwe; Nakamura, Mitsuhiro; Poulsen, Per; Worm, Esben; Hansen, Rune; Ravkilde, Thomas; Scherman Rydhög, Jonas; Pommer, Tobias; Munck Af Rosenschold, Per; Lang, Stephanie; Guckenberger, Matthias; Groh, Christian; Herrmann, Christian; Verellen, Dirk; Poels, Kenneth; Wang, Lei; Hadsell, Michael; Sothmann, Thilo; Blanck, Oliver; Keall, Paul

2016-04-01

A study of real-time adaptive radiotherapy systems was performed to test the hypothesis that, across delivery systems and institutions, the dosimetric accuracy is improved with adaptive treatments over non-adaptive radiotherapy in the presence of patient-measured tumor motion. Ten institutions with robotic(2), gimbaled(2), MLC(4) or couch tracking(2) used common materials including CT and structure sets, motion traces and planning protocols to create a lung and a prostate plan. For each motion trace, the plan was delivered twice to a moving dosimeter; with and without real-time adaptation. Each measurement was compared to a static measurement and the percentage of failed points for γ-tests recorded. For all lung traces all measurement sets show improved dose accuracy with a mean 2%/2mm γ-fail rate of 1.6% with adaptation and 15.2% without adaptation (p<0.001). For all prostate the mean 2%/2mm γ-fail rate was 1.4% with adaptation and 17.3% without adaptation (p<0.001). The difference between the four systems was small with an average 2%/2mm γ-fail rate of <3% for all systems with adaptation for lung and prostate. The investigated systems all accounted for realistic tumor motion accurately and performed to a similar high standard, with real-time adaptation significantly outperforming non-adaptive delivery methods. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Orbit Determination of KOMPSAT-1 and Cryosat-2 Satellites Using Optical Wide-field Patrol Network (OWL-Net) Data with Batch Least Squares Filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Eunji; Park, Sang-Young; Shin, Bumjoon; Cho, Sungki; Choi, Eun-Jung; Jo, Junghyun; Park, Jang-Hyun

2017-03-01

The optical wide-field patrol network (OWL-Net) is a Korean optical surveillance system that tracks and monitors domestic satellites. In this study, a batch least squares algorithm was developed for optical measurements and verified by Monte Carlo simulation and covariance analysis. Potential error sources of OWL-Net, such as noise, bias, and clock errors, were analyzed. There is a linear relation between the estimation accuracy and the noise level, and the accuracy significantly depends on the declination bias. In addition, the time-tagging error significantly degrades the observation accuracy, while the time-synchronization offset corresponds to the orbital motion. The Cartesian state vector and measurement bias were determined using the OWL-Net tracking data of the KOMPSAT-1 and Cryosat-2 satellites. The comparison with known orbital information based on two-line elements (TLE) and the consolidated prediction format (CPF) shows that the orbit determination accuracy is similar to that of TLE. Furthermore, the precision and accuracy of OWL-Net observation data were determined to be tens of arcsec and sub-degree level, respectively.

Evaluation of the accuracy of the CyberKnife Synchrony™ Respiratory Tracking System using a plastic scintillator.

PubMed

Akino, Yuichi; Sumida, Iori; Shiomi, Hiroya; Higashinaka, Naokazu; Murashima, Yoshiichi; Hayashida, Miori; Mabuchi, Nobuhisa; Ogawa, Kazuhiko

2018-06-01

The Synchrony ™ Respiratory Tracking System of the CyberKnife ® Robotic Radiosurgery System (Accuray, Inc., Sunnyvale CA) enables real-time tracking of moving targets such as lung and liver tumors during radiotherapy. Although film measurements have been used for quality assurance of the tracking system, they cannot evaluate the temporal tracking accuracy. We have developed a verification system using a plastic scintillator that can evaluate the temporal accuracy of the CyberKnife Synchrony. A phantom consisting of a U-shaped plastic frame with three fiducial markers was used. The phantom was moved on a plastic scintillator plate. To identify the phantom position on the recording video in darkness, four pieces of fluorescent tape representing the corners of a 10 cm × 10 cm square around an 8 cm × 8 cm window were attached to the phantom. For a stable respiration model, the phantom was moved with the fourth power of a sinusoidal wave with breathing cycles of 4, 3, and 2 s and an amplitude of 1 cm. To simulate irregular breathing, the respiratory cycle was varied with Gaussian random numbers. A virtual target was generated at the center of the fluorescent markers using the MultiPlan ™ treatment planning system. Photon beams were irradiated using a fiducial tracking technique. In a dark room, the fluorescent light of the markers and the scintillation light of the beam position were recorded using a camera. For each video frame, a homography matrix was calculated from the four fluorescent marker positions, and the beam position derived from the scintillation light was corrected. To correct the displacement of the beam position due to oblique irradiation angles and other systematic measurement errors, offset values were derived from measurements with the phantom held stationary. The average SDs of beam position measured without phantom motion were 0.16 mm and 0.20 mm for lateral and longitudinal directions, respectively. For the stable respiration model, the tracking errors (mean ± SD) were 0.40 ± 0.64 mm, -0.07 ± 0.79 mm, and 0.45 ± 1.14 mm for breathing cycles of 4, 3, and 2 s, respectively. The tracking errors showed significant linear correlation with the phantom velocity. The correlation coefficients were 0.897, 0.913, and 0.957 for breathing cycles of 4, 3, and 2 s, respectively. The unstable respiration model also showed linear correlation between tracking errors and phantom velocity. The probability of tracking error incidents increased with decreasing length of the respiratory cycles. Although the tracking error incidents increased with larger variations in respiratory cycle, the effect on the cumulative probability was insignificant. For a respiratory cycle of 4 s, the maximum tracking error was 1.10 mm and 1.43 mm at the probability of 10% and 5%, respectively. Large tracking errors were observed when there was phase shift between the tumor and the LED marker. This technique allows evaluation of the motion tracking accuracy of the Synchrony ™ system over time by measurement of the photon beam. The velocity of the target and phase shift have significant effects on accuracy. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

A computational method for estimating the dosimetric effect of intra-fraction motion on step-and-shoot IMRT and compensator plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waghorn, Ben J.; Shah, Amish P.; Ngwa, Wilfred; Meeks, Sanford L.; Moore, Joseph A.; Siebers, Jeffrey V.; Langen, Katja M.

2010-07-01

Intra-fraction organ motion during intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment can cause differences between the planned and the delivered dose distribution. To investigate the extent of these dosimetric changes, a computational model was developed and validated. The computational method allows for calculation of the rigid motion perturbed three-dimensional dose distribution in the CT volume and therefore a dose volume histogram-based assessment of the dosimetric impact of intra-fraction motion on a rigidly moving body. The method was developed and validated for both step-and-shoot IMRT and solid compensator IMRT treatment plans. For each segment (or beam), fluence maps were exported from the treatment planning system. Fluence maps were shifted according to the target position deduced from a motion track. These shifted, motion-encoded fluence maps were then re-imported into the treatment planning system and were used to calculate the motion-encoded dose distribution. To validate the accuracy of the motion-encoded dose distribution the treatment plan was delivered to a moving cylindrical phantom using a programmed four-dimensional motion phantom. Extended dose response (EDR-2) film was used to measure a planar dose distribution for comparison with the calculated motion-encoded distribution using a gamma index analysis (3% dose difference, 3 mm distance-to-agreement). A series of motion tracks incorporating both inter-beam step-function shifts and continuous sinusoidal motion were tested. The method was shown to accurately predict the film's dose distribution for all of the tested motion tracks, both for the step-and-shoot IMRT and compensator plans. The average gamma analysis pass rate for the measured dose distribution with respect to the calculated motion-encoded distribution was 98.3 ± 0.7%. For static delivery the average film-to-calculation pass rate was 98.7 ± 0.2%. In summary, a computational technique has been developed to calculate the dosimetric effect of intra-fraction motion. This technique has the potential to evaluate a given plan's sensitivity to anticipated organ motion. With knowledge of the organ's motion it can also be used as a tool to assess the impact of measured intra-fraction motion after dose delivery.

A Novel Ship-Tracking Method for GF-4 Satellite Sequential Images.

PubMed

Yao, Libo; Liu, Yong; He, You

2018-06-22

The geostationary remote sensing satellite has the capability of wide scanning, persistent observation and operational response, and has tremendous potential for maritime target surveillance. The GF-4 satellite is the first geostationary orbit (GEO) optical remote sensing satellite with medium resolution in China. In this paper, a novel ship-tracking method in GF-4 satellite sequential imagery is proposed. The algorithm has three stages. First, a local visual saliency map based on local peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) is used to detect ships in a single frame of GF-4 satellite sequential images. Second, the accuracy positioning of each potential target is realized by a dynamic correction using the rational polynomial coefficients (RPCs) and automatic identification system (AIS) data of ships. Finally, an improved multiple hypotheses tracking (MHT) algorithm with amplitude information is used to track ships by further removing the false targets, and to estimate ships’ motion parameters. The algorithm has been tested using GF-4 sequential images and AIS data. The results of the experiment demonstrate that the algorithm achieves good tracking performance in GF-4 satellite sequential images and estimates the motion information of ships accurately.

A Novel Kalman Filter for Human Motion Tracking With an Inertial-Based Dynamic Inclinometer.

PubMed

Ligorio, Gabriele; Sabatini, Angelo M

2015-08-01

Design and development of a linear Kalman filter to create an inertial-based inclinometer targeted to dynamic conditions of motion. The estimation of the body attitude (i.e., the inclination with respect to the vertical) was treated as a source separation problem to discriminate the gravity and the body acceleration from the specific force measured by a triaxial accelerometer. The sensor fusion between triaxial gyroscope and triaxial accelerometer data was performed using a linear Kalman filter. Wrist-worn inertial measurement unit data from ten participants were acquired while performing two dynamic tasks: 60-s sequence of seven manual activities and 90 s of walking at natural speed. Stereophotogrammetric data were used as a reference. A statistical analysis was performed to assess the significance of the accuracy improvement over state-of-the-art approaches. The proposed method achieved, on an average, a root mean square attitude error of 3.6° and 1.8° in manual activities and locomotion tasks (respectively). The statistical analysis showed that, when compared to few competing methods, the proposed method improved the attitude estimation accuracy. A novel Kalman filter for inertial-based attitude estimation was presented in this study. A significant accuracy improvement was achieved over state-of-the-art approaches, due to a filter design that better matched the basic optimality assumptions of Kalman filtering. Human motion tracking is the main application field of the proposed method. Accurately discriminating the two components present in the triaxial accelerometer signal is well suited for studying both the rotational and the linear body kinematics.

SIFT-based dense pixel tracking on 0.35 T cine-MR images acquired during image-guided radiation therapy with application to gating optimization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mazur, Thomas R., E-mail: tmazur@radonc.wustl.edu, E-mail: hli@radonc.wustl.edu; Fischer-Valuck, Benjamin W.; Wang, Yuhe

Purpose: To first demonstrate the viability of applying an image processing technique for tracking regions on low-contrast cine-MR images acquired during image-guided radiation therapy, and then outline a scheme that uses tracking data for optimizing gating results in a patient-specific manner. Methods: A first-generation MR-IGRT system—treating patients since January 2014—integrates a 0.35 T MR scanner into an annular gantry consisting of three independent Co-60 sources. Obtaining adequate frame rates for capturing relevant patient motion across large fields-of-view currently requires coarse in-plane spatial resolution. This study initially (1) investigate the feasibility of rapidly tracking dense pixel correspondences across single, sagittal planemore » images (with both moderate signal-to-noise and spatial resolution) using a matching objective for highly descriptive vectors called scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) descriptors associated to all pixels that describe intensity gradients in local regions around each pixel. To more accurately track features, (2) harmonic analysis was then applied to all pixel trajectories within a region-of-interest across a short training period. In particular, the procedure adjusts the motion of outlying trajectories whose relative spectral power within a frequency bandwidth consistent with respiration (or another form of periodic motion) does not exceed a threshold value that is manually specified following the training period. To evaluate the tracking reliability after applying this correction, conventional metrics—including Dice similarity coefficients (DSCs), mean tracking errors (MTEs), and Hausdorff distances (HD)—were used to compare target segmentations obtained via tracking to manually delineated segmentations. Upon confirming the viability of this descriptor-based procedure for reliably tracking features, the study (3) outlines a scheme for optimizing gating parameters—including relative target position and a tolerable margin about this position—derived from a probability density function that is constructed using tracking results obtained just prior to treatment. Results: The feasibility of applying the matching objective for SIFT descriptors toward pixel-by-pixel tracking on cine-MR acquisitions was first retrospectively demonstrated for 19 treatments (spanning various sites). Both with and without motion correction based on harmonic analysis, sub-pixel MTEs were obtained. A mean DSC value spanning all patients of 0.916 ± 0.001 was obtained without motion correction, with DSC values exceeding 0.85 for all patients considered. While most patients show accurate tracking without motion correction, harmonic analysis does yield substantial gain in accuracy (defined using HDs) for three particularly challenging subjects. An application of tracking toward a gating optimization procedure was then demonstrated that should allow a physician to balance beam-on time and tissue sparing in a patient-specific manner by tuning several intuitive parameters. Conclusions: Tracking results show high fidelity in assessing intrafractional motion observed on cine-MR acquisitions. Incorporating harmonic analysis during a training period improves the robustness of the tracking for challenging targets. The concomitant gating optimization procedure should allow for physicians to quantitatively assess gating effectiveness quickly just prior to treatment in a patient-specific manner.« less

Tracking Systems for Virtual Rehabilitation: Objective Performance vs. Subjective Experience. A Practical Scenario

PubMed Central

Lloréns, Roberto; Noé, Enrique; Naranjo, Valery; Borrego, Adrián; Latorre, Jorge; Alcañiz, Mariano

2015-01-01

Motion tracking systems are commonly used in virtual reality-based interventions to detect movements in the real world and transfer them to the virtual environment. There are different tracking solutions based on different physical principles, which mainly define their performance parameters. However, special requirements have to be considered for rehabilitation purposes. This paper studies and compares the accuracy and jitter of three tracking solutions (optical, electromagnetic, and skeleton tracking) in a practical scenario and analyzes the subjective perceptions of 19 healthy subjects, 22 stroke survivors, and 14 physical therapists. The optical tracking system provided the best accuracy (1.074 ± 0.417 cm) while the electromagnetic device provided the most inaccurate results (11.027 ± 2.364 cm). However, this tracking solution provided the best jitter values (0.324 ± 0.093 cm), in contrast to the skeleton tracking, which had the worst results (1.522 ± 0.858 cm). Healthy individuals and professionals preferred the skeleton tracking solution rather than the optical and electromagnetic solution (in that order). Individuals with stroke chose the optical solution over the other options. Our results show that subjective perceptions and preferences are far from being constant among different populations, thus suggesting that these considerations, together with the performance parameters, should be also taken into account when designing a rehabilitation system. PMID:25808765

Motion tracking in the liver: Validation of a method based on 4D ultrasound using a nonrigid registration technique

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vijayan, Sinara, E-mail: sinara.vijayan@ntnu.no; Klein, Stefan; Hofstad, Erlend Fagertun

Purpose: Treatments like radiotherapy and focused ultrasound in the abdomen require accurate motion tracking, in order to optimize dosage delivery to the target and minimize damage to critical structures and healthy tissues around the target. 4D ultrasound is a promising modality for motion tracking during such treatments. In this study, the authors evaluate the accuracy of motion tracking in the liver based on deformable registration of 4D ultrasound images. Methods: The offline analysis was performed using a nonrigid registration algorithm that was specifically designed for motion estimation from dynamic imaging data. The method registers the entire 4D image data sequencemore » in a groupwise optimization fashion, thus avoiding a bias toward a specifically chosen reference time point. Three healthy volunteers were scanned over several breathing cycles (12 s) from three different positions and angles on the abdomen; a total of nine 4D scans for the three volunteers. Well-defined anatomic landmarks were manually annotated in all 96 time frames for assessment of the automatic algorithm. The error of the automatic motion estimation method was compared with interobserver variability. The authors also performed experiments to investigate the influence of parameters defining the deformation field flexibility and evaluated how well the method performed with a lower temporal resolution in order to establish the minimum frame rate required for accurate motion estimation. Results: The registration method estimated liver motion with an error of 1 mm (75% percentile over all datasets), which was lower than the interobserver variability of 1.4 mm. The results were only slightly dependent on the degrees of freedom of the deformation model. The registration error increased to 2.8 mm with an eight times lower temporal resolution. Conclusions: The authors conclude that the methodology was able to accurately track the motion of the liver in the 4D ultrasound data. The authors believe that the method has potential in interventions on moving abdominal organs such as MR or ultrasound guided focused ultrasound therapy and radiotherapy, pending the method is enabled to run in real-time. The data and the annotations used for this study are made publicly available for those who would like to test other methods on 4D liver ultrasound data.« less

Hierarchically Structured Non-Intrusive Sign Language Recognition. Chapter 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zieren, Jorg; Zieren, Jorg; Kraiss, Karl-Friedrich

2007-01-01

This work presents a hierarchically structured approach at the nonintrusive recognition of sign language from a monocular frontal view. Robustness is achieved through sophisticated localization and tracking methods, including a combined EM/CAMSHIFT overlap resolution procedure and the parallel pursuit of multiple hypotheses about hands position and movement. This allows handling of ambiguities and automatically corrects tracking errors. A biomechanical skeleton model and dynamic motion prediction using Kalman filters represents high level knowledge. Classification is performed by Hidden Markov Models. 152 signs from German sign language were recognized with an accuracy of 97.6%.

Laser Spot Tracking Based on Modified Circular Hough Transform and Motion Pattern Analysis

PubMed Central

Krstinić, Damir; Skelin, Ana Kuzmanić; Milatić, Ivan

2014-01-01

Laser pointers are one of the most widely used interactive and pointing devices in different human-computer interaction systems. Existing approaches to vision-based laser spot tracking are designed for controlled indoor environments with the main assumption that the laser spot is very bright, if not the brightest, spot in images. In this work, we are interested in developing a method for an outdoor, open-space environment, which could be implemented on embedded devices with limited computational resources. Under these circumstances, none of the assumptions of existing methods for laser spot tracking can be applied, yet a novel and fast method with robust performance is required. Throughout the paper, we will propose and evaluate an efficient method based on modified circular Hough transform and Lucas–Kanade motion analysis. Encouraging results on a representative dataset demonstrate the potential of our method in an uncontrolled outdoor environment, while achieving maximal accuracy indoors. Our dataset and ground truth data are made publicly available for further development. PMID:25350502

Laser spot tracking based on modified circular Hough transform and motion pattern analysis.

PubMed

Krstinić, Damir; Skelin, Ana Kuzmanić; Milatić, Ivan

2014-10-27

Laser pointers are one of the most widely used interactive and pointing devices in different human-computer interaction systems. Existing approaches to vision-based laser spot tracking are designed for controlled indoor environments with the main assumption that the laser spot is very bright, if not the brightest, spot in images. In this work, we are interested in developing a method for an outdoor, open-space environment, which could be implemented on embedded devices with limited computational resources. Under these circumstances, none of the assumptions of existing methods for laser spot tracking can be applied, yet a novel and fast method with robust performance is required. Throughout the paper, we will propose and evaluate an efficient method based on modified circular Hough transform and Lucas-Kanade motion analysis. Encouraging results on a representative dataset demonstrate the potential of our method in an uncontrolled outdoor environment, while achieving maximal accuracy indoors. Our dataset and ground truth data are made publicly available for further development.

Interferometric estimation of ice sheet motion and topography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joughlin, Ian; Kwok, Ron; Fahnestock, Mark; Winebrenner, Dale; Tulaczyk, Slawek; Gogenini, Prasad

1997-01-01

With ERS-1/2 satellite radar interferometry, it is possible to make measurements of glacier motion with high accuracy and fine spatial resolution. Interferometric techniques were applied to map velocity and topography for several outlet glaciers in Greenland. For the Humboldt and Petermann glaciers, data from several adjacent tracks were combined to make a wide-area map that includes the enhanced flow regions of both glaciers. The discharge flux of the Petermann glacier upstream of the grounding line was estimated, thereby establishing the potential use of ERS-1/2 interferometric data for monitoring ice-sheet discharge. Interferograms collected along a single track are sensitive to only one component of motion. By utilizing data from ascending and descending passes and by making a surface-parallel flow assumption, it is possible to measure the full three-dimensional vector flow field. The application of this technique for an area on the Ryder glacier is demonstrated. Finally, ERS-1/2 interferograms were used to observe a mini-surge on the Ryder glacier that occurred in autumn of 1995.

Biomechanical Assessment of Rucksack Shoulder Strap Attachment Location: Effect on Load Distribution to the Torso

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-05-01

varied vertical heights and horizontal positions. Optotrak position markers indicated by white diamonds). The position and mass of the payload (25 kg...shoulders and 45 N (+/- 2) at the waist and recorded for all configurations. An Optotrak 3-D motion tracking system, accuracy +/- 0.1 mm, was used to

CAT & MAUS: A novel system for true dynamic motion measurement of underlying bony structures with compensation for soft tissue movement.

PubMed

Jia, Rui; Monk, Paul; Murray, David; Noble, J Alison; Mellon, Stephen

2017-09-06

Optoelectronic motion capture systems are widely employed to measure the movement of human joints. However, there can be a significant discrepancy between the data obtained by a motion capture system (MCS) and the actual movement of underlying bony structures, which is attributed to soft tissue artefact. In this paper, a computer-aided tracking and motion analysis with ultrasound (CAT & MAUS) system with an augmented globally optimal registration algorithm is presented to dynamically track the underlying bony structure during movement. The augmented registration part of CAT & MAUS was validated with a high system accuracy of 80%. The Euclidean distance between the marker-based bony landmark and the bony landmark tracked by CAT & MAUS was calculated to quantify the measurement error of an MCS caused by soft tissue artefact during movement. The average Euclidean distance between the target bony landmark measured by each of the CAT & MAUS system and the MCS alone varied from 8.32mm to 16.87mm in gait. This indicates the discrepancy between the MCS measured bony landmark and the actual underlying bony landmark. Moreover, Procrustes analysis was applied to demonstrate that CAT & MAUS reduces the deformation of the body segment shape modeled by markers during motion. The augmented CAT & MAUS system shows its potential to dynamically detect and locate actual underlying bony landmarks, which reduces the MCS measurement error caused by soft tissue artefact during movement. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A proto-type design of a real-tissue phantom for the validation of deformation algorithms and 4D dose calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szegedi, M.; Rassiah-Szegedi, P.; Fullerton, G.; Wang, B.; Salter, B.

2010-07-01

The purpose of this study is to design a real-tissue phantom for use in the validation of deformation algorithms. A phantom motion controller that runs sinusoidal and non-regular patient-based breathing pattern, via a piston, was applied to porcine liver tissue. It was regulated to simulate movement ranges similar to recorded implanted liver markers from patients. 4D CT was applied to analyze deformation. The suitability of various markers in the liver and the position reproducibility of markers and of reference points were studied. The similarity of marker motion pattern in the liver phantom and in real patients was evaluated. The viability of the phantom over time and its use with electro-magnetic tracking devices were also assessed. High contrast markers, such as carbon markers, implanted in the porcine liver produced less image artifacts on CT and were well visualized compared to metallic ones. The repositionability of markers was within a measurement accuracy of ±2 mm. Similar anatomical patient motions were reproducible up to elongations of 3 cm for a time period of at least 90 min. The phantom is compatible with electro-magnetic tracking devices and 4D CT. The phantom motion is reproducible and simulates realistic patient motion and deformation. The ability to carry out voxel-based tracking allows for the evaluation of deformation algorithms in a controlled environment with recorded patient traces. The phantom is compatible with all therapy devices clinically encountered in our department.

The dosimetric impact of inversely optimized arc radiotherapy plan modulation for real-time dynamic MLC tracking delivery.

PubMed

Falk, Marianne; Larsson, Tobias; Keall, Paul; Chul Cho, Byung; Aznar, Marianne; Korreman, Stine; Poulsen, Per; Munck Af Rosenschold, Per

2012-03-01

Real-time dynamic multileaf collimator (MLC) tracking for management of intrafraction tumor motion can be challenging for highly modulated beams, as the leaves need to travel far to adjust for target motion perpendicular to the leaf travel direction. The plan modulation can be reduced by using a leaf position constraint (LPC) that reduces the difference in the position of adjacent MLC leaves in the plan. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the LPC on the quality of inversely optimized arc radiotherapy plans and the effect of the MLC motion pattern on the dosimetric accuracy of MLC tracking delivery. Specifically, the possibility of predicting the accuracy of MLC tracking delivery based on the plan modulation was investigated. Inversely optimized arc radiotherapy plans were created on CT-data of three lung cancer patients. For each case, five plans with a single 358° arc were generated with LPC priorities of 0 (no LPC), 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 (highest possible LPC), respectively. All the plans had a prescribed dose of 2 Gy × 30, used 6 MV, a maximum dose rate of 600 MU/min and a collimator angle of 45° or 315°. To quantify the plan modulation, an average adjacent leaf distance (ALD) was calculated by averaging the mean adjacent leaf distance for each control point. The linear relationship between the plan quality [i.e., the calculated dose distributions and the number of monitor units (MU)] and the LPC was investigated, and the linear regression coefficient as well as a two tailed confidence level of 95% was used in the evaluation. The effect of the plan modulation on the performance of MLC tracking was tested by delivering the plans to a cylindrical diode array phantom moving with sinusoidal motion in the superior-inferior direction with a peak-to-peak displacement of 2 cm and a cycle time of 6 s. The delivery was adjusted to the target motion using MLC tracking, guided in real-time by an infrared optical system. The dosimetric results were evaluated using gamma index evaluation with static target measurements as reference. The plan quality parameters did not depend significantly on the LPC (p ≥ 0.066), whereas the ALD depended significantly on the LPC (p < 0.001). The gamma index failure rate depended significantly on the ALD, weighted to the percentage of the beam delivered in each control point of the plan (ALD(w)) when MLC tracking was used (p < 0.001), but not for delivery without MLC tracking (p ≥ 0.342). The gamma index failure rate with the criteria of 2% and 2 mm was decreased from > 33.9% without MLC tracking to <31.4% (LPC 0) and <2.2% (LPC 1) with MLC tracking. The results indicate that the dosimetric robustness of MLC tracking delivery of an inversely optimized arc radiotherapy plan can be improved by incorporating leaf position constraints in the objective function without otherwise affecting the plan quality. The dosimetric robustness may be estimated prior to delivery by evaluating the ALD(w) of the plan.

Improved frame-based estimation of head motion in PET brain imaging.

PubMed

Mukherjee, J M; Lindsay, C; Mukherjee, A; Olivier, P; Shao, L; King, M A; Licho, R

2016-05-01

Head motion during PET brain imaging can cause significant degradation of image quality. Several authors have proposed ways to compensate for PET brain motion to restore image quality and improve quantitation. Head restraints can reduce movement but are unreliable; thus the need for alternative strategies such as data-driven motion estimation or external motion tracking. Herein, the authors present a data-driven motion estimation method using a preprocessing technique that allows the usage of very short duration frames, thus reducing the intraframe motion problem commonly observed in the multiple frame acquisition method. The list mode data for PET acquisition is uniformly divided into 5-s frames and images are reconstructed without attenuation correction. Interframe motion is estimated using a 3D multiresolution registration algorithm and subsequently compensated for. For this study, the authors used 8 PET brain studies that used F-18 FDG as the tracer and contained minor or no initial motion. After reconstruction and prior to motion estimation, known motion was introduced to each frame to simulate head motion during a PET acquisition. To investigate the trade-off in motion estimation and compensation with respect to frames of different length, the authors summed 5-s frames accordingly to produce 10 and 60 s frames. Summed images generated from the motion-compensated reconstructed frames were then compared to the original PET image reconstruction without motion compensation. The authors found that our method is able to compensate for both gradual and step-like motions using frame times as short as 5 s with a spatial accuracy of 0.2 mm on average. Complex volunteer motion involving all six degrees of freedom was estimated with lower accuracy (0.3 mm on average) than the other types investigated. Preprocessing of 5-s images was necessary for successful image registration. Since their method utilizes nonattenuation corrected frames, it is not susceptible to motion introduced between CT and PET acquisitions. The authors have shown that they can estimate motion for frames with time intervals as short as 5 s using nonattenuation corrected reconstructed FDG PET brain images. Intraframe motion in 60-s frames causes degradation of accuracy to about 2 mm based on the motion type.

SU-E-J-11: A New Optical Method to Register Patient External Motion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barbes, B; Azcona, J; Moreno, M

2014-06-01

Purpose: To devise and implement a new system to measure and register the patient motion during radiotherapy treatments. Methods: The system can obtain the position of several points in the 3D-space, through their projections in the 2D-images recorded by two cameras. The algorithm needs a series of constants, that are obtained using the images of a calibrated phantom.To test the system, some adhesive labels were placed on the surface of an object. Two cameras recorded the moving object over time. An in-house developed software localized the labels in each image. In the first pair of images, the program used amore » first approximation given by the user. In the subsequent images, it used the last position as an approximate location. The final exact coordinates of the point were obtained in a two-step process using the contrast of the images. From the 2D-positions of the point in each frame, the 3D-trajectories of each of these marks were obtained.The system was tested with linear displacements, oscillations of a mechanical oscillator, circular trajectories of a rotating disk, and with respiratory motion of a volunteer. Results: Trajectories of several points were reproduced with sub-millimeter accuracy in the three directions of the space. The system was able to follow periodic motion with amplitudes lower than 0.5mm; and trajectories of rotating points at speeds up to 200mm/s. The software could also track accurately the respiration motion of a person. Conclusion: A new, inexpensive optical tracking system for patient motion has been demonstrated. The system detects motion with high accuracy. Installation and calibration of the system is simple and quick. Data collection is not expected to involve any discomfort for the patient, nor any delay for the treatment. The system could be also used as a method of warning for patient movements, and for gating. We acknowledge financial support from Fundacion Mutua Madrilena, Madrid, Spain.« less

Lung tumor tracking in fluoroscopic video based on optical flow

PubMed Central

Xu, Qianyi; Hamilton, Russell J.; Schowengerdt, Robert A.; Alexander, Brian; Jiang, Steve B.

2008-01-01

Respiratory gating and tumor tracking for dynamic multileaf collimator delivery require accurate and real-time localization of the lung tumor position during treatment. Deriving tumor position from external surrogates such as abdominal surface motion may have large uncertainties due to the intra- and interfraction variations of the correlation between the external surrogates and internal tumor motion. Implanted fiducial markers can be used to track tumors fluoroscopically in real time with sufficient accuracy. However, it may not be a practical procedure when implanting fiducials bronchoscopically. In this work, a method is presented to track the lung tumor mass or relevant anatomic features projected in fluoroscopic images without implanted fiducial markers based on an optical flow algorithm. The algorithm generates the centroid position of the tracked target and ignores shape changes of the tumor mass shadow. The tracking starts with a segmented tumor projection in an initial image frame. Then, the optical flow between this and all incoming frames acquired during treatment delivery is computed as initial estimations of tumor centroid displacements. The tumor contour in the initial frame is transferred to the incoming frames based on the average of the motion vectors, and its positions in the incoming frames are determined by fine-tuning the contour positions using a template matching algorithm with a small search range. The tracking results were validated by comparing with clinician determined contours on each frame. The position difference in 95% of the frames was found to be less than 1.4 pixels (∼0.7 mm) in the best case and 2.8 pixels (∼1.4 mm) in the worst case for the five patients studied. PMID:19175094

Lung tumor tracking in fluoroscopic video based on optical flow.

PubMed

Xu, Qianyi; Hamilton, Russell J; Schowengerdt, Robert A; Alexander, Brian; Jiang, Steve B

2008-12-01

Respiratory gating and tumor tracking for dynamic multileaf collimator delivery require accurate and real-time localization of the lung tumor position during treatment. Deriving tumor position from external surrogates such as abdominal surface motion may have large uncertainties due to the intra- and interfraction variations of the correlation between the external surrogates and internal tumor motion. Implanted fiducial markers can be used to track tumors fluoroscopically in real time with sufficient accuracy. However, it may not be a practical procedure when implanting fiducials bronchoscopically. In this work, a method is presented to track the lung tumor mass or relevant anatomic features projected in fluoroscopic images without implanted fiducial markers based on an optical flow algorithm. The algorithm generates the centroid position of the tracked target and ignores shape changes of the tumor mass shadow. The tracking starts with a segmented tumor projection in an initial image frame. Then, the optical flow between this and all incoming frames acquired during treatment delivery is computed as initial estimations of tumor centroid displacements. The tumor contour in the initial frame is transferred to the incoming frames based on the average of the motion vectors, and its positions in the incoming frames are determined by fine-tuning the contour positions using a template matching algorithm with a small search range. The tracking results were validated by comparing with clinician determined contours on each frame. The position difference in 95% of the frames was found to be less than 1.4 pixels (approximately 0.7 mm) in the best case and 2.8 pixels (approximately 1.4 mm) in the worst case for the five patients studied.

Improved accuracies for satellite tracking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kammeyer, P. C.; Fiala, A. D.; Seidelmann, P. K.

1991-01-01

A charge coupled device (CCD) camera on an optical telescope which follows the stars can be used to provide high accuracy comparisons between the line of sight to a satellite, over a large range of satellite altitudes, and lines of sight to nearby stars. The CCD camera can be rotated so the motion of the satellite is down columns of the CCD chip, and charge can be moved from row to row of the chip at a rate which matches the motion of the optical image of the satellite across the chip. Measurement of satellite and star images, together with accurate timing of charge motion, provides accurate comparisons of lines of sight. Given lines of sight to stars near the satellite, the satellite line of sight may be determined. Initial experiments with this technique, using an 18 cm telescope, have produced TDRS-4 observations which have an rms error of 0.5 arc second, 100 m at synchronous altitude. Use of a mosaic of CCD chips, each having its own rate of charge motion, in the focal place of a telescope would allow point images of a geosynchronous satellite and of stars to be formed simultaneously in the same telescope. The line of sight of such a satellite could be measured relative to nearby star lines of sight with an accuracy of approximately 0.03 arc second. Development of a star catalog with 0.04 arc second rms accuracy and perhaps ten stars per square degree would allow determination of satellite lines of sight with 0.05 arc second rms absolute accuracy, corresponding to 10 m at synchronous altitude. Multiple station time transfers through a communications satellite can provide accurate distances from the satellite to the ground stations. Such observations can, if calibrated for delays, determine satellite orbits to an accuracy approaching 10 m rms.

SU-E-J-42: Motion Adaptive Image Filter for Low Dose X-Ray Fluoroscopy in the Real-Time Tumor-Tracking Radiotherapy System.

PubMed

Miyamoto, N; Ishikawa, M; Sutherland, K; Suzuki, R; Matsuura, T; Takao, S; Toramatsu, C; Nihongi, H; Shimizu, S; Onimaru, R; Umegaki, K; Shirato, H

2012-06-01

In the real-time tumor-tracking radiotherapy system, fiducial markers are detected by X-ray fluoroscopy. The fluoroscopic parameters should be optimized as low as possible in order to reduce unnecessary imaging dose. However, the fiducial markers could not be recognized due to effect of statistical noise in low dose imaging. Image processing is envisioned to be a solution to improve image quality and to maintain tracking accuracy. In this study, a recursive image filter adapted to target motion is proposed. A fluoroscopy system was used for the experiment. A spherical gold marker was used as a fiducial marker. About 450 fluoroscopic images of the marker were recorded. In order to mimic respiratory motion of the marker, the images were shifted sequentially. The tube voltage, current and exposure duration were fixed at 65 kV, 50 mA and 2.5 msec as low dose imaging condition, respectively. The tube current was 100 mA as high dose imaging. A pattern recognition score (PRS) ranging from 0 to 100 and image registration error were investigated by performing template pattern matching to each sequential image. The results with and without image processing were compared. In low dose imaging, theimage registration error and the PRS without the image processing were 2.15±1.21 pixel and 46.67±6.40, respectively. Those with the image processing were 1.48±0.82 pixel and 67.80±4.51, respectively. There was nosignificant difference in the image registration error and the PRS between the results of low dose imaging with the image processing and that of high dose imaging without the image processing. The results showed that the recursive filter was effective in order to maintain marker tracking stability and accuracy in low dose fluoroscopy. © 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Clinical measurement of the dart throwing motion of the wrist: variability, accuracy and correction.

PubMed

Vardakastani, Vasiliki; Bell, Hannah; Mee, Sarah; Brigstocke, Gavin; Kedgley, Angela E

2018-01-01

Despite being functionally important, the dart throwing motion is difficult to assess accurately through goniometry. The objectives of this study were to describe a method for reliably quantifying the dart throwing motion using goniometric measurements within a healthy population. Wrist kinematics of 24 healthy participants were assessed using goniometry and optical motion tracking. Three wrist angles were measured at the starting and ending points of the motion: flexion-extension, radial-ulnar deviation and dart throwing motion angle. The orientation of the dart throwing motion plane relative to the flexion-extension axis ranged between 28° and 57° among the tested population. Plane orientations derived from optical motion capture differed from those calculated through goniometry by 25°. An equation to correct the estimation of the plane from goniometry measurements was derived. This was applied and differences in the orientation of the plane were reduced to non-significant levels, enabling the dart throwing motion to be measured using goniometry alone.

Station coordinates, baselines, and earth rotation from Lageos laser ranging - 1976-1984

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tapley, B. D.; Schultz, B. E.; Eanes, R. J.

1985-01-01

The orbit of the Lageos satellite is well suited as a reference frame for studying the rotation of the earth and the relative motion of points on the earth's crust. The satellite laser measurements can determine the location of a set of tracking stations in an appropriate terrestrial coordinate system. The motion of the earth's rotation axis relative to this system can be studied on the basis of the established tracking station locations. The present investigation is concerned with an analysis of 7.7 years of Lageos laser ranging data. In the first solution considered, the entire data span was used to adjust a single set of station positions simultaneously with orbit and earth rotation parameters. Attention is given to the accuracy of earth rotation parameters which are determined as an inherent part of the solution process.

Master-slave control with trajectory planning and Bouc-Wen model for tracking control of piezo-driven stage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Xiaojun; Liu, Changli; Chen, Lei

2018-04-01

In this paper, a redundant Piezo-driven stage having 3RRR compliant mechanism is introduced, we propose the master-slave control with trajectory planning (MSCTP) strategy and Bouc-Wen model to improve its micro-motion tracking performance. The advantage of the proposed controller lies in that its implementation only requires a simple control strategy without the complexity of modeling to avoid the master PEA's tracking error. The dynamic model of slave PEA system with Bouc-Wen hysteresis is established and identified via particle swarm optimization (PSO) approach. The Piezo-driven stage with operating period T=1s and 2s is implemented to track a prescribed circle. The simulation results show that MSCTP with Bouc-Wen model reduces the trajectory tracking errors to the range of the accuracy of our available measurement.

Survey of Motion Tracking Methods Based on Inertial Sensors: A Focus on Upper Limb Human Motion

PubMed Central

Filippeschi, Alessandro; Schmitz, Norbert; Miezal, Markus; Bleser, Gabriele; Ruffaldi, Emanuele; Stricker, Didier

2017-01-01

Motion tracking based on commercial inertial measurements units (IMUs) has been widely studied in the latter years as it is a cost-effective enabling technology for those applications in which motion tracking based on optical technologies is unsuitable. This measurement method has a high impact in human performance assessment and human-robot interaction. IMU motion tracking systems are indeed self-contained and wearable, allowing for long-lasting tracking of the user motion in situated environments. After a survey on IMU-based human tracking, five techniques for motion reconstruction were selected and compared to reconstruct a human arm motion. IMU based estimation was matched against motion tracking based on the Vicon marker-based motion tracking system considered as ground truth. Results show that all but one of the selected models perform similarly (about 35 mm average position estimation error). PMID:28587178

Toward an affordable and user-friendly visual motion capture system.

PubMed

Bonnet, V; Sylla, N; Cherubini, A; Gonzáles, A; Azevedo Coste, C; Fraisse, P; Venture, G

2014-01-01

The present study aims at designing and evaluating a low-cost, simple and portable system for arm joint angle estimation during grasping-like motions. The system is based on a single RGB-D camera and three customized markers. The automatically detected and tracked marker positions were used as inputs to an offline inverse kinematic process based on bio-mechanical constraints to reduce noise effect and handle marker occlusion. The method was validated on 4 subjects with different motions. The joint angles were estimated both with the proposed low-cost system and, a stereophotogrammetric system. Comparative analysis shows good accuracy with high correlation coefficient (r= 0.92) and low average RMS error (3.8 deg).

The VLBI time delay function for synchronous orbits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenbaum, B.

1972-01-01

The VLBI is a satellite tracking technique that to date was applied largely to the tracking of synchronous orbits. These orbits are favorable for VLBI in that the remote satellite range allows continuous viewing from widely separated stations. The primary observable, geometric time delay is the time difference for signal propagation between satellite and baseline terminals. Extraordinary accuracy in angular position data on the satellite can be obtained by observation from baselines of continental dimensions. In satellite tracking though the common objective is to derive orbital elements. A question arises as to how the baseline vector bears on the accuracy of determining the elements. Our approach to this question is to derive an analytic expression for the time delay function in terms of Kepler elements and station coordinates. The analysis, which is for simplicity based on elliptic motion, shows that the resolution for the inclination of the orbital plane depends on the magnitude of the baseline polar component and the resolution for in-plane elements depends on the magnitude of a projected equatorial baseline component.

Directional asymmetries in human smooth pursuit eye movements.

PubMed

Ke, Sally R; Lam, Jessica; Pai, Dinesh K; Spering, Miriam

2013-06-27

Humans make smooth pursuit eye movements to bring the image of a moving object onto the fovea. Although pursuit accuracy is critical to prevent motion blur, the eye often falls behind the target. Previous studies suggest that pursuit accuracy differs between motion directions. Here, we systematically assess asymmetries in smooth pursuit. In experiment 1, binocular eye movements were recorded while observers (n = 20) tracked a small spot of light moving along one of four cardinal or diagonal axes across a featureless background. We analyzed pursuit latency, acceleration, peak velocity, gain, and catch-up saccade latency, number, and amplitude. In experiment 2 (n = 22), we examined the effects of spatial location and constrained stimulus motion within the upper or lower visual field. Pursuit was significantly faster (higher acceleration, peak velocity, and gain) and smoother (fewer and later catch-up saccades) in response to downward versus upward motion in both the upper and the lower visual fields. Pursuit was also more accurate and smoother in response to horizontal versus vertical motion. CONCLUSIONS. Our study is the first to report a consistent up-down asymmetry in human adults, regardless of visual field. Our findings suggest that pursuit asymmetries are adaptive responses to the requirements of the visual context: preferred motion directions (horizontal and downward) are more critical to our survival than nonpreferred ones.

Hybrid MV-kV 3D respiratory motion tracking during radiation therapy with low imaging dose

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Huagang; Li, Haiyun; Liu, Zhixiang; Nath, Ravinder; Liu, Wu

2012-12-01

A novel real-time adaptive MV-kV imaging framework for image-guided radiation therapy is developed to reduce the thoracic and abdominal tumor targeting uncertainty caused by respiration-induced intrafraction motion with ultra-low patient imaging dose. In our method, continuous stereoscopic MV-kV imaging is used at the beginning of a radiation therapy delivery for several seconds to measure the implanted marker positions. After this stereoscopic imaging period, the kV imager is switched off except for the times when no fiducial marker is detected in the cine-MV images. The 3D time-varying marker positions are estimated by combining the MV 2D projection data and the motion correlations between directional components of marker motion established from the stereoscopic imaging period and updated afterwards; in particular, the most likely position is assumed to be the position on the projection line that has the shortest distance to the first principal component line segment constructed from previous trajectory points. An adaptive windowed auto-regressive prediction is utilized to predict the marker position a short time later (310 ms and 460 ms in this study) to allow for tracking system latency. To demonstrate the feasibility and evaluate the accuracy of the proposed method, computer simulations were performed for both arc and fixed-gantry deliveries using 66 h of retrospective tumor motion data from 42 patients treated for thoracic or abdominal cancers. The simulations reveal that using our hybrid approach, a smaller than 1.2 mm or 1.5 mm root-mean-square tracking error can be achieved at a system latency of 310 ms or 460 ms, respectively. Because the kV imaging is only used for a short period of time in our method, extra patient imaging dose can be reduced by an order of magnitude compared to continuous MV-kV imaging, while the clinical tumor targeting accuracy for thoracic or abdominal cancers is maintained. Furthermore, no additional hardware is required with the proposed method.

Decontaminate feature for tracking: adaptive tracking via evolutionary feature subset

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Qiaoyuan; Wang, Yuru; Yin, Minghao; Ren, Jinchang; Li, Ruizhi

2017-11-01

Although various visual tracking algorithms have been proposed in the last 2-3 decades, it remains a challenging problem for effective tracking with fast motion, deformation, occlusion, etc. Under complex tracking conditions, most tracking models are not discriminative and adaptive enough. When the combined feature vectors are inputted to the visual models, this may lead to redundancy causing low efficiency and ambiguity causing poor performance. An effective tracking algorithm is proposed to decontaminate features for each video sequence adaptively, where the visual modeling is treated as an optimization problem from the perspective of evolution. Every feature vector is compared to a biological individual and then decontaminated via classical evolutionary algorithms. With the optimized subsets of features, the "curse of dimensionality" has been avoided while the accuracy of the visual model has been improved. The proposed algorithm has been tested on several publicly available datasets with various tracking challenges and benchmarked with a number of state-of-the-art approaches. The comprehensive experiments have demonstrated the efficacy of the proposed methodology.

An MRI-Compatible Robotic System With Hybrid Tracking for MRI-Guided Prostate Intervention

PubMed Central

Krieger, Axel; Iordachita, Iulian I.; Guion, Peter; Singh, Anurag K.; Kaushal, Aradhana; Ménard, Cynthia; Pinto, Peter A.; Camphausen, Kevin; Fichtinger, Gabor

2012-01-01

This paper reports the development, evaluation, and first clinical trials of the access to the prostate tissue (APT) II system—a scanner independent system for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided transrectal prostate interventions. The system utilizes novel manipulator mechanics employing a steerable needle channel and a novel six degree-of-freedom hybrid tracking method, comprising passive fiducial tracking for initial registration and subsequent incremental motion measurements. Targeting accuracy of the system in prostate phantom experiments and two clinical human-subject procedures is shown to compare favorably with existing systems using passive and active tracking methods. The portable design of the APT II system, using only standard MRI image sequences and minimal custom scanner interfacing, allows the system to be easily used on different MRI scanners. PMID:22009867

SU-G-BRA-12: Development of An Intra-Fractional Motion Tracking and Dose Reconstruction System for Adaptive Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy in High-Risk Prostate Cancer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rezaeian, N Hassan; Chi, Y; Tian, Z

Purpose: A clinical trial on stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for high-risk prostate cancer is undergoing at our institution. In addition to escalating dose to the prostate, we have increased dose to intra-prostatic lesions. Intra-fractional prostate motion deteriorates well planned radiation dose, especially for the small intra-prostatic lesions. To solve this problem, we have developed a motion tracking and 4D dose-reconstruction system to facilitate adaptive re-planning. Methods: Patients in the clinical trial were treated with VMAT using four arcs and 10 FFF beam. KV triggered x-ray projections were taken every 3 sec during delivery to acquire 2D projections of 3Dmore » anatomy at the direction orthogonal to the therapeutic beam. Each patient had three implanted prostate markers. Our developed system first determined 2D projection locations of these markers and then 3D prostate translation and rotation via 2D/3D registration of the markers. Using delivery log files, our GPU-based Monte Carlo tool (goMC) reconstructed dose corresponding to each triggered image. The calculated 4D dose distributions were further aggregated to yield the delivered dose. Results: We first tested each module in our system. MC dose engine were commissioned to our treatment planning system with dose difference of <0.5%. For motion tracking, 1789 kV projections from 7 patients were acquired. The 2D marker location error was <1 mm. For 3D motion tracking, root mean square (RMS) errors along LR, AP, and CC directions were 0.26mm, 0.36mm, and 0.01mm respectively in simulation studies and 1.99mm, 1.37mm, and 0.22mm in phantom studies. We also tested the entire system workflow. Our system was able to reconstruct delivered dose. Conclusion: We have developed a functional intra-fractional motion tracking and 4D dose re-construction system to support our clinical trial on adaptive high-risk prostate cancer SBRT. Comprehensive evaluations have shown the capability and accuracy of our system.« less

Tracking scanning laser ophthalmoscope (TSLO)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammer, Daniel X.; Ferguson, R. Daniel; Magill, John C.; White, Michael A.; Elsner, Ann E.; Webb, Robert H.

2003-07-01

The effectiveness of image stabilization with a retinal tracker in a multi-function, compact scanning laser ophthalmoscope (TSLO) was demonstrated in initial human subject tests. The retinal tracking system uses a confocal reflectometer with a closed loop optical servo system to lock onto features in the fundus. The system is modular to allow configuration for many research and clinical applications, including hyperspectral imaging, multifocal electroretinography (MFERG), perimetry, quantification of macular and photo-pigmentation, imaging of neovascularization and other subretinal structures (drusen, hyper-, and hypo-pigmentation), and endogenous fluorescence imaging. Optical hardware features include dual wavelength imaging and detection, integrated monochromator, higher-order motion control, and a stimulus source. The system software consists of a real-time feedback control algorithm and a user interface. Software enhancements include automatic bias correction, asymmetric feature tracking, image averaging, automatic track re-lock, and acquisition and logging of uncompressed images and video files. Normal adult subjects were tested without mydriasis to optimize the tracking instrumentation and to characterize imaging performance. The retinal tracking system achieves a bandwidth of greater than 1 kHz, which permits tracking at rates that greatly exceed the maximum rate of motion of the human eye. The TSLO stabilized images in all test subjects during ordinary saccades up to 500 deg/sec with an inter-frame accuracy better than 0.05 deg. Feature lock was maintained for minutes despite subject eye blinking. Successful frame averaging allowed image acquisition with decreased noise in low-light applications. The retinal tracking system significantly enhances the imaging capabilities of the scanning laser ophthalmoscope.

3D laser traking of a particle in 3DFM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desai, Kalpit; Welch, Gregory; Bishop, Gary; Taylor, Russell; Superfine, Richard

2003-11-01

The principal goal of 3D tracking in our home-built 3D Magnetic Force Microscope is to monitor movement of the particle with respect to laser beam waist and keep the particle at the center of laser beam. The sensory element is a Quadrant Photo Diode (QPD) which captures scattering of light caused by particle motion with bandwidth up to 40 KHz. XYZ translation stage is the driver element which moves particle back in the center of the laser with accuracy of couple of nanometers and with bandwidth up to 300 Hz. Since our particles vary in size, composition and shape, instead of using a priori model we use standard system identification techniques to have optimal approximation to the relationship between particle motion and QPD response. We have developed position feedback control system software that is capable of 3-dimensional tracking of beads that are attached to cilia on living cells which are beating at up to 15Hz. We have also modeled the control system of instrument to simulate performance of 3D particle tracking for different experimental conditions. Given operational level of nanometers, noise poses a great challenge for the tracking system. We propose to use stochastic control theory approaches to increase robustness of tracking.

Accuracy of Estimating Solar Radiation Pressure for GEO Debris with Tumbling Effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, Chia-Chun George

2009-03-01

The accuracy of estimating solar radiation pressure for GEO debris is examined and demonstrated, via numerical simulations, by fitting a batch (months) of simulated position vectors. These simulated position vectors are generated from a "truth orbit" with added white noise using high-precision numerical integration tools. After the long-arc fit of the simulated observations (position vectors), one can accurately and reliably determine how close the estimated value of solar radiation pressure is to the truth. Results of this study show that the inherent accuracy in estimating the solar radiation pressure coefficient can be as good as 1% if a long-arc fit span up to 180 days is used and the satellite is not tumbling. The corresponding position prediction accuracy can be as good as, in maximum error, 1 km along in-track, 0.3 km along radial and 0.1 km along cross-track up to 30 days. Similar accuracies can be expected when the object is tumbling as long as the rate of attitude change is different from the orbit rate. Results of this study reveal an important phenomenon that the solar radiation pressure significantly affects the orbit motion when the spin rate is equal to the orbit rate.

The Accuracy and Precision of Position and Orientation Tracking in the HTC Vive Virtual Reality System for Scientific Research

PubMed Central

Niehorster, Diederick C.; Li, Li; Lappe, Markus

2017-01-01

The advent of inexpensive consumer virtual reality equipment enables many more researchers to study perception with naturally moving observers. One such system, the HTC Vive, offers a large field-of-view, high-resolution head mounted display together with a room-scale tracking system for less than a thousand U.S. dollars. If the position and orientation tracking of this system is of sufficient accuracy and precision, it could be suitable for much research that is currently done with far more expensive systems. Here we present a quantitative test of the HTC Vive’s position and orientation tracking as well as its end-to-end system latency. We report that while the precision of the Vive’s tracking measurements is high and its system latency (22 ms) is low, its position and orientation measurements are provided in a coordinate system that is tilted with respect to the physical ground plane. Because large changes in offset were found whenever tracking was briefly lost, it cannot be corrected for with a one-time calibration procedure. We conclude that the varying offset between the virtual and the physical tracking space makes the HTC Vive at present unsuitable for scientific experiments that require accurate visual stimulation of self-motion through a virtual world. It may however be suited for other experiments that do not have this requirement. PMID:28567271

The Accuracy and Precision of Position and Orientation Tracking in the HTC Vive Virtual Reality System for Scientific Research.

PubMed

Niehorster, Diederick C; Li, Li; Lappe, Markus

2017-01-01

The advent of inexpensive consumer virtual reality equipment enables many more researchers to study perception with naturally moving observers. One such system, the HTC Vive, offers a large field-of-view, high-resolution head mounted display together with a room-scale tracking system for less than a thousand U.S. dollars. If the position and orientation tracking of this system is of sufficient accuracy and precision, it could be suitable for much research that is currently done with far more expensive systems. Here we present a quantitative test of the HTC Vive's position and orientation tracking as well as its end-to-end system latency. We report that while the precision of the Vive's tracking measurements is high and its system latency (22 ms) is low, its position and orientation measurements are provided in a coordinate system that is tilted with respect to the physical ground plane. Because large changes in offset were found whenever tracking was briefly lost, it cannot be corrected for with a one-time calibration procedure. We conclude that the varying offset between the virtual and the physical tracking space makes the HTC Vive at present unsuitable for scientific experiments that require accurate visual stimulation of self-motion through a virtual world. It may however be suited for other experiments that do not have this requirement.

Accuracy of an optical active-marker system to track the relative motion of rigid bodies.

PubMed

Maletsky, Lorin P; Sun, Junyi; Morton, Nicholas A

2007-01-01

The measurement of relative motion between two moving bones is commonly accomplished for in vitro studies by attaching to each bone a series of either passive or active markers in a fixed orientation to create a rigid body (RB). This work determined the accuracy of motion between two RBs using an Optotrak optical motion capture system with active infrared LEDs. The stationary noise in the system was quantified by recording the apparent change in position with the RBs stationary and found to be 0.04 degrees and 0.03 mm. Incremental 10 degrees rotations and 10-mm translations were made using a more precise tool than the Optotrak. Increasing camera distance decreased the precision or increased the range of values observed for a set motion and increased the error in rotation or bias between the measured and actual rotation. The relative positions of the RBs with respect to the camera-viewing plane had a minimal effect on the kinematics and, therefore, for a given distance in the volume less than or close to the precalibrated camera distance, any motion was similarly reliable. For a typical operating set-up, a 10 degrees rotation showed a bias of 0.05 degrees and a 95% repeatability limit of 0.67 degrees. A 10-mm translation showed a bias of 0.03 mm and a 95% repeatability limit of 0.29 mm. To achieve a high level of accuracy it is important to keep the distance between the cameras and the markers near the distance the cameras are focused to during calibration.

A Saccade Based Framework for Real-Time Motion Segmentation Using Event Based Vision Sensors

PubMed Central

Mishra, Abhishek; Ghosh, Rohan; Principe, Jose C.; Thakor, Nitish V.; Kukreja, Sunil L.

2017-01-01

Motion segmentation is a critical pre-processing step for autonomous robotic systems to facilitate tracking of moving objects in cluttered environments. Event based sensors are low power analog devices that represent a scene by means of asynchronous information updates of only the dynamic details at high temporal resolution and, hence, require significantly less calculations. However, motion segmentation using spatiotemporal data is a challenging task due to data asynchrony. Prior approaches for object tracking using neuromorphic sensors perform well while the sensor is static or a known model of the object to be followed is available. To address these limitations, in this paper we develop a technique for generalized motion segmentation based on spatial statistics across time frames. First, we create micromotion on the platform to facilitate the separation of static and dynamic elements of a scene, inspired by human saccadic eye movements. Second, we introduce the concept of spike-groups as a methodology to partition spatio-temporal event groups, which facilitates computation of scene statistics and characterize objects in it. Experimental results show that our algorithm is able to classify dynamic objects with a moving camera with maximum accuracy of 92%. PMID:28316563

TH-AB-202-02: Real-Time Verification and Error Detection for MLC Tracking Deliveries Using An Electronic Portal Imaging Device

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J Zwan, B; Central Coast Cancer Centre, Gosford, NSW; Colvill, E

2016-06-15

Purpose: The added complexity of the real-time adaptive multi-leaf collimator (MLC) tracking increases the likelihood of undetected MLC delivery errors. In this work we develop and test a system for real-time delivery verification and error detection for MLC tracking radiotherapy using an electronic portal imaging device (EPID). Methods: The delivery verification system relies on acquisition and real-time analysis of transit EPID image frames acquired at 8.41 fps. In-house software was developed to extract the MLC positions from each image frame. Three comparison metrics were used to verify the MLC positions in real-time: (1) field size, (2) field location and, (3)more » field shape. The delivery verification system was tested for 8 VMAT MLC tracking deliveries (4 prostate and 4 lung) where real patient target motion was reproduced using a Hexamotion motion stage and a Calypso system. Sensitivity and detection delay was quantified for various types of MLC and system errors. Results: For both the prostate and lung test deliveries the MLC-defined field size was measured with an accuracy of 1.25 cm{sup 2} (1 SD). The field location was measured with an accuracy of 0.6 mm and 0.8 mm (1 SD) for lung and prostate respectively. Field location errors (i.e. tracking in wrong direction) with a magnitude of 3 mm were detected within 0.4 s of occurrence in the X direction and 0.8 s in the Y direction. Systematic MLC gap errors were detected as small as 3 mm. The method was not found to be sensitive to random MLC errors and individual MLC calibration errors up to 5 mm. Conclusion: EPID imaging may be used for independent real-time verification of MLC trajectories during MLC tracking deliveries. Thresholds have been determined for error detection and the system has been shown to be sensitive to a range of delivery errors.« less

Development and testing of a magnetic position sensor system for automotive and avionics applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobs, Bryan C.; Nelson, Carl V.

2001-08-01

A magnetic sensor system has been developed to measure the 3-D location and orientation of a rigid body relative to an array of magnetic dipole transmitters. A generalized solution to the measurement problem has been formulated, allowing the transmitter and receiver parameters (position, orientation, number, etc.) to be optimized for various applications. Additionally, the method of images has been used to mitigate the impact of metallic materials in close proximity to the sensor. The resulting system allows precise tracking of high-speed motion in confined metal environments. The sensor system was recently configured and tested as an abdomen displacement sensor for an automobile crash-test dummy. The test results indicate a positional accuracy of approximately 1 mm rms during 20 m/s motions. The dynamic test results also confirmed earlier covariance model predictions, which were used to optimize the sensor geometry. A covariance analysis was performed to evaluate the applicability of this magnetic position system for tracking a pilot's head motion inside an aircraft cockpit. Realistic design parameters indicate that a robust tracking system, consisting of lightweight pickup coils mounted on a pilot's helmet, and an array of transmitter coils distributed throughout a cockpit, is feasible. Recent test and covariance results are presented.

Cometary ephemerides - needs and concerns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yeomans, D. K.

1981-01-01

With the use of narrow field-of-view instrumentation on faint comets, the accuracy requirements upon computed ephemerides are increasing. It is not uncommon for instruments with a one arc minute field-of-view to be tracking a faint comet that is not visible without a substantial integration time. As with all ephemerides of solar syste objects, the computed motion and reduction of these observations, the computed motion of a comet is further depenent upon effects related to the comet's activity. Thus, the ephemeris of an active comet is corrupted by both observational errors and errors due to the comet's activity.

MR-assisted PET Motion Correction for eurological Studies in an Integrated MR-PET Scanner

PubMed Central

Catana, Ciprian; Benner, Thomas; van der Kouwe, Andre; Byars, Larry; Hamm, Michael; Chonde, Daniel B.; Michel, Christian J.; El Fakhri, Georges; Schmand, Matthias; Sorensen, A. Gregory

2011-01-01

Head motion is difficult to avoid in long PET studies, degrading the image quality and offsetting the benefit of using a high-resolution scanner. As a potential solution in an integrated MR-PET scanner, the simultaneously acquired MR data can be used for motion tracking. In this work, a novel data processing and rigid-body motion correction (MC) algorithm for the MR-compatible BrainPET prototype scanner is described and proof-of-principle phantom and human studies are presented. Methods To account for motion, the PET prompts and randoms coincidences as well as the sensitivity data are processed in the line or response (LOR) space according to the MR-derived motion estimates. After sinogram space rebinning, the corrected data are summed and the motion corrected PET volume is reconstructed from these sinograms and the attenuation and scatter sinograms in the reference position. The accuracy of the MC algorithm was first tested using a Hoffman phantom. Next, human volunteer studies were performed and motion estimates were obtained using two high temporal resolution MR-based motion tracking techniques. Results After accounting for the physical mismatch between the two scanners, perfectly co-registered MR and PET volumes are reproducibly obtained. The MR output gates inserted in to the PET list-mode allow the temporal correlation of the two data sets within 0.2 s. The Hoffman phantom volume reconstructed processing the PET data in the LOR space was similar to the one obtained processing the data using the standard methods and applying the MC in the image space, demonstrating the quantitative accuracy of the novel MC algorithm. In human volunteer studies, motion estimates were obtained from echo planar imaging and cloverleaf navigator sequences every 3 seconds and 20 ms, respectively. Substantially improved PET images with excellent delineation of specific brain structures were obtained after applying the MC using these MR-based estimates. Conclusion A novel MR-based MC algorithm was developed for the integrated MR-PET scanner. High temporal resolution MR-derived motion estimates (obtained while simultaneously acquiring anatomical or functional MR data) can be used for PET MC. An MR-based MC has the potential to improve PET as a quantitative method, increasing its reliability and reproducibility which could benefit a large number of neurological applications. PMID:21189415

A novel validation and calibration method for motion capture systems based on micro-triangulation.

PubMed

Nagymáté, Gergely; Tuchband, Tamás; Kiss, Rita M

2018-06-06

Motion capture systems are widely used to measure human kinematics. Nevertheless, users must consider system errors when evaluating their results. Most validation techniques for these systems are based on relative distance and displacement measurements. In contrast, our study aimed to analyse the absolute volume accuracy of optical motion capture systems by means of engineering surveying reference measurement of the marker coordinates (uncertainty: 0.75 mm). The method is exemplified on an 18 camera OptiTrack Flex13 motion capture system. The absolute accuracy was defined by the root mean square error (RMSE) between the coordinates measured by the camera system and by engineering surveying (micro-triangulation). The original RMSE of 1.82 mm due to scaling error was managed to be reduced to 0.77 mm while the correlation of errors to their distance from the origin reduced from 0.855 to 0.209. A simply feasible but less accurate absolute accuracy compensation method using tape measure on large distances was also tested, which resulted in similar scaling compensation compared to the surveying method or direct wand size compensation by a high precision 3D scanner. The presented validation methods can be less precise in some respects as compared to previous techniques, but they address an error type, which has not been and cannot be studied with the previous validation methods. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gaze-contingent soft tissue deformation tracking for minimally invasive robotic surgery.

PubMed

Mylonas, George P; Stoyanov, Danail; Deligianni, Fani; Darzi, Ara; Yang, Guang-Zhong

2005-01-01

The introduction of surgical robots in Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) has allowed enhanced manual dexterity through the use of microprocessor controlled mechanical wrists. Although fully autonomous robots are attractive, both ethical and legal barriers can prohibit their practical use in surgery. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that it is possible to use real-time binocular eye tracking for empowering robots with human vision by using knowledge acquired in situ. By utilizing the close relationship between the horizontal disparity and the depth perception varying with the viewing distance, it is possible to use ocular vergence for recovering 3D motion and deformation of the soft tissue during MIS procedures. Both phantom and in vivo experiments were carried out to assess the potential frequency limit of the system and its intrinsic depth recovery accuracy. The potential applications of the technique include motion stabilization and intra-operative planning in the presence of large tissue deformation.

A neural-based remote eye gaze tracker under natural head motion.

PubMed

Torricelli, Diego; Conforto, Silvia; Schmid, Maurizio; D'Alessio, Tommaso

2008-10-01

A novel approach to view-based eye gaze tracking for human computer interface (HCI) is presented. The proposed method combines different techniques to address the problems of head motion, illumination and usability in the framework of low cost applications. Feature detection and tracking algorithms have been designed to obtain an automatic setup and strengthen the robustness to light conditions. An extensive analysis of neural solutions has been performed to deal with the non-linearity associated with gaze mapping under free-head conditions. No specific hardware, such as infrared illumination or high-resolution cameras, is needed, rather a simple commercial webcam working in visible light spectrum suffices. The system is able to classify the gaze direction of the user over a 15-zone graphical interface, with a success rate of 95% and a global accuracy of around 2 degrees , comparable with the vast majority of existing remote gaze trackers.

Speeding up 3D speckle tracking using PatchMatch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zontak, Maria; O'Donnell, Matthew

2016-03-01

Echocardiography provides valuable information to diagnose heart dysfunction. A typical exam records several minutes of real-time cardiac images. To enable complete analysis of 3D cardiac strains, 4-D (3-D+t) echocardiography is used. This results in a huge dataset and requires effective automated analysis. Ultrasound speckle tracking is an effective method for tissue motion analysis. It involves correlation of a 3D kernel (block) around a voxel with kernels in later frames. The search region is usually confined to a local neighborhood, due to biomechanical and computational constraints. For high strains and moderate frame-rates, however, this search region will remain large, leading to a considerable computational burden. Moreover, speckle decorrelation (due to high strains) leads to errors in tracking. To solve this, spatial motion coherency between adjacent voxels should be imposed, e.g., by averaging their correlation functions.1 This requires storing correlation functions for neighboring voxels, thus increasing memory demands. In this work, we propose an efficient search using PatchMatch, 2 a powerful method to find correspondences between images. Here we adopt PatchMatch for 3D volumes and radio-frequency signals. As opposed to an exact search, PatchMatch performs random sampling of the search region and propagates successive matches among neighboring voxels. We show that: 1) Inherently smooth offset propagation in PatchMatch contributes to spatial motion coherence without any additional processing or memory demand. 2) For typical scenarios, PatchMatch is at least 20 times faster than the exact search, while maintaining comparable tracking accuracy.

Prostate Bed Motion During Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy Treatment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klayton, Tracy; Price, Robert; Buyyounouski, Mark K.

Purpose: Conformal radiation therapy in the postprostatectomy setting requires accurate setup and localization of the prostatic fossa. In this series, we report prostate bed localization and motion characteristics, using data collected from implanted radiofrequency transponders. Methods and Materials: The Calypso four-dimensional localization system uses three implanted radiofrequency transponders for daily target localization and real-time tracking throughout a course of radiation therapy. We reviewed the localization and tracking reports for 20 patients who received ultrasonography-guided placement of Calypso transponders within the prostate bed prior to a course of intensity-modulated radiation therapy at Fox Chase Cancer Center. Results: At localization, prostate bedmore » displacement relative to bony anatomy exceeded 5 mm in 9% of fractions in the anterior-posterior (A-P) direction and 21% of fractions in the superior-inferior (S-I) direction. The three-dimensional vector length from skin marks to Calypso alignment exceeded 1 cm in 24% of all 652 fractions with available setup data. During treatment, the target exceeded the 5-mm tracking limit for at least 30 sec in 11% of all fractions, generally in the A-P or S-I direction. In the A-P direction, target motion was twice as likely to move posteriorly, toward the rectum, than anteriorly. Fifteen percent of all treatments were interrupted for repositioning, and 70% of patients were repositioned at least once during their treatment course. Conclusion: Set-up errors and motion of the prostatic fossa during radiotherapy are nontrivial, leading to potential undertreatment of target and excess normal tissue toxicity if not taken into account during treatment planning. Localization and real-time tracking of the prostate bed via implanted Calypso transponders can be used to improve the accuracy of plan delivery.« less

An image‐based method to synchronize cone‐beam CT and optical surface tracking

PubMed Central

Schaerer, Joël; Riboldi, Marco; Sarrut, David; Baroni, Guido

2015-01-01

The integration of in‐room X‐ray imaging and optical surface tracking has gained increasing importance in the field of image guided radiotherapy (IGRT). An essential step for this integration consists of temporally synchronizing the acquisition of X‐ray projections and surface data. We present an image‐based method for the synchronization of cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) and optical surface systems, which does not require the use of additional hardware. The method is based on optically tracking the motion of a component of the CBCT/gantry unit, which rotates during the acquisition of the CBCT scan. A calibration procedure was implemented to relate the position of the rotating component identified by the optical system with the time elapsed since the beginning of the CBCT scan, thus obtaining the temporal correspondence between the acquisition of X‐ray projections and surface data. The accuracy of the proposed synchronization method was evaluated on a motorized moving phantom, performing eight simultaneous acquisitions with an Elekta Synergy CBCT machine and the AlignRT optical device. The median time difference between the sinusoidal peaks of phantom motion signals extracted from the synchronized CBCT and AlignRT systems ranged between ‐3.1 and 12.9 msec, with a maximum interquartile range of 14.4 msec. The method was also applied to clinical data acquired from seven lung cancer patients, demonstrating the potential of the proposed approach in estimating the individual and daily variations in respiratory parameters and motion correlation of internal and external structures. The presented synchronization method can be particularly useful for tumor tracking applications in extracranial radiation treatments, especially in the field of patient‐specific breathing models, based on the correlation between internal tumor motion and external surface surrogates. PACS number: 87

Improved frame-based estimation of head motion in PET brain imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mukherjee, J. M., E-mail: joyeeta.mitra@umassmed.edu; Lindsay, C.; King, M. A.

Purpose: Head motion during PET brain imaging can cause significant degradation of image quality. Several authors have proposed ways to compensate for PET brain motion to restore image quality and improve quantitation. Head restraints can reduce movement but are unreliable; thus the need for alternative strategies such as data-driven motion estimation or external motion tracking. Herein, the authors present a data-driven motion estimation method using a preprocessing technique that allows the usage of very short duration frames, thus reducing the intraframe motion problem commonly observed in the multiple frame acquisition method. Methods: The list mode data for PET acquisition ismore » uniformly divided into 5-s frames and images are reconstructed without attenuation correction. Interframe motion is estimated using a 3D multiresolution registration algorithm and subsequently compensated for. For this study, the authors used 8 PET brain studies that used F-18 FDG as the tracer and contained minor or no initial motion. After reconstruction and prior to motion estimation, known motion was introduced to each frame to simulate head motion during a PET acquisition. To investigate the trade-off in motion estimation and compensation with respect to frames of different length, the authors summed 5-s frames accordingly to produce 10 and 60 s frames. Summed images generated from the motion-compensated reconstructed frames were then compared to the original PET image reconstruction without motion compensation. Results: The authors found that our method is able to compensate for both gradual and step-like motions using frame times as short as 5 s with a spatial accuracy of 0.2 mm on average. Complex volunteer motion involving all six degrees of freedom was estimated with lower accuracy (0.3 mm on average) than the other types investigated. Preprocessing of 5-s images was necessary for successful image registration. Since their method utilizes nonattenuation corrected frames, it is not susceptible to motion introduced between CT and PET acquisitions. Conclusions: The authors have shown that they can estimate motion for frames with time intervals as short as 5 s using nonattenuation corrected reconstructed FDG PET brain images. Intraframe motion in 60-s frames causes degradation of accuracy to about 2 mm based on the motion type.« less

Improved frame-based estimation of head motion in PET brain imaging

PubMed Central

Mukherjee, J. M.; Lindsay, C.; Mukherjee, A.; Olivier, P.; Shao, L.; King, M. A.; Licho, R.

2016-01-01

Purpose: Head motion during PET brain imaging can cause significant degradation of image quality. Several authors have proposed ways to compensate for PET brain motion to restore image quality and improve quantitation. Head restraints can reduce movement but are unreliable; thus the need for alternative strategies such as data-driven motion estimation or external motion tracking. Herein, the authors present a data-driven motion estimation method using a preprocessing technique that allows the usage of very short duration frames, thus reducing the intraframe motion problem commonly observed in the multiple frame acquisition method. Methods: The list mode data for PET acquisition is uniformly divided into 5-s frames and images are reconstructed without attenuation correction. Interframe motion is estimated using a 3D multiresolution registration algorithm and subsequently compensated for. For this study, the authors used 8 PET brain studies that used F-18 FDG as the tracer and contained minor or no initial motion. After reconstruction and prior to motion estimation, known motion was introduced to each frame to simulate head motion during a PET acquisition. To investigate the trade-off in motion estimation and compensation with respect to frames of different length, the authors summed 5-s frames accordingly to produce 10 and 60 s frames. Summed images generated from the motion-compensated reconstructed frames were then compared to the original PET image reconstruction without motion compensation. Results: The authors found that our method is able to compensate for both gradual and step-like motions using frame times as short as 5 s with a spatial accuracy of 0.2 mm on average. Complex volunteer motion involving all six degrees of freedom was estimated with lower accuracy (0.3 mm on average) than the other types investigated. Preprocessing of 5-s images was necessary for successful image registration. Since their method utilizes nonattenuation corrected frames, it is not susceptible to motion introduced between CT and PET acquisitions. Conclusions: The authors have shown that they can estimate motion for frames with time intervals as short as 5 s using nonattenuation corrected reconstructed FDG PET brain images. Intraframe motion in 60-s frames causes degradation of accuracy to about 2 mm based on the motion type. PMID:27147355

Detection of unknown targets from aerial camera and extraction of simple object fingerprints for the purpose of target reacquisition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mundhenk, T. Nathan; Ni, Kang-Yu; Chen, Yang; Kim, Kyungnam; Owechko, Yuri

2012-01-01

An aerial multiple camera tracking paradigm needs to not only spot unknown targets and track them, but also needs to know how to handle target reacquisition as well as target handoff to other cameras in the operating theater. Here we discuss such a system which is designed to spot unknown targets, track them, segment the useful features and then create a signature fingerprint for the object so that it can be reacquired or handed off to another camera. The tracking system spots unknown objects by subtracting background motion from observed motion allowing it to find targets in motion, even if the camera platform itself is moving. The area of motion is then matched to segmented regions returned by the EDISON mean shift segmentation tool. Whole segments which have common motion and which are contiguous to each other are grouped into a master object. Once master objects are formed, we have a tight bound on which to extract features for the purpose of forming a fingerprint. This is done using color and simple entropy features. These can be placed into a myriad of different fingerprints. To keep data transmission and storage size low for camera handoff of targets, we try several different simple techniques. These include Histogram, Spatiogram and Single Gaussian Model. These are tested by simulating a very large number of target losses in six videos over an interval of 1000 frames each from the DARPA VIVID video set. Since the fingerprints are very simple, they are not expected to be valid for long periods of time. As such, we test the shelf life of fingerprints. This is how long a fingerprint is good for when stored away between target appearances. Shelf life gives us a second metric of goodness and tells us if a fingerprint method has better accuracy over longer periods. In videos which contain multiple vehicle occlusions and vehicles of highly similar appearance we obtain a reacquisition rate for automobiles of over 80% using the simple single Gaussian model compared with the null hypothesis of <20%. Additionally, the performance for fingerprints stays well above the null hypothesis for as much as 800 frames. Thus, a simple and highly compact single Gaussian model is useful for target reacquisition. Since the model is agnostic to view point and object size, it is expected to perform as well on a test of target handoff. Since some of the performance degradation is due to problems with the initial target acquisition and tracking, the simple Gaussian model may perform even better with an improved initial acquisition technique. Also, since the model makes no assumption about the object to be tracked, it should be possible to use it to fingerprint a multitude of objects, not just cars. Further accuracy may be obtained by creating manifolds of objects from multiple samples.

Patient positioning in radiotherapy based on surface imaging using time of flight cameras

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gilles, M., E-mail: marlene.gilles@univ-brest.fr

2016-08-15

Purpose: To evaluate the patient positioning accuracy in radiotherapy using a stereo-time of flight (ToF)-camera system. Methods: A system using two ToF cameras was used to scan the surface of the patients in order to position them daily on the treatment couch. The obtained point clouds were registered to (a) detect translations applied to the table (intrafraction motion) and (b) predict the displacement to be applied in order to place the patient in its reference position (interfraction motion). The measures provided by this system were compared to the effectively applied translations. The authors analyzed 150 fractions including lung, pelvis/prostate, andmore » head and neck cancer patients. Results: The authors obtained small absolute errors for displacement detection: 0.8 ± 0.7, 0.8 ± 0.7, and 0.7 ± 0.6 mm along the vertical, longitudinal, and lateral axes, respectively, and 0.8 ± 0.7 mm for the total norm displacement. Lung cancer patients presented the largest errors with a respective mean of 1.1 ± 0.9, 0.9 ± 0.9, and 0.8 ± 0.7 mm. Conclusions: The proposed stereo-ToF system allows for sufficient accuracy and faster patient repositioning in radiotherapy. Its capability to track the complete patient surface in real time could allow, in the future, not only for an accurate positioning but also a real time tracking of any patient intrafraction motion (translation, involuntary, and breathing).« less

Patient positioning in radiotherapy based on surface imaging using time of flight cameras.

PubMed

Gilles, M; Fayad, H; Miglierini, P; Clement, J F; Scheib, S; Cozzi, L; Bert, J; Boussion, N; Schick, U; Pradier, O; Visvikis, D

2016-08-01

To evaluate the patient positioning accuracy in radiotherapy using a stereo-time of flight (ToF)-camera system. A system using two ToF cameras was used to scan the surface of the patients in order to position them daily on the treatment couch. The obtained point clouds were registered to (a) detect translations applied to the table (intrafraction motion) and (b) predict the displacement to be applied in order to place the patient in its reference position (interfraction motion). The measures provided by this system were compared to the effectively applied translations. The authors analyzed 150 fractions including lung, pelvis/prostate, and head and neck cancer patients. The authors obtained small absolute errors for displacement detection: 0.8 ± 0.7, 0.8 ± 0.7, and 0.7 ± 0.6 mm along the vertical, longitudinal, and lateral axes, respectively, and 0.8 ± 0.7 mm for the total norm displacement. Lung cancer patients presented the largest errors with a respective mean of 1.1 ± 0.9, 0.9 ± 0.9, and 0.8 ± 0.7 mm. The proposed stereo-ToF system allows for sufficient accuracy and faster patient repositioning in radiotherapy. Its capability to track the complete patient surface in real time could allow, in the future, not only for an accurate positioning but also a real time tracking of any patient intrafraction motion (translation, involuntary, and breathing).

A new method for tracking organ motion on diagnostic ultrasound images

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kubota, Yoshiki, E-mail: y-kubota@gunma-u.ac.jp; Matsumura, Akihiko, E-mail: matchan.akihiko@gunma-u.ac.jp; Fukahori, Mai, E-mail: fukahori@nirs.go.jp

2014-09-15

Purpose: Respiratory-gated irradiation is effective in reducing the margins of a target in the case of abdominal organs, such as the liver, that change their position as a result of respiratory motion. However, existing technologies are incapable of directly measuring organ motion in real-time during radiation beam delivery. Hence, the authors proposed a novel quantitative organ motion tracking method involving the use of diagnostic ultrasound images; it is noninvasive and does not entail radiation exposure. In the present study, the authors have prospectively evaluated this proposed method. Methods: The method involved real-time processing of clinical ultrasound imaging data rather thanmore » organ monitoring; it comprised a three-dimensional ultrasound device, a respiratory sensing system, and two PCs for data storage and analysis. The study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method by tracking the gallbladder in one subject and a liver vein in another subject. To track a moving target organ, the method involved the control of a region of interest (ROI) that delineated the target. A tracking algorithm was used to control the ROI, and a large number of feature points and an error correction algorithm were used to achieve long-term tracking of the target. Tracking accuracy was assessed in terms of how well the ROI matched the center of the target. Results: The effectiveness of using a large number of feature points and the error correction algorithm in the proposed method was verified by comparing it with two simple tracking methods. The ROI could capture the center of the target for about 5 min in a cross-sectional image with changing position. Indeed, using the proposed method, it was possible to accurately track a target with a center deviation of 1.54 ± 0.9 mm. The computing time for one frame image using our proposed method was 8 ms. It is expected that it would be possible to track any soft-tissue organ or tumor with large deformations and changing cross-sectional position using this method. Conclusions: The proposed method achieved real-time processing and continuous tracking of the target organ for about 5 min. It is expected that our method will enable more accurate radiation treatment than is the case using indirect observational methods, such as the respiratory sensor method, because of direct visualization of the tumor. Results show that this tracking system facilitates safe treatment in clinical practice.« less

TU-F-17A-03: A 4D Lung Phantom for Coupled Registration/Segmentation Evaluation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Markel, D; El Naqa, I; Levesque, I

2014-06-15

Purpose: Coupling the processes of segmentation and registration (regmentation) is a recent development that allows improved efficiency and accuracy for both steps and may improve the clinical feasibility of online adaptive radiotherapy. Presented is a multimodality animal tissue model designed specifically to provide a ground truth to simultaneously evaluate segmentation and registration errors during respiratory motion. Methods: Tumor surrogates were constructed from vacuum sealed hydrated natural sea sponges with catheters used for the injection of PET radiotracer. These contained two compartments allowing for two concentrations of radiotracer mimicking both tumor and background signals. The lungs were inflated to different volumesmore » using an air pump and flow valve and scanned using PET/CT and MRI. Anatomical landmarks were used to evaluate the registration accuracy using an automated bifurcation tracking pipeline for reproducibility. The bifurcation tracking accuracy was assessed using virtual deformations of 2.6 cm, 5.2 cm and 7.8 cm of a CT scan of a corresponding human thorax. Bifurcations were detected in the deformed dataset and compared to known deformation coordinates for 76 points. Results: The bifurcation tracking accuracy was found to have a mean error of −0.94, 0.79 and −0.57 voxels in the left-right, anterior-posterior and inferior-superior axes using a 1×1×5 mm3 resolution after the CT volume was deformed 7.8 cm. The tumor surrogates provided a segmentation ground truth after being registered to the phantom image. Conclusion: A swine lung model in conjunction with vacuum sealed sponges and a bifurcation tracking algorithm is presented that is MRI, PET and CT compatible and anatomically and kinetically realistic. Corresponding software for tracking anatomical landmarks within the phantom shows sub-voxel accuracy. Vacuum sealed sponges provide realistic tumor surrogate with a known boundary. A ground truth with minimal uncertainty is thus realized that can be used for comparing the performance of registration and segmentation algorithms.« less

Scale-adaptive compressive tracking with feature integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Wei; Li, Jicheng; Chen, Xiao; Li, Shuxin

2016-05-01

Numerous tracking-by-detection methods have been proposed for robust visual tracking, among which compressive tracking (CT) has obtained some promising results. A scale-adaptive CT method based on multifeature integration is presented to improve the robustness and accuracy of CT. We introduce a keypoint-based model to achieve the accurate scale estimation, which can additionally give a prior location of the target. Furthermore, by the high efficiency of data-independent random projection matrix, multiple features are integrated into an effective appearance model to construct the naïve Bayes classifier. At last, an adaptive update scheme is proposed to update the classifier conservatively. Experiments on various challenging sequences demonstrate substantial improvements by our proposed tracker over CT and other state-of-the-art trackers in terms of dealing with scale variation, abrupt motion, deformation, and illumination changes.

Planning and delivery of four-dimensional radiation therapy with multileaf collimators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMahon, Ryan L.

This study is an investigation of the application of multileaf collimators (MLCs) to the treatment of moving anatomy with external beam radiation therapy. First, a method for delivering intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) to moving tumors is presented. This method uses an MLC control algorithm that calculates appropriate MLC leaf speeds in response to feedback from real-time imaging. The algorithm does not require a priori knowledge of a tumor's motion, and is based on the concept of self-correcting DMLC leaf trajectories . This gives the algorithm the distinct advantage of allowing for correction of DMLC delivery errors without interrupting delivery. The algorithm is first tested for the case of one-dimensional (1D) rigid tumor motion in the beam's eye view (BEV). For this type of motion, it is shown that the real-time tracking algorithm results in more accurate deliveries, with respect to delivered intensity, than those which ignore motion altogether. This is followed by an appropriate extension of the algorithm to two-dimensional (2D) rigid motion in the BEV. For this type of motion, it is shown that the 2D real-time tracking algorithm results in improved accuracy (in the delivered intensity) in comparison to deliveries which ignore tumor motion or only account for tumor motion which is aligned with MLC leaf travel. Finally, a method is presented for designing DMLC leaf trajectories which deliver a specified intensity over a moving tumor without overexposing critical structures which exhibit motion patterns that differ from that of the tumor. In addition to avoiding overexposure of critical organs, the method can, in the case shown, produce deliveries that are superior to anything achievable using stationary anatomy. In this regard, the method represents a systematic way to include anatomical motion as a degree of freedom in the optimization of IMRT while producing treatment plans that are deliverable with currently available technology. These results, combined with those related to the real-time MLC tracking algorithm, show that an MLC is a promising tool to investigate for the delivery of four-dimensional radiation therapy.

MO-FG-CAMPUS-JeP3-04: Feasibility Study of Real-Time Ultrasound Monitoring for Abdominal Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Su, Lin; Kien Ng, Sook; Zhang, Ying

Purpose: Ultrasound is ideal for real-time monitoring in radiotherapy with high soft tissue contrast, non-ionization, portability, and cost effectiveness. Few studies investigated clinical application of real-time ultrasound monitoring for abdominal stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). This study aims to demonstrate the feasibility of real-time monitoring of 3D target motion using 4D ultrasound. Methods: An ultrasound probe holding system was designed to allow clinician to freely move and lock ultrasound probe. For phantom study, an abdominal ultrasound phantom was secured on a 2D programmable respiratory motion stage. One side of the stage was elevated than another side to generate 3D motion.more » The motion stage made periodic breath-hold movement. Phantom movement tracked by infrared camera was considered as ground truth. For volunteer study three healthy subjects underwent the same setup for abdominal SBRT with active breath control (ABC). 4D ultrasound B-mode images were acquired for both phantom and volunteers for real-time monitoring. 10 breath-hold cycles were monitored for each experiment. For phantom, the target motion tracked by ultrasound was compared with motion tracked by infrared camera. For healthy volunteers, the reproducibility of ABC breath-hold was evaluated. Results: Volunteer study showed the ultrasound system fitted well to the clinical SBRT setup. The reproducibility for 10 breath-holds is less than 2 mm in three directions for all three volunteers. For phantom study the motion between inspiration and expiration captured by camera (ground truth) is 2.35±0.02 mm, 1.28±0.04 mm, 8.85±0.03 mm in LR, AP, SI directly, respectively. The motion monitored by ultrasound is 2.21±0.07 mm, 1.32±0.12mm, 9.10±0.08mm, respectively. The motion monitoring error in any direction is less than 0.5 mm. Conclusion: The volunteer study proved the clinical feasibility of real-time ultrasound monitoring for abdominal SBRT. The phantom and volunteer ABC studies demonstrated sub-millimeter accuracy of 3D motion movement monitoring.« less

Failure mode and effect analysis-based quality assurance for dynamic MLC tracking systems

PubMed Central

Sawant, Amit; Dieterich, Sonja; Svatos, Michelle; Keall, Paul

2010-01-01

Purpose: To develop and implement a failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA)-based commissioning and quality assurance framework for dynamic multileaf collimator (DMLC) tumor tracking systems. Methods: A systematic failure mode and effect analysis was performed for a prototype real-time tumor tracking system that uses implanted electromagnetic transponders for tumor position monitoring and a DMLC for real-time beam adaptation. A detailed process tree of DMLC tracking delivery was created and potential tracking-specific failure modes were identified. For each failure mode, a risk probability number (RPN) was calculated from the product of the probability of occurrence, the severity of effect, and the detectibility of the failure. Based on the insights obtained from the FMEA, commissioning and QA procedures were developed to check (i) the accuracy of coordinate system transformation, (ii) system latency, (iii) spatial and dosimetric delivery accuracy, (iv) delivery efficiency, and (v) accuracy and consistency of system response to error conditions. The frequency of testing for each failure mode was determined from the RPN value. Results: Failures modes with RPN≥125 were recommended to be tested monthly. Failure modes with RPN<125 were assigned to be tested during comprehensive evaluations, e.g., during commissioning, annual quality assurance, and after major software∕hardware upgrades. System latency was determined to be ∼193 ms. The system showed consistent and accurate response to erroneous conditions. Tracking accuracy was within 3%–3 mm gamma (100% pass rate) for sinusoidal as well as a wide variety of patient-derived respiratory motions. The total time taken for monthly QA was ∼35 min, while that taken for comprehensive testing was ∼3.5 h. Conclusions: FMEA proved to be a powerful and flexible tool to develop and implement a quality management (QM) framework for DMLC tracking. The authors conclude that the use of FMEA-based QM ensures efficient allocation of clinical resources because the most critical failure modes receive the most attention. It is expected that the set of guidelines proposed here will serve as a living document that is updated with the accumulation of progressively more intrainstitutional and interinstitutional experience with DMLC tracking. PMID:21302802

Initial Experiments with the Leap Motion as a User Interface in Robotic Endonasal Surgery.

PubMed

Travaglini, T A; Swaney, P J; Weaver, Kyle D; Webster, R J

The Leap Motion controller is a low-cost, optically-based hand tracking system that has recently been introduced on the consumer market. Prior studies have investigated its precision and accuracy, toward evaluating its usefulness as a surgical robot master interface. Yet due to the diversity of potential slave robots and surgical procedures, as well as the dynamic nature of surgery, it is challenging to make general conclusions from published accuracy and precision data. Thus, our goal in this paper is to explore the use of the Leap in the specific scenario of endonasal pituitary surgery. We use it to control a concentric tube continuum robot in a phantom study, and compare user performance using the Leap to previously published results using the Phantom Omni. We find that the users were able to achieve nearly identical average resection percentage and overall surgical duration with the Leap.

Initial Experiments with the Leap Motion as a User Interface in Robotic Endonasal Surgery

PubMed Central

Travaglini, T. A.; Swaney, P. J.; Weaver, Kyle D.; Webster, R. J.

2016-01-01

The Leap Motion controller is a low-cost, optically-based hand tracking system that has recently been introduced on the consumer market. Prior studies have investigated its precision and accuracy, toward evaluating its usefulness as a surgical robot master interface. Yet due to the diversity of potential slave robots and surgical procedures, as well as the dynamic nature of surgery, it is challenging to make general conclusions from published accuracy and precision data. Thus, our goal in this paper is to explore the use of the Leap in the specific scenario of endonasal pituitary surgery. We use it to control a concentric tube continuum robot in a phantom study, and compare user performance using the Leap to previously published results using the Phantom Omni. We find that the users were able to achieve nearly identical average resection percentage and overall surgical duration with the Leap. PMID:26752501

Marker-less multi-frame motion tracking and compensation in PET-brain imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindsay, C.; Mukherjee, J. M.; Johnson, K.; Olivier, P.; Song, X.; Shao, L.; King, M. A.

2015-03-01

In PET brain imaging, patient motion can contribute significantly to the degradation of image quality potentially leading to diagnostic and therapeutic problems. To mitigate the image artifacts resulting from patient motion, motion must be detected and tracked then provided to a motion correction algorithm. Existing techniques to track patient motion fall into one of two categories: 1) image-derived approaches and 2) external motion tracking (EMT). Typical EMT requires patients to have markers in a known pattern on a rigid too attached to their head, which are then tracked by expensive and bulky motion tracking camera systems or stereo cameras. This has made marker-based EMT unattractive for routine clinical application. Our main contributions are the development of a marker-less motion tracking system that uses lowcost, small depth-sensing cameras which can be installed in the bore of the imaging system. Our motion tracking system does not require anything to be attached to the patient and can track the rigid transformation (6-degrees of freedom) of the patient's head at a rate 60 Hz. We show that our method can not only be used in with Multi-frame Acquisition (MAF) PET motion correction, but precise timing can be employed to determine only the necessary frames needed for correction. This can speeds up reconstruction by eliminating the unnecessary subdivision of frames.

A vision-based system for measuring the displacements of large structures: Simultaneous adaptive calibration and full motion estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, C. Almeida; Costa, C. Oliveira; Batista, J.

2016-05-01

The paper describes a kinematic model-based solution to estimate simultaneously the calibration parameters of the vision system and the full-motion (6-DOF) of large civil engineering structures, namely of long deck suspension bridges, from a sequence of stereo images captured by digital cameras. Using an arbitrary number of images and assuming a smooth structure motion, an Iterated Extended Kalman Filter is used to recursively estimate the projection matrices of the cameras and the structure full-motion (displacement and rotation) over time, helping to meet the structure health monitoring fulfilment. Results related to the performance evaluation, obtained by numerical simulation and with real experiments, are reported. The real experiments were carried out in indoor and outdoor environment using a reduced structure model to impose controlled motions. In both cases, the results obtained with a minimum setup comprising only two cameras and four non-coplanar tracking points, showed a high accuracy results for on-line camera calibration and structure full motion estimation.

SU-G-BRA-08: Diaphragm Motion Tracking Based On KV CBCT Projections with a Constrained Linear Regression Optimization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wei, J; Chao, M

2016-06-15

Purpose: To develop a novel strategy to extract the respiratory motion of the thoracic diaphragm from kilovoltage cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) projections by a constrained linear regression optimization technique. Methods: A parabolic function was identified as the geometric model and was employed to fit the shape of the diaphragm on the CBCT projections. The search was initialized by five manually placed seeds on a pre-selected projection image. Temporal redundancies, the enabling phenomenology in video compression and encoding techniques, inherent in the dynamic properties of the diaphragm motion together with the geometrical shape of the diaphragm boundary and the associatedmore » algebraic constraint that significantly reduced the searching space of viable parabolic parameters was integrated, which can be effectively optimized by a constrained linear regression approach on the subsequent projections. The innovative algebraic constraints stipulating the kinetic range of the motion and the spatial constraint preventing any unphysical deviations was able to obtain the optimal contour of the diaphragm with minimal initialization. The algorithm was assessed by a fluoroscopic movie acquired at anteriorposterior fixed direction and kilovoltage CBCT projection image sets from four lung and two liver patients. The automatic tracing by the proposed algorithm and manual tracking by a human operator were compared in both space and frequency domains. Results: The error between the estimated and manual detections for the fluoroscopic movie was 0.54mm with standard deviation (SD) of 0.45mm, while the average error for the CBCT projections was 0.79mm with SD of 0.64mm for all enrolled patients. The submillimeter accuracy outcome exhibits the promise of the proposed constrained linear regression approach to track the diaphragm motion on rotational projection images. Conclusion: The new algorithm will provide a potential solution to rendering diaphragm motion and ultimately improving tumor motion management for radiation therapy of cancer patients.« less

Physiological Motion Axis for the Seat of a Dynamic Office Chair.

PubMed

Kuster, Roman Peter; Bauer, Christoph Markus; Oetiker, Sarah; Kool, Jan

2016-09-01

The aim of this study was to determine and verify the optimal location of the motion axis (MA) for the seat of a dynamic office chair. A dynamic seat that supports pelvic motion may improve physical well-being and decrease the risk of sitting-associated disorders. However, office work requires an undisturbed view on the work task, which means a stable position of the upper trunk and head. Current dynamic office chairs do not fulfill this need. Consequently, a dynamic seat was adapted to the physiological kinematics of the human spine. Three-dimensional motion tracking in free sitting helped determine the physiological MA of the spine in the frontal plane. Three dynamic seats with physiological, lower, and higher MA were compared in stable upper body posture (thorax inclination) and seat support of pelvic motion (dynamic fitting accuracy). Spinal kinematics during sitting and walking were compared. The physiological MA was at the level of the 11th thoracic vertebra, causing minimal thorax inclination and high dynamic fitting accuracy. Spinal motion in active sitting and walking was similar. The physiological MA of the seat allows considerable lateral flexion of the spine similar to walking with a stable upper body posture and a high seat support of pelvic motion. The physiological MA enables lateral flexion of the spine, similar to walking, without affecting stable upper body posture, thus allowing active sitting while focusing on work. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

WE-G-BRD-04: BEST IN PHYSICS (JOINT IMAGING-THERAPY): An Integrated Model-Based Intrafractional Organ Motion Tracking Approach with Dynamic MRI in Head and Neck Radiotherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, H; Dolly, S; Anastasio, M

Purpose: In-treatment dynamic cine images, provided by the first commercially available MRI-guided radiotherapy system, allow physicians to observe intrafractional motion of head and neck (H&N) internal structures. Nevertheless, high anatomical complexity and relatively poor cine image contrast/resolution have complicated automatic intrafractional motion evaluation. We proposed an integrated model-based approach to automatically delineate and analyze moving structures from on-board cine images. Methods: The H&N upper airway, a complex and highly deformable region wherein severe internal motion often occurs, was selected as the target-to-be-tracked. To reliably capture its motion, a hierarchical structure model containing three statistical shapes (face, face-jaw, and face-jaw-palate) wasmore » first built from a set of manually delineated shapes using principal component analysis. An integrated model-fitting algorithm was then employed to align the statistical shapes to the first to-be-detected cine frame, and multi-feature level-set contour propagation was performed to identify the airway shape change in the remaining frames. Ninety sagittal cine MR image sets, acquired from three H&N cancer patients, were utilized to demonstrate this approach. Results: The tracking accuracy was validated by comparing the results to the average of two manual delineations in 20 randomly selected images from each patient. The resulting dice similarity coefficient (93.28+/−1.46 %) and margin error (0.49+/−0.12 mm) showed good agreement with the manual results. Intrafractional displacements of anterior, posterior, inferior, and superior airway boundaries were observed, with values of 2.62+/−2.92, 1.78+/−1.43, 3.51+/−3.99, and 0.68+/−0.89 mm, respectively. The H&N airway motion was found to vary across directions, fractions, and patients, and highly correlated with patients’ respiratory frequency. Conclusion: We proposed the integrated computational approach, which for the first time allows to automatically identify the H&N upper airway and quantify in-treatment H&N internal motion in real-time. This approach can be applied to track other structures’ motion, and provide guidance on patient-specific prediction of intra-/inter-fractional structure displacements.« less

Accuracy of the Microsoft Kinect for measuring gait parameters during treadmill walking.

PubMed

Xu, Xu; McGorry, Raymond W; Chou, Li-Shan; Lin, Jia-Hua; Chang, Chien-Chi

2015-07-01

The measurement of gait parameters normally requires motion tracking systems combined with force plates, which limits the measurement to laboratory settings. In some recent studies, the possibility of using the portable, low cost, and marker-less Microsoft Kinect sensor to measure gait parameters on over-ground walking has been examined. The current study further examined the accuracy level of the Kinect sensor for assessment of various gait parameters during treadmill walking under different walking speeds. Twenty healthy participants walked on the treadmill and their full body kinematics data were measured by a Kinect sensor and a motion tracking system, concurrently. Spatiotemporal gait parameters and knee and hip joint angles were extracted from the two devices and were compared. The results showed that the accuracy levels when using the Kinect sensor varied across the gait parameters. Average heel strike frame errors were 0.18 and 0.30 frames for the right and left foot, respectively, while average toe off frame errors were -2.25 and -2.61 frames, respectively, across all participants and all walking speeds. The temporal gait parameters based purely on heel strike have less error than the temporal gait parameters based on toe off. The Kinect sensor can follow the trend of the joint trajectories for the knee and hip joints, though there was substantial error in magnitudes. The walking speed was also found to significantly affect the identified timing of toe off. The results of the study suggest that the Kinect sensor may be used as an alternative device to measure some gait parameters for treadmill walking, depending on the desired accuracy level. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhao, B; Maquilan, G; Anders, M

Purpose: Full face and neck thermoplastic masks provide standard-of-care immobilization for patients receiving H&N IMRT. However, these masks are uncomfortable and increase skin dose. The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the feasibility and setup accuracy of open face and neck mask immobilization with OIG. Methods: Ten patients were consented and enrolled to this IRB-approved protocol. Patients were immobilized with open masks securing only forehead and chin. Standard IMRT to 60–70 Gy in 30 fractions were delivered in all cases. Patient simulation information, including isocenter location and CT skin contours, were imported to a commercial OIG system. Onmore » the first day of treatment, patients were initially set up to surface markings and then OIG referenced to face and neck skin regions of interest (ROI) localized on simulation CT images, followed by in-room CBCT. CBCTs were acquired at least weekly while planar OBI was acquired on the days without CBCT. Following 6D robotic couch correction with kV imaging, a new optical real-time surface image was acquired to track intrafraction motion and to serve as a reference surface for setup at the next treatment fraction. Therapists manually recorded total treatment time as well as couch shifts based on kV imaging. Intrafractional ROI motion tracking was automatically recorded. Results: Setup accuracy of OIG was compared with CBCT results. The setup error based on OIG was represented as a 6D shift (vertical/longitudinal/lateral/rotation/pitch/roll). Mean error values were −0.70±3.04mm, −0.69±2.77mm, 0.33±2.67 mm, −0.14±0.94 o, −0.15±1.10o and 0.12±0.82o, respectively for the cohort. Average treatment time was 24.1±9.2 minutes, comparable to standard immobilization. The amplitude of intrafractional ROI motion was 0.69±0.36 mm, driven primarily by respiratory neck motion. Conclusion: OGI can potentially provide accurate setup and treatment tracking for open face and neck immobilization. Study accrual and patient/provider satisfaction survey collection remain ongoing. This study is supported by VisionRT, Ltd.« less

The first clinical implementation of electromagnetic transponder-guided MLC tracking.

PubMed

Keall, Paul J; Colvill, Emma; O'Brien, Ricky; Ng, Jin Aun; Poulsen, Per Rugaard; Eade, Thomas; Kneebone, Andrew; Booth, Jeremy T

2014-02-01

We report on the clinical process, quality assurance, and geometric and dosimetric results of the first clinical implementation of electromagnetic transponder-guided MLC tracking which occurred on 28 November 2013 at the Northern Sydney Cancer Centre. An electromagnetic transponder-based positioning system (Calypso) was modified to send the target position output to in-house-developed MLC tracking code, which adjusts the leaf positions to optimally align the treatment beam with the real-time target position. Clinical process and quality assurance procedures were developed and performed. The first clinical implementation of electromagnetic transponder-guided MLC tracking was for a prostate cancer patient being treated with dual-arc VMAT (RapidArc). For the first fraction of the first patient treatment of electromagnetic transponder-guided MLC tracking we recorded the in-room time and transponder positions, and performed dose reconstruction to estimate the delivered dose and also the dose received had MLC tracking not been used. The total in-room time was 21 min with 2 min of beam delivery. No additional time was needed for MLC tracking and there were no beam holds. The average prostate position from the initial setup was 1.2 mm, mostly an anterior shift. Dose reconstruction analysis of the delivered dose with MLC tracking showed similar isodose and target dose volume histograms to the planned treatment and a 4.6% increase in the fractional rectal V60. Dose reconstruction without motion compensation showed a 30% increase in the fractional rectal V60 from that planned, even for the small motion. The real-time beam-target correction method, electromagnetic transponder-guided MLC tracking, has been translated to the clinic. This achievement represents a milestone in improving geometric and dosimetric accuracy, and by inference treatment outcomes, in cancer radiotherapy.

The first clinical implementation of electromagnetic transponder-guided MLC tracking

PubMed Central

Keall, Paul J.; Colvill, Emma; O’Brien, Ricky; Ng, Jin Aun; Poulsen, Per Rugaard; Eade, Thomas; Kneebone, Andrew; Booth, Jeremy T.

2014-01-01

Purpose: We report on the clinical process, quality assurance, and geometric and dosimetric results of the first clinical implementation of electromagnetic transponder-guided MLC tracking which occurred on 28 November 2013 at the Northern Sydney Cancer Centre. Methods: An electromagnetic transponder-based positioning system (Calypso) was modified to send the target position output to in-house-developed MLC tracking code, which adjusts the leaf positions to optimally align the treatment beam with the real-time target position. Clinical process and quality assurance procedures were developed and performed. The first clinical implementation of electromagnetic transponder-guided MLC tracking was for a prostate cancer patient being treated with dual-arc VMAT (RapidArc). For the first fraction of the first patient treatment of electromagnetic transponder-guided MLC tracking we recorded the in-room time and transponder positions, and performed dose reconstruction to estimate the delivered dose and also the dose received had MLC tracking not been used. Results: The total in-room time was 21 min with 2 min of beam delivery. No additional time was needed for MLC tracking and there were no beam holds. The average prostate position from the initial setup was 1.2 mm, mostly an anterior shift. Dose reconstruction analysis of the delivered dose with MLC tracking showed similar isodose and target dose volume histograms to the planned treatment and a 4.6% increase in the fractional rectal V60. Dose reconstruction without motion compensation showed a 30% increase in the fractional rectal V60 from that planned, even for the small motion. Conclusions: The real-time beam-target correction method, electromagnetic transponder-guided MLC tracking, has been translated to the clinic. This achievement represents a milestone in improving geometric and dosimetric accuracy, and by inference treatment outcomes, in cancer radiotherapy. PMID:24506591

Detecting periods of eating during free-living by tracking wrist motion.

PubMed

Dong, Yujie; Scisco, Jenna; Wilson, Mike; Muth, Eric; Hoover, Adam

2014-07-01

This paper is motivated by the growing prevalence of obesity, a health problem affecting over 500 million people. Measurements of energy intake are commonly used for the study and treatment of obesity. However, the most widely used tools rely upon self-report and require a considerable manual effort, leading to underreporting of consumption, noncompliance, and discontinued use over the long term. The purpose of this paper is to describe a new method that uses a watch-like configuration of sensors to continuously track wrist motion throughout the day and automatically detect periods of eating. Our method uses the novel idea that meals tend to be preceded and succeeded by the periods of vigorous wrist motion. We describe an algorithm that segments and classifies such periods as eating or noneating activities. We also evaluate our method on a large dataset (43 subjects, 449 total h of data, containing 116 periods of eating) collected during free-living. Our results show an accuracy of 81% for detecting eating at 1-s resolution in comparison to manually marked event logs of periods eating. These results indicate that vigorous wrist motion is a useful indicator for identifying the boundaries of eating activities, and that our method should prove useful in the continued development of body-worn sensor tools for monitoring energy intake.

Quantitative 3-d diagnostic ultrasound imaging using a modified transducer array and an automated image tracking technique.

PubMed

Hossack, John A; Sumanaweera, Thilaka S; Napel, Sandy; Ha, Jun S

2002-08-01

An approach for acquiring dimensionally accurate three-dimensional (3-D) ultrasound data from multiple 2-D image planes is presented. This is based on the use of a modified linear-phased array comprising a central imaging array that acquires multiple, essentially parallel, 2-D slices as the transducer is translated over the tissue of interest. Small, perpendicularly oriented, tracking arrays are integrally mounted on each end of the imaging transducer. As the transducer is translated in an elevational direction with respect to the central imaging array, the images obtained by the tracking arrays remain largely coplanar. The motion between successive tracking images is determined using a minimum sum of absolute difference (MSAD) image matching technique with subpixel matching resolution. An initial phantom scanning-based test of a prototype 8 MHz array indicates that linear dimensional accuracy of 4.6% (2 sigma) is achievable. This result compares favorably with those obtained using an assumed average velocity [31.5% (2 sigma) accuracy] and using an approach based on measuring image-to-image decorrelation [8.4% (2 sigma) accuracy]. The prototype array and imaging system were also tested in a clinical environment, and early results suggest that the approach has the potential to enable a low cost, rapid, screening method for detecting carotid artery stenosis. The average time for performing a screening test for carotid stenosis was reduced from an average of 45 minutes using 2-D duplex Doppler to 12 minutes using the new 3-D scanning approach.

Accurate and efficient spin integration for particle accelerators

DOE PAGES

Abell, Dan T.; Meiser, Dominic; Ranjbar, Vahid H.; ...

2015-02-01

Accurate spin tracking is a valuable tool for understanding spin dynamics in particle accelerators and can help improve the performance of an accelerator. In this paper, we present a detailed discussion of the integrators in the spin tracking code GPUSPINTRACK. We have implemented orbital integrators based on drift-kick, bend-kick, and matrix-kick splits. On top of the orbital integrators, we have implemented various integrators for the spin motion. These integrators use quaternions and Romberg quadratures to accelerate both the computation and the convergence of spin rotations.We evaluate their performance and accuracy in quantitative detail for individual elements as well as formore » the entire RHIC lattice. We exploit the inherently data-parallel nature of spin tracking to accelerate our algorithms on graphics processing units.« less

Finite-time control for nonlinear spacecraft attitude based on terminal sliding mode technique.

PubMed

Song, Zhankui; Li, Hongxing; Sun, Kaibiao

2014-01-01

In this paper, a fast terminal sliding mode control (FTSMC) scheme with double closed loops is proposed for the spacecraft attitude control. The FTSMC laws are included both in an inner control loop and an outer control loop. Firstly, a fast terminal sliding surface (FTSS) is constructed, which can drive the inner loop tracking-error and the outer loop tracking-error on the FTSS to converge to zero in finite time. Secondly, FTSMC strategy is designed by using Lyaponov's method for ensuring the occurrence of the sliding motion in finite time, which can hold the character of fast transient response and improve the tracking accuracy. It is proved that FTSMC can guarantee the convergence of tracking-error in both approaching and sliding mode surface. Finally, simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme. © 2013 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multi-mode sliding mode control for precision linear stage based on fixed or floating stator.

PubMed

Fang, Jiwen; Long, Zhili; Wang, Michael Yu; Zhang, Lufan; Dai, Xufei

2016-02-01

This paper presents the control performance of a linear motion stage driven by Voice Coil Motor (VCM). Unlike the conventional VCM, the stator of this VCM is regulated, which means it can be adjusted as a floating-stator or fixed-stator. A Multi-Mode Sliding Mode Control (MMSMC), including a conventional Sliding Mode Control (SMC) and an Integral Sliding Mode Control (ISMC), is designed to control the linear motion stage. The control is switched between SMC and IMSC based on the error threshold. To eliminate the chattering, a smooth function is adopted instead of a signum function. The experimental results with the floating stator show that the positioning accuracy and tracking performance of the linear motion stage are improved with the MMSMC approach.

Estimation of accuracy of earth-rotation parameters in different frequency bands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vondrak, J.

1986-11-01

The accuracies of earth-rotation parameters as determined by five different observational techniques now available (i.e., optical astrometry /OA/, Doppler tracking of satellites /DTS/, satellite laser ranging /SLR/, very long-base interferometry /VLBI/ and lunar laser ranging /LLR/) are estimated. The differences between the individual techniques in all possible combinations, separated by appropriate filters into three frequency bands, were used to estimate the accuracies of the techniques for periods from 0 to 200 days, from 200 to 1000 days and longer than 1000 days. It is shown that for polar motion the most accurate results are obtained with VLBI anad SLR, especially in the short-period region; OA and DTS are less accurate, but with longer periods the differences in accuracy are less pronounced. The accuracies of UTI-UTC as determined by OA, VLBI and LLR are practically equivalent, the differences being less than 40 percent.

SU-E-T-465: Dose Calculation Method for Dynamic Tumor Tracking Using a Gimbal-Mounted Linac

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sugimoto, S; Inoue, T; Kurokawa, C

Purpose: Dynamic tumor tracking using the gimbal-mounted linac (Vero4DRT, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Japan) has been available when respiratory motion is significant. The irradiation accuracy of the dynamic tumor tracking has been reported to be excellent. In addition to the irradiation accuracy, a fast and accurate dose calculation algorithm is needed to validate the dose distribution in the presence of respiratory motion because the multiple phases of it have to be considered. A modification of dose calculation algorithm is necessary for the gimbal-mounted linac due to the degrees of freedom of gimbal swing. The dose calculation algorithm for the gimbalmore » motion was implemented using the linear transformation between coordinate systems. Methods: The linear transformation matrices between the coordinate systems with and without gimbal swings were constructed using the combination of translation and rotation matrices. The coordinate system where the radiation source is at the origin and the beam axis along the z axis was adopted. The transformation can be divided into the translation from the radiation source to the gimbal rotation center, the two rotations around the center relating to the gimbal swings, and the translation from the gimbal center to the radiation source. After operating the transformation matrix to the phantom or patient image, the dose calculation can be performed as the no gimbal swing. The algorithm was implemented in the treatment planning system, PlanUNC (University of North Carolina, NC). The convolution/superposition algorithm was used. The dose calculations with and without gimbal swings were performed for the 3 × 3 cm{sup 2} field with the grid size of 5 mm. Results: The calculation time was about 3 minutes per beam. No significant additional time due to the gimbal swing was observed. Conclusions: The dose calculation algorithm for the finite gimbal swing was implemented. The calculation time was moderate.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, J; Nguyen, D; O’Brien, R

Purpose: Kilovoltage intrafraction monitoring (KIM) scheme has been successfully used to simultaneously monitor 3D tumor motion during radiotherapy. Recently, an iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm was implemented in KIM to also measure rotations about three axes, enabling real-time tracking of tumor motion in six degrees-of-freedom (DoF). This study aims to evaluate the accuracy of the six DoF motion estimates of KIM by comparing it with the corresponding motion (i) measured by the Calypso; and (ii) derived from kV/MV triangulation. Methods: (i) Various motions (static and dynamic) were applied to a CIRS phantom with three embedded electromagnetic transponders (Calypso Medical) usingmore » a 5D motion platform (HexaMotion) and a rotating treatment couch while both KIM and Calypso were used to concurrently track the phantom motion in six DoF. (ii) KIM was also used to retrospectively estimate six DoF motion from continuous sets of kV projections of a prostate, implanted with three gold fiducial markers (2 patients with 80 fractions in total), acquired during the treatment. Corresponding motion was obtained from kV/MV triangulation using a closed form least squares method based on three markers’ positions. Only the frames where all three markers were present were used in the analysis. The mean differences between the corresponding motion estimates were calculated for each DoF. Results: Experimental results showed that the mean of absolute differences in six DoF phantom motion measured by Calypso and KIM were within 1.1° and 0.7 mm. kV/MV triangulation derived six DoF prostate tumor better agreed with KIM estimated motion with the mean (s.d.) difference of up to 0.2° (1.36°) and 0.2 (0.25) mm for rotation and translation, respectively. Conclusion: These results suggest that KIM can provide an accurate six DoF intrafraction tumor during radiotherapy.« less

How Many Objects are You Worth? Quantification of the Self-Motion Load on Multiple Object Tracking

PubMed Central

Thomas, Laura E.; Seiffert, Adriane E.

2011-01-01

Perhaps walking and chewing gum is effortless, but walking and tracking moving objects is not. Multiple object tracking is impaired by walking from one location to another, suggesting that updating location of the self puts demands on object tracking processes. Here, we quantified the cost of self-motion in terms of the tracking load. Participants in a virtual environment tracked a variable number of targets (1–5) among distractors while either staying in one place or moving along a path that was similar to the objects’ motion. At the end of each trial, participants decided whether a probed dot was a target or distractor. As in our previous work, self-motion significantly impaired performance in tracking multiple targets. Quantifying tracking capacity for each individual under move versus stay conditions further revealed that self-motion during tracking produced a cost to capacity of about 0.8 (±0.2) objects. Tracking your own motion is worth about one object, suggesting that updating the location of the self is similar, but perhaps slightly easier, than updating locations of objects. PMID:21991259

Model-based control strategies for systems with constraints of the program type

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarzębowska, Elżbieta

2006-08-01

The paper presents a model-based tracking control strategy for constrained mechanical systems. Constraints we consider can be material and non-material ones referred to as program constraints. The program constraint equations represent tasks put upon system motions and they can be differential equations of orders higher than one or two, and be non-integrable. The tracking control strategy relies upon two dynamic models: a reference model, which is a dynamic model of a system with arbitrary order differential constraints and a dynamic control model. The reference model serves as a motion planner, which generates inputs to the dynamic control model. It is based upon a generalized program motion equations (GPME) method. The method enables to combine material and program constraints and merge them both into the motion equations. Lagrange's equations with multipliers are the peculiar case of the GPME, since they can be applied to systems with constraints of first orders. Our tracking strategy referred to as a model reference program motion tracking control strategy enables tracking of any program motion predefined by the program constraints. It extends the "trajectory tracking" to the "program motion tracking". We also demonstrate that our tracking strategy can be extended to a hybrid program motion/force tracking.

Visual Target Tracking in the Presence of Unknown Observer Motion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Stephen; Lu, Thomas

2009-01-01

Much attention has been given to the visual tracking problem due to its obvious uses in military surveillance. However, visual tracking is complicated by the presence of motion of the observer in addition to the target motion, especially when the image changes caused by the observer motion are large compared to those caused by the target motion. Techniques for estimating the motion of the observer based on image registration techniques and Kalman filtering are presented and simulated. With the effects of the observer motion removed, an additional phase is implemented to track individual targets. This tracking method is demonstrated on an image stream from a buoy-mounted or periscope-mounted camera, where large inter-frame displacements are present due to the wave action on the camera. This system has been shown to be effective at tracking and predicting the global position of a planar vehicle (boat) being observed from a single, out-of-plane camera. Finally, the tracking system has been extended to a multi-target scenario.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Edmunds, D; Donovan, E

Purpose: To determine whether the Microsoft Kinect Version 2 (Kinect v2), a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) depth sensors designed for entertainment purposes, were robust to the radiotherapy treatment environment and could be suitable for monitoring of voluntary breath-hold compliance. This could complement current visual monitoring techniques, and be useful for heart sparing left breast radiotherapy. Methods: In-house software to control Kinect v2 sensors, and capture output information, was developed using the free Microsoft software development kit, and the Cinder creative coding C++ library. Each sensor was used with a 12m USB 3.0 active cable. A solid water block was used asmore » the object. The depth accuracy and precision of the sensors was evaluated by comparing Kinect reported distance to the object with a precision laser measurement across a distance range of 0.6m to 2.0 m. The object was positioned on a high-precision programmable motion platform and moved in two programmed motion patterns and Kinect reported distance logged. Robustness to the radiation environment was tested by repeating all measurements with a linear accelerator operating over a range of pulse repetition frequencies (6Hz to 400Hz) and dose rates 50 to 1500 monitor units (MU) per minute. Results: The complex, consistent relationship between true and measured distance was unaffected by the radiation environment, as was the ability to detect motion. Sensor precision was < 1 mm and the accuracy between 1.3 mm and 1.8 mm when a distance correction was applied. Both motion patterns were tracked successfully with a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 1.4 and 1.1 mm respectively. Conclusion: Kinect v2 sensors are capable of tracking pre-programmed motion patterns with an accuracy <2 mm and appear robust to the radiotherapy treatment environment. A clinical trial using Kinect v2 sensor for monitoring voluntary breath hold has ethical approval and is open to recruitment. The authors are supported by a National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Career Development Fellowship (CDF-2013-06-005). Microsoft Corporation donated three sensors. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the National Institute for Health Research or the Department of Health.« less

Automatic 3D relief acquisition and georeferencing of road sides by low-cost on-motion SfM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voumard, Jérémie; Bornemann, Perrick; Malet, Jean-Philippe; Derron, Marc-Henri; Jaboyedoff, Michel

2017-04-01

3D terrain relief acquisition is important for a large part of geosciences. Several methods have been developed to digitize terrains, such as total station, LiDAR, GNSS or photogrammetry. To digitize road (or rail tracks) sides on long sections, mobile spatial imaging system or UAV are commonly used. In this project, we compare a still fairly new method -the SfM on-motion technics- with some traditional technics of terrain digitizing (terrestrial laser scanning, traditional SfM, UAS imaging solutions, GNSS surveying systems and total stations). The SfM on-motion technics generates 3D spatial data by photogrammetric processing of images taken from a moving vehicle. Our mobile system consists of six action cameras placed on a vehicle. Four fisheye cameras mounted on a mast on the vehicle roof are placed at 3.2 meters above the ground. Three of them have a GNNS chip providing geotagged images. Two pictures were acquired every second by each camera. 4K resolution fisheye videos were also used to extract 8.3M not geotagged pictures. All these pictures are then processed with the Agisoft PhotoScan Professional software. Results from the SfM on-motion technics are compared with results from classical SfM photogrammetry on a 500 meters long alpine track. They were also compared with mobile laser scanning data on the same road section. First results seem to indicate that slope structures are well observable up to decimetric accuracy. For the georeferencing, the planimetric (XY) accuracy of few meters is much better than the altimetric (Z) accuracy. There is indeed a Z coordinate shift of few tens of meters between GoPro cameras and Garmin camera. This makes necessary to give a greater freedom to altimetric coordinates in the processing software. Benefits of this low-cost SfM on-motion method are: 1) a simple setup to use in the field (easy to switch between vehicle types as car, train, bike, etc.), 2) a low cost and 3) an automatic georeferencing of 3D points clouds. Main disadvantages are: 1) results are less accurate than those from LiDAR system, 2) a heavy images processing and 3) a short distance of acquisition.

3D video-based deformation measurement of the pelvis bone under dynamic cyclic loading

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Dynamic three-dimensional (3D) deformation of the pelvic bones is a crucial factor in the successful design and longevity of complex orthopaedic oncological implants. The current solutions are often not very promising for the patient; thus it would be interesting to measure the dynamic 3D-deformation of the whole pelvic bone in order to get a more realistic dataset for a better implant design. Therefore we hypothesis if it would be possible to combine a material testing machine with a 3D video motion capturing system, used in clinical gait analysis, to measure the sub millimetre deformation of a whole pelvis specimen. Method A pelvis specimen was placed in a standing position on a material testing machine. Passive reflective markers, traceable by the 3D video motion capturing system, were fixed to the bony surface of the pelvis specimen. While applying a dynamic sinusoidal load the 3D-movement of the markers was recorded by the cameras and afterwards the 3D-deformation of the pelvis specimen was computed. The accuracy of the 3D-movement of the markers was verified with 3D-displacement curve with a step function using a manual driven 3D micro-motion-stage. Results The resulting accuracy of the measurement system depended on the number of cameras tracking a marker. The noise level for a marker seen by two cameras was during the stationary phase of the calibration procedure ± 0.036 mm, and ± 0.022 mm if tracked by 6 cameras. The detectable 3D-movement performed by the 3D-micro-motion-stage was smaller than the noise level of the 3D-video motion capturing system. Therefore the limiting factor of the setup was the noise level, which resulted in a measurement accuracy for the dynamic test setup of ± 0.036 mm. Conclusion This 3D test setup opens new possibilities in dynamic testing of wide range materials, like anatomical specimens, biomaterials, and its combinations. The resulting 3D-deformation dataset can be used for a better estimation of material characteristics of the underlying structures. This is an important factor in a reliable biomechanical modelling and simulation as well as in a successful design of complex implants. PMID:21762533

SU-G-JeP1-04: Characterization of a High-Definition Optical Patient Surface Tracking System Across Five Installations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, T; Ayan, A; Cochran, E

Purpose: To assess the performance of Varian’s real-time, Optical Surface Monitoring System (OSMS) by measuring relative regular and irregular surface detection accuracy in 6 degrees of motion (6DoM), across multiple installations. Methods: Varian’s Intracranial SRS Package includes OSMS, which utilizes 3 HD camera/projector pods to map a patient surface, track intra-fraction motion, and gate the treatment beam if motion exceeds a threshold. To evaluate motion-detection accuracy of OSMS, we recorded shifts of a cube-shaped phantom on a single Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator as known displacements were performed incrementally across 6DoM. A subset of these measurements was repeated on identical OSMSmore » installations. Phantom motion was driven using the TrueBeam treatment couch, and incremented across ±2cm in steps of 0.1mm, 1mm, and 1cm in the cardinal planes, and across ±40° in steps of 0.1°, 1°, and 5° in the rotational (couch kick) direction. Pitch and Roll were evaluated across ±2.5° in steps of 0.1° and 1°. We then repeated this procedure with a frameless SRS setup with a head phantom in a QFix Encompass mask. Results: Preliminary data show OSMS is capable of detecting regular-surfaced phantom displacement within 0.03±0.04mm in the cardinal planes, and within 0.01±0.03° rotation across all planes for multiple installations. In a frameless SRS setup, OSMS is accurate to within 0.10±0.07mm and 0.04±0.07° across 6DoM. Additionally, a reproducible “thermal drift” was observed during the first 15min of monitoring each day, and characterized by recording displacement of a stationary phantom each minute for 25min. Drift settled after 15min to an average delta of 0.26±0.03mm and 0.38±0.03mm from the initial capture in the Y and Z directions, respectively. Conclusion: For both regular surfaces and clinical SRS situations, OSMS exceeds quoted detection accuracy. To reduce error, a warm-up period should be employed to allow camera/projector pod thermal stabilization.« less

Temporally diffeomorphic cardiac motion estimation from three-dimensional echocardiography by minimization of intensity consistency error.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhijun; Ashraf, Muhammad; Sahn, David J; Song, Xubo

2014-05-01

Quantitative analysis of cardiac motion is important for evaluation of heart function. Three dimensional (3D) echocardiography is among the most frequently used imaging modalities for motion estimation because it is convenient, real-time, low-cost, and nonionizing. However, motion estimation from 3D echocardiographic sequences is still a challenging problem due to low image quality and image corruption by noise and artifacts. The authors have developed a temporally diffeomorphic motion estimation approach in which the velocity field instead of the displacement field was optimized. The optimal velocity field optimizes a novel similarity function, which we call the intensity consistency error, defined as multiple consecutive frames evolving to each time point. The optimization problem is solved by using the steepest descent method. Experiments with simulated datasets, images of anex vivo rabbit phantom, images of in vivo open-chest pig hearts, and healthy human images were used to validate the authors' method. Simulated and real cardiac sequences tests showed that results in the authors' method are more accurate than other competing temporal diffeomorphic methods. Tests with sonomicrometry showed that the tracked crystal positions have good agreement with ground truth and the authors' method has higher accuracy than the temporal diffeomorphic free-form deformation (TDFFD) method. Validation with an open-access human cardiac dataset showed that the authors' method has smaller feature tracking errors than both TDFFD and frame-to-frame methods. The authors proposed a diffeomorphic motion estimation method with temporal smoothness by constraining the velocity field to have maximum local intensity consistency within multiple consecutive frames. The estimated motion using the authors' method has good temporal consistency and is more accurate than other temporally diffeomorphic motion estimation methods.

Markerless Knee Joint Position Measurement Using Depth Data during Stair Walking

PubMed Central

Mita, Akira; Yorozu, Ayanori; Takahashi, Masaki

2017-01-01

Climbing and descending stairs are demanding daily activities, and the monitoring of them may reveal the presence of musculoskeletal diseases at an early stage. A markerless system is needed to monitor such stair walking activity without mentally or physically disturbing the subject. Microsoft Kinect v2 has been used for gait monitoring, as it provides a markerless skeleton tracking function. However, few studies have used this device for stair walking monitoring, and the accuracy of its skeleton tracking function during stair walking has not been evaluated. Moreover, skeleton tracking is not likely to be suitable for estimating body joints during stair walking, as the form of the body is different from what it is when it walks on level surfaces. In this study, a new method of estimating the 3D position of the knee joint was devised that uses the depth data of Kinect v2. The accuracy of this method was compared with that of the skeleton tracking function of Kinect v2 by simultaneously measuring subjects with a 3D motion capture system. The depth data method was found to be more accurate than skeleton tracking. The mean error of the 3D Euclidian distance of the depth data method was 43.2 ± 27.5 mm, while that of the skeleton tracking was 50.4 ± 23.9 mm. This method indicates the possibility of stair walking monitoring for the early discovery of musculoskeletal diseases. PMID:29165396

Single particle tracking through highly scattering media with multiplexed two-photon excitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perillo, Evan; Liu, Yen-Liang; Liu, Cong; Yeh, Hsin-Chih; Dunn, Andrew K.

2015-03-01

3D single-particle tracking (SPT) has been a pivotal tool to furthering our understanding of dynamic cellular processes in complex biological systems, with a molecular localization accuracy (10-100 nm) often better than the diffraction limit of light. However, current SPT techniques utilize either CCDs or a confocal detection scheme which not only suffer from poor temporal resolution but also limit tracking to a depth less than one scattering mean free path in the sample (typically <15μm). In this report we highlight our novel design for a spatiotemporally multiplexed two-photon microscope which is able to reach sub-diffraction-limit tracking accuracy and sub-millisecond temporal resolution, but with a dramatically extended SPT range of up to 200 μm through dense cell samples. We have validated our microscope by tracking (1) fluorescent nanoparticles in a prescribed motion inside gelatin gel (with 1% intralipid) and (2) labeled single EGFR complexes inside skin cancer spheroids (at least 8 layers of cells thick) for ~10 minutes. Furthermore we discuss future capabilities of our multiplexed two-photon microscope design, specifically to the extension of (1) simultaneous multicolor tracking (i.e. spatiotemporal co-localization analysis) and (2) FRET studies (i.e. lifetime analysis). The high resolution, high depth penetration, and multicolor features of this microscope make it well poised to study a variety of molecular scale dynamics in the cell, especially related to cellular trafficking studies with in vitro tumor models and in vivo.

WE-AB-303-08: Direct Lung Tumor Tracking Using Short Imaging Arcs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shieh, C; Huang, C; Keall, P

2015-06-15

Purpose: Most current tumor tracking technologies rely on implanted markers, which suffer from potential toxicity of marker placement and mis-targeting due to marker migration. Several markerless tracking methods have been proposed: these are either indirect methods or have difficulties tracking lung tumors in most clinical cases due to overlapping anatomies in 2D projection images. We propose a direct lung tumor tracking algorithm robust to overlapping anatomies using short imaging arcs. Methods: The proposed algorithm tracks the tumor based on kV projections acquired within the latest six-degree imaging arc. To account for respiratory motion, an external motion surrogate is used tomore » select projections of the same phase within the latest arc. For each arc, the pre-treatment 4D cone-beam CT (CBCT) with tumor contours are used to estimate and remove the contribution to the integral attenuation from surrounding anatomies. The position of the tumor model extracted from 4D CBCT of the same phase is then optimized to match the processed projections using the conjugate gradient method. The algorithm was retrospectively validated on two kV scans of a lung cancer patient with implanted fiducial markers. This patient was selected as the tumor is attached to the mediastinum, representing a challenging case for markerless tracking methods. The tracking results were converted to expected marker positions and compared with marker trajectories obtained via direct marker segmentation (ground truth). Results: The root-mean-squared-errors of tracking were 0.8 mm and 0.9 mm in the superior-inferior direction for the two scans. Tracking error was found to be below 2 and 3 mm for 90% and 98% of the time, respectively. Conclusions: A direct lung tumor tracking algorithm robust to overlapping anatomies was proposed and validated on two scans of a lung cancer patient. Sub-millimeter tracking accuracy was observed, indicating the potential of this algorithm for real-time guidance applications.« less

MO-B-201-00: Motion Management in Current Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) Practice

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

The motion management in stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a key to success for a SBRT program, and still an on-going challenging task. A major factor is that moving structures behave differently than standing structures when examined by imaging modalities, and thus require special considerations and employments. Understanding the motion effects to these different imaging processes is a prerequisite for a decent motion management program. The commonly used motion control techniques to physically restrict tumor motion, if adopted correctly, effectively increase the conformity and accuracy of hypofractionated treatment. The effective application of such requires one to understand the mechanicsmore » of the application and the related physiology especially related to respiration. The image-guided radiation beam control, or tumor tracking, further realized the endeavor for precision-targeting. During tumor tracking, the respiratory motion is often constantly monitored by non-ionizing beam sources using the body surface as its surrogate. This then has to synchronize with the actual internal tumor motion. The latter is often accomplished by stereo X-ray imaging or similar techniques. With these advanced technologies, one may drastically reduce the treated volume and increase the clinicians’ confidence for a high fractional ablative radiation dose. However, the challenges in implementing the motion management may not be trivial and is dependent on each clinic case. This session of presentations is intended to provide an overview of the current techniques used in managing the tumor motion in SBRT, specifically for routine lung SBRT, proton based treatments, and newly-developed MR guided RT. Learning Objectives: Through this presentation, the audience will understand basic roles of commonly used imaging modalities for lung cancer studies; familiarize the major advantages and limitations of each discussed motion control methods; familiarize the major advantages and limitations of each discussed radiation beam control methodology and tumor tacking method; understand the key points in motion management for a high quality SBRT program.« less

MO-B-201-01: Overcoming the Challenges of Motion Management in Current Lung SBRT Practice

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shang, C.

The motion management in stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a key to success for a SBRT program, and still an on-going challenging task. A major factor is that moving structures behave differently than standing structures when examined by imaging modalities, and thus require special considerations and employments. Understanding the motion effects to these different imaging processes is a prerequisite for a decent motion management program. The commonly used motion control techniques to physically restrict tumor motion, if adopted correctly, effectively increase the conformity and accuracy of hypofractionated treatment. The effective application of such requires one to understand the mechanicsmore » of the application and the related physiology especially related to respiration. The image-guided radiation beam control, or tumor tracking, further realized the endeavor for precision-targeting. During tumor tracking, the respiratory motion is often constantly monitored by non-ionizing beam sources using the body surface as its surrogate. This then has to synchronize with the actual internal tumor motion. The latter is often accomplished by stereo X-ray imaging or similar techniques. With these advanced technologies, one may drastically reduce the treated volume and increase the clinicians’ confidence for a high fractional ablative radiation dose. However, the challenges in implementing the motion management may not be trivial and is dependent on each clinic case. This session of presentations is intended to provide an overview of the current techniques used in managing the tumor motion in SBRT, specifically for routine lung SBRT, proton based treatments, and newly-developed MR guided RT. Learning Objectives: Through this presentation, the audience will understand basic roles of commonly used imaging modalities for lung cancer studies; familiarize the major advantages and limitations of each discussed motion control methods; familiarize the major advantages and limitations of each discussed radiation beam control methodology and tumor tacking method; understand the key points in motion management for a high quality SBRT program.« less

MO-B-201-02: Motion Management for Proton Lung SBR

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Flampouri, S.

The motion management in stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a key to success for a SBRT program, and still an on-going challenging task. A major factor is that moving structures behave differently than standing structures when examined by imaging modalities, and thus require special considerations and employments. Understanding the motion effects to these different imaging processes is a prerequisite for a decent motion management program. The commonly used motion control techniques to physically restrict tumor motion, if adopted correctly, effectively increase the conformity and accuracy of hypofractionated treatment. The effective application of such requires one to understand the mechanicsmore » of the application and the related physiology especially related to respiration. The image-guided radiation beam control, or tumor tracking, further realized the endeavor for precision-targeting. During tumor tracking, the respiratory motion is often constantly monitored by non-ionizing beam sources using the body surface as its surrogate. This then has to synchronize with the actual internal tumor motion. The latter is often accomplished by stereo X-ray imaging or similar techniques. With these advanced technologies, one may drastically reduce the treated volume and increase the clinicians’ confidence for a high fractional ablative radiation dose. However, the challenges in implementing the motion management may not be trivial and is dependent on each clinic case. This session of presentations is intended to provide an overview of the current techniques used in managing the tumor motion in SBRT, specifically for routine lung SBRT, proton based treatments, and newly-developed MR guided RT. Learning Objectives: Through this presentation, the audience will understand basic roles of commonly used imaging modalities for lung cancer studies; familiarize the major advantages and limitations of each discussed motion control methods; familiarize the major advantages and limitations of each discussed radiation beam control methodology and tumor tacking method; understand the key points in motion management for a high quality SBRT program.« less

Flower tracking in hawkmoths: behavior and energetics.

PubMed

Sprayberry, Jordanna D H; Daniel, Thomas L

2007-01-01

As hovering feeders, hawkmoths cope with flower motions by tracking those motions to maintain contact with the nectary. This study examined the tracking, feeding and energetic performance of Manduca sexta feeding from flowers moving at varied frequencies and in different directions. In general we found that tracking performance decreased as frequency increased; M. sexta tracked flowers moving at 1 Hz best. While feeding rates were highest for stationary flowers, they remained relatively constant for all tested frequencies of flower motion. Calculations of net energy gain showed that energy expenditure to track flowers is minimal compared to energy intake; therefore, patterns of net energy gain mimicked patterns of feeding rate. The direction effects of flower motion were greater than the frequency effects. While M. sexta appeared equally capable of tracking flowers moving in the horizontal and vertical motion axes, they demonstrated poor ability to track flowers moving in the looming axis. Additionally, both feeding rates and net energy gain were lower for looming axis flower motions.

Smoothing and Predicting Celestial Pole Offsets using a Kalman Filter and Smoother

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nastula, J.; Chin, T. M.; Gross, R. S.; Winska, M.; Winska, J.

2017-12-01

Since the early days of interplanetary spaceflight, accounting for changes in the Earth's rotation is recognized to be critical for accurate navigation. In the 1960s, tracking anomalies during the Ranger VII and VIII lunar missions were traced to errors in the Earth orientation parameters. As a result, Earth orientation calibration methods were improved to support the Mariner IV and V planetary missions. Today, accurate Earth orientation parameters are used to track and navigate every interplanetary spaceflight mission. The interplanetary spacecraft tracking and navigation teams at JPL require the UT1 and polar motion parameters, and these Earth orientation parameters are estimated by the use of a Kalman filter to combine past measurements of these parameters and predict their future evolution. A model was then used to provide the nutation/precession components of the Earth's orientation separately. As a result, variations caused by the free core nutation were not taken into account. But for the highest accuracy, these variations must be considered. So JPL recently developed an approach based upon the use of a Kalman filter and smoother to provide smoothed and predicted celestial pole offsets (CPOs) to the interplanetary spacecraft tracking and navigation teams. The approach used at JPL to do this and an evaluation of the accuracy of the predicted CPOs will be given here.

An integrated model-based software for FUS in moving abdominal organs.

PubMed

Schwenke, Michael; Strehlow, Jan; Haase, Sabrina; Jenne, Juergen; Tanner, Christine; Langø, Thomas; Loeve, Arjo J; Karakitsios, Ioannis; Xiao, Xu; Levy, Yoav; Sat, Giora; Bezzi, Mario; Braunewell, Stefan; Guenther, Matthias; Melzer, Andreas; Preusser, Tobias

2015-05-01

Focused ultrasound surgery (FUS) is a non-invasive method for tissue ablation that has the potential for complete and controlled local tumour destruction with minimal side effects. The treatment of abdominal organs such as the liver, however, requires particular technological support in order to enable a safe, efficient and effective treatment. As FUS is applied from outside the patient's body, suitable imaging methods, such as magnetic resonance imaging or diagnostic ultrasound, are needed to guide and track the procedure. To facilitate an efficient FUS procedure in the liver, the organ motion during breathing and the partial occlusion by the rib cage need to be taken into account in real time, demanding a continuous patient-specific adaptation of the treatment configuration. Modelling the patient's respiratory motion and combining this with tracking data improves the accuracy of motion predictions. Modelling and simulation of the FUS effects within the body allows the use of treatment planning and has the potential to be used within therapy to increase knowledge about the patient status. This article describes integrated model-based software for patient-specific modelling and prediction for FUS treatments of moving abdominal organs.

Application of a novel Kalman filter based block matching method to ultrasound images for hand tendon displacement estimation.

PubMed

Lai, Ting-Yu; Chen, Hsiao-I; Shih, Cho-Chiang; Kuo, Li-Chieh; Hsu, Hsiu-Yun; Huang, Chih-Chung

2016-01-01

Information about tendon displacement is important for allowing clinicians to not only quantify preoperative tendon injuries but also to identify any adhesive scaring between tendon and adjacent tissue. The Fisher-Tippett (FT) similarity measure has recently been shown to be more accurate than the Laplacian sum of absolute differences (SAD) and Gaussian sum of squared differences (SSD) similarity measures for tracking tendon displacement in ultrasound B-mode images. However, all of these similarity measures can easily be influenced by the quality of the ultrasound image, particularly its signal-to-noise ratio. Ultrasound images of injured hands are unfortunately often of poor quality due to the presence of adhesive scars. The present study investigated a novel Kalman-filter scheme for overcoming this problem. Three state-of-the-art tracking methods (FT, SAD, and SSD) were used to track the displacements of phantom and cadaver tendons, while FT was used to track human tendons. These three tracking methods were combined individually with the proposed Kalman-filter (K1) scheme and another Kalman-filter scheme used in a previous study to optimize the displacement trajectories of the phantom and cadaver tendons. The motion of the human extensor digitorum communis tendon was measured in the present study using the FT-K1 scheme. The experimental results indicated that SSD exhibited better accuracy in the phantom experiments, whereas FT exhibited better performance for tracking real tendon motion in the cadaver experiments. All three tracking methods were influenced by the signal-to-noise ratio of the images. On the other hand, the K1 scheme was able to optimize the tracking trajectory of displacement in all experiments, even from a location with a poor image quality. The human experimental data indicated that the normal tendons were displaced more than the injured tendons, and that the motion ability of the injured tendon was restored after appropriate rehabilitation sessions. The obtained results show the potential for applying the proposed FT-K1 method in clinical applications for evaluating the tendon injury level after metacarpal fractures and assessing the recovery of an injured tendon during rehabilitation.

A maximum likelihood approach to diffeomorphic speckle tracking for 3D strain estimation in echocardiography.

PubMed

Curiale, Ariel H; Vegas-Sánchez-Ferrero, Gonzalo; Bosch, Johan G; Aja-Fernández, Santiago

2015-08-01

The strain and strain-rate measures are commonly used for the analysis and assessment of regional myocardial function. In echocardiography (EC), the strain analysis became possible using Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI). Unfortunately, this modality shows an important limitation: the angle between the myocardial movement and the ultrasound beam should be small to provide reliable measures. This constraint makes it difficult to provide strain measures of the entire myocardium. Alternative non-Doppler techniques such as Speckle Tracking (ST) can provide strain measures without angle constraints. However, the spatial resolution and the noisy appearance of speckle still make the strain estimation a challenging task in EC. Several maximum likelihood approaches have been proposed to statistically characterize the behavior of speckle, which results in a better performance of speckle tracking. However, those models do not consider common transformations to achieve the final B-mode image (e.g. interpolation). This paper proposes a new maximum likelihood approach for speckle tracking which effectively characterizes speckle of the final B-mode image. Its formulation provides a diffeomorphic scheme than can be efficiently optimized with a second-order method. The novelty of the method is threefold: First, the statistical characterization of speckle generalizes conventional speckle models (Rayleigh, Nakagami and Gamma) to a more versatile model for real data. Second, the formulation includes local correlation to increase the efficiency of frame-to-frame speckle tracking. Third, a probabilistic myocardial tissue characterization is used to automatically identify more reliable myocardial motions. The accuracy and agreement assessment was evaluated on a set of 16 synthetic image sequences for three different scenarios: normal, acute ischemia and acute dyssynchrony. The proposed method was compared to six speckle tracking methods. Results revealed that the proposed method is the most accurate method to measure the motion and strain with an average median motion error of 0.42 mm and a median strain error of 2.0 ± 0.9%, 2.1 ± 1.3% and 7.1 ± 4.9% for circumferential, longitudinal and radial strain respectively. It also showed its capability to identify abnormal segments with reduced cardiac function and timing differences for the dyssynchrony cases. These results indicate that the proposed diffeomorphic speckle tracking method provides robust and accurate motion and strain estimation. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

New algorithms for motion error detection of numerical control machine tool by laser tracking measurement on the basis of GPS principle.

PubMed

Wang, Jindong; Chen, Peng; Deng, Yufen; Guo, Junjie

2018-01-01

As a three-dimensional measuring instrument, the laser tracker is widely used in industrial measurement. To avoid the influence of angle measurement error on the overall measurement accuracy, the multi-station and time-sharing measurement with a laser tracker is introduced on the basis of the global positioning system (GPS) principle in this paper. For the proposed method, how to accurately determine the coordinates of each measuring point by using a large amount of measured data is a critical issue. Taking detecting motion error of a numerical control machine tool, for example, the corresponding measurement algorithms are investigated thoroughly. By establishing the mathematical model of detecting motion error of a machine tool with this method, the analytical algorithm concerning on base station calibration and measuring point determination is deduced without selecting the initial iterative value in calculation. However, when the motion area of the machine tool is in a 2D plane, the coefficient matrix of base station calibration is singular, which generates a distortion result. In order to overcome the limitation of the original algorithm, an improved analytical algorithm is also derived. Meanwhile, the calibration accuracy of the base station with the improved algorithm is compared with that with the original analytical algorithm and some iterative algorithms, such as the Gauss-Newton algorithm and Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm. The experiment further verifies the feasibility and effectiveness of the improved algorithm. In addition, the different motion areas of the machine tool have certain influence on the calibration accuracy of the base station, and the corresponding influence of measurement error on the calibration result of the base station depending on the condition number of coefficient matrix are analyzed.

New algorithms for motion error detection of numerical control machine tool by laser tracking measurement on the basis of GPS principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jindong; Chen, Peng; Deng, Yufen; Guo, Junjie

2018-01-01

As a three-dimensional measuring instrument, the laser tracker is widely used in industrial measurement. To avoid the influence of angle measurement error on the overall measurement accuracy, the multi-station and time-sharing measurement with a laser tracker is introduced on the basis of the global positioning system (GPS) principle in this paper. For the proposed method, how to accurately determine the coordinates of each measuring point by using a large amount of measured data is a critical issue. Taking detecting motion error of a numerical control machine tool, for example, the corresponding measurement algorithms are investigated thoroughly. By establishing the mathematical model of detecting motion error of a machine tool with this method, the analytical algorithm concerning on base station calibration and measuring point determination is deduced without selecting the initial iterative value in calculation. However, when the motion area of the machine tool is in a 2D plane, the coefficient matrix of base station calibration is singular, which generates a distortion result. In order to overcome the limitation of the original algorithm, an improved analytical algorithm is also derived. Meanwhile, the calibration accuracy of the base station with the improved algorithm is compared with that with the original analytical algorithm and some iterative algorithms, such as the Gauss-Newton algorithm and Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm. The experiment further verifies the feasibility and effectiveness of the improved algorithm. In addition, the different motion areas of the machine tool have certain influence on the calibration accuracy of the base station, and the corresponding influence of measurement error on the calibration result of the base station depending on the condition number of coefficient matrix are analyzed.

Measurement of joint kinematics using a conventional clinical single-perspective flat-panel radiography system.

PubMed

Seslija, Petar; Teeter, Matthew G; Yuan, Xunhua; Naudie, Douglas D R; Bourne, Robert B; Macdonald, Steven J; Peters, Terry M; Holdsworth, David W

2012-10-01

The ability to accurately measure joint kinematics is an important tool in studying both normal joint function and pathologies associated with injury and disease. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy, accuracy, precision, and clinical safety of measuring 3D joint motion using a conventional flat-panel radiography system prior to its application in an in vivo study. An automated, image-based tracking algorithm was implemented to measure the three-dimensional pose of a sparse object from a two-dimensional radiographic projection. The algorithm was tested to determine its efficiency and failure rate, defined as the number of image frames where automated tracking failed, or required user intervention. The accuracy and precision of measuring three-dimensional motion were assessed using a robotic controlled, tibiofemoral knee phantom programmed to mimic a subject with a total knee replacement performing a stair ascent activity. Accuracy was assessed by comparing the measurements of the single-plane radiographic tracking technique to those of an optical tracking system, and quantified by the measurement discrepancy between the two systems using the Bland-Altman technique. Precision was assessed through a series of repeated measurements of the tibiofemoral kinematics, and was quantified using the across-trial deviations of the repeated kinematic measurements. The safety of the imaging procedure was assessed by measuring the effective dose of ionizing radiation associated with the x-ray exposures, and analyzing its relative risk to a human subject. The automated tracking algorithm displayed a failure rate of 2% and achieved an average computational throughput of 8 image frames/s. Mean differences between the radiographic and optical measurements for translations and rotations were less than 0.08 mm and 0.07° in-plane, and 0.24 mm and 0.6° out-of-plane. The repeatability of kinematics measurements performed using the radiographic tracking technique was better than ±0.09 mm and 0.12° in-plane, and ±0.70 mm and ±0.07° out-of-plane. The effective dose associated with the imaging protocol used was 15 μSv for 10 s of radiographic cine acquisition. This study demonstrates the ability to accurately measure knee-joint kinematics using a single-plane radiographic measurement technique. The measurement technique can be easily implemented at most clinical centers equipped with a modern-day radiographic x-ray system. The dose of ionizing radiation associated with the image acquisition represents a minimal risk to any subjects undergoing the examination.

Validation of the Calypso Surface Beacon Transponder.

PubMed

Belanger, Maxwell; Saleh, Ziad; Volpe, Tom; Margiasso, Rich; Li, Xiang; Chan, Maria; Zhu, Xiaofeng; Tang, Xiaoli

2016-07-08

Calypso L-shaped Surface Beacon transponder has recently become available for clinical applications. We herein conduct studies to validate the Surface Beacon transponder in terms of stability, reproducibility, orientation sensitivity, cycle rate dependence, and respiratory waveform tracking accuracy. The Surface Beacon was placed on a Quasar respiratory phantom and positioned at the isocenter with its two arms aligned with the lasers. Breathing waveforms were simulated, and the motion of the transponder was tracked. Stability and drift analysis: sinusoidal waveforms (200 cycles) were produced, and the amplitudes of phases 0% (inhale) and 50% (exhale) were recorded at each breathing cycle. The mean and standard deviation (SD) of the amplitudes were calculated. Linear least-squares fitting was performed to access the possible amplitude drift over the breathing cycles. Reproducibility: similar setting to stability and drift analysis, and the phantom generated 100 cycles of the sinusoidal waveform per run. The Calypso system's was re-setup for each run. Recorded amplitude and SD of 0% and 50% phase were compared between runs to assess contribution of Calypso electromagnetic array setup variation. Beacon orientation sensitivity: the Calypso tracks sinusoidal phantom motion with a defined angular offset of the beacon to assess its effect on SD and peak-to-peak amplitude. Rate dependence: sinusoidal motion was generated at cycle rates of 1 Hz, .33 Hz, and .2 Hz. Peak-to-peak displacement and SDs were assessed. Respiratory waveform tracking accuracy: the phantom reproduced recorded breathing cycles (by volunteers and patients) were tracked by the Calypso system. Deviation in tracking position from produced waveform was used to calculate SD throughout entire breathing cycle. Stability and drift analysis: Mean amplitude ± SD of phase 0% or 50% were 20.01 ± 0.04 mm and -19.65 ± 0.08 mm, respectively. No clinically significant drift was detected with drift measured as 5.1 × 10-5 mm/s at phase 0% and -6.0 × 10-5 mm/s at phase 50%. Reproducibility: The SD of the setup was 0.06 mm and 0.02 mm for phases 0% and 50%, respectively. The combined SDs, including both setup and intrarun error of all runs at phases 0% and 50%, were 0.07mm and 0.11 mm, respectively. Beacon orientation: SD ranged from 0.032mm to 0.039 mm at phase 0% and from 0.084 mm to 0.096 mm at phase 50%. The SD was found not to vary linearly with Beacon angle in the range of 0° and 15°. A positive systematic error was observed with amplitude 0.07 mm/degree at phase 0% and 0.05 mm/degree at phase 50%. Rate dependence: SD and displacement amplitudes did not vary significantly between 0.2 Hz and 0.33 Hz. At 1 Hz, both 0% and 50% amplitude measurements shifted up appreciably, by 0.72 mm and 0.78mm, respectively. As compared with the 0.33 Hz data, SD at phase 0% was 1.6 times higher and 5.4 times higher at phase 50%. Respiratory waveform tracking accuracy: SD of 0.233 mm with approximately normal distribution in over 134 min of tracking (201468 data points). The Surface Beacon transponder appears to be stable, accurate, and reproducible. Submillimeter resolution is achieved throughout breathing and sinusoidal waveforms. © 2016 The Authors

Validation of the Calypso Surface Beacon Transponder

PubMed Central

Saleh, Ziad; Volpe, Tom; Margiasso, Rich; Li, Xiang; Chan, Maria; Zhu, Xiaofeng; Tang, Xiaoli

2016-01-01

Calypso L‐shaped Surface Beacon transponder has recently become available for clinical applications. We herein conduct studies to validate the Surface Beacon transponder in terms of stability, reproducibility, orientation sensitivity, cycle rate dependence, and respiratory waveform tracking accuracy. The Surface Beacon was placed on a Quasar respiratory phantom and positioned at the isocenter with its two arms aligned with the lasers. Breathing waveforms were simulated, and the motion of the transponder was tracked. Stability and drift analysis: sinusoidal waveforms (200 cycles) were produced, and the amplitudes of phases 0% (inhale) and 50% (exhale) were recorded at each breathing cycle. The mean and standard deviation (SD) of the amplitudes were calculated. Linear least‐squares fitting was performed to access the possible amplitude drift over the breathing cycles. Reproducibility: similar setting to stability and drift analysis, and the phantom generated 100 cycles of the sinusoidal waveform per run. The Calypso system's was re‐setup for each run. Recorded amplitude and SD of 0% and 50% phase were compared between runs to assess contribution of Calypso electromagnetic array setup variation. Beacon orientation sensitivity: the Calypso tracks sinusoidal phantom motion with a defined angular offset of the beacon to assess its effect on SD and peak‐to‐peak amplitude. Rate dependence: sinusoidal motion was generated at cycle rates of 1 Hz, .33 Hz, and .2 Hz. Peak‐to‐peak displacement and SDs were assessed. Respiratory waveform tracking accuracy: the phantom reproduced recorded breathing cycles (by volunteers and patients) were tracked by the Calypso system. Deviation in tracking position from produced waveform was used to calculate SD throughout entire breathing cycle. Stability and drift analysis: Mean amplitude ± SD of phase 0% or 50% were 20.01±0.04 mm and ‐19.65±0.08 mm, respectively. No clinically significant drift was detected with drift measured as 5.1×10‐5 mm/s at phase 0% and ‐6.0×10‐5 mm/s at phase 50%. Reproducibility: The SD of the setup was 0.06 mm and 0.02 mm for phases 0% and 50%, respectively. The combined SDs, including both setup and intrarun error of all runs at phases 0% and 50%, were 0.07 mm and 0.11 mm, respectively. Beacon orientation: SD ranged from 0.032 mm to 0.039 mm at phase 0% and from 0.084 mm to 0.096 mm at phase 50%. The SD was found not to vary linearly with Beacon angle in the range of 0° and 15°. A positive systematic error was observed with amplitude 0.07 mm/degree at phase 0% and 0.05 mm/degree at phase 50%. Rate dependence: SD and displacement amplitudes did not vary significantly between 0.2 Hz and 0.33 Hz. At 1 Hz, both 0% and 50% amplitude measurements shifted up appreciably, by 0.72 mm and 0.78 mm, respectively. As compared with the 0.33 Hz data, SD at phase 0% was 1.6 times higher and 5.4 times higher at phase 50%. Respiratory waveform tracking accuracy: SD of 0.233 mm with approximately normal distribution in over 134 min of tracking (201468 data points). The Surface Beacon transponder appears to be stable, accurate, and reproducible. Submillimeter resolution is achieved throughout breathing and sinusoidal waveforms. PACS number(s): 87.50.ct, 87.50.st, 87.50.ux, 87.50.wp, 87.50.yt PMID:27455489

Combined functional electrical stimulation (FES) and robotic system for wrist rehabiliation after stroke.

PubMed

Hu, Xiaoling; Tong, K Y; Li, R; Chen, M; Xue, J J; Ho, S K; Chen, P N

2010-01-01

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) and rehabilitation robots are techniques used to assist in post-stroke rehabilitation. However, FES and rehabilitation robots are still separate systems currently; and their combined training effects on persons after experiencing a stroke have not been well studied yet. In this work, a new combined FES-robot system driven by user's voluntary intention was developed for wrist joint training after stroke. The performance of the FES-robot assisted wrist tracking was evaluated on five subjects with chronic stroke. With simultaneous assistance from both the FES and robot parts of the system, the motion accuracy was improved and excessive activation in elbow flexor was reduced during wrist tracking.

AVIRIS scan drive design and performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, D. C.

1987-01-01

The Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) images the ground with an instantaneous field of view (IFOV) of 1 mrad. The IFOV is scanned 30 deg from left to right to provide the cross-track dimension of the image, while the aircraft's motion provides the along-track dimension. The scanning frequency is 12 Hz, with a scan efficiency of 70 percent. The scan mirror has an effective diameter of 5.7 in, and its positional accuracy is a small fraction of a milliradian of the nominal position-time profile. Described are the design and performance of the scan drive mechanism. Tradeoffs among various approaches are discussed, and the reasons given for the selection of the cam drive.

A drag-free Lo-Lo satellite system for improved gravity field measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fischell, R. E.; Pisacane, V. L.

1978-01-01

At very low altitudes, the effect of atmospheric drag results in drastically reduced orbit lifetimes and considerable uncertainty in satellite motions. The concept suggested herein employs a DISturbance COmpensation System (DISCOS) on each of a pair of satellites at very low altitudes to provide refined measurements of the earth's gravitational field. The DISCOS maintains the satellites in orbit and essentially eliminates motion uncertainties due mostly to drag and to a lesser extent from solar radiation pressure. By a closed-loop measurement of the relative rangerate between the two low satellites, one can determine the earth's gravitational field with a considerably greater accuracy than could be obtained by tracking a single satellite.

The stellar and solar tracking system of the Geneva Observatory gondola

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huguenin, D.

1974-01-01

Sun and star trackers have been added to the latest version of the Geneva Observatory gondola. They perform an image motion compensation with an accuracy of plus or minus 1 minute of arc. The structure is held in the vertical position by gravity; the azimuth is controlled by a torque motor in the suspension bearing using solar or geomagnetic references. The image motion compensation is performed by a flat mirror, located in front of the telescope, controlled by pitch and yaw servo-loops. Offset pointing is possible within the solar disc and in a 3 degree by 3 degree stellar field. A T.V. camera facilitates the star identification and acquisition.

Tracking and characterizing the head motion of unanaesthetized rats in positron emission tomography

PubMed Central

Kyme, Andre; Meikle, Steven; Baldock, Clive; Fulton, Roger

2012-01-01

Positron emission tomography (PET) is an important in vivo molecular imaging technique for translational research. Imaging unanaesthetized rats using motion-compensated PET avoids the confounding impact of anaesthetic drugs and enables animals to be imaged during normal or evoked behaviour. However, there is little published data on the nature of rat head motion to inform the design of suitable marker-based motion-tracking set-ups for brain imaging—specifically, set-ups that afford close to uninterrupted tracking. We performed a systematic study of rat head motion parameters for unanaesthetized tube-bound and freely moving rats with a view to designing suitable motion-tracking set-ups in each case. For tube-bound rats, using a single appropriately placed binocular tracker, uninterrupted tracking was possible greater than 95 per cent of the time. For freely moving rats, simulations and measurements of a live subject indicated that two opposed binocular trackers are sufficient (less than 10% interruption to tracking) for a wide variety of behaviour types. We conclude that reliable tracking of head pose can be achieved with marker-based optical-motion-tracking systems for both tube-bound and freely moving rats undergoing PET studies without sedation. PMID:22718992

Validation of a stereo camera system to quantify brain deformation due to breathing and pulsatility.

PubMed

Faria, Carlos; Sadowsky, Ofri; Bicho, Estela; Ferrigno, Giancarlo; Joskowicz, Leo; Shoham, Moshe; Vivanti, Refael; De Momi, Elena

2014-11-01

A new stereo vision system is presented to quantify brain shift and pulsatility in open-skull neurosurgeries. The system is endowed with hardware and software synchronous image acquisition with timestamp embedding in the captured images, a brain surface oriented feature detection, and a tracking subroutine robust to occlusions and outliers. A validation experiment for the stereo vision system was conducted against a gold-standard optical tracking system, Optotrak CERTUS. A static and dynamic analysis of the stereo camera tracking error was performed tracking a customized object in different positions, orientations, linear, and angular speeds. The system is able to detect an immobile object position and orientation with a maximum error of 0.5 mm and 1.6° in all depth of field, and tracking a moving object until 3 mm/s with a median error of 0.5 mm. Three stereo video acquisitions were recorded from a patient, immediately after the craniotomy. The cortical pulsatile motion was captured and is represented in the time and frequency domain. The amplitude of motion of the cloud of features' center of mass was inferior to 0.8 mm. Three distinct peaks are identified in the fast Fourier transform analysis related to the sympathovagal balance, breathing, and blood pressure with 0.03-0.05, 0.2, and 1 Hz, respectively. The stereo vision system presented is a precise and robust system to measure brain shift and pulsatility with an accuracy superior to other reported systems.

Improving a scissor-action couch for conformal arc radiotherapy and radiosurgery.

PubMed

Li, Kaile; Yu, Cedric X; Ma, Lijun

2004-01-01

We have developed a method to improve the setup accuracy of a Varian Clinac 6/100 couch for delivering conformal arc therapy using a tertiary micro multileaf collimator (MLC) system. Several immobilization devices have been developed to improve the mechanical stability and isocenter alignment of the couch: turn-knob harnesses, double-track alignment plates, and a drop-in rod that attaches the couch to the concrete floor. These add-on components minimize the intercomponent motion of the couch's scissor elevator, which allows consistent treatment setup. The accuracy of our isocenter couch alignment is an improvement over the above devices, within 1 mm of their accuracy. The couch has been used with over 15 patients and with over 50 modulated conformal arc treatment deliveries at our institution.

Ocular tracking responses to background motion gated by feature-based attention.

PubMed

Souto, David; Kerzel, Dirk

2014-09-01

Involuntary ocular tracking responses to background motion offer a window on the dynamics of motion computations. In contrast to spatial attention, we know little about the role of feature-based attention in determining this ocular response. To probe feature-based effects of background motion on involuntary eye movements, we presented human observers with a balanced background perturbation. Two clouds of dots moved in opposite vertical directions while observers tracked a target moving in horizontal direction. Additionally, they had to discriminate a change in the direction of motion (±10° from vertical) of one of the clouds. A vertical ocular following response occurred in response to the motion of the attended cloud. When motion selection was based on motion direction and color of the dots, the peak velocity of the tracking response was 30% of the tracking response elicited in a single task with only one direction of background motion. In two other experiments, we tested the effect of the perturbation when motion selection was based on color, by having motion direction vary unpredictably, or on motion direction alone. Although the gain of pursuit in the horizontal direction was significantly reduced in all experiments, indicating a trade-off between perceptual and oculomotor tasks, ocular responses to perturbations were only observed when selection was based on both motion direction and color. It appears that selection by motion direction can only be effective for driving ocular tracking when the relevant elements can be segregated before motion onset. Copyright © 2014 the American Physiological Society.

An algorithm of adaptive scale object tracking in occlusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Congmei

2017-05-01

Although the correlation filter-based trackers achieve the competitive results both on accuracy and robustness, there are still some problems in handling scale variations, object occlusion, fast motions and so on. In this paper, a multi-scale kernel correlation filter algorithm based on random fern detector was proposed. The tracking task was decomposed into the target scale estimation and the translation estimation. At the same time, the Color Names features and HOG features were fused in response level to further improve the overall tracking performance of the algorithm. In addition, an online random fern classifier was trained to re-obtain the target after the target was lost. By comparing with some algorithms such as KCF, DSST, TLD, MIL, CT and CSK, experimental results show that the proposed approach could estimate the object state accurately and handle the object occlusion effectively.

Evaluation of the clinical efficacy of the PeTrack motion tracking system for respiratory gating in cardiac PET imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manwell, Spencer; Chamberland, Marc J. P.; Klein, Ran; Xu, Tong; deKemp, Robert

2017-03-01

Respiratory gating is a common technique used to compensate for patient breathing motion and decrease the prevalence of image artifacts that can impact diagnoses. In this study a new data-driven respiratory gating method (PeTrack) was compared with a conventional optical tracking system. The performance of respiratory gating of the two systems was evaluated by comparing the number of respiratory triggers, patient breathing intervals and gross heart motion as measured in the respiratory-gated image reconstructions of rubidium-82 cardiac PET scans in test and control groups consisting of 15 and 8 scans, respectively. We found evidence suggesting that PeTrack is a robust patient motion tracking system that can be used to retrospectively assess patient motion in the event of failure of the conventional optical tracking system.

3D deformable organ model based liver motion tracking in ultrasound videos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jung-Bae; Hwang, Youngkyoo; Oh, Young-Taek; Bang, Won-Chul; Lee, Heesae; Kim, James D. K.; Kim, Chang Yeong

2013-03-01

This paper presents a novel method of using 2D ultrasound (US) cine images during image-guided therapy to accurately track the 3D position of a tumor even when the organ of interest is in motion due to patient respiration. Tracking is possible thanks to a 3D deformable organ model we have developed. The method consists of three processes in succession. The first process is organ modeling where we generate a personalized 3D organ model from high quality 3D CT or MR data sets captured during three different respiratory phases. The model includes the organ surface, vessel and tumor, which can all deform and move in accord with patient respiration. The second process is registration of the organ model to 3D US images. From 133 respiratory phase candidates generated from the deformable organ model, we resolve the candidate that best matches the 3D US images according to vessel centerline and surface. As a result, we can determine the position of the US probe. The final process is real-time tracking using 2D US cine images captured by the US probe. We determine the respiratory phase by tracking the diaphragm on the image. The 3D model is then deformed according to respiration phase and is fitted to the image by considering the positions of the vessels. The tumor's 3D positions are then inferred based on respiration phase. Testing our method on real patient data, we have found the accuracy of 3D position is within 3.79mm and processing time is 5.4ms during tracking.

Optimization of cell morphology measurement via single-molecule tracking PALM.

PubMed

Frost, Nicholas A; Lu, Hsiangmin E; Blanpied, Thomas A

2012-01-01

In neurons, the shape of dendritic spines relates to synapse function, which is rapidly altered during experience-dependent neural plasticity. The small size of spines makes detailed measurement of their morphology in living cells best suited to super-resolution imaging techniques. The distribution of molecular positions mapped via live-cell Photoactivated Localization Microscopy (PALM) is a powerful approach, but molecular motion complicates this analysis and can degrade overall resolution of the morphological reconstruction. Nevertheless, the motion is of additional interest because tracking single molecules provides diffusion coefficients, bound fraction, and other key functional parameters. We used Monte Carlo simulations to examine features of single-molecule tracking of practical utility for the simultaneous determination of cell morphology. We find that the accuracy of determining both distance and angle of motion depend heavily on the precision with which molecules are localized. Strikingly, diffusion within a bounded region resulted in an inward bias of localizations away from the edges, inaccurately reflecting the region structure. This inward bias additionally resulted in a counterintuitive reduction of measured diffusion coefficient for fast-moving molecules; this effect was accentuated by the long camera exposures typically used in single-molecule tracking. Thus, accurate determination of cell morphology from rapidly moving molecules requires the use of short integration times within each image to minimize artifacts caused by motion during image acquisition. Sequential imaging of neuronal processes using excitation pulses of either 2 ms or 10 ms within imaging frames confirmed this: processes appeared erroneously thinner when imaged using the longer excitation pulse. Using this pulsed excitation approach, we show that PALM can be used to image spine and spine neck morphology in living neurons. These results clarify a number of issues involved in interpretation of single-molecule data in living cells and provide a method to minimize artifacts in single-molecule experiments.

Dose calculation and verification of the Vero gimbal tracking treatment delivery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasetio, H.; Wölfelschneider, J.; Ziegler, M.; Serpa, M.; Witulla, B.; Bert, C.

2018-02-01

The Vero linear accelerator delivers dynamic tumor tracking (DTT) treatment using a gimbal motion. However, the availability of treatment planning systems (TPS) to simulate DTT is limited. This study aims to implement and verify the gimbal tracking beam geometry in the dose calculation. Gimbal tracking was implemented by rotating the reference CT outside the TPS according to the ring, gantry, and gimbal tracking position obtained from the tracking log file. The dose was calculated using these rotated CTs. The geometric accuracy was verified by comparing calculated and measured film response using a ball bearing phantom. The dose was verified by comparing calculated 2D dose distributions and film measurements in a ball bearing and a homogeneous phantom using a gamma criterion of 2%/2 mm. The effect of implementing the gimbal tracking beam geometry in a 3D patient data dose calculation was evaluated using dose volume histograms (DVH). Geometrically, the gimbal tracking implementation accuracy was  <0.94 mm. The isodose lines agreed with the film measurement. The largest dose difference of 9.4% was observed at maximum tilt positions with an isocenter and target separation of 17.51 mm. Dosimetrically, gamma passing rates were  >98.4%. The introduction of the gimbal tracking beam geometry in the dose calculation shifted the DVH curves by 0.05%-1.26% for the phantom geometry and by 5.59% for the patient CT dataset. This study successfully demonstrates a method to incorporate the gimbal tracking beam geometry into dose calculations. By combining CT rotation and MU distribution according to the log file, the TPS was able to simulate the Vero tracking treatment dose delivery. The DVH analysis from the gimbal tracking dose calculation revealed changes in the dose distribution during gimbal DTT that are not visible with static dose calculations.

Seismic displacements monitoring for 2015 Mw 7.8 Nepal earthquake with GNSS data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geng, T.; Su, X.; Xie, X.

2017-12-01

The high-rate Global Positioning Satellite System (GNSS) has been recognized as one of the powerful tools for monitoring ground motions generated by seismic events. The high-rate GPS and BDS data collected during the 2015 Mw 7.8 Nepal earthquake have been analyzed using two methods, that are the variometric approach and Precise point positioning (PPP). The variometric approach is based on time differenced technique using only GNSS broadcast products to estimate velocity time series from tracking observations in real time, followed by an integration procedure on the velocities to derive the seismic event induced displacements. PPP is a positioning method to calculate precise positions at centimeter- or even millimeter-level accuracy with a single GNSS receiver using precise satellite orbit and clock products. The displacement motions with accuracy of 2 cm at far-field stations and 5 cm at near-field stations with great ground motions and static offsets up to 1-2 m could be achieved. The multi-GNSS, GPS + BDS, could provide higher accuracy displacements with the increasing of satellite numbers and the improvement of the Position Dilution of Precision (PDOP) values. Considering the time consumption of clock estimates and the precision of PPP solutions, 5 s GNSS satellite clock interval is suggested. In addition, the GNSS-derived displacements are in good agreement with those from strong motion data. These studies demonstrate the feasibility of real-time capturing seismic waves with multi-GNSS observations, which is of great promise for the purpose of earthquake early warning and rapid hazard assessment.

Affine Transform to Reform Pixel Coordinates of EOG Signals for Controlling Robot Manipulators Using Gaze Motions

PubMed Central

Rusydi, Muhammad Ilhamdi; Sasaki, Minoru; Ito, Satoshi

2014-01-01

Biosignals will play an important role in building communication between machines and humans. One of the types of biosignals that is widely used in neuroscience are electrooculography (EOG) signals. An EOG has a linear relationship with eye movement displacement. Experiments were performed to construct a gaze motion tracking method indicated by robot manipulator movements. Three operators looked at 24 target points displayed on a monitor that was 40 cm in front of them. Two channels (Ch1 and Ch2) produced EOG signals for every single eye movement. These signals were converted to pixel units by using the linear relationship between EOG signals and gaze motion distances. The conversion outcomes were actual pixel locations. An affine transform method is proposed to determine the shift of actual pixels to target pixels. This method consisted of sequences of five geometry processes, which are translation-1, rotation, translation-2, shear and dilatation. The accuracy was approximately 0.86° ± 0.67° in the horizontal direction and 0.54° ± 0.34° in the vertical. This system successfully tracked the gaze motions not only in direction, but also in distance. Using this system, three operators could operate a robot manipulator to point at some targets. This result shows that the method is reliable in building communication between humans and machines using EOGs. PMID:24919013

High Accuracy Passive Magnetic Field-Based Localization for Feedback Control Using Principal Component Analysis.

PubMed

Foong, Shaohui; Sun, Zhenglong

2016-08-12

In this paper, a novel magnetic field-based sensing system employing statistically optimized concurrent multiple sensor outputs for precise field-position association and localization is presented. This method capitalizes on the independence between simultaneous spatial field measurements at multiple locations to induce unique correspondences between field and position. This single-source-multi-sensor configuration is able to achieve accurate and precise localization and tracking of translational motion without contact over large travel distances for feedback control. Principal component analysis (PCA) is used as a pseudo-linear filter to optimally reduce the dimensions of the multi-sensor output space for computationally efficient field-position mapping with artificial neural networks (ANNs). Numerical simulations are employed to investigate the effects of geometric parameters and Gaussian noise corruption on PCA assisted ANN mapping performance. Using a 9-sensor network, the sensing accuracy and closed-loop tracking performance of the proposed optimal field-based sensing system is experimentally evaluated on a linear actuator with a significantly more expensive optical encoder as a comparison.

Time determination for spacecraft users of the Navstar Global Positioning System /GPS/

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grenchik, T. J.; Fang, B. T.

1977-01-01

Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation is performed by time measurements. A description is presented of a two body model of spacecraft motion. Orbit determination is the process of inferring the position, velocity, and clock offset of the user from measurements made of the user motion in the Newtonian coordinate system. To illustrate the effect of clock errors and the accuracy with which the user spacecraft time and orbit may be determined, a low-earth-orbit spacecraft (Seasat) as tracked by six Phase I GPS space vehicles is considered. The obtained results indicate that in the absence of unmodeled dynamic parameter errors clock biases may be determined to the nanosecond level. There is, however, a high correlation between the clock bias and the uncertainty in the gravitational parameter GM, i.e., the product of the universal gravitational constant and the total mass of the earth. It is, therefore, not possible to determine clock bias to better than 25 nanosecond accuracy in the presence of a gravitational error of one part per million.

Active Guidance of a Handheld Micromanipulator using Visual Servoing.

PubMed

Becker, Brian C; Voros, Sandrine; Maclachlan, Robert A; Hager, Gregory D; Riviere, Cameron N

2009-05-12

In microsurgery, a surgeon often deals with anatomical structures of sizes that are close to the limit of the human hand accuracy. Robotic assistants can help to push beyond the current state of practice by integrating imaging and robot-assisted tools. This paper demonstrates control of a handheld tremor reduction micromanipulator with visual servo techniques, aiding the operator by providing three behaviors: snap-to, motion-scaling, and standoff-regulation. A stereo camera setup viewing the workspace under high magnification tracks the tip of the micromanipulator and the desired target object being manipulated. Individual behaviors activate in task-specific situations when the micromanipulator tip is in the vicinity of the target. We show that the snap-to behavior can reach and maintain a position at a target with an accuracy of 17.5 ± 0.4μm Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) distance between the tip and target. Scaling the operator's motions and preventing unwanted contact with non-target objects also provides a larger margin of safety.

SU-G-JeP1-12: Head-To-Head Performance Characterization of Two Multileaf Collimator Tracking Algorithms for Radiotherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Caillet, V; Colvill, E; Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, Sydney

2016-06-15

Purpose: Multi-leaf collimator (MLC) tracking is being clinically pioneered to continuously compensate for thoracic and abdominal motion during radiotherapy. The purpose of this work is to characterize the performance of two MLC tracking algorithms for cancer radiotherapy, based on a direct optimization and a piecewise leaf fitting approach respectively. Methods: To test the algorithms, both physical and in silico experiments were performed. Previously published high and low modulation VMAT plans for lung and prostate cancer cases were used along with eight patient-measured organ-specific trajectories. For both MLC tracking algorithm, the plans were run with their corresponding patient trajectories. The physicalmore » experiments were performed on a Trilogy Varian linac and a programmable phantom (HexaMotion platform). For each MLC tracking algorithm, plan and patient trajectory, the tracking accuracy was quantified as the difference in aperture area between ideal and fitted MLC. To compare algorithms, the average cumulative tracking error area for each experiment was calculated. The two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) test was used to evaluate the cumulative tracking errors between algorithms. Results: Comparison of tracking errors for the physical and in silico experiments showed minor differences between the two algorithms. The KS D-statistics for the physical experiments were below 0.05 denoting no significant differences between the two distributions pattern and the average error area (direct optimization/piecewise leaf-fitting) were comparable (66.64 cm2/65.65 cm2). For the in silico experiments, the KS D-statistics were below 0.05 and the average errors area were also equivalent (49.38 cm2/48.98 cm2). Conclusion: The comparison between the two leaf fittings algorithms demonstrated no significant differences in tracking errors, neither in a clinically realistic environment nor in silico. The similarities in the two independent algorithms give confidence in the use of either algorithm for clinical implementation.« less

SU-E-J-108: Template Matching Based On Multiple Templates Can Improve the Tumor Tracking Performance When There Is Large Tumor Deformation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shi, X; Lin, J; Diwanji, T

2014-06-01

Purpose: Recently, template matching has been shown to be able to track tumor motion on cine-MRI images. However, artifacts such as deformation, rotation, and/or out-of-plane movement could seriously degrade the performance of this technique. In this work, we demonstrate the utility of multiple templates derived from different phases of tumor motion in reducing the negative effects of artifacts and improving the accuracy of template matching methods. Methods: Data from 2 patients with large tumors and significant tumor deformation were analyzed from a group of 12 patients from an earlier study. Cine-MRI (200 frames) imaging was performed while the patients weremore » instructed to breathe normally. Ground truth tumor position was established on each frame manually by a radiation oncologist. Tumor positions were also automatically determined using template matching with either single or multiple (5) templates. The tracking errors, defined as the absolute differences in tumor positions determined by the manual and automated methods, when using either single or multiple templates were compared in both the AP and SI directions, respectively. Results: Using multiple templates reduced the tracking error of template matching. In the SI direction where the tumor movement and deformation were significant, the mean tracking error decreased from 1.94 mm to 0.91 mm (Patient 1) and from 6.61 mm to 2.06 mm (Patient 2). In the AP direction where the tumor movement was small, the reduction of the mean tracking error was significant in Patient 1 (from 3.36 mm to 1.04 mm), but not in Patient 2 ( from 3.86 mm to 3.80 mm). Conclusion: This study shows the effectiveness of using multiple templates in improving the performance of template matching when artifacts like large tumor deformation or out-of-plane motion exists. Accurate tumor tracking capabilities can be integrated with MRI guided radiation therapy systems. This work was supported in part by grants from NIH/NCI CA 124766 and Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA.« less

Enabling image fusion for a CT guided needle placement robot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seifabadi, Reza; Xu, Sheng; Aalamifar, Fereshteh; Velusamy, Gnanasekar; Puhazhendi, Kaliyappan; Wood, Bradford J.

2017-03-01

Purpose: This study presents development and integration of hardware and software that enables ultrasound (US) and computer tomography (CT) fusion for a FDA-approved CT-guided needle placement robot. Having real-time US image registered to a priori-taken intraoperative CT image provides more anatomic information during needle insertion, in order to target hard-to-see lesions or avoid critical structures invisible to CT, track target motion, and to better monitor ablation treatment zone in relation to the tumor location. Method: A passive encoded mechanical arm is developed for the robot in order to hold and track an abdominal US transducer. This 4 degrees of freedom (DOF) arm is designed to attach to the robot end-effector. The arm is locked by default and is released by a press of button. The arm is designed such that the needle is always in plane with US image. The articulated arm is calibrated to improve its accuracy. Custom designed software (OncoNav, NIH) was developed to fuse real-time US image to a priori-taken CT. Results: The accuracy of the end effector before and after passive arm calibration was 7.07mm +/- 4.14mm and 1.74mm +/-1.60mm, respectively. The accuracy of the US image to the arm calibration was 5mm. The feasibility of US-CT fusion using the proposed hardware and software was demonstrated in an abdominal commercial phantom. Conclusions: Calibration significantly improved the accuracy of the arm in US image tracking. Fusion of US to CT using the proposed hardware and software was feasible.

Evaluation of the Leap Motion Controller during the performance of visually-guided upper limb movements.

PubMed

Niechwiej-Szwedo, Ewa; Gonzalez, David; Nouredanesh, Mina; Tung, James

2018-01-01

Kinematic analysis of upper limb reaching provides insight into the central nervous system control of movements. Until recently, kinematic examination of motor control has been limited to studies conducted in traditional research laboratories because motion capture equipment used for data collection is not easily portable and expensive. A recently developed markerless system, the Leap Motion Controller (LMC), is a portable and inexpensive tracking device that allows recording of 3D hand and finger position. The main goal of this study was to assess the concurrent reliability and validity of the LMC as compared to the Optotrak, a criterion-standard motion capture system, for measures of temporal accuracy and peak velocity during the performance of upper limb, visually-guided movements. In experiment 1, 14 participants executed aiming movements to visual targets presented on a computer monitor. Bland-Altman analysis was conducted to assess the validity and limits of agreement for measures of temporal accuracy (movement time, duration of deceleration interval), peak velocity, and spatial accuracy (endpoint accuracy). In addition, a one-sample t-test was used to test the hypothesis that the error difference between measures obtained from Optotrak and LMC is zero. In experiment 2, 15 participants performed a Fitts' type aiming task in order to assess whether the LMC is capable of assessing a well-known speed-accuracy trade-off relationship. Experiment 3 assessed the temporal coordination pattern during the performance of a sequence consisting of a reaching, grasping, and placement task in 15 participants. Results from the t-test showed that the error difference in temporal measures was significantly different from zero. Based on the results from the 3 experiments, the average temporal error in movement time was 40±44 ms, and the error in peak velocity was 0.024±0.103 m/s. The limits of agreement between the LMC and Optotrak for spatial accuracy measures ranged between 2-5 cm. Although the LMC system is a low-cost, highly portable system, which could facilitate collection of kinematic data outside of the traditional laboratory settings, the temporal and spatial errors may limit the use of the device in some settings.

Evaluation of the Leap Motion Controller during the performance of visually-guided upper limb movements

PubMed Central

Gonzalez, David; Nouredanesh, Mina; Tung, James

2018-01-01

Kinematic analysis of upper limb reaching provides insight into the central nervous system control of movements. Until recently, kinematic examination of motor control has been limited to studies conducted in traditional research laboratories because motion capture equipment used for data collection is not easily portable and expensive. A recently developed markerless system, the Leap Motion Controller (LMC), is a portable and inexpensive tracking device that allows recording of 3D hand and finger position. The main goal of this study was to assess the concurrent reliability and validity of the LMC as compared to the Optotrak, a criterion-standard motion capture system, for measures of temporal accuracy and peak velocity during the performance of upper limb, visually-guided movements. In experiment 1, 14 participants executed aiming movements to visual targets presented on a computer monitor. Bland-Altman analysis was conducted to assess the validity and limits of agreement for measures of temporal accuracy (movement time, duration of deceleration interval), peak velocity, and spatial accuracy (endpoint accuracy). In addition, a one-sample t-test was used to test the hypothesis that the error difference between measures obtained from Optotrak and LMC is zero. In experiment 2, 15 participants performed a Fitts’ type aiming task in order to assess whether the LMC is capable of assessing a well-known speed-accuracy trade-off relationship. Experiment 3 assessed the temporal coordination pattern during the performance of a sequence consisting of a reaching, grasping, and placement task in 15 participants. Results from the t-test showed that the error difference in temporal measures was significantly different from zero. Based on the results from the 3 experiments, the average temporal error in movement time was 40±44 ms, and the error in peak velocity was 0.024±0.103 m/s. The limits of agreement between the LMC and Optotrak for spatial accuracy measures ranged between 2–5 cm. Although the LMC system is a low-cost, highly portable system, which could facilitate collection of kinematic data outside of the traditional laboratory settings, the temporal and spatial errors may limit the use of the device in some settings. PMID:29529064

Development of a 6DOF robotic motion phantom for radiation therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Belcher, Andrew H.; Liu, Xinmin; Grelewicz, Zachary

Purpose: The use of medical technology capable of tracking patient motion or positioning patients along 6 degree-of-freedom (6DOF) has steadily increased in the field of radiation therapy. However, due to the complex nature of tracking and performing 6DOF motion, it is critical that such technology is properly verified to be operating within specifications in order to ensure patient safety. In this study, a robotic motion phantom is presented that can be programmed to perform highly accurate motion along any X (left–right), Y (superior–inferior), Z (anterior–posterior), pitch (around X), roll (around Y), and yaw (around Z) axes. In addition, highly synchronizedmore » motion along all axes can be performed in order to simulate the dynamic motion of a tumor in 6D. The accuracy and reproducibility of this 6D motion were characterized. Methods: An in-house designed and built 6D robotic motion phantom was constructed following the Stewart–Gough parallel kinematics platform archetype. The device was controlled using an inverse kinematics formulation, and precise movements in all 6 degrees-of-freedom (X, Y, Z, pitch, roll, and yaw) were performed, both simultaneously and separately for each degree-of-freedom. Additionally, previously recorded 6D cranial and prostate motions were effectively executed. The robotic phantom movements were verified using a 15 fps 6D infrared marker tracking system and the measured trajectories were compared quantitatively to the intended input trajectories. The workspace, maximum 6D velocity, backlash, and weight load capabilities of the system were also established. Results: Evaluation of the 6D platform demonstrated translational root mean square error (RMSE) values of 0.14, 0.22, and 0.08 mm over 20 mm in X and Y and 10 mm in Z, respectively, and rotational RMSE values of 0.16°, 0.06°, and 0.08° over 10° of pitch, roll, and yaw, respectively. The robotic stage also effectively performed controlled 6D motions, as well as reproduced cranial trajectories over 15 min, with a maximal RMSE of 0.04 mm translationally and 0.04° rotationally, and a prostate trajectory over 2 min, with a maximal RMSE of 0.06 mm translationally and 0.04° rotationally. Conclusions: This 6D robotic phantom has proven to be accurate under clinical standards and capable of reproducing tumor motion in 6D. Such functionality makes the robotic phantom usable for either quality assurance or research purposes.« less

A Motion Tracking and Sensor Fusion Module for Medical Simulation.

PubMed

Shen, Yunhe; Wu, Fan; Tseng, Kuo-Shih; Ye, Ding; Raymond, John; Konety, Badrinath; Sweet, Robert

2016-01-01

Here we introduce a motion tracking or navigation module for medical simulation systems. Our main contribution is a sensor fusion method for proximity or distance sensors integrated with inertial measurement unit (IMU). Since IMU rotation tracking has been widely studied, we focus on the position or trajectory tracking of the instrument moving freely within a given boundary. In our experiments, we have found that this module reliably tracks instrument motion.

Documenting Western Burrowing Owl Reproduction and Activity Patterns Using Motion-Activated Cameras

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hall, Derek B.; Greger, Paul D.

We used motion-activated cameras to monitor the reproduction and patterns of activity of the Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) above ground at 45 burrows in south-central Nevada during the breeding seasons of 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2005. The 37 broods, encompassing 180 young, raised over the four years represented an average of 4.9 young per successful breeding pair. Young and adult owls were detected at the burrow entrance at all times of the day and night, but adults were detected more frequently during afternoon/early evening than were young. Motion-activated cameras require less effort to implement than other techniques. Limitations include photographingmore » only a small percentage of owl activity at the burrow; not detecting the actual number of eggs, young, or number fledged; and not being able to track individual owls over time. Further work is also necessary to compare the accuracy of productivity estimates generated from motion-activated cameras with other techniques.« less

The star identification, pointing and tracking system of UVSTAR, an attached payload instrument system for the Shuttle Hitchhiker-M platform

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Decarlo, Francesco; Stalio, Roberto; Trampus, Paolo; Broadfoot, A. Lyle; Sandel, Bill R.; Sicuranza, Giovanni

1993-01-01

We describe an algorithm for star identification and pointing/tracking of a spaceborne electro-optical system and simulation analyses to test the algorithm. The algorithm will be implemented in the guiding system of UVSTAR, a spectrographic telescope for observations of astronomical and planetary sources operating in the 500-1250 A waveband at approximately 1 A resolution. The experiment is an attached payload and will fly as a Hitchhiker-M payload on the Shuttle. UVSTAR includes capabilities for independent target acquisition and tracking. The spectrograph package has internal gimbals that allow angular movement of plus or minus 3 deg from the central position. Rotation about the azimuth axis (parallel to the Shuttle z axis) and elevation axis (parallel to the Shuttle x axis) will actively position the field of view to center the target of interest in the fields of the spectrographs. The algorithm is based on an on-board catalog of stars. To identify star fields, the algorithm compares the positions of stars recorded by the guiding imager to positions computed from the on-board catalog. When the field has been identified, its position within the guiding imager field of view can be used to compute the pointing corrections necessary to point to a target of interest. In tracking mode, the software uses the past history to predict the quasi-periodic attitude control motions of the shuttle and sends pointing commands to cancel the motion and stabilize UVSTAR on the target. The guiding imager (guider) will have an 80-mm focal length and f/1.4 optics giving a field of view of 6 deg x 4.5 deg using a 385 x 288 pixel intensified CCD. It will be capable of providing high accuracy (better than 2 arc-sec) attitude determination from coarse (6 deg x 4.5 deg) initial knowledge of the pointing direction; and of pointing toward the target. It will also be capable of tracking at the same high accuracy with a processing time of less than a few hundredths of a second.

SU-G-JeP1-01: A Combination of Real Time Electromagnetic Localization and Tracking with Cone Beam Computed Tomography in Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Brain Tumors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Muralidhar, K Raja; Pangam, Suresh; Ponaganti, Srinivas

2016-06-15

Purpose: 1. online verification of patient position during treatment using calypso electromagnetic localization and tracking system. 2. Verification and comparison of positional accuracy between cone beam computed tomography and calypso system. 3. Presenting the advantage of continuation localization in Stereotactic radiosurgery treatments. Methods: Ten brain tumor cases were taken for this study. Patients with head mask were under gone Computed Tomography (CT). Before scanning, mask was cut on the fore head area to keep surface beacons on the skin. Slice thickness of 0.65 mm were taken for this study. x, y, z coordinates of these beacons in TPS were enteredmore » into tracking station. Varian True Beam accelerator, equipped with On Board Imager was used to take Cone beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) to localize the patient. Simultaneously Surface beacons were used to localize and track the patient throughout the treatment. The localization values were compared in both systems. For localization CBCT considered as reference. Tracking was done throughout the treatment using Calypso tracking system using electromagnetic array. This array was in tracking position during imaging and treatment. Flattening Filter free beams of 6MV photons along with Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy was used for the treatment. The patient movement was observed throughout the treatment ranging from 2 min to 4 min. Results: The average variation observed between calypso system and CBCT localization was less than 0.5 mm. These variations were due to manual errors while keeping beacon on the patient. Less than 0.05 cm intra-fraction motion was observed throughout the treatment with the help of continuous tracking. Conclusion: Calypso target localization system is one of the finest tools to perform radiosurgery in combination with CBCT. This non radiographic method of tracking is a real beneficial method to treat patients confidently while observing real-time motion information of the patient.« less

SU-G-BRA-17: Tracking Multiple Targets with Independent Motion in Real-Time Using a Multi-Leaf Collimator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ge, Y; Keall, P; Poulsen, P

Purpose: Multiple targets with large intrafraction independent motion are often involved in advanced prostate, lung, abdominal, and head and neck cancer radiotherapy. Current standard of care treats these with the originally planned fields, jeopardizing the treatment outcomes. A real-time multi-leaf collimator (MLC) tracking method has been developed to address this problem for the first time. This study evaluates the geometric uncertainty of the multi-target tracking method. Methods: Four treatment scenarios are simulated based on a prostate IMAT plan to treat a moving prostate target and static pelvic node target: 1) real-time multi-target MLC tracking; 2) real-time prostate-only MLC tracking; 3)more » correcting for prostate interfraction motion at setup only; and 4) no motion correction. The geometric uncertainty of the treatment is assessed by the sum of the erroneously underexposed target area and overexposed healthy tissue areas for each individual target. Two patient-measured prostate trajectories of average 2 and 5 mm motion magnitude are used for simulations. Results: Real-time multi-target tracking accumulates the least uncertainty overall. As expected, it covers the static nodes similarly well as no motion correction treatment and covers the moving prostate similarly well as the real-time prostate-only tracking. Multi-target tracking reduces >90% of uncertainty for the static nodal target compared to the real-time prostate-only tracking or interfraction motion correction. For prostate target, depending on the motion trajectory which affects the uncertainty due to leaf-fitting, multi-target tracking may or may not perform better than correcting for interfraction prostate motion by shifting patient at setup, but it reduces ∼50% of uncertainty compared to no motion correction. Conclusion: The developed real-time multi-target MLC tracking can adapt for the independently moving targets better than other available treatment adaptations. This will enable PTV margin reduction to minimize health tissue toxicity while remain tumor coverage when treating advanced disease with independently moving targets involved. The authors acknowledge funding support from the Australian NHMRC Australia Fellowship and NHMRC Project Grant No. APP1042375.« less

Effect of general relativity on a near-Earth satellite in the geocentric and barycentric reference frames

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ries, J. C.; Huang, C.; Watkins, M. M.

1988-01-01

Whether one uses a solar-system barycentric frame or a geocentric frame when including the general theory of relativity in orbit determinations for near-Earth satellites, the results should be equivalent to some limiting accuracy. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the effects of relativity in each frame and to demonstrate their equivalence through the analysis of real laser-tracking data. A correction to the conventional barycentric equations of motion is shown to be required.

Remote Distributed Vibration Sensing Through Opaque Media Using Permanent Magnets

DOE PAGES

Chen, Yi; Mazumdar, Anirban; Brooks, Carlton F.; ...

2018-04-05

Vibration sensing is critical for a variety of applications from structural fatigue monitoring to understanding the modes of airplane wings. In particular, remote sensing techniques are needed for measuring the vibrations of multiple points simultaneously, assessing vibrations inside opaque metal vessels, and sensing through smoke clouds and other optically challenging environments. Here, in this paper, we propose a method which measures high-frequency displacements remotely using changes in the magnetic field generated by permanent magnets. We leverage the unique nature of vibration tracking and use a calibrated local model technique developed specifically to improve the frequency-domain estimation accuracy. The results showmore » that two-dimensional local models surpass the dipole model in tracking high-frequency motions. A theoretical basis for understanding the effects of electronic noise and error due to correlated variables is generated in order to predict the performance of experiments prior to implementation. Simultaneous measurements of up to three independent vibrating components are shown. The relative accuracy of the magnet-based displacement tracking with respect to the video tracking ranges from 40 to 190 μm when the maximum displacements approach ±5 mm and when sensor-to-magnet distances vary from 25 to 36 mm. Finally, vibration sensing inside an opaque metal vessel and mode shape changes due to damage on an aluminum beam are also studied using the wireless permanent-magnet vibration sensing scheme.« less

Remote Distributed Vibration Sensing Through Opaque Media Using Permanent Magnets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Yi; Mazumdar, Anirban; Brooks, Carlton F.

Vibration sensing is critical for a variety of applications from structural fatigue monitoring to understanding the modes of airplane wings. In particular, remote sensing techniques are needed for measuring the vibrations of multiple points simultaneously, assessing vibrations inside opaque metal vessels, and sensing through smoke clouds and other optically challenging environments. Here, in this paper, we propose a method which measures high-frequency displacements remotely using changes in the magnetic field generated by permanent magnets. We leverage the unique nature of vibration tracking and use a calibrated local model technique developed specifically to improve the frequency-domain estimation accuracy. The results showmore » that two-dimensional local models surpass the dipole model in tracking high-frequency motions. A theoretical basis for understanding the effects of electronic noise and error due to correlated variables is generated in order to predict the performance of experiments prior to implementation. Simultaneous measurements of up to three independent vibrating components are shown. The relative accuracy of the magnet-based displacement tracking with respect to the video tracking ranges from 40 to 190 μm when the maximum displacements approach ±5 mm and when sensor-to-magnet distances vary from 25 to 36 mm. Finally, vibration sensing inside an opaque metal vessel and mode shape changes due to damage on an aluminum beam are also studied using the wireless permanent-magnet vibration sensing scheme.« less

Disappearance of the inversion effect during memory-guided tracking of scrambled biological motion.

PubMed

Jiang, Changhao; Yue, Guang H; Chen, Tingting; Ding, Jinhong

2016-08-01

The human visual system is highly sensitive to biological motion. Even when a point-light walker is temporarily occluded from view by other objects, our eyes are still able to maintain tracking continuity. To investigate how the visual system establishes a correspondence between the biological-motion stimuli visible before and after the disruption, we used the occlusion paradigm with biological-motion stimuli that were intact or scrambled. The results showed that during visually guided tracking, both the observers' predicted times and predictive smooth pursuit were more accurate for upright biological motion (intact and scrambled) than for inverted biological motion. During memory-guided tracking, however, the processing advantage for upright as compared with inverted biological motion was not found in the scrambled condition, but in the intact condition only. This suggests that spatial location information alone is not sufficient to build and maintain the representational continuity of the biological motion across the occlusion, and that the object identity may act as an important information source in visual tracking. The inversion effect disappeared when the scrambled biological motion was occluded, which indicates that when biological motion is temporarily occluded and there is a complete absence of visual feedback signals, an oculomotor prediction is executed to maintain the tracking continuity, which is established not only by updating the target's spatial location, but also by the retrieval of identity information stored in long-term memory.

Design and control of one precise tracking simulation bed for Chinese 20/30 meter optic/infrared telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Changzhi; Li, Xiaoyan; Song, Xiaoli; Niu, Yong; Li, Aihua; Zhang, Zhenchao

2012-09-01

Direct drive technology is the key to solute future 30-m and larger telescope motion system to guarantee a very high tracking accuracy, in spite of unbalanced and sudden loads such as wind gusts and in spite of a structure that, because of its size, can not be infinitely stiff. However, this requires the design and realization of unusually large torque motor that the torque slew rate must be extremely steep too. A conventional torque motor design appears inadequate. This paper explores one redundant unit permanent magnet synchronous motor and its simulation bed for 30-m class telescope. Because its drive system is one high integrated electromechanical system, one complexly electromechanical design method is adopted to improve the efficiency, reliability and quality of the system during the design and manufacture circle. This paper discusses the design and control of the precise tracking simulation bed in detail.

Real-time landmark-based unrestrained animal tracking system for motion-corrected PET/SPECT imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J.S. Goddard; S.S. Gleason; M.J. Paulus

2003-08-01

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Jefferson Lab and are collaborating to develop a new high-resolution single photon emission tomography (SPECT) instrument to image unrestrained laboratory animals. This technology development will allow functional imaging studies to be performed on the animals without the use of anesthetic agents. This technology development could have eventual clinical applications for performing functional imaging studies on patients that cannot remain still (Parkinson's patients, Alzheimer's patients, small children, etc.) during a PET or SPECT scan. A key component of this new device is the position tracking apparatus. The tracking apparatus is an integral part of themore » gantry and designed to measure the spatial position of the animal at a rate of 10-15 frames per second with sub-millimeter accuracy. Initial work focuses on brain studies where anesthetic agents or physical restraint can significantly impact physiologic processes.« less

Kinematic Model-Based Pedestrian Dead Reckoning for Heading Correction and Lower Body Motion Tracking.

PubMed

Lee, Min Su; Ju, Hojin; Song, Jin Woo; Park, Chan Gook

2015-11-06

In this paper, we present a method for finding the enhanced heading and position of pedestrians by fusing the Zero velocity UPdaTe (ZUPT)-based pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR) and the kinematic constraints of the lower human body. ZUPT is a well known algorithm for PDR, and provides a sufficiently accurate position solution for short term periods, but it cannot guarantee a stable and reliable heading because it suffers from magnetic disturbance in determining heading angles, which degrades the overall position accuracy as time passes. The basic idea of the proposed algorithm is integrating the left and right foot positions obtained by ZUPTs with the heading and position information from an IMU mounted on the waist. To integrate this information, a kinematic model of the lower human body, which is calculated by using orientation sensors mounted on both thighs and calves, is adopted. We note that the position of the left and right feet cannot be apart because of the kinematic constraints of the body, so the kinematic model generates new measurements for the waist position. The Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) on the waist data that estimates and corrects error states uses these measurements and magnetic heading measurements, which enhances the heading accuracy. The updated position information is fed into the foot mounted sensors, and reupdate processes are performed to correct the position error of each foot. The proposed update-reupdate technique consequently ensures improved observability of error states and position accuracy. Moreover, the proposed method provides all the information about the lower human body, so that it can be applied more effectively to motion tracking. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is verified via experimental results, which show that a 1.25% Return Position Error (RPE) with respect to walking distance is achieved.

Performance and Accuracy of Lightweight and Low-Cost GPS Data Loggers According to Antenna Positions, Fix Intervals, Habitats and Animal Movements

PubMed Central

Forin-Wiart, Marie-Amélie; Hubert, Pauline; Sirguey, Pascal; Poulle, Marie-Lazarine

2015-01-01

Recently developed low-cost Global Positioning System (GPS) data loggers are promising tools for wildlife research because of their affordability for low-budget projects and ability to simultaneously track a greater number of individuals compared with expensive built-in wildlife GPS. However, the reliability of these devices must be carefully examined because they were not developed to track wildlife. This study aimed to assess the performance and accuracy of commercially available GPS data loggers for the first time using the same methods applied to test built-in wildlife GPS. The effects of antenna position, fix interval and habitat on the fix-success rate (FSR) and location error (LE) of CatLog data loggers were investigated in stationary tests, whereas the effects of animal movements on these errors were investigated in motion tests. The units operated well and presented consistent performance and accuracy over time in stationary tests, and the FSR was good for all antenna positions and fix intervals. However, the LE was affected by the GPS antenna and fix interval. Furthermore, completely or partially obstructed habitats reduced the FSR by up to 80% in households and increased the LE. Movement across habitats had no effect on the FSR, whereas forest habitat influenced the LE. Finally, the mean FSR (0.90 ± 0.26) and LE (15.4 ± 10.1 m) values from low-cost GPS data loggers were comparable to those of built-in wildlife GPS collars (71.6% of fixes with LE < 10 m for motion tests), thus confirming their suitability for use in wildlife studies. PMID:26086958

Real-time monitoring for detection of retained surgical sponges and team motion in the surgical operation room using radio-frequency-identification (RFID) technology: a preclinical evaluation.

PubMed

Kranzfelder, Michael; Zywitza, Dorit; Jell, Thomas; Schneider, Armin; Gillen, Sonja; Friess, Helmut; Feussner, Hubertus

2012-06-15

Technical progress in the surgical operating room (OR) increases constantly, facilitating the development of intelligent OR systems functioning as "safety backup" in the background of surgery. Precondition is comprehensive data retrieval to identify imminent risky situations and inaugurate adequate security mechanisms. Radio-frequency-identification (RFID) technology may have the potential to meet these demands. We set up a pilot study investigating feasibility and appliance reliability of a stationary RFID system for real-time surgical sponge monitoring (passive tagged sponges, position monitoring: mayo-stand/abdominal situs/waste bucket) and OR team tracking (active transponders, position monitoring: right/left side of OR table). In vitro: 20/20 sponges (100%) were detected on the mayo-stand and within the OR-phantom, however, real-time detection accuracy declined to 7/20 (33%) when the tags were moved simultaneously. All retained sponges were detected correctly. In vivo (animal): 7-10/10 sterilized sponges (70%-100%) were detected correctly within the abdominal cavity. OR-team: detection accuracy within the OR (surveillance antenna) and on both sides of the OR table (sector antenna) was 100%. Mean detection time for position change (left to right side and contrariwise) was 30-60 s. No transponder failure was noted. This is the first combined RFID system that has been developed for stationary use in the surgical OR. Preclinical evaluation revealed a reliable sponge tracking and correct detection of retained textiles (passive RFID) but also demonstrated feasibility of comprehensive data acquisition of team motion (active RFID). However, detection accuracy needs to be further improved before implementation into the surgical OR. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Derivation of cloud-free-region atmospheric motion vectors from FY-2E thermal infrared imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhenhui; Sui, Xinxiu; Zhang, Qing; Yang, Lu; Zhao, Hang; Tang, Min; Zhan, Yizhe; Zhang, Zhiguo

2017-02-01

The operational cloud-motion tracking technique fails to retrieve atmospheric motion vectors (AMVs) in areas lacking cloud; and while water vapor shown in water vapor imagery can be used, the heights assigned to the retrieved AMVs are mostly in the upper troposphere. As the noise-equivalent temperature difference (NEdT) performance of FY-2E split window (10.3-11.5 μm, 11.6-12.8 μm) channels has been improved, the weak signals representing the spatial texture of water vapor and aerosols in cloud-free areas can be strengthened with algorithms based on the difference principle, and applied in calculating AMVs in the lower troposphere. This paper is a preliminary summary for this purpose, in which the principles and algorithm schemes for the temporal difference, split window difference and second-order difference (SD) methods are introduced. Results from simulation and cases experiments are reported in order to verify and evaluate the methods, based on comparison among retrievals and the "truth". The results show that all three algorithms, though not perfect in some cases, generally work well. Moreover, the SD method appears to be the best in suppressing the surface temperature influence and clarifying the spatial texture of water vapor and aerosols. The accuracy with respect to NCEP 800 hPa reanalysis data was found to be acceptable, as compared with the accuracy of the cloud motion vectors.

Supporting Stroke Motor Recovery Through a Mobile Application: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Lawson, Sonia; Tang, Ziying; Feng, Jinjuan

Neuroplasticity and motor learning are promoted with repetitive movement, appropriate challenge, and performance feedback. ARMStrokes, a smartphone application, incorporates these qualities to support motor recovery. Engaging exercises are easily accessible for improved compliance. In a multiple-case, mixed-methods pilot study, the potential of this technology for stroke motor recovery was examined. Exercises calibrated to the participant's skill level targeted forearm, elbow, and shoulder motions for a 6-wk protocol. Visual, auditory, and vibration feedback promoted self-assessment. Pre- and posttest data from 6 chronic stroke survivors who used the app in different ways (i.e., to measure active or passive motion, to track endurance) demonstrated improvements in accuracy of movements, fatigue, range of motion, and performance of daily activities. Statistically significant changes were not obtained with this pilot study. Further study on the efficacy of this technology is supported. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Relationship Between Motor Variability, Accuracy, and Ball Speed in the Tennis Serve

PubMed Central

Antúnez, Ruperto Menayo; Hernández, Francisco Javier Moreno; García, Juan Pedro Fuentes; Vaíllo, Raúl Reina; Arroyo, Jesús Sebastián Damas

2012-01-01

The main objective of this study was to analyze the motor variability in the performance of the tennis serve and its relationship to performance outcome. Seventeen male tennis players took part in the research, and they performed 20 serves. Linear and non-linear variability during the hand movement was measured by 3D Motion Tracking. Ball speed was recorded with a sports radar gun and the ball bounces were video recorded to calculate accuracy. The results showed a relationship between the amount of variability and its non-linear structure found in performance of movement and the outcome of the serve. The study also found that movement predictability correlates with performance. An increase in the amount of movement variability could affect the tennis serve performance in a negative way by reducing speed and accuracy of the ball. PMID:23486998

Active eye-tracking for an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope

PubMed Central

Sheehy, Christy K.; Tiruveedhula, Pavan; Sabesan, Ramkumar; Roorda, Austin

2015-01-01

We demonstrate a system that combines a tracking scanning laser ophthalmoscope (TSLO) and an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope (AOSLO) system resulting in both optical (hardware) and digital (software) eye-tracking capabilities. The hybrid system employs the TSLO for active eye-tracking at a rate up to 960 Hz for real-time stabilization of the AOSLO system. AOSLO videos with active eye-tracking signals showed, at most, an amplitude of motion of 0.20 arcminutes for horizontal motion and 0.14 arcminutes for vertical motion. Subsequent real-time digital stabilization limited residual motion to an average of only 0.06 arcminutes (a 95% reduction). By correcting for high amplitude, low frequency drifts of the eye, the active TSLO eye-tracking system enabled the AOSLO system to capture high-resolution retinal images over a larger range of motion than previously possible with just the AOSLO imaging system alone. PMID:26203370

Dynamic volume vs respiratory correlated 4DCT for motion assessment in radiation therapy simulation.

PubMed

Coolens, Catherine; Bracken, John; Driscoll, Brandon; Hope, Andrew; Jaffray, David

2012-05-01

Conventional (i.e., respiratory-correlated) 4DCT exploits the repetitive nature of breathing to provide an estimate of motion; however, it has limitations due to binning artifacts and irregular breathing in actual patient breathing patterns. The aim of this work was to evaluate the accuracy and image quality of a dynamic volume, CT approach (4D(vol)) using a 320-slice CT scanner to minimize these limitations, wherein entire image volumes are acquired dynamically without couch movement. This will be compared to the conventional respiratory-correlated 4DCT approach (RCCT). 4D(vol) CT was performed and characterized on an in-house, programmable respiratory motion phantom containing multiple geometric and morphological "tumor" objects over a range of regular and irregular patient breathing traces obtained from 3D fluoroscopy and compared to RCCT. The accuracy of volumetric capture and breathing displacement were evaluated and compared with the ground truth values and with the results reported using RCCT. A motion model was investigated to validate the number of motion samples needed to obtain accurate motion probability density functions (PDF). The impact of 4D image quality on this accuracy was then investigated. Dose measurements using volumetric and conventional scan techniques were also performed and compared. Both conventional and dynamic volume 4DCT methods were capable of estimating the programmed displacement of sinusoidal motion, but patient breathing is known to not be regular, and obvious differences were seen for realistic, irregular motion. The mean RCCT amplitude error averaged at 4 mm (max. 7.8 mm) whereas the 4D(vol) CT error stayed below 0.5 mm. Similarly, the average absolute volume error was lower with 4D(vol) CT. Under irregular breathing, the 4D(vol) CT method provides a close description of the motion PDF (cross-correlation 0.99) and is able to track each object, whereas the RCCT method results in a significantly different PDF from the ground truth, especially for smaller tumors (cross-correlation ranging between 0.04 and 0.69). For the protocols studied, the dose measurements were higher in the 4D(vol) CT method (40%), but it was shown that significant mAs reductions can be achieved by a factor of 4-5 while maintaining image quality and accuracy. 4D(vol) CT using a scanner with a large cone-angle is a promising alternative for improving the accuracy with which respiration-induced motion can be characterized, particularly for patients with irregular breathing motion. This approach also generates 4DCT image data with a reduced total scan time compared to a RCCT scan, without the need for image binning or external respiration signals within the 16 cm scan length. Scan dose can be made comparable to RCCT by optimization of the scan parameters. In addition, it provides the possibility of measuring breathing motion for more than one breathing cycle to assess stability and obtain a more accurate motion PDF, which is currently not feasible with the conventional RCCT approach.

Three-Dimensional High-Resolution Optical/X-Ray Stereoscopic Tracking Velocimetry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cha, Soyoung S.; Ramachandran, Narayanan

2004-01-01

Measurement of three-dimensional (3-D) three-component velocity fields is of great importance in a variety of research and industrial applications for understanding materials processing, fluid physics, and strain/displacement measurements. The 3-D experiments in these fields most likely inhibit the use of conventional techniques, which are based only on planar and optically-transparent-field observation. Here, we briefly review the current status of 3-D diagnostics for motion/velocity detection, for both optical and x-ray systems. As an initial step for providing 3-D capabilities, we nave developed stereoscopic tracking velocimetry (STV) to measure 3-D flow/deformation through optical observation. The STV is advantageous in system simplicity, for continually observing 3- D phenomena in near real-time. In an effort to enhance the data processing through automation and to avoid the confusion in tracking numerous markers or particles, artificial neural networks are employed to incorporate human intelligence. Our initial optical investigations have proven the STV to be a very viable candidate for reliably measuring 3-D flow motions. With previous activities are focused on improving the processing efficiency, overall accuracy, and automation based on the optical system, the current efforts is directed to the concurrent expansion to the x-ray system for broader experimental applications.

Three-Dimensional High-Resolution Optical/X-Ray Stereoscopic Tracking Velocimetry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cha, Soyoung S.; Ramachandran, Naryanan

2005-01-01

Measurement of three-dimensional (3-D) three-component velocity fields is of great importance in a variety of research and industrial applications for understanding materials processing, fluid physics, and strain/displacement measurements. The 3-D experiments in these fields most likely inhibit the use of conventional techniques, which are based only on planar and optically-transparent-field observation. Here, we briefly review the current status of 3-D diagnostics for motion/velocity detection, for both optical and x-ray systems. As an initial step for providing 3-D capabilities, we have developed stereoscopic tracking velocimetry (STV) to measure 3-D flow/deformation through optical observation. The STV is advantageous in system simplicity, for continually observing 3-D phenomena in near real-time. In an effort to enhance the data processing through automation and to avoid the confusion in tracking numerous markers or particles, artificial neural networks are employed to incorporate human intelligence. Our initial optical investigations have proven the STV to be a very viable candidate for reliably measuring 3-D flow motions. With previous activities focused on improving the processing efficiency, overall accuracy, and automation based on the optical system, the current efforts is directed to the concurrent expansion to the x-ray system for broader experimental applications.

Position Tracking During Human Walking Using an Integrated Wearable Sensing System.

PubMed

Zizzo, Giulio; Ren, Lei

2017-12-10

Progress has been made enabling expensive, high-end inertial measurement units (IMUs) to be used as tracking sensors. However, the cost of these IMUs is prohibitive to their widespread use, and hence the potential of low-cost IMUs is investigated in this study. A wearable low-cost sensing system consisting of IMUs and ultrasound sensors was developed. Core to this system is an extended Kalman filter (EKF), which provides both zero-velocity updates (ZUPTs) and Heuristic Drift Reduction (HDR). The IMU data was combined with ultrasound range measurements to improve accuracy. When a map of the environment was available, a particle filter was used to impose constraints on the possible user motions. The system was therefore composed of three subsystems: IMUs, ultrasound sensors, and a particle filter. A Vicon motion capture system was used to provide ground truth information, enabling validation of the sensing system. Using only the IMU, the system showed loop misclosure errors of 1% with a maximum error of 4-5% during walking. The addition of the ultrasound sensors resulted in a 15% reduction in the total accumulated error. Lastly, the particle filter was capable of providing noticeable corrections, which could keep the tracking error below 2% after the first few steps.

Human Body Parts Tracking and Kinematic Features Assessment Based on RSSI and Inertial Sensor Measurements

PubMed Central

Blumrosen, Gaddi; Luttwak, Ami

2013-01-01

Acquisition of patient kinematics in different environments plays an important role in the detection of risk situations such as fall detection in elderly patients, in rehabilitation of patients with injuries, and in the design of treatment plans for patients with neurological diseases. Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) measurements in a Body Area Network (BAN), capture the signal power on a radio link. The main aim of this paper is to demonstrate the potential of utilizing RSSI measurements in assessment of human kinematic features, and to give methods to determine these features. RSSI measurements can be used for tracking different body parts' displacements on scales of a few centimeters, for classifying motion and gait patterns instead of inertial sensors, and to serve as an additional reference to other sensors, in particular inertial sensors. Criteria and analytical methods for body part tracking, kinematic motion feature extraction, and a Kalman filter model for aggregation of RSSI and inertial sensor were derived. The methods were verified by a set of experiments performed in an indoor environment. In the future, the use of RSSI measurements can help in continuous assessment of various kinematic features of patients during their daily life activities and enhance medical diagnosis accuracy with lower costs. PMID:23979481

Human body parts tracking and kinematic features assessment based on RSSI and inertial sensor measurements.

PubMed

Blumrosen, Gaddi; Luttwak, Ami

2013-08-23

Acquisition of patient kinematics in different environments plays an important role in the detection of risk situations such as fall detection in elderly patients, in rehabilitation of patients with injuries, and in the design of treatment plans for patients with neurological diseases. Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) measurements in a Body Area Network (BAN), capture the signal power on a radio link. The main aim of this paper is to demonstrate the potential of utilizing RSSI measurements in assessment of human kinematic features, and to give methods to determine these features. RSSI measurements can be used for tracking different body parts' displacements on scales of a few centimeters, for classifying motion and gait patterns instead of inertial sensors, and to serve as an additional reference to other sensors, in particular inertial sensors. Criteria and analytical methods for body part tracking, kinematic motion feature extraction, and a Kalman filter model for aggregation of RSSI and inertial sensor were derived. The methods were verified by a set of experiments performed in an indoor environment. In the future, the use of RSSI measurements can help in continuous assessment of various kinematic features of patients during their daily life activities and enhance medical diagnosis accuracy with lower costs.

Effects of Vertical Direction and Aperture Size on the Perception of Visual Acceleration.

PubMed

Mueller, Alexandra S; González, Esther G; McNorgan, Chris; Steinbach, Martin J; Timney, Brian

2016-02-06

It is not well understood whether the distance over which moving stimuli are visible affects our sensitivity to the presence of acceleration or our ability to track such stimuli. It is also uncertain whether our experience with gravity creates anisotropies in how we detect vertical acceleration and deceleration. To address these questions, we varied the vertical extent of the aperture through which we presented vertically accelerating and decelerating random dot arrays. We hypothesized that observers would better detect and pursue accelerating and decelerating stimuli that extend over larger than smaller distances. In Experiment 1, we tested the effects of vertical direction and aperture size on acceleration and deceleration detection accuracy. Results indicated that detection is better for downward motion and for large apertures, but there is no difference between vertical acceleration and deceleration detection. A control experiment revealed that our manipulation of vertical aperture size affects the ability to track vertical motion. Smooth pursuit is better (i.e., with higher peak velocities) for large apertures than for small apertures. Our findings suggest that the ability to detect vertical acceleration and deceleration varies as a function of the direction and vertical extent over which an observer can track the moving stimulus. © The Author(s) 2016.

Real-time automatic fiducial marker tracking in low contrast cine-MV images

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lin, Wei-Yang; Lin, Shu-Fang; Yang, Sheng-Chang

2013-01-15

Purpose: To develop a real-time automatic method for tracking implanted radiographic markers in low-contrast cine-MV patient images used in image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). Methods: Intrafraction motion tracking using radiotherapy beam-line MV images have gained some attention recently in IGRT because no additional imaging dose is introduced. However, MV images have much lower contrast than kV images, therefore a robust and automatic algorithm for marker detection in MV images is a prerequisite. Previous marker detection methods are all based on template matching or its derivatives. Template matching needs to match object shape that changes significantly for different implantation and projection angle.more » While these methods require a large number of templates to cover various situations, they are often forced to use a smaller number of templates to reduce the computation load because their methods all require exhaustive search in the region of interest. The authors solve this problem by synergetic use of modern but well-tested computer vision and artificial intelligence techniques; specifically the authors detect implanted markers utilizing discriminant analysis for initialization and use mean-shift feature space analysis for sequential tracking. This novel approach avoids exhaustive search by exploiting the temporal correlation between consecutive frames and makes it possible to perform more sophisticated detection at the beginning to improve the accuracy, followed by ultrafast sequential tracking after the initialization. The method was evaluated and validated using 1149 cine-MV images from two prostate IGRT patients and compared with manual marker detection results from six researchers. The average of the manual detection results is considered as the ground truth for comparisons. Results: The average root-mean-square errors of our real-time automatic tracking method from the ground truth are 1.9 and 2.1 pixels for the two patients (0.26 mm/pixel). The standard deviations of the results from the 6 researchers are 2.3 and 2.6 pixels. The proposed framework takes about 128 ms to detect four markers in the first MV images and about 23 ms to track these markers in each of the subsequent images. Conclusions: The unified framework for tracking of multiple markers presented here can achieve marker detection accuracy similar to manual detection even in low-contrast cine-MV images. It can cope with shape deformations of fiducial markers at different gantry angles. The fast processing speed reduces the image processing portion of the system latency, therefore can improve the performance of real-time motion compensation.« less

MapSentinel: Can the Knowledge of Space Use Improve Indoor Tracking Further?

PubMed Central

Jia, Ruoxi; Jin, Ming; Zou, Han; Yesilata, Yigitcan; Xie, Lihua; Spanos, Costas

2016-01-01

Estimating an occupant’s location is arguably the most fundamental sensing task in smart buildings. The applications for fine-grained, responsive building operations require the location sensing systems to provide location estimates in real time, also known as indoor tracking. Existing indoor tracking systems require occupants to carry specialized devices or install programs on their smartphone to collect inertial sensing data. In this paper, we propose MapSentinel, which performs non-intrusive location sensing based on WiFi access points and ultrasonic sensors. MapSentinel combines the noisy sensor readings with the floormap information to estimate locations. One key observation supporting our work is that occupants exhibit distinctive motion characteristics at different locations on the floormap, e.g., constrained motion along the corridor or in the cubicle zones, and free movement in the open space. While extensive research has been performed on using a floormap as a tool to obtain correct walking trajectories without wall-crossings, there have been few attempts to incorporate the knowledge of space use available from the floormap into the location estimation. This paper argues that the knowledge of space use as an additional information source presents new opportunities for indoor tracking. The fusion of heterogeneous information is theoretically formulated within the Factor Graph framework, and the Context-Augmented Particle Filtering algorithm is developed to efficiently solve real-time walking trajectories. Our evaluation in a large office space shows that the MapSentinel can achieve accuracy improvement of 31.3% compared with the purely WiFi-based tracking system. PMID:27049387

Eye Tracking of Occluded Self-Moved Targets: Role of Haptic Feedback and Hand-Target Dynamics.

PubMed

Danion, Frederic; Mathew, James; Flanagan, J Randall

2017-01-01

Previous studies on smooth pursuit eye movements have shown that humans can continue to track the position of their hand, or a target controlled by the hand, after it is occluded, thereby demonstrating that arm motor commands contribute to the prediction of target motion driving pursuit eye movements. Here, we investigated this predictive mechanism by manipulating both the complexity of the hand-target mapping and the provision of haptic feedback. Two hand-target mappings were used, either a rigid (simple) one in which hand and target motion matched perfectly or a nonrigid (complex) one in which the target behaved as a mass attached to the hand by means of a spring. Target animation was obtained by asking participants to oscillate a lightweight robotic device that provided (or not) haptic feedback consistent with the target dynamics. Results showed that as long as 7 s after target occlusion, smooth pursuit continued to be the main contributor to total eye displacement (∼60%). However, the accuracy of eye-tracking varied substantially across experimental conditions. In general, eye-tracking was less accurate under the nonrigid mapping, as reflected by higher positional and velocity errors. Interestingly, haptic feedback helped to reduce the detrimental effects of target occlusion when participants used the nonrigid mapping, but not when they used the rigid one. Overall, we conclude that the ability to maintain smooth pursuit in the absence of visual information can extend to complex hand-target mappings, but the provision of haptic feedback is critical for the maintenance of accurate eye-tracking performance.

Eye Tracking of Occluded Self-Moved Targets: Role of Haptic Feedback and Hand-Target Dynamics

PubMed Central

Mathew, James

2017-01-01

Abstract Previous studies on smooth pursuit eye movements have shown that humans can continue to track the position of their hand, or a target controlled by the hand, after it is occluded, thereby demonstrating that arm motor commands contribute to the prediction of target motion driving pursuit eye movements. Here, we investigated this predictive mechanism by manipulating both the complexity of the hand-target mapping and the provision of haptic feedback. Two hand-target mappings were used, either a rigid (simple) one in which hand and target motion matched perfectly or a nonrigid (complex) one in which the target behaved as a mass attached to the hand by means of a spring. Target animation was obtained by asking participants to oscillate a lightweight robotic device that provided (or not) haptic feedback consistent with the target dynamics. Results showed that as long as 7 s after target occlusion, smooth pursuit continued to be the main contributor to total eye displacement (∼60%). However, the accuracy of eye-tracking varied substantially across experimental conditions. In general, eye-tracking was less accurate under the nonrigid mapping, as reflected by higher positional and velocity errors. Interestingly, haptic feedback helped to reduce the detrimental effects of target occlusion when participants used the nonrigid mapping, but not when they used the rigid one. Overall, we conclude that the ability to maintain smooth pursuit in the absence of visual information can extend to complex hand-target mappings, but the provision of haptic feedback is critical for the maintenance of accurate eye-tracking performance. PMID:28680964

MapSentinel: Can the Knowledge of Space Use Improve Indoor Tracking Further?

PubMed

Jia, Ruoxi; Jin, Ming; Zou, Han; Yesilata, Yigitcan; Xie, Lihua; Spanos, Costas

2016-04-02

Estimating an occupant's location is arguably the most fundamental sensing task in smart buildings. The applications for fine-grained, responsive building operations require the location sensing systems to provide location estimates in real time, also known as indoor tracking. Existing indoor tracking systems require occupants to carry specialized devices or install programs on their smartphone to collect inertial sensing data. In this paper, we propose MapSentinel, which performs non-intrusive location sensing based on WiFi access points and ultrasonic sensors. MapSentinel combines the noisy sensor readings with the floormap information to estimate locations. One key observation supporting our work is that occupants exhibit distinctive motion characteristics at different locations on the floormap, e.g., constrained motion along the corridor or in the cubicle zones, and free movement in the open space. While extensive research has been performed on using a floormap as a tool to obtain correct walking trajectories without wall-crossings, there have been few attempts to incorporate the knowledge of space use available from the floormap into the location estimation. This paper argues that the knowledge of space use as an additional information source presents new opportunities for indoor tracking. The fusion of heterogeneous information is theoretically formulated within the Factor Graph framework, and the Context-Augmented Particle Filtering algorithm is developed to efficiently solve real-time walking trajectories. Our evaluation in a large office space shows that the MapSentinel can achieve accuracy improvement of 31.3% compared with the purely WiFi-based tracking system.

An automated method for the evaluation of the pointing accuracy of sun-tracking devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumgartner, Dietmar J.; Rieder, Harald E.; Pötzi, Werner; Freislich, Heinrich; Strutzmann, Heinz

2016-04-01

The accuracy of measurements of solar radiation (direct and diffuse radiation) depends significantly on the accuracy of the operational sun-tracking device. Thus rigid targets for instrument performance and operation are specified for international monitoring networks, such as e.g., the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) operating under the auspices of the World Climate Research Program (WCRP). Sun-tracking devices fulfilling these accuracy targets are available from various instrument manufacturers, however none of the commercially available systems comprises a secondary accuracy control system, allowing platform operators to independently validate the pointing accuracy of sun-tracking sensors during operation. Here we present KSO-STREAMS (KSO-SunTRackEr Accuracy Monitoring System), a fully automated, system independent and cost-effective method for evaluating the pointing accuracy of sun-tracking devices. We detail the monitoring system setup, its design and specifications and results from its application to the sun-tracking system operated at the Austrian RADiation network (ARAD) site Kanzelhöhe Observatory (KSO). Results from KSO-STREAMS (for mid-March to mid-June 2015) show that the tracking accuracy of the device operated at KSO lies well within BSRN specifications (i.e. 0.1 degree accuracy). We contrast results during clear-sky and partly cloudy conditions documenting sun-tracking performance at manufacturer specified accuracies for active tracking (0.02 degrees) and highlight accuracies achieved during passive tracking i.e. periods with less than 300 W m-2 direct radiation. Furthermore we detail limitations to tracking surveillance during overcast conditions and periods of partial solar limb coverage by clouds.

A complete system for head tracking using motion-based particle filter and randomly perturbed active contour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouaynaya, N.; Schonfeld, Dan

2005-03-01

Many real world applications in computer and multimedia such as augmented reality and environmental imaging require an elastic accurate contour around a tracked object. In the first part of the paper we introduce a novel tracking algorithm that combines a motion estimation technique with the Bayesian Importance Sampling framework. We use Adaptive Block Matching (ABM) as the motion estimation technique. We construct the proposal density from the estimated motion vector. The resulting algorithm requires a small number of particles for efficient tracking. The tracking is adaptive to different categories of motion even with a poor a priori knowledge of the system dynamics. Particulary off-line learning is not needed. A parametric representation of the object is used for tracking purposes. In the second part of the paper, we refine the tracking output from a parametric sample to an elastic contour around the object. We use a 1D active contour model based on a dynamic programming scheme to refine the output of the tracker. To improve the convergence of the active contour, we perform the optimization over a set of randomly perturbed initial conditions. Our experiments are applied to head tracking. We report promising tracking results in complex environments.

Cortical surface shift estimation using stereovision and optical flow motion tracking via projection image registration

PubMed Central

Ji, Songbai; Fan, Xiaoyao; Roberts, David W.; Hartov, Alex; Paulsen, Keith D.

2014-01-01

Stereovision is an important intraoperative imaging technique that captures the exposed parenchymal surface noninvasively during open cranial surgery. Estimating cortical surface shift efficiently and accurately is critical to compensate for brain deformation in the operating room (OR). In this study, we present an automatic and robust registration technique based on optical flow (OF) motion tracking to compensate for cortical surface displacement throughout surgery. Stereo images of the cortical surface were acquired at multiple time points after dural opening to reconstruct three-dimensional (3D) texture intensity-encoded cortical surfaces. A local coordinate system was established with its z-axis parallel to the average surface normal direction of the reconstructed cortical surface immediately after dural opening in order to produce two-dimensional (2D) projection images. A dense displacement field between the two projection images was determined directly from OF motion tracking without the need for feature identification or tracking. The starting and end points of the displacement vectors on the two cortical surfaces were then obtained following spatial mapping inversion to produce the full 3D displacement of the exposed cortical surface. We evaluated the technique with images obtained from digital phantoms and 18 surgical cases – 10 of which involved independent measurements of feature locations acquired with a tracked stylus for accuracy comparisons, and 8 others of which 4 involved stereo image acquisitions at three or more time points during surgery to illustrate utility throughout a procedure. Results from the digital phantom images were very accurate (0.05 pixels). In the 10 surgical cases with independently digitized point locations, the average agreement between feature coordinates derived from the cortical surface reconstructions was 1.7–2.1 mm relative to those determined with the tracked stylus probe. The agreement in feature displacement tracking was also comparable to tracked probe data (difference in displacement magnitude was <1 mm on average). The average magnitude of cortical surface displacement was 7.9 ± 5.7 mm (range 0.3–24.4 mm) in all patient cases with the displacement components along gravity being 5.2 ± 6.0 mm relative to the lateral movement of 2.4 ± 1.6 mm. Thus, our technique appears to be sufficiently accurate and computationally efficiency (typically ~15 s), for applications in the OR. PMID:25077845

Self-Motion Impairs Multiple-Object Tracking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Laura E.; Seiffert, Adriane E.

2010-01-01

Investigations of multiple-object tracking aim to further our understanding of how people perform common activities such as driving in traffic. However, tracking tasks in the laboratory have overlooked a crucial component of much real-world object tracking: self-motion. We investigated the hypothesis that keeping track of one's own movement…

Real-Time Motion Tracking for Mobile Augmented/Virtual Reality Using Adaptive Visual-Inertial Fusion

PubMed Central

Fang, Wei; Zheng, Lianyu; Deng, Huanjun; Zhang, Hongbo

2017-01-01

In mobile augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR), real-time 6-Degree of Freedom (DoF) motion tracking is essential for the registration between virtual scenes and the real world. However, due to the limited computational capacity of mobile terminals today, the latency between consecutive arriving poses would damage the user experience in mobile AR/VR. Thus, a visual-inertial based real-time motion tracking for mobile AR/VR is proposed in this paper. By means of high frequency and passive outputs from the inertial sensor, the real-time performance of arriving poses for mobile AR/VR is achieved. In addition, to alleviate the jitter phenomenon during the visual-inertial fusion, an adaptive filter framework is established to cope with different motion situations automatically, enabling the real-time 6-DoF motion tracking by balancing the jitter and latency. Besides, the robustness of the traditional visual-only based motion tracking is enhanced, giving rise to a better mobile AR/VR performance when motion blur is encountered. Finally, experiments are carried out to demonstrate the proposed method, and the results show that this work is capable of providing a smooth and robust 6-DoF motion tracking for mobile AR/VR in real-time. PMID:28475145

Real-Time Motion Tracking for Mobile Augmented/Virtual Reality Using Adaptive Visual-Inertial Fusion.

PubMed

Fang, Wei; Zheng, Lianyu; Deng, Huanjun; Zhang, Hongbo

2017-05-05

In mobile augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR), real-time 6-Degree of Freedom (DoF) motion tracking is essential for the registration between virtual scenes and the real world. However, due to the limited computational capacity of mobile terminals today, the latency between consecutive arriving poses would damage the user experience in mobile AR/VR. Thus, a visual-inertial based real-time motion tracking for mobile AR/VR is proposed in this paper. By means of high frequency and passive outputs from the inertial sensor, the real-time performance of arriving poses for mobile AR/VR is achieved. In addition, to alleviate the jitter phenomenon during the visual-inertial fusion, an adaptive filter framework is established to cope with different motion situations automatically, enabling the real-time 6-DoF motion tracking by balancing the jitter and latency. Besides, the robustness of the traditional visual-only based motion tracking is enhanced, giving rise to a better mobile AR/VR performance when motion blur is encountered. Finally, experiments are carried out to demonstrate the proposed method, and the results show that this work is capable of providing a smooth and robust 6-DoF motion tracking for mobile AR/VR in real-time.

Experimental validation of damping properties and solar pressure effects on flexible, high area-to-mass ratio debris model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Channumsin, Sittiporn; Ceriotti, Matteo; Radice, Gianmarco; Watson, Ian

2017-09-01

Multilayer insulation (MLI) is a recently-discovered type of debris originating from delamination of aging spacecraft; it is mostly detected near the geosynchronous orbit (GEO). Observation data indicates that these objects are characterised by high reflectivity, high area-to-mass ratio (HAMR), fast rotation, high sensitivity to perturbations (especially solar radiation pressure) and change of area-to-mass ratio (AMR) over time. As a result, traditional models (e.g. cannonball) are unsuitable to represent and predict this debris' orbital evolution. Previous work by the authors effectively modelled the flexible debris by means of multibody dynamics to improve the prediction accuracy. The orbit evolution with the flexible model resulted significantly different from using the rigid model. This paper aims to present a methodology to determine the dynamic properties of thin membranes with the purpose to validate the deformation characteristics of the flexible model. A high-vacuum chamber (10-4 mbar) to significantly decrease air friction, inside which a thin membrane is hinged at one end but free at the other provides the experimental setup. A free motion test is used to determine the damping characteristics and natural frequency of the thin membrane via logarithmic decrement and frequency response. The membrane can swing freely in the chamber and the motion is tracked by a static, optical camera, and a Kalman filter technique is implemented in the tracking algorithm to reduce noise and increase the tracking accuracy of the oscillating motion. Then, the effect of solar radiation pressure on the thin membrane is investigated: a high power spotlight (500-2000 W) is used to illuminate the sample and any displacement of the membrane is measured by means of a high-resolution laser sensor. Analytic methods from the natural frequency response and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) including multibody simulations of both experimental setups are used for the validation of the flexible model by comparing the experimental results of amplitude decay, natural frequencies and deformation. The experimental results show good agreement with both analytical results and finite element methods.

Orbit-attitude coupled motion around small bodies: Sun-synchronous orbits with Sun-tracking attitude motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kikuchi, Shota; Howell, Kathleen C.; Tsuda, Yuichi; Kawaguchi, Jun'ichiro

2017-11-01

The motion of a spacecraft in proximity to a small body is significantly perturbed due to its irregular gravity field and solar radiation pressure. In such a strongly perturbed environment, the coupling effect of the orbital and attitude motions exerts a large influence that cannot be neglected. However, natural orbit-attitude coupled dynamics around small bodies that are stationary in both orbital and attitude motions have yet to be observed. The present study therefore investigates natural coupled motion that involves both a Sun-synchronous orbit and Sun-tracking attitude motion. This orbit-attitude coupled motion enables a spacecraft to maintain its orbital geometry and attitude state with respect to the Sun without requiring active control. Therefore, the proposed method can reduce the use of an orbit and attitude control system. This paper first presents analytical conditions to achieve Sun-synchronous orbits and Sun-tracking attitude motion. These analytical solutions are then numerically propagated based on non-linear coupled orbit-attitude equations of motion. Consequently, the possibility of implementing Sun-synchronous orbits with Sun-tracking attitude motion is demonstrated.

Multiple vehicle tracking in aerial video sequence using driver behavior analysis and improved deterministic data association

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xunxun; Xu, Hongke; Fang, Jianwu

2018-01-01

Along with the rapid development of the unmanned aerial vehicle technology, multiple vehicle tracking (MVT) in aerial video sequence has received widespread interest for providing the required traffic information. Due to the camera motion and complex background, MVT in aerial video sequence poses unique challenges. We propose an efficient MVT algorithm via driver behavior-based Kalman filter (DBKF) and an improved deterministic data association (IDDA) method. First, a hierarchical image registration method is put forward to compensate the camera motion. Afterward, to improve the accuracy of the state estimation, we propose the DBKF module by incorporating the driver behavior into the Kalman filter, where artificial potential field is introduced to reflect the driver behavior. Then, to implement the data association, a local optimization method is designed instead of global optimization. By introducing the adaptive operating strategy, the proposed IDDA method can also deal with the situation in which the vehicles suddenly appear or disappear. Finally, comprehensive experiments on the DARPA VIVID data set and KIT AIS data set demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can generate satisfactory and superior results.

Design and Kinematic Evaluation of a Novel Joint-Specific Play Controller: Application for Wrist and Forearm Therapy

PubMed Central

Schwartz, Joel B.; Wilcox, Bethany; Costa, Laura; Kerman, Karen

2015-01-01

Background The wrist extensors and flexors are profoundly affected in most children with hemiparetic cerebral palsy (CP) and are the major target of physical therapists' and occupational therapists' efforts to restore useful hand functions. A limitation of any therapeutic or exercise program can be the level of the child's engagement or adherence. The proposed approach capitalizes on the primary learning avenue for children: toy play. Objective This study aimed to develop and evaluate the measurement accuracy of innovative, motion-specific play controllers that are engaging rehabilitative devices for enhancing therapy and promoting neural plasticity and functional recovery in children with CP. Design Design objectives of the play controller included a cost-effective, home-based supplement to physical therapy, the ability to calibrate the controller so that play can be accomplished with any active range of motion, and the capability of logging play activity and wrist motion over week-long periods. Methods Accuracy of the play controller in measuring wrist flexion-extension was evaluated in 6 children who were developing in a typical manner, using optical motion capture of the wrist and forearm as the gold standard. Results The error of the play controller was estimated at approximately 5 degrees in both maximum wrist flexion and extension. Limitations Measurements were taken during a laboratory session, with children without CP, and no toy or computer game was interfaced with the play controller. Therefore, the potential engagement of the proposed approach for therapy remains to be evaluated. Conclusions This study presented the concept, development, and wrist tracking accuracy of an inexpensive approach to extremity therapy that may have a health benefit for children with hemiparesis, and potentially for patients of any age with a wide range of extremity neuromotor impairments. PMID:25573759

Definition of anatomical zero positions for assessing shoulder pose with 3D motion capture during bilateral abduction of the arms.

PubMed

Rettig, Oliver; Krautwurst, Britta; Maier, Michael W; Wolf, Sebastian I

2015-12-09

Surgical interventions at the shoulder may alter function of the shoulder complex. Clinically, the outcome can be assessed by universal goniometry. Marker-based motion capture may not resemble these results due to differing angle definitions. The clinical inspection of bilateral arm abduction for assessing shoulder dysfunction is performed with a marker based 3D optical measurement method. An anatomical zero position of shoulder pose is proposed to determine absolute angles according to the Neutral-0-Method as used in orthopedic context. Static shoulder positions are documented simultaneously by 3D marker tracking and universal goniometry in 8 young and healthy volunteers. Repetitive bilateral arm abduction movements of at least 150° range of motion are monitored. Similarly a subject with gleno-humeral osteoarthritis is monitored for demonstrating the feasibility of the method and to illustrate possible shoulder dysfunction effects. With mean differences of less than 2°, the proposed anatomical zero position results in good agreement between shoulder elevation/depression angles determined by 3D marker tracking and by universal goniometry in static positions. Lesser agreement is found for shoulder pro-/retraction with systematic deviations of up to 6°. In the bilateral arm abduction movements the volunteers perform a common and specific pattern in clavicula-thoracic and gleno-humeral motion with maximum shoulder angles of 32° elevation, 5° depression and 45° protraction, respectively, whereas retraction is hardly reached. Further, they all show relevant out of (frontal) plane motion with anteversion angles of 30° in overhead position (maximum abduction). With increasing arm anteversion the shoulder is increasingly retroverted, with a maximum of 20° retroversion. The subject with gleno-humeral osteoarthritis shows overall less shoulder abduction range of motion but with increased out-of-plane movement during abduction. The proposed anatomical zero definition for shoulder pose fills the missing link for determining absolute joint angles for shoulder elevation/depression and pro-/retraction. For elevation-/depression the accuracy suits clinical expectations very well with mean differences less than 2° and limits of agreement of 8.6° whereas for pro-/retraction the accuracy in individual cases may be inferior with limits of agreement of up to 24.6°. This has critically to be kept in mind when applying this concept to shoulder intervention studies.

Probabilistic multi-person localisation and tracking in image sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klinger, T.; Rottensteiner, F.; Heipke, C.

2017-05-01

The localisation and tracking of persons in image sequences in commonly guided by recursive filters. Especially in a multi-object tracking environment, where mutual occlusions are inherent, the predictive model is prone to drift away from the actual target position when not taking context into account. Further, if the image-based observations are imprecise, the trajectory is prone to be updated towards a wrong position. In this work we address both these problems by using a new predictive model on the basis of Gaussian Process Regression, and by using generic object detection, as well as instance-specific classification, for refined localisation. The predictive model takes into account the motion of every tracked pedestrian in the scene and the prediction is executed with respect to the velocities of neighbouring persons. In contrast to existing methods our approach uses a Dynamic Bayesian Network in which the state vector of a recursive Bayes filter, as well as the location of the tracked object in the image, are modelled as unknowns. This allows the detection to be corrected before it is incorporated into the recursive filter. Our method is evaluated on a publicly available benchmark dataset and outperforms related methods in terms of geometric precision and tracking accuracy.

Real-time motion compensation for EM bronchoscope tracking with smooth output - ex-vivo validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reichl, Tobias; Gergel, Ingmar; Menzel, Manuela; Hautmann, Hubert; Wegner, Ingmar; Meinzer, Hans-Peter; Navab, Nassir

2012-02-01

Navigated bronchoscopy provides benefits for endoscopists and patients, but accurate tracking information is needed. We present a novel real-time approach for bronchoscope tracking combining electromagnetic (EM) tracking, airway segmentation, and a continuous model of output. We augment a previously published approach by including segmentation information in the tracking optimization instead of image similarity. Thus, the new approach is feasible in real-time. Since the true bronchoscope trajectory is continuous, the output is modeled using splines and the control points are optimized with respect to displacement from EM tracking measurements and spatial relation to segmented airways. Accuracy of the proposed method and its components is evaluated on a ventilated porcine ex-vivo lung with respect to ground truth data acquired from a human expert. We demonstrate the robustness of the output of the proposed method against added artificial noise in the input data. Smoothness in terms of inter-frame distance is shown to remain below 2 mm, even when up to 5 mm of Gaussian noise are added to the input. The approach is shown to be easily extensible to include other measures like image similarity.

A new performance index for the repetitive motion of mobile manipulators.

PubMed

Xiao, Lin; Zhang, Yunong

2014-02-01

A mobile manipulator is a robotic device composed of a mobile platform and a stationary manipulator fixed to the platform. To achieve the repetitive motion control of mobile manipulators, the mobile platform and the manipulator have to realize the repetitive motion simultaneously. To do so, a novel quadratic performance index is, for the first time, designed and presented in this paper, of which the effectiveness is analyzed by following a neural dynamics method. Then, a repetitive motion scheme is proposed by combining the criterion, physical constraints, and integrated kinematical equations of mobile manipulators, which is further reformulated as a quadratic programming (QP) subject to equality and bound constraints. In addition, two important Bridge theorems are established to prove that such a QP can be converted equivalently into a linear variational inequality, and then equivalently into a piecewise-linear projection equation (PLPE). A real-time numerical algorithm based on PLPE is thus developed and applied for the online solution of the resultant QP. Two tracking-path tasks demonstrate the effectiveness and accuracy of the repetitive motion scheme. In addition, comparisons between the nonrepetitive and repetitive motion further validate the superiority and novelty of the proposed scheme.

High-resolution motion-compensated imaging photoplethysmography for remote heart rate monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, Audrey; Wang, Xiao Yu; Amelard, Robert; Scharfenberger, Christian; Leong, Joanne; Kulinski, Jan; Wong, Alexander; Clausi, David A.

2015-03-01

We present a novel non-contact photoplethysmographic (PPG) imaging system based on high-resolution video recordings of ambient reflectance of human bodies that compensates for body motion and takes advantage of skin erythema fluctuations to improve measurement reliability for the purpose of remote heart rate monitoring. A single measurement location for recording the ambient reflectance is automatically identified on an individual, and the motion for the location is determined over time via measurement location tracking. Based on the determined motion information motion-compensated reflectance measurements at different wavelengths for the measurement location can be acquired, thus providing more reliable measurements for the same location on the human over time. The reflectance measurement is used to determine skin erythema fluctuations over time, resulting in the capture of a PPG signal with a high signal-to-noise ratio. To test the efficacy of the proposed system, a set of experiments involving human motion in a front-facing position were performed under natural ambient light. The experimental results demonstrated that skin erythema fluctuations can achieve noticeably improved average accuracy in heart rate measurement when compared to previously proposed non-contact PPG imaging systems.

Ego-Motion and Tracking for Continuous Object Learning: A Brief Survey

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-01

ARL-TR-8167• SEP 2017 US Army Research Laboratory Ego-motion and Tracking for ContinuousObject Learning: A Brief Survey by Jason Owens and Philip...SEP 2017 US Army Research Laboratory Ego-motion and Tracking for ContinuousObject Learning: A Brief Survey by Jason Owens and Philip OsteenVehicle...

Unsupervised markerless 3-DOF motion tracking in real time using a single low-budget camera.

PubMed

Quesada, Luis; León, Alejandro J

2012-10-01

Motion tracking is a critical task in many computer vision applications. Existing motion tracking techniques require either a great amount of knowledge on the target object or specific hardware. These requirements discourage the wide spread of commercial applications based on motion tracking. In this paper, we present a novel three degrees of freedom motion tracking system that needs no knowledge on the target object and that only requires a single low-budget camera that can be found installed in most computers and smartphones. Our system estimates, in real time, the three-dimensional position of a nonmodeled unmarked object that may be nonrigid, nonconvex, partially occluded, self-occluded, or motion blurred, given that it is opaque, evenly colored, enough contrasting with the background in each frame, and that it does not rotate. Our system is also able to determine the most relevant object to track in the screen. Our proposal does not impose additional constraints, therefore it allows a market-wide implementation of applications that require the estimation of the three position degrees of freedom of an object.

Motion-based prediction explains the role of tracking in motion extrapolation.

PubMed

Khoei, Mina A; Masson, Guillaume S; Perrinet, Laurent U

2013-11-01

During normal viewing, the continuous stream of visual input is regularly interrupted, for instance by blinks of the eye. Despite these frequents blanks (that is the transient absence of a raw sensory source), the visual system is most often able to maintain a continuous representation of motion. For instance, it maintains the movement of the eye such as to stabilize the image of an object. This ability suggests the existence of a generic neural mechanism of motion extrapolation to deal with fragmented inputs. In this paper, we have modeled how the visual system may extrapolate the trajectory of an object during a blank using motion-based prediction. This implies that using a prior on the coherency of motion, the system may integrate previous motion information even in the absence of a stimulus. In order to compare with experimental results, we simulated tracking velocity responses. We found that the response of the motion integration process to a blanked trajectory pauses at the onset of the blank, but that it quickly recovers the information on the trajectory after reappearance. This is compatible with behavioral and neural observations on motion extrapolation. To understand these mechanisms, we have recorded the response of the model to a noisy stimulus. Crucially, we found that motion-based prediction acted at the global level as a gain control mechanism and that we could switch from a smooth regime to a binary tracking behavior where the dot is tracked or lost. Our results imply that a local prior implementing motion-based prediction is sufficient to explain a large range of neural and behavioral results at a more global level. We show that the tracking behavior deteriorates for sensory noise levels higher than a certain value, where motion coherency and predictability fail to hold longer. In particular, we found that motion-based prediction leads to the emergence of a tracking behavior only when enough information from the trajectory has been accumulated. Then, during tracking, trajectory estimation is robust to blanks even in the presence of relatively high levels of noise. Moreover, we found that tracking is necessary for motion extrapolation, this calls for further experimental work exploring the role of noise in motion extrapolation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measurement of body joint angles for physical therapy based on mean shift tracking using two low cost Kinect images.

PubMed

Chen, Y C; Lee, H J; Lin, K H

2015-08-01

Range of motion (ROM) is commonly used to assess a patient's joint function in physical therapy. Because motion capture systems are generally very expensive, physical therapists mostly use simple rulers to measure patients' joint angles in clinical diagnosis, which will suffer from low accuracy, low reliability, and subjective. In this study we used color and depth image feature from two sets of low-cost Microsoft Kinect to reconstruct 3D joint positions, and then calculate moveable joint angles to assess the ROM. A Gaussian background model is first used to segment the human body from the depth images. The 3D coordinates of the joints are reconstructed from both color and depth images. To track the location of joints throughout the sequence more precisely, we adopt the mean shift algorithm to find out the center of voxels upon the joints. The two sets of Kinect are placed three meters away from each other and facing to the subject. The joint moveable angles and the motion data are calculated from the position of joints frame by frame. To verify the results of our system, we take the results from a motion capture system called VICON as golden standard. Our 150 test results showed that the deviation of joint moveable angles between those obtained by VICON and our system is about 4 to 8 degree in six different upper limb exercises, which are acceptable in clinical environment.

DMLC tracking and gating can improve dose coverage for prostate VMAT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Colvill, E.; Northern Sydney Cancer Centre, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, NSW 2065; School of Physics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006

2014-09-15

Purpose: To assess and compare the dosimetric impact of dynamic multileaf collimator (DMLC) tracking and gating as motion correction strategies to account for intrafraction motion during conventionally fractionated prostate radiotherapy. Methods: A dose reconstruction method was used to retrospectively assess the dose distributions delivered without motion correction during volumetric modulated arc therapy fractions for 20 fractions of five prostate cancer patients who received conventionally fractionated radiotherapy. These delivered dose distributions were compared with the dose distributions which would have been delivered had DMLC tracking or gating motion correction strategies been implemented. The delivered dose distributions were constructed by incorporating themore » observed prostate motion with the patient's original treatment plan to simulate the treatment delivery. The DMLC tracking dose distributions were constructed using the same dose reconstruction method with the addition of MLC positions from Linac log files obtained during DMLC tracking simulations with the observed prostate motions input to the DMLC tracking software. The gating dose distributions were constructed by altering the prostate motion to simulate the application of a gating threshold of 3 mm for 5 s. Results: The delivered dose distributions showed that dosimetric effects of intrafraction prostate motion could be substantial for some fractions, with an estimated dose decrease of more than 19% and 34% from the planned CTVD{sub 99%} and PTV D{sub 95%} values, respectively, for one fraction. Evaluation of dose distributions for DMLC tracking and gating deliveries showed that both interventions were effective in improving the CTV D{sub 99%} for all of the selected fractions to within 4% of planned value for all fractions. For the delivered dose distributions the difference in rectum V{sub 65%} for the individual fractions from planned ranged from −44% to 101% and for the bladder V{sub 65%} the range was −61% to 26% from planned. The application of tracking decreased the maximum rectum and bladder V{sub 65%} difference to 6% and 4%, respectively. Conclusions: For the first time, the dosimetric impact of DMLC tracking and gating to account for intrafraction motion during prostate radiotherapy has been assessed and compared with no motion correction. Without motion correction intrafraction prostate motion can result in a significant decrease in target dose coverage for a small number of individual fractions. This is unlikely to effect the overall treatment for most patients undergoing conventionally fractionated treatments. Both DMLC tracking and gating demonstrate dose distributions for all assessed fractions that are robust to intrafraction motion.« less

Sci-Fri PM: Radiation Therapy, Planning, Imaging, and Special Techniques - 09: Impact of the distance of reflective markers from linac isocenter on the positional accuracy of an infrared tracking system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ali, Elsayed; Nyiri, Balazs

Purpose: The HexaPOD™ six degree of freedom couchtop is equipped with an optical tracking system, consisting of a stereoscopic camera and a reference frame (RF) carrying infrared reflective markers. The manufacturer recommends placing the RF within 50 cm from linac isocenter (ISO), which is a serious limitation since the RF does not fit around the shoulders of most brain patients. This study quantifies the impact of extended RF distances from ISO on positional accuracy. Methods: An in-house tool with an estimated resolution of 0.3 mm and 0.1° was used. It is a large cube and a mathematical model of HexaPODmore » motion to determine the intersection of room lasers with the ruled cube edges. Combinations of translations (±1 and ±3 cm) and rotations (±2.5°) were executed on two HexaPOD couchtops for multiple RF distances from ISO (35 to 77 cm). For each combination, ten laser readings were fed into a least squares algorithm to determine the executed translations and rotations while minimizing operator reading errors. Results: The usable tracking volume is up to an RF distance of 82 cm from ISO. Positional accuracy of the HexaPOD/iGuide system is 0.6 mm and 0.1° (95% confidence). Positional accuracy variations versus RF distance from ISO are statistically insignificant (p = 0.05). Our results generally confirm recent internal estimates by the manufacturer (for future release). Conclusions: RF distances up to 77 cm from ISO are clinically acceptable, provided performing a patient safety study with a verification scan.« less

FlyCap: Markerless Motion Capture Using Multiple Autonomous Flying Cameras.

PubMed

Xu, Lan; Liu, Yebin; Cheng, Wei; Guo, Kaiwen; Zhou, Guyue; Dai, Qionghai; Fang, Lu

2017-07-18

Aiming at automatic, convenient and non-instrusive motion capture, this paper presents a new generation markerless motion capture technique, the FlyCap system, to capture surface motions of moving characters using multiple autonomous flying cameras (autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs) each integrated with an RGBD video camera). During data capture, three cooperative flying cameras automatically track and follow the moving target who performs large-scale motions in a wide space. We propose a novel non-rigid surface registration method to track and fuse the depth of the three flying cameras for surface motion tracking of the moving target, and simultaneously calculate the pose of each flying camera. We leverage the using of visual-odometry information provided by the UAV platform, and formulate the surface tracking problem in a non-linear objective function that can be linearized and effectively minimized through a Gaussian-Newton method. Quantitative and qualitative experimental results demonstrate the plausible surface and motion reconstruction results.

SU-G-BRA-03: PCA Based Imaging Angle Optimization for 2D Cine MRI Based Radiotherapy Guidance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, T; Yue, N; Jabbour, S

2016-06-15

Purpose: To develop an imaging angle optimization methodology for orthogonal 2D cine MRI based radiotherapy guidance using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of target motion retrieved from 4DCT. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 4DCT of 6 patients with lung tumor. A radiation oncologist manually contoured the target volume at the maximal inhalation phase of the respiratory cycle. An object constrained deformable image registration (DIR) method has been developed to track the target motion along the respiration at ten phases. The motion of the center of the target mass has been analyzed using the PCA to find out the principal motion components thatmore » were uncorrelated with each other. Two orthogonal image planes for cineMRI have been determined using this method to minimize the through plane motion during MRI based radiotherapy guidance. Results: 3D target respiratory motion for all 6 patients has been efficiently retrieved from 4DCT. In this process, the object constrained DIR demonstrated satisfactory accuracy and efficiency to enable the automatic motion tracking for clinical application. The average motion amplitude in the AP, lateral, and longitudinal directions were 3.6mm (min: 1.6mm, max: 5.6mm), 1.7mm (min: 0.6mm, max: 2.7mm), and 5.6mm (min: 1.8mm, max: 16.1mm), respectively. Based on PCA, the optimal orthogonal imaging planes were determined for cineMRI. The average angular difference between the PCA determined imaging planes and the traditional AP and lateral imaging planes were 47 and 31 degrees, respectively. After optimization, the average amplitude of through plane motion reduced from 3.6mm in AP images to 2.5mm (min:1.3mm, max:3.9mm); and from 1.7mm in lateral images to 0.6mm (min: 0.2mm, max:1.5mm), while the principal in plane motion amplitude increased from 5.6mm to 6.5mm (min: 2.8mm, max: 17mm). Conclusion: DIR and PCA can be used to optimize the orthogonal image planes of cineMRI to minimize the through plane motion during radiotherapy guidance.« less

Covert enaction at work: Recording the continuous movements of visuospatial attention to visible or imagined targets by means of Steady-State Visual Evoked Potentials (SSVEPs).

PubMed

Gregori Grgič, Regina; Calore, Enrico; de'Sperati, Claudio

2016-01-01

Whereas overt visuospatial attention is customarily measured with eye tracking, covert attention is assessed by various methods. Here we exploited Steady-State Visual Evoked Potentials (SSVEPs) - the oscillatory responses of the visual cortex to incoming flickering stimuli - to record the movements of covert visuospatial attention in a way operatively similar to eye tracking (attention tracking), which allowed us to compare motion observation and motion extrapolation with and without eye movements. Observers fixated a central dot and covertly tracked a target oscillating horizontally and sinusoidally. In the background, the left and the right halves of the screen flickered at two different frequencies, generating two SSVEPs in occipital regions whose size varied reciprocally as observers attended to the moving target. The two signals were combined into a single quantity that was modulated at the target frequency in a quasi-sinusoidal way, often clearly visible in single trials. The modulation continued almost unchanged when the target was switched off and observers mentally extrapolated its motion in imagery, and also when observers pointed their finger at the moving target during covert tracking, or imagined doing so. The amplitude of modulation during covert tracking was ∼25-30% of that measured when observers followed the target with their eyes. We used 4 electrodes in parieto-occipital areas, but similar results were achieved with a single electrode in Oz. In a second experiment we tested ramp and step motion. During overt tracking, SSVEPs were remarkably accurate, showing both saccadic-like and smooth pursuit-like modulations of cortical responsiveness, although during covert tracking the modulation deteriorated. Covert tracking was better with sinusoidal motion than ramp motion, and better with moving targets than stationary ones. The clear modulation of cortical responsiveness recorded during both overt and covert tracking, identical for motion observation and motion extrapolation, suggests to include covert attention movements in enactive theories of mental imagery. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advances in Doppler recognition for ground moving target indication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kealey, Paul G.; Jahangir, Mohammed

2006-05-01

Ground Moving Target Indication (GMTI) radar provides a day/night, all-weather, wide-area surveillance capability to detect moving vehicles and personnel. Current GMTI radar sensors are limited to only detecting and tracking targets. The exploitation of GMTI data would be greatly enhanced by a capability to recognize accurately the detections as significant classes of target. Doppler classification exploits the differential internal motion of targets, e.g. due to the tracks, limbs and rotors. Recently, the QinetiQ Bayesian Doppler classifier has been extended to include a helicopter class in addition to wheeled, tracked and personnel classes. This paper presents the performance for these four classes using a traditional low-resolution GMTI surveillance waveform with an experimental radar system. We have determined the utility of an "unknown output decision" for enhancing the accuracy of the declared target classes. A confidence method has been derived, using a threshold of the difference in certainties, to assign uncertain classifications into an "unknown class". The trade-off between fraction of targets declared and accuracy of the classifier has been measured. To determine the operating envelope of a Doppler classification algorithm requires a detailed understanding of the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) performance of the algorithm. In this study the SNR dependence of the QinetiQ classifier has been determined.

Electromagnetic tracking (EMT) technology for improved treatment quality assurance in interstitial brachytherapy.

PubMed

Kellermeier, Markus; Herbolzheimer, Jens; Kreppner, Stephan; Lotter, Michael; Strnad, Vratislav; Bert, Christoph

2017-01-01

Electromagnetic Tracking (EMT) is a novel technique for error detection and quality assurance (QA) in interstitial high dose rate brachytherapy (HDR-iBT). The purpose of this study is to provide a concept for data acquisition developed as part of a clinical evaluation study on the use of EMT during interstitial treatment of breast cancer patients. The stability, accuracy, and precision of EMT-determined dwell positions were quantified. Dwell position reconstruction based on EMT was investigated on CT table, HDR table and PDR bed to examine the influence on precision and accuracy in a typical clinical workflow. All investigations were performed using a precise PMMA phantom. The track of catheters inserted in that phantom was measured by manually inserting a 5 degree of freedom (DoF) sensor while recording the position of three 6DoF fiducial sensors on the phantom surface to correct motion influences. From the corrected data, dwell positions were reconstructed along the catheter's track. The accuracy of the EMT-determined dwell positions was quantified by the residual distances to reference dwell positions after using a rigid registration. Precision and accuracy were investigated for different phantom-table and sensor-field generator (FG) distances. The measured precision of the EMT-determined dwell positions was ≤ 0.28 mm (95th percentile). Stability tests showed a drift of 0.03 mm in the first 20 min of use. Sudden shaking of the FG or (large) metallic objects close to the FG degrade the precision. The accuracy with respect to the reference dwell positions was on all clinical tables < 1 mm at 200 mm FG distance and 120 mm phantom-table distance. Phantom measurements showed that EMT-determined localization of dwell positions in HDR-iBT is stable, precise, and sufficiently accurate for clinical assessment. The presented method may be viable for clinical applications in HDR-iBT, like implant definition, error detection or quantification of uncertainties. Further clinical investigations are needed. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Electromagnetic tracking of motion in the proximity of computer generated graphical stimuli: a tutorial.

PubMed

Schnabel, Ulf H; Hegenloh, Michael; Müller, Hermann J; Zehetleitner, Michael

2013-09-01

Electromagnetic motion-tracking systems have the advantage of capturing the tempo-spatial kinematics of movements independently of the visibility of the sensors. However, they are limited in that they cannot be used in the proximity of electromagnetic field sources, such as computer monitors. This prevents exploiting the tracking potential of the sensor system together with that of computer-generated visual stimulation. Here we present a solution for presenting computer-generated visual stimulation that does not distort the electromagnetic field required for precise motion tracking, by means of a back projection medium. In one experiment, we verify that cathode ray tube monitors, as well as thin-film-transistor monitors, distort electro-magnetic sensor signals even at a distance of 18 cm. Our back projection medium, by contrast, leads to no distortion of the motion-tracking signals even when the sensor is touching the medium. This novel solution permits combining the advantages of electromagnetic motion tracking with computer-generated visual stimulation.

Accuracy of speckle tracking in the context of stress echocardiography in short axis view: An in vitro validation study.

PubMed

Hodzic, Amir; Chayer, Boris; Wang, Diya; Porée, Jonathan; Cloutier, Guy; Milliez, Paul; Normand, Hervé; Garcia, Damien; Saloux, Eric; Tournoux, Francois

2018-01-01

This study aimed to test the accuracy of a speckle tracking algorithm to assess myocardial deformation in a large range of heart rates and strain magnitudes compared to sonomicrometry. Using a tissue-mimicking phantom with cyclic radial deformation, radial strain derived from speckle tracking (RS-SpT) of the upper segment was assessed in short axis view by conventional echocardiography (Vivid q, GE) and post-processed with clinical software (EchoPAC, GE). RS-SpT was compared with radial strain measured simultaneously by sonomicrometers (RS-SN). Radial strain was assessed with increasing deformation rates (60 to 160 beats/min) and increasing pulsed volumes (50 to 100 ml/beat) to simulate physiological changes occurring during stress echocardiography. There was a significant correlation (R2 = 0.978, P <0.001) and a close agreement (bias ± 2SD, 0.39 ± 1.5%) between RS-SpT and RS-SN. For low strain values (<15%), speckle tracking showed a small but significant overestimation of radial strain compared to sonomicrometers. Two-way analysis of variance did not show any significant effect of the deformation rate. For RS-SpT, the feasibility was excellent and the intra- and inter-observer variability were low (the intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.96 and 0.97, respectively). Speckle tracking demonstrated a good correlation with sonomicrometry for the assessment of radial strain independently of the heart rate and strain magnitude in a physiological range of values. Though speckle tracking seems to be a reliable and reproducible technique to assess myocardial deformation variations during stress echocardiography, further studies are mandated to analyze the impact of angulated and artefactual out-of-plane motions and inter-vendor variability.

Accuracy of speckle tracking in the context of stress echocardiography in short axis view: An in vitro validation study

PubMed Central

Chayer, Boris; Wang, Diya; Porée, Jonathan; Cloutier, Guy; Milliez, Paul; Normand, Hervé; Garcia, Damien; Saloux, Eric; Tournoux, Francois

2018-01-01

Aim This study aimed to test the accuracy of a speckle tracking algorithm to assess myocardial deformation in a large range of heart rates and strain magnitudes compared to sonomicrometry. Methods and results Using a tissue-mimicking phantom with cyclic radial deformation, radial strain derived from speckle tracking (RS-SpT) of the upper segment was assessed in short axis view by conventional echocardiography (Vivid q, GE) and post-processed with clinical software (EchoPAC, GE). RS-SpT was compared with radial strain measured simultaneously by sonomicrometers (RS-SN). Radial strain was assessed with increasing deformation rates (60 to 160 beats/min) and increasing pulsed volumes (50 to 100 ml/beat) to simulate physiological changes occurring during stress echocardiography. There was a significant correlation (R2 = 0.978, P <0.001) and a close agreement (bias ± 2SD, 0.39 ± 1.5%) between RS-SpT and RS-SN. For low strain values (<15%), speckle tracking showed a small but significant overestimation of radial strain compared to sonomicrometers. Two-way analysis of variance did not show any significant effect of the deformation rate. For RS-SpT, the feasibility was excellent and the intra- and inter-observer variability were low (the intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.96 and 0.97, respectively). Conclusions Speckle tracking demonstrated a good correlation with sonomicrometry for the assessment of radial strain independently of the heart rate and strain magnitude in a physiological range of values. Though speckle tracking seems to be a reliable and reproducible technique to assess myocardial deformation variations during stress echocardiography, further studies are mandated to analyze the impact of angulated and artefactual out-of-plane motions and inter-vendor variability. PMID:29584751

Automatically rating trainee skill at a pediatric laparoscopic suturing task.

PubMed

Oquendo, Yousi A; Riddle, Elijah W; Hiller, Dennis; Blinman, Thane A; Kuchenbecker, Katherine J

2018-04-01

Minimally invasive surgeons must acquire complex technical skills while minimizing patient risk, a challenge that is magnified in pediatric surgery. Trainees need realistic practice with frequent detailed feedback, but human grading is tedious and subjective. We aim to validate a novel motion-tracking system and algorithms that automatically evaluate trainee performance of a pediatric laparoscopic suturing task. Subjects (n = 32) ranging from medical students to fellows performed two trials of intracorporeal suturing in a custom pediatric laparoscopic box trainer after watching a video of ideal performance. The motions of the tools and endoscope were recorded over time using a magnetic sensing system, and both tool grip angles were recorded using handle-mounted flex sensors. An expert rated the 63 trial videos on five domains from the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill (OSATS), yielding summed scores from 5 to 20. Motion data from each trial were processed to calculate 280 features. We used regularized least squares regression to identify the most predictive features from different subsets of the motion data and then built six regression tree models that predict summed OSATS score. Model accuracy was evaluated via leave-one-subject-out cross-validation. The model that used all sensor data streams performed best, achieving 71% accuracy at predicting summed scores within 2 points, 89% accuracy within 4, and a correlation of 0.85 with human ratings. 59% of the rounded average OSATS score predictions were perfect, and 100% were within 1 point. This model employed 87 features, including none based on completion time, 77 from tool tip motion, 3 from tool tip visibility, and 7 from grip angle. Our novel hardware and software automatically rated previously unseen trials with summed OSATS scores that closely match human expert ratings. Such a system facilitates more feedback-intensive surgical training and may yield insights into the fundamental components of surgical skill.

LabVIEW application for motion tracking using USB camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rob, R.; Tirian, G. O.; Panoiu, M.

2017-05-01

The technical state of the contact line and also the additional equipment in electric rail transport is very important for realizing the repairing and maintenance of the contact line. During its functioning, the pantograph motion must stay in standard limits. Present paper proposes a LabVIEW application which is able to track in real time the motion of a laboratory pantograph and also to acquire the tracking images. An USB webcam connected to a computer acquires the desired images. The laboratory pantograph contains an automatic system which simulates the real motion. The tracking parameters are the horizontally motion (zigzag) and the vertically motion which can be studied in separate diagrams. The LabVIEW application requires appropriate tool-kits for vision development. Therefore the paper describes the subroutines that are especially programmed for real-time image acquisition and also for data processing.

Effects of motion base and g-seat cueing of simulator pilot performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ashworth, B. R.; Mckissick, B. T.; Parrish, R. V.

1984-01-01

In order to measure and analyze the effects of a motion plus g-seat cueing system, a manned-flight-simulation experiment was conducted utilizing a pursuit tracking task and an F-16 simulation model in the NASA Langley visual/motion simulator. This experiment provided the information necessary to determine whether motion and g-seat cues have an additive effect on the performance of this task. With respect to the lateral tracking error and roll-control stick force, the answer is affirmative. It is shown that presenting the two cues simultaneously caused significant reductions in lateral tracking error and that using the g-seat and motion base separately provided essentially equal reductions in the pilot's lateral tracking error.

Performance assessment of a programmable five degrees-of-freedom motion platform for quality assurance of motion management techniques in radiotherapy.

PubMed

Huang, Chen-Yu; Keall, Paul; Rice, Adam; Colvill, Emma; Ng, Jin Aun; Booth, Jeremy T

2017-09-01

Inter-fraction and intra-fraction motion management methods are increasingly applied clinically and require the development of advanced motion platforms to facilitate testing and quality assurance program development. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of a 5 degrees-of-freedom (DoF) programmable motion platform HexaMotion (ScandiDos, Uppsala, Sweden) towards clinically observed tumor motion range, velocity, acceleration and the accuracy requirements of SABR prescribed in AAPM Task Group 142. Performance specifications for the motion platform were derived from literature regarding the motion characteristics of prostate and lung tumor targets required for real time motion management. The performance of the programmable motion platform was evaluated against (1) maximum range, velocity and acceleration (5 DoF), (2) static position accuracy (5 DoF) and (3) dynamic position accuracy using patient-derived prostate and lung tumor motion traces (3 DoF). Translational motion accuracy was compared against electromagnetic transponder measurements. Rotation was benchmarked with a digital inclinometer. The static accuracy and reproducibility for translation and rotation was <0.1 mm or <0.1°, respectively. The accuracy of reproducing dynamic patient motion was <0.3 mm. The motion platform's range met the need to reproduce clinically relevant translation and rotation ranges and its accuracy met the TG 142 requirements for SABR. The range, velocity and acceleration of the motion platform are sufficient to reproduce lung and prostate tumor motion for motion management. Programmable motion platforms are valuable tools in the investigation, quality assurance and commissioning of motion management systems in radiation oncology.

An automated method for the evaluation of the pointing accuracy of Sun-tracking devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumgartner, Dietmar J.; Pötzi, Werner; Freislich, Heinrich; Strutzmann, Heinz; Veronig, Astrid M.; Rieder, Harald E.

2017-03-01

The accuracy of solar radiation measurements, for direct (DIR) and diffuse (DIF) radiation, depends significantly on the precision of the operational Sun-tracking device. Thus, rigid targets for instrument performance and operation have been specified for international monitoring networks, e.g., the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) operating under the auspices of the World Climate Research Program (WCRP). Sun-tracking devices that fulfill these accuracy requirements are available from various instrument manufacturers; however, none of the commercially available systems comprise an automatic accuracy control system allowing platform operators to independently validate the pointing accuracy of Sun-tracking sensors during operation. Here we present KSO-STREAMS (KSO-SunTRackEr Accuracy Monitoring System), a fully automated, system-independent, and cost-effective system for evaluating the pointing accuracy of Sun-tracking devices. We detail the monitoring system setup, its design and specifications, and the results from its application to the Sun-tracking system operated at the Kanzelhöhe Observatory (KSO) Austrian radiation monitoring network (ARAD) site. The results from an evaluation campaign from March to June 2015 show that the tracking accuracy of the device operated at KSO lies within BSRN specifications (i.e., 0.1° tracking accuracy) for the vast majority of observations (99.8 %). The evaluation of manufacturer-specified active-tracking accuracies (0.02°), during periods with direct solar radiation exceeding 300 W m-2, shows that these are satisfied in 72.9 % of observations. Tracking accuracies are highest during clear-sky conditions and on days where prevailing clear-sky conditions are interrupted by frontal movement; in these cases, we obtain the complete fulfillment of BSRN requirements and 76.4 % of observations within manufacturer-specified active-tracking accuracies. Limitations to tracking surveillance arise during overcast conditions and periods of partial solar-limb coverage by clouds. On days with variable cloud cover, 78.1 % (99.9 %) of observations meet active-tracking (BSRN) accuracy requirements while for days with prevailing overcast conditions these numbers reduce to 64.3 % (99.5 %).

Tracking colliding cells in vivo microscopy.

PubMed

Nguyen, Nhat H; Keller, Steven; Norris, Eric; Huynh, Toan T; Clemens, Mark G; Shin, Min C

2011-08-01

Leukocyte motion represents an important component in the innate immune response to infection. Intravital microscopy is a powerful tool as it enables in vivo imaging of leukocyte motion. Under inflammatory conditions, leukocytes may exhibit various motion behaviors, such as flowing, rolling, and adhering. With many leukocytes moving at a wide range of speeds, collisions occur. These collisions result in abrupt changes in the motion and appearance of leukocytes. Manual analysis is tedious, error prone,time consuming, and could introduce technician-related bias. Automatic tracking is also challenging due to the noise inherent in in vivo images and abrupt changes in motion and appearance due to collision. This paper presents a method to automatically track multiple cells undergoing collisions by modeling the appearance and motion for each collision state and testing collision hypotheses of possible transitions between states. The tracking results are demonstrated using in vivo intravital microscopy image sequences.We demonstrate that 1)71% of colliding cells are correctly tracked; (2) the improvement of the proposed method is enhanced when the duration of collision increases; and (3) given good detection results, the proposed method can correctly track 88% of colliding cells. The method minimizes the tracking failures under collisions and, therefore, allows more robust analysis in the study of leukocyte behaviors responding to inflammatory conditions.

Quantifying the degree of persistence in random amoeboid motion based on the Hurst exponent of fractional Brownian motion.

PubMed

Makarava, Natallia; Menz, Stephan; Theves, Matthias; Huisinga, Wilhelm; Beta, Carsten; Holschneider, Matthias

2014-10-01

Amoebae explore their environment in a random way, unless external cues like, e.g., nutrients, bias their motion. Even in the absence of cues, however, experimental cell tracks show some degree of persistence. In this paper, we analyzed individual cell tracks in the framework of a linear mixed effects model, where each track is modeled by a fractional Brownian motion, i.e., a Gaussian process exhibiting a long-term correlation structure superposed on a linear trend. The degree of persistence was quantified by the Hurst exponent of fractional Brownian motion. Our analysis of experimental cell tracks of the amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum showed a persistent movement for the majority of tracks. Employing a sliding window approach, we estimated the variations of the Hurst exponent over time, which allowed us to identify points in time, where the correlation structure was distorted ("outliers"). Coarse graining of track data via down-sampling allowed us to identify the dependence of persistence on the spatial scale. While one would expect the (mode of the) Hurst exponent to be constant on different temporal scales due to the self-similarity property of fractional Brownian motion, we observed a trend towards stronger persistence for the down-sampled cell tracks indicating stronger persistence on larger time scales.

Self-motion impairs multiple-object tracking.

PubMed

Thomas, Laura E; Seiffert, Adriane E

2010-10-01

Investigations of multiple-object tracking aim to further our understanding of how people perform common activities such as driving in traffic. However, tracking tasks in the laboratory have overlooked a crucial component of much real-world object tracking: self-motion. We investigated the hypothesis that keeping track of one's own movement impairs the ability to keep track of other moving objects. Participants attempted to track multiple targets while either moving around the tracking area or remaining in a fixed location. Participants' tracking performance was impaired when they moved to a new location during tracking, even when they were passively moved and when they did not see a shift in viewpoint. Self-motion impaired multiple-object tracking in both an immersive virtual environment and a real-world analog, but did not interfere with a difficult non-spatial tracking task. These results suggest that people use a common mechanism to track changes both to the location of moving objects around them and to keep track of their own location. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Motion of particles with inertia in a compressible free shear layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Samimy, M.; Lele, S. K.

1991-01-01

The effects of the inertia of a particle on its flow-tracking accuracy and particle dispersion are studied using direct numerical simulations of 2D compressible free shear layers in convective Mach number (Mc) range of 0.2 to 0.6. The results show that particle response is well characterized by tau, the ratio of particle response time to the flow time scales (Stokes' number). The slip between particle and fluid imposes a fundamental limit on the accuracy of optical measurements such as LDV and PIV. The error is found to grow like tau up to tau = 1 and taper off at higher tau. For tau = 0.2 the error is about 2 percent. In the flow visualizations based on Mie scattering, particles with tau more than 0.05 are found to grossly misrepresent the flow features. These errors are quantified by calculating the dispersion of particles relative to the fluid. Overall, the effect of compressibility does not seem to be significant on the motion of particles in the range of Mc considered here.

Hybrid position and orientation tracking for a passive rehabilitation table-top robot.

PubMed

Wojewoda, K K; Culmer, P R; Gallagher, J F; Jackson, A E; Levesley, M C

2017-07-01

This paper presents a real time hybrid 2D position and orientation tracking system developed for an upper limb rehabilitation robot. Designed to work on a table-top, the robot is to enable home-based upper-limb rehabilitative exercise for stroke patients. Estimates of the robot's position are computed by fusing data from two tracking systems, each utilizing a different sensor type: laser optical sensors and a webcam. Two laser optical sensors are mounted on the underside of the robot and track the relative motion of the robot with respect to the surface on which it is placed. The webcam is positioned directly above the workspace, mounted on a fixed stand, and tracks the robot's position with respect to a fixed coordinate system. The optical sensors sample the position data at a higher frequency than the webcam, and a position and orientation fusion scheme is proposed to fuse the data from the two tracking systems. The proposed fusion scheme is validated through an experimental set-up whereby the rehabilitation robot is moved by a humanoid robotic arm replicating previously recorded movements of a stroke patient. The results prove that the presented hybrid position tracking system can track the position and orientation with greater accuracy than the webcam or optical sensors alone. The results also confirm that the developed system is capable of tracking recovery trends during rehabilitation therapy.

Markerless EPID image guided dynamic multi-leaf collimator tracking for lung tumors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rottmann, J.; Keall, P.; Berbeco, R.

2013-06-01

Compensation of target motion during the delivery of radiotherapy has the potential to improve treatment accuracy, dose conformity and sparing of healthy tissue. We implement an online image guided therapy system based on soft tissue localization (STiL) of the target from electronic portal images and treatment aperture adaptation with a dynamic multi-leaf collimator (DMLC). The treatment aperture is moved synchronously and in real time with the tumor during the entire breathing cycle. The system is implemented and tested on a Varian TX clinical linear accelerator featuring an AS-1000 electronic portal imaging device (EPID) acquiring images at a frame rate of 12.86 Hz throughout the treatment. A position update cycle for the treatment aperture consists of four steps: in the first step at time t = t0 a frame is grabbed, in the second step the frame is processed with the STiL algorithm to get the tumor position at t = t0, in a third step the tumor position at t = ti + δt is predicted to overcome system latencies and in the fourth step, the DMLC control software calculates the required leaf motions and applies them at time t = ti + δt. The prediction model is trained before the start of the treatment with data representing the tumor motion. We analyze the system latency with a dynamic chest phantom (4D motion phantom, Washington University). We estimate the average planar position deviation between target and treatment aperture in a clinical setting by driving the phantom with several lung tumor trajectories (recorded from fiducial tracking during radiotherapy delivery to the lung). DMLC tracking for lung stereotactic body radiation therapy without fiducial markers was successfully demonstrated. The inherent system latency is found to be δt = (230 ± 11) ms for a MV portal image acquisition frame rate of 12.86 Hz. The root mean square deviation between tumor and aperture position is smaller than 1 mm. We demonstrate the feasibility of real-time markerless DMLC tracking with a standard LINAC-mounted (EPID).

Optimal estimates of the diffusion coefficient of a single Brownian trajectory.

PubMed

Boyer, Denis; Dean, David S; Mejía-Monasterio, Carlos; Oshanin, Gleb

2012-03-01

Modern developments in microscopy and image processing are revolutionizing areas of physics, chemistry, and biology as nanoscale objects can be tracked with unprecedented accuracy. The goal of single-particle tracking is to determine the interaction between the particle and its environment. The price paid for having a direct visualization of a single particle is a consequent lack of statistics. Here we address the optimal way to extract diffusion constants from single trajectories for pure Brownian motion. It is shown that the maximum likelihood estimator is much more efficient than the commonly used least-squares estimate. Furthermore, we investigate the effect of disorder on the distribution of estimated diffusion constants and show that it increases the probability of observing estimates much smaller than the true (average) value.

Basic research and data analysis for the national geodetic satellite program and for the earth and ocean physics applications program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

Activities related to the National Geodetic Satellite Program are reported and include a discussion of Ohio State University's OSU275 set of tracking station coordinates and transformation parameters, determination of network distortions, and plans for data acquisition and processing. The problems encountered in the development of the LAGEOS satellite are reported in an account of activities related to the Earth and Ocean Physics Applications Program. The LAGEOS problem involves transmission and reception of the laser pulse designed to make accurate determinations of the earth's crustal and rotational motions. Pulse motion, ephemeris, arc range measurements, and accuracy estimates are discussed in view of the problem. Personnel involved in the two programs are also listed, along with travel activities and reports published to date.

Construction of a patient observation system using KINECTTM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyaura, Kazunori; Kumazaki, Yu; Fukushima, Chika; Kato, Shingo; Saitoh, Hidetoshi

2014-03-01

Improvement in the positional accuracy of irradiation is expected by capturing patient motion (intra-fractional error) during irradiation. The present study reports the construction of a patient observation system using Microsoft® KINECTTM. By tracking movement, we made it possible to add a depth component to the acquired position coordinates and to display three-axis (X, Y, and Z) movement. Moreover, the developed system can be displayed in a graph which is constructed from the coordinate position at each time interval. Using the developed system, an observer can easily visualize patient movement. When the body phantom was moved a known distance in the X, Y, and Z directions, good coincidence was shown with each axis. We built a patient observation system which captures a patient's motion using KINECTTM.

Fire flame detection based on GICA and target tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rong, Jianzhong; Zhou, Dechuang; Yao, Wei; Gao, Wei; Chen, Juan; Wang, Jian

2013-04-01

To improve the video fire detection rate, a robust fire detection algorithm based on the color, motion and pattern characteristics of fire targets was proposed, which proved a satisfactory fire detection rate for different fire scenes. In this fire detection algorithm: (a) a rule-based generic color model was developed based on analysis on a large quantity of flame pixels; (b) from the traditional GICA (Geometrical Independent Component Analysis) model, a Cumulative Geometrical Independent Component Analysis (C-GICA) model was developed for motion detection without static background and (c) a BP neural network fire recognition model based on multi-features of the fire pattern was developed. Fire detection tests on benchmark fire video clips of different scenes have shown the robustness, accuracy and fast-response of the algorithm.

Improved electromagnetic tracking for catheter path reconstruction with application in high-dose-rate brachytherapy.

PubMed

Lugez, Elodie; Sadjadi, Hossein; Joshi, Chandra P; Akl, Selim G; Fichtinger, Gabor

2017-04-01

Electromagnetic (EM) catheter tracking has recently been introduced in order to enable prompt and uncomplicated reconstruction of catheter paths in various clinical interventions. However, EM tracking is prone to measurement errors which can compromise the outcome of the procedure. Minimizing catheter tracking errors is therefore paramount to improve the path reconstruction accuracy. An extended Kalman filter (EKF) was employed to combine the nonlinear kinematic model of an EM sensor inside the catheter, with both its position and orientation measurements. The formulation of the kinematic model was based on the nonholonomic motion constraints of the EM sensor inside the catheter. Experimental verification was carried out in a clinical HDR suite. Ten catheters were inserted with mean curvatures varying from 0 to [Formula: see text] in a phantom. A miniaturized Ascension (Burlington, Vermont, USA) trakSTAR EM sensor (model 55) was threaded within each catheter at various speeds ranging from 7.4 to [Formula: see text]. The nonholonomic EKF was applied on the tracking data in order to statistically improve the EM tracking accuracy. A sample reconstruction error was defined at each point as the Euclidean distance between the estimated EM measurement and its corresponding ground truth. A path reconstruction accuracy was defined as the root mean square of the sample reconstruction errors, while the path reconstruction precision was defined as the standard deviation of these sample reconstruction errors. The impacts of sensor velocity and path curvature on the nonholonomic EKF method were determined. Finally, the nonholonomic EKF catheter path reconstructions were compared with the reconstructions provided by the manufacturer's filters under default settings, namely the AC wide notch and the DC adaptive filter. With a path reconstruction accuracy of 1.9 mm, the nonholonomic EKF surpassed the performance of the manufacturer's filters (2.4 mm) by 21% and the raw EM measurements (3.5 mm) by 46%. Similarly, with a path reconstruction precision of 0.8 mm, the nonholonomic EKF surpassed the performance of the manufacturer's filters (1.0 mm) by 20% and the raw EM measurements (1.7 mm) by 53%. Path reconstruction accuracies did not follow an apparent trend when varying the path curvature and sensor velocity; instead, reconstruction accuracies were predominantly impacted by the position of the EM field transmitter ([Formula: see text]). The advanced nonholonomic EKF is effective in reducing EM measurement errors when reconstructing catheter paths, is robust to path curvature and sensor speed, and runs in real time. Our approach is promising for a plurality of clinical procedures requiring catheter reconstructions, such as cardiovascular interventions, pulmonary applications (Bender et al. in medical image computing and computer-assisted intervention-MICCAI 99. Springer, Berlin, pp 981-989, 1999), and brachytherapy.

Adaptive vehicle motion estimation and prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Liang; Thorpe, Chuck E.

1999-01-01

Accurate motion estimation and reliable maneuver prediction enable an automated car to react quickly and correctly to the rapid maneuvers of the other vehicles, and so allow safe and efficient navigation. In this paper, we present a car tracking system which provides motion estimation, maneuver prediction and detection of the tracked car. The three strategies employed - adaptive motion modeling, adaptive data sampling, and adaptive model switching probabilities - result in an adaptive interacting multiple model algorithm (AIMM). The experimental results on simulated and real data demonstrate that our tracking system is reliable, flexible, and robust. The adaptive tracking makes the system intelligent and useful in various autonomous driving tasks.

Multiple template-based fluoroscopic tracking of lung tumor mass without implanted fiducial markers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Ying; Dy, Jennifer G.; Sharp, Gregory C.; Alexander, Brian; Jiang, Steve B.

2007-10-01

Precise lung tumor localization in real time is particularly important for some motion management techniques, such as respiratory gating or beam tracking with a dynamic multi-leaf collimator, due to the reduced clinical tumor volume (CTV) to planning target volume (PTV) margin and/or the escalated dose. There might be large uncertainties in deriving tumor position from external respiratory surrogates. While tracking implanted fiducial markers has sufficient accuracy, this procedure may not be widely accepted due to the risk of pneumothorax. Previously, we have developed a technique to generate gating signals from fluoroscopic images without implanted fiducial markers using a template matching method (Berbeco et al 2005 Phys. Med. Biol. 50 4481-90, Cui et al 2007 Phys. Med. Biol. 52 741-55). In this paper, we present an extension of this method to multiple-template matching for directly tracking the lung tumor mass in fluoroscopy video. The basic idea is as follows: (i) during the patient setup session, a pair of orthogonal fluoroscopic image sequences are taken and processed off-line to generate a set of reference templates that correspond to different breathing phases and tumor positions; (ii) during treatment delivery, fluoroscopic images are continuously acquired and processed; (iii) the similarity between each reference template and the processed incoming image is calculated; (iv) the tumor position in the incoming image is then estimated by combining the tumor centroid coordinates in reference templates with proper weights based on the measured similarities. With different handling of image processing and similarity calculation, two such multiple-template tracking techniques have been developed: one based on motion-enhanced templates and Pearson's correlation score while the other based on eigen templates and mean-squared error. The developed techniques have been tested on six sequences of fluoroscopic images from six lung cancer patients against the reference tumor positions manually determined by a radiation oncologist. The tumor centroid coordinates automatically detected using both methods agree well with the manually marked reference locations. The eigenspace tracking method performs slightly better than the motion-enhanced method, with average localization errors less than 2 pixels (1 mm) and the error at a 95% confidence level of about 2-4 pixels (1-2 mm). This work demonstrates the feasibility of direct tracking of a lung tumor mass in fluoroscopic images without implanted fiducial markers using multiple reference templates.

Measurement-based perturbation theory and differential equation parameter estimation with applications to satellite gravimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Peiliang

2018-06-01

The numerical integration method has been routinely used by major institutions worldwide, for example, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ), to produce global gravitational models from satellite tracking measurements of CHAMP and/or GRACE types. Such Earth's gravitational products have found widest possible multidisciplinary applications in Earth Sciences. The method is essentially implemented by solving the differential equations of the partial derivatives of the orbit of a satellite with respect to the unknown harmonic coefficients under the conditions of zero initial values. From the mathematical and statistical point of view, satellite gravimetry from satellite tracking is essentially the problem of estimating unknown parameters in the Newton's nonlinear differential equations from satellite tracking measurements. We prove that zero initial values for the partial derivatives are incorrect mathematically and not permitted physically. The numerical integration method, as currently implemented and used in mathematics and statistics, chemistry and physics, and satellite gravimetry, is groundless, mathematically and physically. Given the Newton's nonlinear governing differential equations of satellite motion with unknown equation parameters and unknown initial conditions, we develop three methods to derive new local solutions around a nominal reference orbit, which are linked to measurements to estimate the unknown corrections to approximate values of the unknown parameters and the unknown initial conditions. Bearing in mind that satellite orbits can now be tracked almost continuously at unprecedented accuracy, we propose the measurement-based perturbation theory and derive global uniformly convergent solutions to the Newton's nonlinear governing differential equations of satellite motion for the next generation of global gravitational models. Since the solutions are global uniformly convergent, theoretically speaking, they are able to extract smallest possible gravitational signals from modern and future satellite tracking measurements, leading to the production of global high-precision, high-resolution gravitational models. By directly turning the nonlinear differential equations of satellite motion into the nonlinear integral equations, and recognizing the fact that satellite orbits are measured with random errors, we further reformulate the links between satellite tracking measurements and the global uniformly convergent solutions to the Newton's governing differential equations as a condition adjustment model with unknown parameters, or equivalently, the weighted least squares estimation of unknown differential equation parameters with equality constraints, for the reconstruction of global high-precision, high-resolution gravitational models from modern (and future) satellite tracking measurements.

An automated in vitro model for the evaluation of ultrasound modalities measuring myocardial deformation

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Echocardiography is the method of choice when one wishes to examine myocardial function. Qualitative assessment of the 2D grey scale images obtained is subjective, and objective methods are required. Speckle Tracking Ultrasound is an emerging technology, offering an objective mean of quantifying left ventricular wall motion. However, before a new ultrasound technology can be adopted in the clinic, accuracy and reproducibility needs to be investigated. Aim It was hypothesized that the collection of ultrasound sample data from an in vitro model could be automated. The aim was to optimize an in vitro model to allow for efficient collection of sample data. Material & Methods A tissue-mimicking phantom was made from water, gelatin powder, psyllium fibers and a preservative. Sonomicrometry crystals were molded into the phantom. The solid phantom was mounted in a stable stand and cyclically compressed. Peak strain was then measured by Speckle Tracking Ultrasound and sonomicrometry. Results We succeeded in automating the acquisition and analysis of sample data. Sample data was collected at a rate of 200 measurement pairs in 30 minutes. We found good agreement between Speckle Tracking Ultrasound and sonomicrometry in the in vitro model. Best agreement was 0.83 ± 0.70%. Worst agreement was -1.13 ± 6.46%. Conclusions It has been shown possible to automate a model that can be used for evaluating the in vitro accuracy and precision of ultrasound modalities measuring deformation. Sonomicrometry and Speckle Tracking Ultrasound had acceptable agreement. PMID:20822532

A real-time dynamic-MLC control algorithm for delivering IMRT to targets undergoing 2D rigid motion in the beam's eye view.

PubMed

McMahon, Ryan; Berbeco, Ross; Nishioka, Seiko; Ishikawa, Masayori; Papiez, Lech

2008-09-01

An MLC control algorithm for delivering intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) to targets that are undergoing two-dimensional (2D) rigid motion in the beam's eye view (BEV) is presented. The goal of this method is to deliver 3D-derived fluence maps over a moving patient anatomy. Target motion measured prior to delivery is first used to design a set of planned dynamic-MLC (DMLC) sliding-window leaf trajectories. During actual delivery, the algorithm relies on real-time feedback to compensate for target motion that does not agree with the motion measured during planning. The methodology is based on an existing one-dimensional (ID) algorithm that uses on-the-fly intensity calculations to appropriately adjust the DMLC leaf trajectories in real-time during exposure delivery [McMahon et al., Med. Phys. 34, 3211-3223 (2007)]. To extend the 1D algorithm's application to 2D target motion, a real-time leaf-pair shifting mechanism has been developed. Target motion that is orthogonal to leaf travel is tracked by appropriately shifting the positions of all MLC leaves. The performance of the tracking algorithm was tested for a single beam of a fractionated IMRT treatment, using a clinically derived intensity profile and a 2D target trajectory based on measured patient data. Comparisons were made between 2D tracking, 1D tracking, and no tracking. The impact of the tracking lag time and the frequency of real-time imaging were investigated. A study of the dependence of the algorithm's performance on the level of agreement between the motion measured during planning and delivery was also included. Results demonstrated that tracking both components of the 2D motion (i.e., parallel and orthogonal to leaf travel) results in delivered fluence profiles that are superior to those that track the component of motion that is parallel to leaf travel alone. Tracking lag time effects may lead to relatively large intensity delivery errors compared to the other sources of error investigated. However, the algorithm presented is robust in the sense that it does not rely on a high level of agreement between the target motion measured during treatment planning and delivery.

Evaluation of the TOPSAR performance by using passive and active calibrators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alberti, G.; Moccia, A.; Ponte, S.; Vetrella, S.

1992-01-01

The preliminary analysis of the C-band cross-track interferometric data (XTI) acquired during the MAC Europe 1991 campaign over the Matera test site, in Southern Italy is presented. Twenty three passive calibrators (Corner Reflector, CR) and 3 active calibrators (Active Radar Calibrator, ARC) were deployed over an area characterized by homogeneous background. Contemporaneously to the flight, a ground truth data collection campaign was carried out. The research activity was focused on the development of motion compensation algorithms, in order to improve the height measurement accuracy of the TOPSAR system.

IGRT/ART phantom with programmable independent rib cage and tumor motion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haas, Olivier C. L., E-mail: o.haas@coventry.ac.uk; Mills, John A.; Land, Imke

2014-02-15

Purpose: This paper describes the design and experimental evaluation of the Methods and Advanced Equipment for Simulation and Treatment in Radiation Oncology (MAESTRO) thorax phantom, a new anthropomorphic moving ribcage combined with a 3D tumor positioning system to move target inserts within static lungs. Methods: The new rib cage design is described and its motion is evaluated using Vicon Nexus, a commercial 3D motion tracking system. CT studies at inhale and exhale position are used to study the effect of rib motion and tissue equivalence. Results: The 3D target positioning system and the rib cage have millimetre accuracy. Each axismore » of motion can reproduce given trajectories from files or individually programmed sinusoidal motion in terms of amplitude, period, and phase shift. The maximum rib motion ranges from 7 to 20 mm SI and from 0.3 to 3.7 mm AP with LR motion less than 1 mm. The repeatability between cycles is within 0.16 mm root mean square error. The agreement between CT electron and mass density for skin, ribcage, spine hard and inner bone as well as cartilage is within 3%. Conclusions: The MAESTRO phantom is a useful research tool that produces programmable 3D rib motions which can be synchronized with 3D internal target motion. The easily accessible static lungs enable the use of a wide range of inserts or can be filled with lung tissue equivalent and deformed using the target motion system.« less

Fast regional readout CMOS Image Sensor for dynamic MLC tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zin, H.; Harris, E.; Osmond, J.; Evans, P.

2014-03-01

Advanced radiotherapy techniques such as volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) require verification of the complex beam delivery including tracking of multileaf collimators (MLC) and monitoring the dose rate. This work explores the feasibility of a prototype Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor Image Sensor (CIS) for tracking these complex treatments by utilising fast, region of interest (ROI) read out functionality. An automatic edge tracking algorithm was used to locate the MLC leaves edges moving at various speeds (from a moving triangle field shape) and imaged with various sensor frame rates. The CIS demonstrates successful edge detection of the dynamic MLC motion within accuracy of 1.0 mm. This demonstrates the feasibility of the sensor to verify treatment delivery involving dynamic MLC up to ~400 frames per second (equivalent to the linac pulse rate), which is superior to any current techniques such as using electronic portal imaging devices (EPID). CIS provides the basis to an essential real-time verification tool, useful in accessing accurate delivery of complex high energy radiation to the tumour and ultimately to achieve better cure rates for cancer patients.

A simulation of the San Andreas fault experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Agreen, R. W.; Smith, D. E.

1973-01-01

The San Andreas Fault Experiment, which employs two laser tracking systems for measuring the relative motion of two points on opposite sides of the fault, was simulated for an eight year observation period. The two tracking stations are located near San Diego on the western side of the fault and near Quincy on the eastern side; they are roughly 900 kilometers apart. Both will simultaneously track laser reflector equipped satellites as they pass near the stations. Tracking of the Beacon Explorer C Spacecraft was simulated for these two stations during August and September for eight consecutive years. An error analysis of the recovery of the relative location of Quincy from the data was made, allowing for model errors in the mass of the earth, the gravity field, solar radiation pressure, atmospheric drag, errors in the position of the San Diego site, and laser systems range biases and noise. The results of this simulation indicate that the distance of Quincy from San Diego will be determined each year with a precision of about 10 centimeters. This figure is based on the accuracy of earth models and other parameters available in 1972.

Operational tracking of lava lake surface motion at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i

USGS Publications Warehouse

Patrick, Matthew R.; Orr, Tim R.

2018-03-08

Surface motion is an important component of lava lake behavior, but previous studies of lake motion have been focused on short time intervals. In this study, we implement the first continuous, real-time operational routine for tracking lava lake surface motion, applying the technique to the persistent lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u Crater at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i. We measure lake motion by using images from a fixed thermal camera positioned on the crater rim, transmitting images to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) in real time. We use an existing optical flow toolbox in Matlab to calculate motion vectors, and we track the position of lava upwelling in the lake, as well as the intensity of spattering on the lake surface. Over the past 2 years, real-time tracking of lava lake surface motion at Halema‘uma‘u has been an important part of monitoring the lake’s activity, serving as another valuable tool in the volcano monitoring suite at HVO.

Toward higher order tests of the gravitational interaction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nordtvedt, Ken

1989-01-01

Analyses and interpretations of experiments which test post-Newtonian gravity are usually done under the assumption that gravity is a metric field phenomenon - a manifestation of space-time geometry. This, however, is unnecessary and one can start at a more primitive level - that there simply exists a phenomenological, gravitational, many-body equation of motion which must be determined by a package of observations. In fact, over the last couple decades, a diverse collection of solar system interbody tracking observations, supplemented by data from the binary pulsar system PSR 1913 + 16, has completely mapped out the first post-Newtonian order. After the fact, using empirically determined equations of motion, along with some observed properties of nongravitational clocks and rulers and conservation laws for energy, momentum and angular momentum, a post-Newtonian Lagrangian can be constructed, a geometrical space-time metric field conceptual interpretation can be developed, Lorentz invariance of the equations of motion can be shown, and the equations of motion are found to agree with the predictions of Einstein's gravitational theory, General Relativity, within experimental accuracy.

Four-dimensional dose distributions of step-and-shoot IMRT delivered with real-time tumor tracking for patients with irregular breathing: Constant dose rate vs dose rate regulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang Xiaocheng; Han-Oh, Sarah; Gui Minzhi

2012-09-15

Purpose: Dose-rate-regulated tracking (DRRT) is a tumor tracking strategy that programs the MLC to track the tumor under regular breathing and adapts to breathing irregularities during delivery using dose rate regulation. Constant-dose-rate tracking (CDRT) is a strategy that dynamically repositions the beam to account for intrafractional 3D target motion according to real-time information of target location obtained from an independent position monitoring system. The purpose of this study is to illustrate the differences in the effectiveness and delivery accuracy between these two tracking methods in the presence of breathing irregularities. Methods: Step-and-shoot IMRT plans optimized at a reference phase weremore » extended to remaining phases to generate 10-phased 4D-IMRT plans using segment aperture morphing (SAM) algorithm, where both tumor displacement and deformation were considered. A SAM-based 4D plan has been demonstrated to provide better plan quality than plans not considering target deformation. However, delivering such a plan requires preprogramming of the MLC aperture sequence. Deliveries of the 4D plans using DRRT and CDRT tracking approaches were simulated assuming the breathing period is either shorter or longer than the planning day, for 4 IMRT cases: two lung and two pancreatic cases with maximum GTV centroid motion greater than 1 cm were selected. In DRRT, dose rate was regulated to speed up or slow down delivery as needed such that each planned segment is delivered at the planned breathing phase. In CDRT, MLC is separately controlled to follow the tumor motion, but dose rate was kept constant. In addition to breathing period change, effect of breathing amplitude variation on target and critical tissue dose distribution is also evaluated. Results: Delivery of preprogrammed 4D plans by the CDRT method resulted in an average of 5% increase in target dose and noticeable increase in organs at risk (OAR) dose when patient breathing is either 10% faster or slower than the planning day. In contrast, DRRT method showed less than 1% reduction in target dose and no noticeable change in OAR dose under the same breathing period irregularities. When {+-}20% variation of target motion amplitude was present as breathing irregularity, the two delivery methods show compatible plan quality if the dose distribution of CDRT delivery is renormalized. Conclusions: Delivery of 4D-IMRT treatment plans, stemmed from 3D step-and-shoot IMRT and preprogrammed using SAM algorithm, is simulated for two dynamic MLC-based real-time tumor tracking strategies: with and without dose-rate regulation. Comparison of cumulative dose distribution indicates that the preprogrammed 4D plan is more accurately and efficiently conformed using the DRRT strategy, as it compensates the interplay between patient breathing irregularity and tracking delivery without compromising the segment-weight modulation.« less

Direct adaptive robust tracking control for 6 DOF industrial robot with enhanced accuracy.

PubMed

Yin, Xiuxing; Pan, Li

2018-01-01

A direct adaptive robust tracking control is proposed for trajectory tracking of 6 DOF industrial robot in the presence of parametric uncertainties, external disturbances and uncertain nonlinearities. The controller is designed based on the dynamic characteristics in the working space of the end-effector of the 6 DOF robot. The controller includes robust control term and model compensation term that is developed directly based on the input reference or desired motion trajectory. A projection-type parametric adaptation law is also designed to compensate for parametric estimation errors for the adaptive robust control. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed direct adaptive robust control law and the associated projection-type parametric adaptation law have been comparatively evaluated based on two 6 DOF industrial robots. The test results demonstrate that the proposed control can be employed to better maintain the desired trajectory tracking even in the presence of large parametric uncertainties and external disturbances as compared with PD controller and nonlinear controller. The parametric estimates also eventually converge to the real values along with the convergence of tracking errors, which further validate the effectiveness of the proposed parametric adaption law. Copyright © 2017 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Motion-compensated compressed sensing for dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI using regional spatiotemporal sparsity and region tracking: Block LOw-rank Sparsity with Motion-guidance (BLOSM)

PubMed Central

Chen, Xiao; Salerno, Michael; Yang, Yang; Epstein, Frederick H.

2014-01-01

Purpose Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI of the heart is well-suited for acceleration with compressed sensing (CS) due to its spatiotemporal sparsity; however, respiratory motion can degrade sparsity and lead to image artifacts. We sought to develop a motion-compensated CS method for this application. Methods A new method, Block LOw-rank Sparsity with Motion-guidance (BLOSM), was developed to accelerate first-pass cardiac MRI, even in the presence of respiratory motion. This method divides the images into regions, tracks the regions through time, and applies matrix low-rank sparsity to the tracked regions. BLOSM was evaluated using computer simulations and first-pass cardiac datasets from human subjects. Using rate-4 acceleration, BLOSM was compared to other CS methods such as k-t SLR that employs matrix low-rank sparsity applied to the whole image dataset, with and without motion tracking, and to k-t FOCUSS with motion estimation and compensation that employs spatial and temporal-frequency sparsity. Results BLOSM was qualitatively shown to reduce respiratory artifact compared to other methods. Quantitatively, using root mean squared error and the structural similarity index, BLOSM was superior to other methods. Conclusion BLOSM, which exploits regional low rank structure and uses region tracking for motion compensation, provides improved image quality for CS-accelerated first-pass cardiac MRI. PMID:24243528

Technical aspects of real time positron emission tracking for gated radiotherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chamberland, Marc; Xu, Tong, E-mail: txu@physics.carleton.ca; McEwen, Malcolm R.

2016-02-15

Purpose: Respiratory motion can lead to treatment errors in the delivery of radiotherapy treatments. Respiratory gating can assist in better conforming the beam delivery to the target volume. We present a study of the technical aspects of a real time positron emission tracking system for potential use in gated radiotherapy. Methods: The tracking system, called PeTrack, uses implanted positron emission markers and position sensitive gamma ray detectors to track breathing motion in real time. PeTrack uses an expectation–maximization algorithm to track the motion of fiducial markers. A normalized least mean squares adaptive filter predicts the location of the markers amore » short time ahead to account for system response latency. The precision and data collection efficiency of a prototype PeTrack system were measured under conditions simulating gated radiotherapy. The lung insert of a thorax phantom was translated in the inferior–superior direction with regular sinusoidal motion and simulated patient breathing motion (maximum amplitude of motion ±10 mm, period 4 s). The system tracked the motion of a {sup 22}Na fiducial marker (0.34 MBq) embedded in the lung insert every 0.2 s. The position of the was marker was predicted 0.2 s ahead. For sinusoidal motion, the equation used to model the motion was fitted to the data. The precision of the tracking was estimated as the standard deviation of the residuals. Software was also developed to communicate with a Linac and toggle beam delivery. In a separate experiment involving a Linac, 500 monitor units of radiation were delivered to the phantom with a 3 × 3 cm photon beam and with 6 and 10 MV accelerating potential. Radiochromic films were inserted in the phantom to measure spatial dose distribution. In this experiment, the period of motion was set to 60 s to account for beam turn-on latency. The beam was turned off when the marker moved outside of a 5-mm gating window. Results: The precision of the tracking in the IS direction was 0.53 mm for a sinusoidally moving target, with an average count rate ∼250 cps. The average prediction error was 1.1 ± 0.6 mm when the marker moved according to irregular patient breathing motion. Across all beam deliveries during the radiochromic film measurements, the average prediction error was 0.8 ± 0.5 mm. The maximum error was 2.5 mm and the 95th percentile error was 1.5 mm. Clear improvement of the dose distribution was observed between gated and nongated deliveries. The full-width at halfmaximum of the dose profiles of gated deliveries differed by 3 mm or less than the static reference dose distribution. Monitoring of the beam on/off times showed synchronization with the location of the marker within the latency of the system. Conclusions: PeTrack can track the motion of internal fiducial positron emission markers with submillimeter precision. The system can be used to gate the delivery of a Linac beam based on the position of a moving fiducial marker. This highlights the potential of the system for use in respiratory-gated radiotherapy.« less

Analytical solution of perturbed relative motion: an application of satellite formations to geodesy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wnuk, Edwin

In the upcoming years, several space missions will be operated using a number of spacecraft flying in formation. Clusters of spacecraft with a carefully designed orbits and optimal formation geometry enable a wide variety of applications ranging from remote sensing to astronomy, geodesy and basic physics. Many of the applications require precise relative navigation and autonomous orbit control of satellites moving in a formation. For many missions a centimeter level of orbit control accuracy is required. The GRACE mission, since its launch in 2002, has been improving the Earth's gravity field model to a very high level of accuracy. This mission is a formation flying one consisting of two satellites moving in coplanar orbits and provides range and range-rate measurements between the satellites in the along-track direction. Future geodetic missions probably will employ alternative architectures using additional satellites and/or performing out-of-plane motion, e.g cartwheel orbits. The paper presents an analytical model of a satellite formation motion that enables propagation of the relative spacecraft motion. The model is based on the analytical theory of satellite relative motion that was presented in the previous our papers (Wnuk and Golebiewska, 2005, 2006). This theory takes into account the influence of the following gravitational perturbation effects: 1) zonal and tesseral harmonic geopotential coefficients up to arbitrary degree and order, 2) Lunar gravity, 3) Sun gravity. Formulas for differential perturbations were derived with any restriction concerning a plane of satellite orbits. They can be applied in both: in plane and out of plane cases. Using this propagator we calculated relative orbits and future relative satellite positions for different types of formations: in plane, out of plane, cartwheel and others. We analyzed the influence of particular parts of perturbation effects and estimated the accuracy of predicted relative spacecrafts positions. References 1,Wnuk E., Golebiewska J.,2005, ,,The relative motion of Earth's orbiting satellites", Celestial Mechanics, 91, 373-389. 2.Wnuk E., Golebiewska J.,2006, "Differential Perturbations and Semimajor Axis Estimation for Satellite Formation Orbits", American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Electronic Library, 2006, 6018.

Initial clinical observations of intra- and interfractional motion variation in MR-guided lung SBRT.

PubMed

Thomas, David H; Santhanam, Anand; Kishan, Amar U; Cao, Minsong; Lamb, James; Min, Yugang; O'Connell, Dylan; Yang, Yingli; Agazaryan, Nzhde; Lee, Percy; Low, Daniel

2018-02-01

To evaluate variations in intra- and interfractional tumour motion, and the effect on internal target volume (ITV) contour accuracy, using deformable image registration of real-time two-dimensional-sagittal cine-mode MRI acquired during lung stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) treatments. Five lung tumour patients underwent free-breathing SBRT treatments on the ViewRay system, with dose prescribed to a planning target volume (defined as a 3-6 mm expansion of the 4DCT-ITV). Sagittal slice cine-MR images (3.5 × 3.5 mm 2 pixels) were acquired through the centre of the tumour at 4 frames per second throughout the treatments (3-4 fractions of 21-32 min). Tumour gross tumour volumes (GTVs) were contoured on the first frame of the MR cine and tracked for the first 20 min of each treatment using offline optical-flow based deformable registration implemented on a GPU cluster. A ground truth ITV (MR-ITV 20 min ) was formed by taking the union of tracked GTV contours. Pseudo-ITVs were generated from unions of the GTV contours tracked over 10 s segments of image data (MR-ITV 10 s ). Differences were observed in the magnitude of median tumour displacement between days of treatments. MR-ITV 10 s areas were as small as 46% of the MR-ITV 20 min . An ITV offers a "snapshot" of breathing motion for the brief period of time the tumour is imaged on a specific day. Real-time MRI over prolonged periods of time and over multiple treatment fractions shows that ITV size varies. Further work is required to investigate the dosimetric effect of these results. Advances in knowledge: Five lung tumour patients underwent free-breathing MRI-guided SBRT treatments, and their tumours tracked using deformable registration of cine-mode MRI. The results indicate that variability of both intra- and interfractional breathing amplitude should be taken into account during planning of lung radiotherapy.

Apparatus and method for tracking a molecule or particle in three dimensions

DOEpatents

Werner, James H [Los Alamos, NM; Goodwin, Peter M [Los Alamos, NM; Lessard, Guillaume [Santa Fe, NM

2009-03-03

An apparatus and method were used to track the movement of fluorescent particles in three dimensions. Control software was used with the apparatus to implement a tracking algorithm for tracking the motion of the individual particles in glycerol/water mixtures. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that the tracking algorithms in combination with the apparatus may be used for tracking the motion of single fluorescent or fluorescently labeled biomolecules in three dimensions.

Robust motion tracking based on adaptive speckle decorrelation analysis of OCT signal.

PubMed

Wang, Yuewen; Wang, Yahui; Akansu, Ali; Belfield, Kevin D; Hubbi, Basil; Liu, Xuan

2015-11-01

Speckle decorrelation analysis of optical coherence tomography (OCT) signal has been used in motion tracking. In our previous study, we demonstrated that cross-correlation coefficient (XCC) between Ascans had an explicit functional dependency on the magnitude of lateral displacement (δx). In this study, we evaluated the sensitivity of speckle motion tracking using the derivative of function XCC(δx) on variable δx. We demonstrated the magnitude of the derivative can be maximized. In other words, the sensitivity of OCT speckle tracking can be optimized by using signals with appropriate amount of decorrelation for XCC calculation. Based on this finding, we developed an adaptive speckle decorrelation analysis strategy to achieve motion tracking with optimized sensitivity. Briefly, we used subsequently acquired Ascans and Ascans obtained with larger time intervals to obtain multiple values of XCC and chose the XCC value that maximized motion tracking sensitivity for displacement calculation. Instantaneous motion speed can be calculated by dividing the obtained displacement with time interval between Ascans involved in XCC calculation. We implemented the above-described algorithm in real-time using graphic processing unit (GPU) and demonstrated its effectiveness in reconstructing distortion-free OCT images using data obtained from a manually scanned OCT probe. The adaptive speckle tracking method was validated in manually scanned OCT imaging, on phantom as well as in vivo skin tissue.

Robust motion tracking based on adaptive speckle decorrelation analysis of OCT signal

PubMed Central

Wang, Yuewen; Wang, Yahui; Akansu, Ali; Belfield, Kevin D.; Hubbi, Basil; Liu, Xuan

2015-01-01

Speckle decorrelation analysis of optical coherence tomography (OCT) signal has been used in motion tracking. In our previous study, we demonstrated that cross-correlation coefficient (XCC) between Ascans had an explicit functional dependency on the magnitude of lateral displacement (δx). In this study, we evaluated the sensitivity of speckle motion tracking using the derivative of function XCC(δx) on variable δx. We demonstrated the magnitude of the derivative can be maximized. In other words, the sensitivity of OCT speckle tracking can be optimized by using signals with appropriate amount of decorrelation for XCC calculation. Based on this finding, we developed an adaptive speckle decorrelation analysis strategy to achieve motion tracking with optimized sensitivity. Briefly, we used subsequently acquired Ascans and Ascans obtained with larger time intervals to obtain multiple values of XCC and chose the XCC value that maximized motion tracking sensitivity for displacement calculation. Instantaneous motion speed can be calculated by dividing the obtained displacement with time interval between Ascans involved in XCC calculation. We implemented the above-described algorithm in real-time using graphic processing unit (GPU) and demonstrated its effectiveness in reconstructing distortion-free OCT images using data obtained from a manually scanned OCT probe. The adaptive speckle tracking method was validated in manually scanned OCT imaging, on phantom as well as in vivo skin tissue. PMID:26600996

Smart Sensor-Based Motion Detection System for Hand Movement Training in Open Surgery.

PubMed

Sun, Xinyao; Byrns, Simon; Cheng, Irene; Zheng, Bin; Basu, Anup

2017-02-01

We introduce a smart sensor-based motion detection technique for objective measurement and assessment of surgical dexterity among users at different experience levels. The goal is to allow trainees to evaluate their performance based on a reference model shared through communication technology, e.g., the Internet, without the physical presence of an evaluating surgeon. While in the current implementation we used a Leap Motion Controller to obtain motion data for analysis, our technique can be applied to motion data captured by other smart sensors, e.g., OptiTrack. To differentiate motions captured from different participants, measurement and assessment in our approach are achieved using two strategies: (1) low level descriptive statistical analysis, and (2) Hidden Markov Model (HMM) classification. Based on our surgical knot tying task experiment, we can conclude that finger motions generated from users with different surgical dexterity, e.g., expert and novice performers, display differences in path length, number of movements and task completion time. In order to validate the discriminatory ability of HMM for classifying different movement patterns, a non-surgical task was included in our analysis. Experimental results demonstrate that our approach had 100 % accuracy in discriminating between expert and novice performances. Our proposed motion analysis technique applied to open surgical procedures is a promising step towards the development of objective computer-assisted assessment and training systems.

Detecting multiple moving objects in crowded environments with coherent motion regions

DOEpatents

Cheriyadat, Anil M.; Radke, Richard J.

2013-06-11

Coherent motion regions extend in time as well as space, enforcing consistency in detected objects over long time periods and making the algorithm robust to noisy or short point tracks. As a result of enforcing the constraint that selected coherent motion regions contain disjoint sets of tracks defined in a three-dimensional space including a time dimension. An algorithm operates directly on raw, unconditioned low-level feature point tracks, and minimizes a global measure of the coherent motion regions. At least one discrete moving object is identified in a time series of video images based on the trajectory similarity factors, which is a measure of a maximum distance between a pair of feature point tracks.

Real-time physics-based 3D biped character animation using an inverted pendulum model.

PubMed

Tsai, Yao-Yang; Lin, Wen-Chieh; Cheng, Kuangyou B; Lee, Jehee; Lee, Tong-Yee

2010-01-01

We present a physics-based approach to generate 3D biped character animation that can react to dynamical environments in real time. Our approach utilizes an inverted pendulum model to online adjust the desired motion trajectory from the input motion capture data. This online adjustment produces a physically plausible motion trajectory adapted to dynamic environments, which is then used as the desired motion for the motion controllers to track in dynamics simulation. Rather than using Proportional-Derivative controllers whose parameters usually cannot be easily set, our motion tracking adopts a velocity-driven method which computes joint torques based on the desired joint angular velocities. Physically correct full-body motion of the 3D character is computed in dynamics simulation using the computed torques and dynamical model of the character. Our experiments demonstrate that tracking motion capture data with real-time response animation can be achieved easily. In addition, physically plausible motion style editing, automatic motion transition, and motion adaptation to different limb sizes can also be generated without difficulty.

Spatiotemporal motion boundary detection and motion boundary velocity estimation for tracking moving objects with a moving camera: a level sets PDEs approach with concurrent camera motion compensation.

PubMed

Feghali, Rosario; Mitiche, Amar

2004-11-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate a method of tracking moving objects with a moving camera. This method estimates simultaneously the motion induced by camera movement. The problem is formulated as a Bayesian motion-based partitioning problem in the spatiotemporal domain of the image quence. An energy functional is derived from the Bayesian formulation. The Euler-Lagrange descent equations determine imultaneously an estimate of the image motion field induced by camera motion and an estimate of the spatiotemporal motion undary surface. The Euler-Lagrange equation corresponding to the surface is expressed as a level-set partial differential equation for topology independence and numerically stable implementation. The method can be initialized simply and can track multiple objects with nonsimultaneous motions. Velocities on motion boundaries can be estimated from geometrical properties of the motion boundary. Several examples of experimental verification are given using synthetic and real-image sequences.

Commissioning and quality assurance of an integrated system for patient positioning and setup verification in particle therapy.

PubMed

Pella, A; Riboldi, M; Tagaste, B; Bianculli, D; Desplanques, M; Fontana, G; Cerveri, P; Seregni, M; Fattori, G; Orecchia, R; Baroni, G

2014-08-01

In an increasing number of clinical indications, radiotherapy with accelerated particles shows relevant advantages when compared with high energy X-ray irradiation. However, due to the finite range of ions, particle therapy can be severely compromised by setup errors and geometric uncertainties. The purpose of this work is to describe the commissioning and the design of the quality assurance procedures for patient positioning and setup verification systems at the Italian National Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy (CNAO). The accuracy of systems installed in CNAO and devoted to patient positioning and setup verification have been assessed using a laser tracking device. The accuracy in calibration and image based setup verification relying on in room X-ray imaging system was also quantified. Quality assurance tests to check the integration among all patient setup systems were designed, and records of daily QA tests since the start of clinical operation (2011) are presented. The overall accuracy of the patient positioning system and the patient verification system motion was proved to be below 0.5 mm under all the examined conditions, with median values below the 0.3 mm threshold. Image based registration in phantom studies exhibited sub-millimetric accuracy in setup verification at both cranial and extra-cranial sites. The calibration residuals of the OTS were found consistent with the expectations, with peak values below 0.3 mm. Quality assurance tests, daily performed before clinical operation, confirm adequate integration and sub-millimetric setup accuracy. Robotic patient positioning was successfully integrated with optical tracking and stereoscopic X-ray verification for patient setup in particle therapy. Sub-millimetric setup accuracy was achieved and consistently verified in daily clinical operation.

Robust estimation of carotid artery wall motion using the elasticity-based state-space approach.

PubMed

Gao, Zhifan; Xiong, Huahua; Liu, Xin; Zhang, Heye; Ghista, Dhanjoo; Wu, Wanqing; Li, Shuo

2017-04-01

The dynamics of the carotid artery wall has been recognized as a valuable indicator to evaluate the status of atherosclerotic disease in the preclinical stage. However, it is still a challenge to accurately measure this dynamics from ultrasound images. This paper aims at developing an elasticity-based state-space approach for accurately measuring the two-dimensional motion of the carotid artery wall from the ultrasound imaging sequences. In our approach, we have employed a linear elasticity model of the carotid artery wall, and converted it into the state space equation. Then, the two-dimensional motion of carotid artery wall is computed by solving this state-space approach using the H ∞ filter and the block matching method. In addition, a parameter training strategy is proposed in this study for dealing with the parameter initialization problem. In our experiment, we have also developed an evaluation function to measure the tracking accuracy of the motion of the carotid artery wall by considering the influence of the sizes of the two blocks (acquired by our approach and the manual tracing) containing the same carotid wall tissue and their overlapping degree. Then, we have compared the performance of our approach with the manual traced results drawn by three medical physicians on 37 healthy subjects and 103 unhealthy subjects. The results have showed that our approach was highly correlated (Pearson's correlation coefficient equals 0.9897 for the radial motion and 0.9536 for the longitudinal motion), and agreed well (width the 95% confidence interval is 89.62 µm for the radial motion and 387.26 µm for the longitudinal motion) with the manual tracing method. We also compared our approach to the three kinds of previous methods, including conventional block matching methods, Kalman-based block matching methods and the optical flow. Altogether, we have been able to successfully demonstrate the efficacy of our elasticity-model based state-space approach (EBS) for more accurate tracking of the 2-dimensional motion of the carotid artery wall, towards more effective assessment of the status of atherosclerotic disease in the preclinical stage. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fluoroscopic tumor tracking for image-guided lung cancer radiotherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Tong; Cerviño, Laura I.; Tang, Xiaoli; Vasconcelos, Nuno; Jiang, Steve B.

2009-02-01

Accurate lung tumor tracking in real time is a keystone to image-guided radiotherapy of lung cancers. Existing lung tumor tracking approaches can be roughly grouped into three categories: (1) deriving tumor position from external surrogates; (2) tracking implanted fiducial markers fluoroscopically or electromagnetically; (3) fluoroscopically tracking lung tumor without implanted fiducial markers. The first approach suffers from insufficient accuracy, while the second may not be widely accepted due to the risk of pneumothorax. Previous studies in fluoroscopic markerless tracking are mainly based on template matching methods, which may fail when the tumor boundary is unclear in fluoroscopic images. In this paper we propose a novel markerless tumor tracking algorithm, which employs the correlation between the tumor position and surrogate anatomic features in the image. The positions of the surrogate features are not directly tracked; instead, we use principal component analysis of regions of interest containing them to obtain parametric representations of their motion patterns. Then, the tumor position can be predicted from the parametric representations of surrogates through regression. Four regression methods were tested in this study: linear and two-degree polynomial regression, artificial neural network (ANN) and support vector machine (SVM). The experimental results based on fluoroscopic sequences of ten lung cancer patients demonstrate a mean tracking error of 2.1 pixels and a maximum error at a 95% confidence level of 4.6 pixels (pixel size is about 0.5 mm) for the proposed tracking algorithm.

A new method for motion capture of the scapula using an optoelectronic tracking device: a feasibility study.

PubMed

Šenk, Miroslav; Chèze, Laurence

2010-06-01

Optoelectronic tracking systems are rarely used in 3D studies examining shoulder movements including the scapula. Among the reasons is the important slippage of skin markers with respect to scapula. Methods using electromagnetic tracking devices are validated and frequently applied. Thus, the aim of this study was to develop a new method for in vivo optoelectronic scapular capture dealing with the accepted accuracy issues of validated methods. Eleven arm positions in three anatomical planes were examined using five subjects in static mode. The method was based on local optimisation, and recalculation procedures were made using a set of five scapular surface markers. The scapular rotations derived from the recalculation-based method yielded RMS errors comparable with the frequently used electromagnetic scapular methods (RMS up to 12.6° for 150° arm elevation). The results indicate that the present method can be used under careful considerations for 3D kinematical studies examining different shoulder movements.

Adaptive Environmental Source Localization and Tracking with Unknown Permittivity and Path Loss Coefficients †

PubMed Central

Fidan, Barış; Umay, Ilknur

2015-01-01

Accurate signal-source and signal-reflector target localization tasks via mobile sensory units and wireless sensor networks (WSNs), including those for environmental monitoring via sensory UAVs, require precise knowledge of specific signal propagation properties of the environment, which are permittivity and path loss coefficients for the electromagnetic signal case. Thus, accurate estimation of these coefficients has significant importance for the accuracy of location estimates. In this paper, we propose a geometric cooperative technique to instantaneously estimate such coefficients, with details provided for received signal strength (RSS) and time-of-flight (TOF)-based range sensors. The proposed technique is integrated to a recursive least squares (RLS)-based adaptive localization scheme and an adaptive motion control law, to construct adaptive target localization and adaptive target tracking algorithms, respectively, that are robust to uncertainties in aforementioned environmental signal propagation coefficients. The efficiency of the proposed adaptive localization and tracking techniques are both mathematically analysed and verified via simulation experiments. PMID:26690441

Navigators for motion detection during real-time MRI-guided radiotherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stam, Mette K.; Crijns, Sjoerd P. M.; Zonnenberg, Bernard A.; Barendrecht, Maurits M.; van Vulpen, Marco; Lagendijk, Jan J. W.; Raaymakers, Bas W.

2012-11-01

An MRI-linac system provides direct MRI feedback and with that the possibility of adapting radiation treatments to the actual tumour position. This paper addresses the use of fast 1D MRI, pencil-beam navigators, for this feedback. The accuracy of using navigators was determined on a moving phantom. The possibility of organ tracking and breath-hold monitoring based on navigator guidance was shown for the kidney. Navigators are accurate within 0.5 mm and the analysis has a minimal time lag smaller than 30 ms as shown for the phantom measurements. The correlation of 2D kidney images and navigators shows the possibility of complete organ tracking. Furthermore the breath-hold monitoring of the kidney is accurate within 1.5 mm, allowing gated radiotherapy based on navigator feedback. Navigators are a fast and precise method for monitoring and real-time tracking of anatomical landmarks. As such, they provide direct MRI feedback on anatomical changes for more precise radiation delivery.

The precision of today's satellite laser ranging systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunn, Peter J.; Torrence, Mark H.; Hussen, Van S.; Pearlman, Michael R.

1993-06-01

Recent improvements in the accuracy of modern satellite laser ranging (SLR) systems are strengthened by the new capability of many instruments to track an increasing number of geodetic satellite targets without significant scheduling conflict. This will allow the refinement of some geophysical parameters, such as solid Earth tidal effects and GM, and the improved temporal resolution of others, such as Earth orientation and station position. Better time resolution for the locations of fixed observatories will allow us to monitor more subtle motions at the stations, and transportable systems will be able to provide indicators of long term trends with shorter occupations. If we are to take advantage of these improvements, care must be taken to preserve the essential accuracy of an increasing volume of range observations at each stage of the data reduction process.

The precision of today's satellite laser ranging systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunn, Peter J.; Torrence, Mark H.; Hussen, Van S.; Pearlman, Michael R.

1993-01-01

Recent improvements in the accuracy of modern satellite laser ranging (SLR) systems are strengthened by the new capability of many instruments to track an increasing number of geodetic satellite targets without significant scheduling conflict. This will allow the refinement of some geophysical parameters, such as solid Earth tidal effects and GM, and the improved temporal resolution of others, such as Earth orientation and station position. Better time resolution for the locations of fixed observatories will allow us to monitor more subtle motions at the stations, and transportable systems will be able to provide indicators of long term trends with shorter occupations. If we are to take advantage of these improvements, care must be taken to preserve the essential accuracy of an increasing volume of range observations at each stage of the data reduction process.

Experimental Studies of the Brownian Diffusion of Boomerang Colloidal Particle in a Confined Geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakrabarty, Ayan; Wang, Feng; Joshi, Bhuwan; Wei, Qi-Huo

2011-03-01

Recent studies shows that the boomerang shaped molecules can form various kinds of liquid crystalline phases. One debated topic related to boomerang molecules is the existence of biaxial nematic liquid crystalline phase. Developing and optical microscopic studies of colloidal systems of boomerang particles would allow us to gain better understanding of orientation ordering and dynamics at ``single molecule'' level. Here we report the fabrication and experimental studies of the Brownian motion of individual boomerang colloidal particles confined between two glass plates. We used dark-field optical microscopy to directly visualize the Brownian motion of the single colloidal particles in a quasi two dimensional geometry. An EMCCD was used to capture the motion in real time. An indigenously developed imaging processing algorithm based on MatLab program was used to precisely track the position and orientation of the particles with sub-pixel accuracy. The experimental finding of the Brownian diffusion of a single boomerang colloidal particle will be discussed.

Demonstration of precise estimation of polar motion parameters with the global positioning system: Initial results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lichten, S. M.

1991-01-01

Data from the Global Positioning System (GPS) were used to determine precise polar motion estimates. Conservatively calculated formal errors of the GPS least squares solution are approx. 10 cm. The GPS estimates agree with independently determined polar motion values from very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) at the 5 cm level. The data were obtained from a partial constellation of GPS satellites and from a sparse worldwide distribution of ground stations. The accuracy of the GPS estimates should continue to improve as more satellites and ground receivers become operational, and eventually a near real time GPS capability should be available. Because the GPS data are obtained and processed independently from the large radio antennas at the Deep Space Network (DSN), GPS estimation could provide very precise measurements of Earth orientation for calibration of deep space tracking data and could significantly relieve the ever growing burden on the DSN radio telescopes to provide Earth platform calibrations.

Active MRI tracking for robotic assisted FUS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Xu; Huang, Zhihong; Melzer, Andreas

2017-03-01

MR guided FUS is a noninvasive method producing thermal necrosis at the position of tumors with high accuracy and temperature control. Because the typical size of the ultrasound focus is smaller than the area of interested treatment tissues, focus repositioning become necessary to achieve multiple sonications to cover the whole targeted area. Using MR compatible mechanical actuators could help the ultrasound beam to reach a wider treatment range than using electrical beam steering technique and more flexibility in position the transducer. An active MR tracking technique was combined into the MRgFUS system to help locating the position of the mechanical actuator and the FUS transducer. For this study, a precise agar reference model was designed and fabricated to test the performance of the active tracking technique when it was used on the MR-compatible robotics InnoMotion™ (IBSMM, Engineering spol. s r.o. / Ltd, Czech Republic). The precision, tracking range and positioning speed of the combined robotic FUS system were evaluated in this study. Compared to the existing MR guided HIFU systems, the combined robotic system with active tracking techniques provides a potential that allows the FUS treatment to operate in a larger spatial range and with a faster speed, which is one of the main challenges for organ motion tracking.

Tracking motions from satellite water vapor imagery: Quantitative applications to hurricane track forecasting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Velden, Christopher; Nieman, Steve; Aberson, Sim; Franklin, James

1993-01-01

Water vapor imagery from GOES satellites has been available for over a decade. These data are used extensively, mainly in a qualitative mode, by forecasters in the United States (Weldon and Holmes, 1991). Some attempts have been made at quantifying the data by tracking features in time sequences of the imagery (Stewart et al., 1985; Hayden and Stewart, 1987). For a variety of reasons, applications of this approach have produced marginal results (Velden, 1990). Recently, METEOSAT-3 (M-3) was repositioned at 50W by the European Space Agency, in order to provide complete coverage of the Atlantic Ocean. Data from this satellite are being transmitted to the U.S. for operational use. Compared with the GOES satellite, the M-3 has a superior resolution and signal-to-noise ratio in its water vapor channel, which translates into improved automated tracking capabilities. During a period in 1992 which included the Atlantic hurricane season, water vapor tracking algorithms were applied to the M-3 data in order to evaluate the coverage, accuracy and model impact of the derived vectors. Data sets were produced during several tropical cyclone cases, including Hurricane Andrew. In this paper, the M-3 water vapor wind sets are assessed, and their impact on a hurricane track forecast model is examined.

Development of a frameless stereotactic radiosurgery system based on real-time 6D position monitoring and adaptive head motion compensation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiersma, Rodney D.; Wen, Zhifei; Sadinski, Meredith; Farrey, Karl; Yenice, Kamil M.

2010-01-01

Stereotactic radiosurgery delivers radiation with great spatial accuracy. To achieve sub-millimeter accuracy for intracranial SRS, a head ring is rigidly fixated to the skull to create a fixed reference. For some patients, the invasiveness of the ring can be highly uncomfortable and not well tolerated. In addition, placing and removing the ring requires special expertise from a neurosurgeon, and patient setup time for SRS can often be long. To reduce the invasiveness, hardware limitations and setup time, we are developing a system for performing accurate head positioning without the use of a head ring. The proposed method uses real-time 6D optical position feedback for turning on and off the treatment beam (gating) and guiding a motor-controlled 3D head motion compensation stage. The setup consists of a central control computer, an optical patient motion tracking system and a 3D motion compensation stage attached to the front of the LINAC couch. A styrofoam head cast was custom-built for patient support and was mounted on the compensation stage. The motion feedback of the markers was processed by the control computer, and the resulting motion of the target was calculated using a rigid body model. If the target deviated beyond a preset position of 0.2 mm, an automatic position correction was performed with stepper motors to adjust the head position via the couch mount motion platform. In the event the target deviated more than 1 mm, a safety relay switch was activated and the treatment beam was turned off. The feasibility of the concept was tested using five healthy volunteers. Head motion data were acquired with and without the use of motion compensation over treatment times of 15 min. On average, test subjects exceeded the 0.5 mm tolerance 86% of the time and the 1.0 mm tolerance 45% of the time without motion correction. With correction, this percentage was reduced to 5% and 2% for the 0.5 mm and 1.0 mm tolerances, respectively.

Internal Motion Estimation by Internal-external Motion Modeling for Lung Cancer Radiotherapy.

PubMed

Chen, Haibin; Zhong, Zichun; Yang, Yiwei; Chen, Jiawei; Zhou, Linghong; Zhen, Xin; Gu, Xuejun

2018-02-27

The aim of this study is to develop an internal-external correlation model for internal motion estimation for lung cancer radiotherapy. Deformation vector fields that characterize the internal-external motion are obtained by respectively registering the internal organ meshes and external surface meshes from the 4DCT images via a recently developed local topology preserved non-rigid point matching algorithm. A composite matrix is constructed by combing the estimated internal phasic DVFs with external phasic and directional DVFs. Principle component analysis is then applied to the composite matrix to extract principal motion characteristics, and generate model parameters to correlate the internal-external motion. The proposed model is evaluated on a 4D NURBS-based cardiac-torso (NCAT) synthetic phantom and 4DCT images from five lung cancer patients. For tumor tracking, the center of mass errors of the tracked tumor are 0.8(±0.5)mm/0.8(±0.4)mm for synthetic data, and 1.3(±1.0)mm/1.2(±1.2)mm for patient data in the intra-fraction/inter-fraction tracking, respectively. For lung tracking, the percent errors of the tracked contours are 0.06(±0.02)/0.07(±0.03) for synthetic data, and 0.06(±0.02)/0.06(±0.02) for patient data in the intra-fraction/inter-fraction tracking, respectively. The extensive validations have demonstrated the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed model in motion tracking for both the tumor and the lung in lung cancer radiotherapy.

Characterization of a 0.35T MR system for phantom image quality stability and in vivo assessment of motion quantification

PubMed Central

Saenz, Daniel L.; Yan, Yue; Christensen, Neil; Henzler, Margaret A.; Forrest, Lisa J.; Bayouth, John E.

2015-01-01

ViewRay is a novel MR‐guided radiotherapy system capable of imaging in near real‐time at four frames per second during treatment using 0.35T field strength. It allows for improved gating techniques and adaptive radiotherapy. Three cobalt‐60 sources (∼15,000 Curies) permit multiple‐beam, intensity‐modulated radiation therapy. The primary aim of this study is to assess the imaging stability, accuracy, and automatic segmentation algorithm capability to track motion in simulated and in vivo targets. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of the system were assessed using the American College of Radiology (ACR)‐recommended phantom and accreditation protocol. Images of the ACR phantom were acquired using a head coil following the ACR scanning instructions. ACR recommended T1‐ and T2‐weighted sequences were evaluated. Nine measurements were performed over a period of seven months, on just over a monthly basis, to establish consistency. A silicon dielectric gel target was attached to the motor via a rod. 40 mm total amplitude was used with cycles of 3 to 9 s in length in a sinusoidal trajectory. Trajectories of six moving clinical targets in four canine patients were quantified and tracked. ACR phantom images were analyzed, and the results were compared with the ACR acceptance levels. Measured slice thickness accuracies were within the acceptance limits. In the 0.35 T system, the image intensity uniformity was also within the ACR acceptance limit. Over the range of cycle lengths, representing a wide range of breathing rates in patients imaged at four frames/s, excellent agreement was observed between the expected and measured target trajectories. In vivo canine targets, including the gross target volume (GTV), as well as other abdominal soft tissue structures, were visualized with inherent MR contrast, allowing for preliminary results of target tracking. PACS number: 87.61.Tg PMID:26699552

Characterization of a 0.35T MR system for phantom image quality stability and in vivo assessment of motion quantification.

PubMed

Saenz, Daniel L; Yan, Yue; Christensen, Neil; Henzler, Margaret A; Forrest, Lisa J; Bayouth, John E; Paliwal, Bhudatt R

2015-11-08

ViewRay is a novel MR-guided radiotherapy system capable of imaging in near real-time at four frames per second during treatment using 0.35T field strength. It allows for improved gating techniques and adaptive radiotherapy. Three cobalt-60 sources (~ 15,000 Curies) permit multiple-beam, intensity-modulated radiation therapy. The primary aim of this study is to assess the imaging stability, accuracy, and automatic segmentation algorithm capability to track motion in simulated and in vivo targets. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of the system were assessed using the American College of Radiology (ACR)-recommended phantom and accreditation protocol. Images of the ACR phantom were acquired using a head coil following the ACR scanning instructions. ACR recommended T1- and T2-weighted sequences were evaluated. Nine measurements were performed over a period of seven months, on just over a monthly basis, to establish consistency. A silicon dielectric gel target was attached to the motor via a rod. 40 mm total amplitude was used with cycles of 3 to 9 s in length in a sinusoidal trajectory. Trajectories of six moving clinical targets in four canine patients were quantified and tracked. ACR phantom images were analyzed, and the results were compared with the ACR acceptance levels. Measured slice thickness accuracies were within the acceptance limits. In the 0.35 T system, the image intensity uniformity was also within the ACR acceptance limit. Over the range of cycle lengths, representing a wide range of breathing rates in patients imaged at four frames/s, excellent agreement was observed between the expected and measured target trajectories. In vivo canine targets, including the gross target volume (GTV), as well as other abdominal soft tissue structures, were visualized with inherent MR contrast, allowing for preliminary results of target tracking.

Object motion computation for the initiation of smooth pursuit eye movements in humans.

PubMed

Wallace, Julian M; Stone, Leland S; Masson, Guillaume S

2005-04-01

Pursuing an object with smooth eye movements requires an accurate estimate of its two-dimensional (2D) trajectory. This 2D motion computation requires that different local motion measurements are extracted and combined to recover the global object-motion direction and speed. Several combination rules have been proposed such as vector averaging (VA), intersection of constraints (IOC), or 2D feature tracking (2DFT). To examine this computation, we investigated the time course of smooth pursuit eye movements driven by simple objects of different shapes. For type II diamond (where the direction of true object motion is dramatically different from the vector average of the 1-dimensional edge motions, i.e., VA not equal IOC = 2DFT), the ocular tracking is initiated in the vector average direction. Over a period of less than 300 ms, the eye-tracking direction converges on the true object motion. The reduction of the tracking error starts before the closing of the oculomotor loop. For type I diamonds (where the direction of true object motion is identical to the vector average direction, i.e., VA = IOC = 2DFT), there is no such bias. We quantified this effect by calculating the direction error between responses to types I and II and measuring its maximum value and time constant. At low contrast and high speeds, the initial bias in tracking direction is larger and takes longer to converge onto the actual object-motion direction. This effect is attenuated with the introduction of more 2D information to the extent that it was totally obliterated with a texture-filled type II diamond. These results suggest a flexible 2D computation for motion integration, which combines all available one-dimensional (edge) and 2D (feature) motion information to refine the estimate of object-motion direction over time.

Video stimuli reduce object-directed imitation accuracy: a novel two-person motion-tracking approach.

PubMed

Reader, Arran T; Holmes, Nicholas P

2015-01-01

Imitation is an important form of social behavior, and research has aimed to discover and explain the neural and kinematic aspects of imitation. However, much of this research has featured single participants imitating in response to pre-recorded video stimuli. This is in spite of findings that show reduced neural activation to video vs. real life movement stimuli, particularly in the motor cortex. We investigated the degree to which video stimuli may affect the imitation process using a novel motion tracking paradigm with high spatial and temporal resolution. We recorded 14 positions on the hands, arms, and heads of two individuals in an imitation experiment. One individual freely moved within given parameters (moving balls across a series of pegs) and a second participant imitated. This task was performed with either simple (one ball) or complex (three balls) movement difficulty, and either face-to-face or via a live video projection. After an exploratory analysis, three dependent variables were chosen for examination: 3D grip position, joint angles in the arm, and grip aperture. A cross-correlation and multivariate analysis revealed that object-directed imitation task accuracy (as represented by grip position) was reduced in video compared to face-to-face feedback, and in complex compared to simple difficulty. This was most prevalent in the left-right and forward-back motions, relevant to the imitator sitting face-to-face with the actor or with a live projected video of the same actor. The results suggest that for tasks which require object-directed imitation, video stimuli may not be an ecologically valid way to present task materials. However, no similar effects were found in the joint angle and grip aperture variables, suggesting that there are limits to the influence of video stimuli on imitation. The implications of these results are discussed with regards to previous findings, and with suggestions for future experimentation.

SU-E-J-168: Automated Pancreas Segmentation Based On Dynamic MRI

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gou, S; Rapacchi, S; Hu, P

2014-06-01

Purpose: MRI guided radiotherapy is particularly attractive for abdominal targets with low CT contrast. To fully utilize this modality for pancreas tracking, automated segmentation tools are needed. A hybrid gradient, region growth and shape constraint (hGReS) method to segment 2D upper abdominal dynamic MRI is developed for this purpose. Methods: 2D coronal dynamic MR images of 2 healthy volunteers were acquired with a frame rate of 5 f/second. The regions of interest (ROIs) included the liver, pancreas and stomach. The first frame was used as the source where the centers of the ROIs were annotated. These center locations were propagatedmore » to the next dynamic MRI frame. 4-neighborhood region transfer growth was performed from these initial seeds for rough segmentation. To improve the results, gradient, edge and shape constraints were applied to the ROIs before final refinement using morphological operations. Results from hGReS and 3 other automated segmentation methods using edge detection, region growth and level set were compared to manual contouring. Results: For the first patient, hGReS resulted in the organ segmentation accuracy as measure by the Dices index (0.77) for the pancreas. The accuracy was slightly superior to the level set method (0.72), and both are significantly more accurate than the edge detection (0.53) and region growth methods (0.42). For the second healthy volunteer, hGReS reliably segmented the pancreatic region, achieving a Dices index of 0.82, 0.92 and 0.93 for the pancreas, stomach and liver, respectively, comparing to manual segmentation. Motion trajectories derived from the hGReS, level set and manual segmentation methods showed high correlation to respiratory motion calculated using a lung blood vessel as the reference while the other two methods showed substantial motion tracking errors. hGReS was 10 times faster than level set. Conclusion: We have shown the feasibility of automated segmentation of the pancreas anatomy based on dynamic MRI.« less

Using task dynamics to quantify the affordances of throwing for long distance and accuracy.

PubMed

Wilson, Andrew D; Weightman, Andrew; Bingham, Geoffrey P; Zhu, Qin

2016-07-01

In 2 experiments, the current study explored how affordances structure throwing for long distance and accuracy. In Experiment 1, 10 expert throwers (from baseball, softball, and cricket) threw regulation tennis balls to hit a vertically oriented 4 ft × 4 ft target placed at each of 9 locations (3 distances × 3 heights). We measured their release parameters (angle, speed, and height) and showed that they scaled their throws in response to changes in the target's location. We then simulated the projectile motion of the ball and identified a continuous subspace of release parameters that produce hits to each target location. Each subspace describes the affordance of our target to be hit by a tennis ball moving in a projectile motion to the relevant location. The simulated affordance spaces showed how the release parameter combinations required for hits changed with changes in the target location. The experts tracked these changes in their performance and were successful in hitting the targets. We next tested unusual (horizontal) targets that generated correspondingly different affordance subspaces to determine whether the experts would track the affordance to generate successful hits. Do the experts perceive the affordance? They do. In Experiment 2, 5 cricketers threw to hit either vertically or horizontally oriented targets and successfully hit both, exhibiting release parameters located within the requisite affordance subspaces. We advocate a task dynamical approach to the study of affordances as properties of objects and events in the context of tasks as the future of research in this area. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Computer-aided target tracking in motion analysis studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burdick, Dominic C.; Marcuse, M. L.; Mislan, J. D.

1990-08-01

Motion analysis studies require the precise tracking of reference objects in sequential scenes. In a typical situation, events of interest are captured at high frame rates using special cameras, and selected objects or targets are tracked on a frame by frame basis to provide necessary data for motion reconstruction. Tracking is usually done using manual methods which are slow and prone to error. A computer based image analysis system has been developed that performs tracking automatically. The objective of this work was to eliminate the bottleneck due to manual methods in high volume tracking applications such as the analysis of crash test films for the automotive industry. The system has proven to be successful in tracking standard fiducial targets and other objects in crash test scenes. Over 95 percent of target positions which could be located using manual methods can be tracked by the system, with a significant improvement in throughput over manual methods. Future work will focus on the tracking of clusters of targets and on tracking deformable objects such as airbags.

Predicting 2D target velocity cannot help 2D motion integration for smooth pursuit initiation.

PubMed

Montagnini, Anna; Spering, Miriam; Masson, Guillaume S

2006-12-01

Smooth pursuit eye movements reflect the temporal dynamics of bidimensional (2D) visual motion integration. When tracking a single, tilted line, initial pursuit direction is biased toward unidimensional (1D) edge motion signals, which are orthogonal to the line orientation. Over 200 ms, tracking direction is slowly corrected to finally match the 2D object motion during steady-state pursuit. We now show that repetition of line orientation and/or motion direction does not eliminate the transient tracking direction error nor change the time course of pursuit correction. Nonetheless, multiple successive presentations of a single orientation/direction condition elicit robust anticipatory pursuit eye movements that always go in the 2D object motion direction not the 1D edge motion direction. These results demonstrate that predictive signals about target motion cannot be used for an efficient integration of ambiguous velocity signals at pursuit initiation.

Can low-cost motion-tracking systems substitute a Polhemus system when researching social motor coordination in children?

PubMed

Romero, Veronica; Amaral, Joseph; Fitzpatrick, Paula; Schmidt, R C; Duncan, Amie W; Richardson, Michael J

2017-04-01

Functionally stable and robust interpersonal motor coordination has been found to play an integral role in the effectiveness of social interactions. However, the motion-tracking equipment required to record and objectively measure the dynamic limb and body movements during social interaction has been very costly, cumbersome, and impractical within a non-clinical or non-laboratory setting. Here we examined whether three low-cost motion-tracking options (Microsoft Kinect skeletal tracking of either one limb or whole body and a video-based pixel change method) can be employed to investigate social motor coordination. Of particular interest was the degree to which these low-cost methods of motion tracking could be used to capture and index the coordination dynamics that occurred between a child and an experimenter for three simple social motor coordination tasks in comparison to a more expensive, laboratory-grade motion-tracking system (i.e., a Polhemus Latus system). Overall, the results demonstrated that these low-cost systems cannot substitute the Polhemus system in some tasks. However, the lower-cost Microsoft Kinect skeletal tracking and video pixel change methods were successfully able to index differences in social motor coordination in tasks that involved larger-scale, naturalistic whole body movements, which can be cumbersome and expensive to record with a Polhemus. However, we found the Kinect to be particularly vulnerable to occlusion and the pixel change method to movements that cross the video frame midline. Therefore, particular care needs to be taken in choosing the motion-tracking system that is best suited for the particular research.

TU-D-202-03: Gating Is the Best ITV Killer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Low, D.

Respiratory motion has long been recognized as an important factor affecting the precision of radiotherapy. After the introduction of the 4D CT to visualize the respiratory motion in 3D, the internal target volume (ITV) has been widely adopted as simple method to take the motion into account in treatment planning and delivery. The ITV is generated as the union of the CTVs as the patient goes through the respiratory cycle. Many issues have been identified with the ITV. In this session three alternatives for the ITV will be discussed: 1) An alternative motion-inclusive approach with better imaging and smaller margins,more » called mid-position CT. 2) The tracking approach and 3) The gating approach. The following topics will be addressed by Marcel van Herk (“Is ITV the correct motion encompassing strategy”): Magnitude of respiratory motion, effect of motion on radiotherapy, motion encompassing strategies, and software solutions to assist in motion encompassing strategies. Then Paul Keall (“Make margins simple: Use real-time target tracking”) will discuss tracking with: clinical drivers for tracking, current clinical status of tumor tracking, future tumor tracking technology, and margin margin challenges with and without tracking. Finally Daniel Low will discuss gating (“Gating is the best ITV killer”): why ITV in the first place, requirements for planning, requirements at the machine, benefits and costs. The session will end with a discussion and live demo of motion simulation software to illustrate the issues and explain the relative benefit and appropriate uses for the three methods. Learning Objectives: Explain the 4D imaging and treatment planning process. Summarize the various approaches to deal with respiratory motion during radiotherapy Discuss the tradeoffs involved when choosing one of the three discussed approaches. Explain in which situation each method is the best choice Research is partly funded by Elekta Oncology Systems and the Dutch Cancer Foundation; M. van Herk, Part of the research was funded by Elekta Oncology Systems and the Dutch Cancer Foundation.« less

Motion compensation for MRI-compatible patient-mounted needle guide device: estimation of targeting accuracy in MRI-guided kidney cryoablations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tokuda, Junichi; Chauvin, Laurent; Ninni, Brian; Kato, Takahisa; King, Franklin; Tuncali, Kemal; Hata, Nobuhiko

2018-04-01

Patient-mounted needle guide devices for percutaneous ablation are vulnerable to patient motion. The objective of this study is to develop and evaluate a software system for an MRI-compatible patient-mounted needle guide device that can adaptively compensate for displacement of the device due to patient motion using a novel image-based automatic device-to-image registration technique. We have developed a software system for an MRI-compatible patient-mounted needle guide device for percutaneous ablation. It features fully-automated image-based device-to-image registration to track the device position, and a device controller to adjust the needle trajectory to compensate for the displacement of the device. We performed: (a) a phantom study using a clinical MR scanner to evaluate registration performance; (b) simulations using intraoperative time-series MR data acquired in 20 clinical cases of MRI-guided renal cryoablations to assess its impact on motion compensation; and (c) a pilot clinical study in three patients to test its feasibility during the clinical procedure. FRE, TRE, and success rate of device-to-image registration were mm, mm, and 98.3% for the phantom images. The simulation study showed that the motion compensation reduced the targeting error for needle placement from 8.2 mm to 5.4 mm (p  <  0.0005) in patients under general anesthesia (GA), and from 14.4 mm to 10.0 mm () in patients under monitored anesthesia care (MAC). The pilot study showed that the software registered the device successfully in a clinical setting. Our simulation study demonstrated that the software system could significantly improve targeting accuracy in patients treated under both MAC and GA. Intraprocedural image-based device-to-image registration was feasible.

Evaluating the utility of 3D TRUS image information in guiding intra-procedure registration for motion compensation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Silva, Tharindu; Cool, Derek W.; Romagnoli, Cesare; Fenster, Aaron; Ward, Aaron D.

2014-03-01

In targeted 3D transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided biopsy, patient and prostate movement during the procedure can cause target misalignments that hinder accurate sampling of pre-planned suspicious tissue locations. Multiple solutions have been proposed for motion compensation via registration of intra-procedural TRUS images to a baseline 3D TRUS image acquired at the beginning of the biopsy procedure. While 2D TRUS images are widely used for intra-procedural guidance, some solutions utilize richer intra-procedural images such as bi- or multi-planar TRUS or 3D TRUS, acquired by specialized probes. In this work, we measured the impact of such richer intra-procedural imaging on motion compensation accuracy, to evaluate the tradeoff between cost and complexity of intra-procedural imaging versus improved motion compensation. We acquired baseline and intra-procedural 3D TRUS images from 29 patients at standard sextant-template biopsy locations. We used the planes extracted from the 3D intra-procedural scans to simulate 2D and 3D information available in different clinically relevant scenarios for registration. The registration accuracy was evaluated by calculating the target registration error (TRE) using manually identified homologous fiducial markers (micro-calcifications). Our results indicate that TRE improves gradually when the number of intra-procedural imaging planes used in registration is increased. Full 3D TRUS information helps the registration algorithm to robustly converge to more accurate solutions. These results can also inform the design of a fail-safe workflow during motion compensation in a system using a tracked 2D TRUS probe, by prescribing rotational acquisitions that can be performed quickly and easily by the physician immediately prior to needle targeting.

Nearly automatic motion capture system for tracking octopus arm movements in 3D space.

PubMed

Zelman, Ido; Galun, Meirav; Akselrod-Ballin, Ayelet; Yekutieli, Yoram; Hochner, Binyamin; Flash, Tamar

2009-08-30

Tracking animal movements in 3D space is an essential part of many biomechanical studies. The most popular technique for human motion capture uses markers placed on the skin which are tracked by a dedicated system. However, this technique may be inadequate for tracking animal movements, especially when it is impossible to attach markers to the animal's body either because of its size or shape or because of the environment in which the animal performs its movements. Attaching markers to an animal's body may also alter its behavior. Here we present a nearly automatic markerless motion capture system that overcomes these problems and successfully tracks octopus arm movements in 3D space. The system is based on three successive tracking and processing stages. The first stage uses a recently presented segmentation algorithm to detect the movement in a pair of video sequences recorded by two calibrated cameras. In the second stage, the results of the first stage are processed to produce 2D skeletal representations of the moving arm. Finally, the 2D skeletons are used to reconstruct the octopus arm movement as a sequence of 3D curves varying in time. Motion tracking, segmentation and reconstruction are especially difficult problems in the case of octopus arm movements because of the deformable, non-rigid structure of the octopus arm and the underwater environment in which it moves. Our successful results suggest that the motion-tracking system presented here may be used for tracking other elongated objects.

Evaluation of Hands-On Clinical Exam Performance Using Marker-less Video Tracking.

PubMed

Azari, David; Pugh, Carla; Laufer, Shlomi; Cohen, Elaine; Kwan, Calvin; Chen, Chia-Hsiung Eric; Yen, Thomas Y; Hu, Yu Hen; Radwin, Robert

2014-09-01

This study investigates the potential of using marker-less video tracking of the hands for evaluating hands-on clinical skills. Experienced family practitioners attending a national conference were recruited and asked to conduct a breast examination on a simulator that simulates different clinical presentations. Videos were made of the clinician's hands during the exam and video processing software for tracking hand motion to quantify hand motion kinematics was used. Practitioner motion patterns indicated consistent behavior of participants across multiple pathologies. Different pathologies exhibited characteristic motion patterns in the aggregate at specific parts of an exam, indicating consistent inter-participant behavior. Marker-less video kinematic tracking therefore shows promise in discriminating between different examination procedures, clinicians, and pathologies.

Adaptive neural network motion control of manipulators with experimental evaluations.

PubMed

Puga-Guzmán, S; Moreno-Valenzuela, J; Santibáñez, V

2014-01-01

A nonlinear proportional-derivative controller plus adaptive neuronal network compensation is proposed. With the aim of estimating the desired torque, a two-layer neural network is used. Then, adaptation laws for the neural network weights are derived. Asymptotic convergence of the position and velocity tracking errors is proven, while the neural network weights are shown to be uniformly bounded. The proposed scheme has been experimentally validated in real time. These experimental evaluations were carried in two different mechanical systems: a horizontal two degrees-of-freedom robot and a vertical one degree-of-freedom arm which is affected by the gravitational force. In each one of the two experimental set-ups, the proposed scheme was implemented without and with adaptive neural network compensation. Experimental results confirmed the tracking accuracy of the proposed adaptive neural network-based controller.

Adaptive Neural Network Motion Control of Manipulators with Experimental Evaluations

PubMed Central

Puga-Guzmán, S.; Moreno-Valenzuela, J.; Santibáñez, V.

2014-01-01

A nonlinear proportional-derivative controller plus adaptive neuronal network compensation is proposed. With the aim of estimating the desired torque, a two-layer neural network is used. Then, adaptation laws for the neural network weights are derived. Asymptotic convergence of the position and velocity tracking errors is proven, while the neural network weights are shown to be uniformly bounded. The proposed scheme has been experimentally validated in real time. These experimental evaluations were carried in two different mechanical systems: a horizontal two degrees-of-freedom robot and a vertical one degree-of-freedom arm which is affected by the gravitational force. In each one of the two experimental set-ups, the proposed scheme was implemented without and with adaptive neural network compensation. Experimental results confirmed the tracking accuracy of the proposed adaptive neural network-based controller. PMID:24574910

The promise of remote sensing in the atmospheric sciences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atlas, D.

1981-01-01

The applications and advances in remote sensing technology for weather prediction, mesoscale meteorology, severe storms, and climate studies are discussed. Doppler radar permits tracking of the three-dimensional field of motion within storms, thereby increasing the accuracy of convective storm modeling. Single Doppler units are also employed for detecting mesoscale storm vortices and tornado vortex signatures with lead times of 30 min. Clear air radar in pulsed and high resolution FM-CW forms reveals boundary layer convection, Kelvin-Helmoltz waves, shear layer turbulence, and wave motions. Lidar is successfully employed for stratospheric aerosol measurements, while Doppler lidar provides data on winds from the ground and can be based in space. Sodar is useful for determining the structure of the PBL. Details and techniques of satellite-based remote sensing are presented, and results from the GWE and FGGE experiments are discussed.

Using commodity accelerometers and gyroscopes to improve speed and accuracy of JanusVF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutson, Malcolm; Reiners, Dirk

2010-01-01

Several critical limitations exist in the currently available commercial tracking technologies for fully-enclosed virtual reality (VR) systems. While several 6DOF solutions can be adapted to work in fully-enclosed spaces, they still include elements of hardware that can interfere with the user's visual experience. JanusVF introduced a tracking solution for fully-enclosed VR displays that achieves comparable performance to available commercial solutions but without artifacts that can obscure the user's view. JanusVF employs a small, high-resolution camera that is worn on the user's head, but faces backwards. The VR rendering software draws specific fiducial markers with known size and absolute position inside the VR scene behind the user but in view of the camera. These fiducials are tracked by ARToolkitPlus and integrated by a single-constraint-at-a-time (SCAAT) filter to update the head pose. In this paper we investigate the addition of low-cost accelerometers and gyroscopes such as those in Nintendo Wii remotes, the Wii Motion Plus, and the Sony Sixaxis controller to improve the precision and accuracy of JanusVF. Several enthusiast projects have implemented these units as basic trackers or for gesture recognition, but none so far have created true 6DOF trackers using only the accelerometers and gyroscopes. Our original experiments were repeated after adding the low-cost inertial sensors, showing considerable improvements and noise reduction.

MRI - 3D Ultrasound - X-ray Image Fusion with Electromagnetic Tracking for Transendocardial Therapeutic Injections: In-vitro Validation and In-vivo Feasibility

PubMed Central

Hatt, Charles R.; Jain, Ameet K.; Parthasarathy, Vijay; Lang, Andrew; Raval, Amish N.

2014-01-01

Myocardial infarction (MI) is one of the leading causes of death in the world. Small animal studies have shown that stem-cell therapy offers dramatic functional improvement post-MI. An endomyocardial catheter injection approach to therapeutic agent delivery has been proposed to improve efficacy through increased cell retention. Accurate targeting is critical for reaching areas of greatest therapeutic potential while avoiding a life-threatening myocardial perforation. Multimodal image fusion has been proposed as a way to improve these procedures by augmenting traditional intra-operative imaging modalities with high resolution pre-procedural images. Previous approaches have suffered from a lack of real-time tissue imaging and dependence on X-ray imaging to track devices, leading to increased ionizing radiation dose. In this paper, we present a new image fusion system for catheter-based targeted delivery of therapeutic agents. The system registers real-time 3D echocardiography, magnetic resonance, X-ray, and electromagnetic sensor tracking within a single flexible framework. All system calibrations and registrations were validated and found to have target registration errors less than 5 mm in the worst case. Injection accuracy was validated in a motion enabled cardiac injection phantom, where targeting accuracy ranged from 0.57 to 3.81 mm. Clinical feasibility was demonstrated with in-vivo swine experiments, where injections were successfully made into targeted regions of the heart. PMID:23561056

A distributed automatic target recognition system using multiple low resolution sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yue, Zhanfeng; Lakshmi Narasimha, Pramod; Topiwala, Pankaj

2008-04-01

In this paper, we propose a multi-agent system which uses swarming techniques to perform high accuracy Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) in a distributed manner. The proposed system can co-operatively share the information from low-resolution images of different looks and use this information to perform high accuracy ATR. An advanced, multiple-agent Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems-based approach is proposed which integrates the processing capabilities, combines detection reporting with live video exchange, and swarm behavior modalities that dramatically surpass individual sensor system performance levels. We employ real-time block-based motion analysis and compensation scheme for efficient estimation and correction of camera jitter, global motion of the camera/scene and the effects of atmospheric turbulence. Our optimized Partition Weighted Sum (PWS) approach requires only bitshifts and additions, yet achieves a stunning 16X pixel resolution enhancement, which is moreover parallizable. We develop advanced, adaptive particle-filtering based algorithms to robustly track multiple mobile targets by adaptively changing the appearance model of the selected targets. The collaborative ATR system utilizes the homographies between the sensors induced by the ground plane to overlap the local observation with the received images from other UAVs. The motion of the UAVs distorts estimated homography frame to frame. A robust dynamic homography estimation algorithm is proposed to address this, by using the homography decomposition and the ground plane surface estimation.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Petasecca, M., E-mail: marcop@uow.edu.au; Newall, M. K.; Aldosari, A. H.

Purpose: Spatial and temporal resolutions are two of the most important features for quality assurance instrumentation of motion adaptive radiotherapy modalities. The goal of this work is to characterize the performance of the 2D high spatial resolution monolithic silicon diode array named “MagicPlate-512” for quality assurance of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) combined with a dynamic multileaf collimator (MLC) tracking technique for motion compensation. Methods: MagicPlate-512 is used in combination with the movable platform HexaMotion and a research version of radiofrequency tracking system Calypso driving MLC tracking software. The authors reconstruct 2D dose distributions of smallmore » field square beams in three modalities: in static conditions, mimicking the temporal movement pattern of a lung tumor and tracking the moving target while the MLC compensates almost instantaneously for the tumor displacement. Use of Calypso in combination with MagicPlate-512 requires a proper radiofrequency interference shielding. Impact of the shielding on dosimetry has been simulated by GEANT4 and verified experimentally. Temporal and spatial resolutions of the dosimetry system allow also for accurate verification of segments of complex stereotactic radiotherapy plans with identification of the instant and location where a certain dose is delivered. This feature allows for retrospective temporal reconstruction of the delivery process and easy identification of error in the tracking or the multileaf collimator driving systems. A sliding MLC wedge combined with the lung motion pattern has been measured. The ability of the MagicPlate-512 (MP512) in 2D dose mapping in all three modes of operation was benchmarked by EBT3 film. Results: Full width at half maximum and penumbra of the moving and stationary dose profiles measured by EBT3 film and MagicPlate-512 confirm that motion has a significant impact on the dose distribution. Motion, no motion, and motion with MLC tracking profiles agreed within 1 and 0.4 mm, respectively, for all field sizes tested. Use of electromagnetic tracking system generates a fluctuation of the detector baseline up to 10% of the full scale signal requiring a proper shielding strategy. MagicPlate-512 is also able to reconstruct the dose variation pulse-by-pulse in each pixel of the detector. An analysis of the dose transients with motion and motion with tracking shows that the tracking feedback algorithm used for this experiment can compensate effectively only the effect of the slower transient components. The fast changing components of the organ motion can contribute only to discrepancy of the order of 15% in penumbral region while the slower components can change the dose profile up to 75% of the expected dose. Conclusions: MagicPlate-512 is shown to be, potentially, a valid alternative to film or 2D ionizing chambers for quality assurance dosimetry in SRS or SBRT. Its high spatial and temporal resolutions allow for accurate reconstruction of the profile in any conditions with motion and with tracking of the motion. It shows excellent performance to reconstruct the dose deposition in real time or retrospectively as a function of time for detailed analysis of the effect of motion in a specific pixel or area of interest.« less

The effect of attention loading on the inhibition of choice reaction time to visual motion by concurrent rotary motion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Looper, M.

1976-01-01

This study investigates the influence of attention loading on the established intersensory effects of passive bodily rotation on choice reaction time (RT) to visual motion. Subjects sat at the center of rotation in an enclosed rotating chamber and observed an oscilloscope on which were, in the center, a tracking display and, 10 deg left of center, a RT line. Three tracking tasks and a no-tracking control condition were presented to all subjects in combination with the RT task, which occurred with and without concurrent cab rotations. Choice RT to line motions was inhibited (probability less than .001) both when there was simultaneous vestibular stimulation and when there was a tracking task; response latencies lengthened progressively with increased similarity between the RT and tracking tasks. However, the attention conditions did not affect the intersensory effect; the significance of this for the nature of the sensory interaction is discussed.

Slushy weightings for the optimal pilot model. [considering visual tracking task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dillow, J. D.; Picha, D. G.; Anderson, R. O.

1975-01-01

A pilot model is described which accounts for the effect of motion cues in a well defined visual tracking task. The effect of visual and motion cues are accounted for in the model in two ways. First, the observation matrix in the pilot model is structured to account for the visual and motion inputs presented to the pilot. Secondly, the weightings in the quadratic cost function associated with the pilot model are modified to account for the pilot's perception of the variables he considers important in the task. Analytic results obtained using the pilot model are compared to experimental results and in general good agreement is demonstrated. The analytic model yields small improvements in tracking performance with the addition of motion cues for easily controlled task dynamics and large improvements in tracking performance with the addition of motion cues for difficult task dynamics.

Frame rate required for speckle tracking echocardiography: A quantitative clinical study with open-source, vendor-independent software.

PubMed

Negoita, Madalina; Zolgharni, Massoud; Dadkho, Elham; Pernigo, Matteo; Mielewczik, Michael; Cole, Graham D; Dhutia, Niti M; Francis, Darrel P

2016-09-01

To determine the optimal frame rate at which reliable heart walls velocities can be assessed by speckle tracking. Assessing left ventricular function with speckle tracking is useful in patient diagnosis but requires a temporal resolution that can follow myocardial motion. In this study we investigated the effect of different frame rates on the accuracy of speckle tracking results, highlighting the temporal resolution where reliable results can be obtained. 27 patients were scanned at two different frame rates at their resting heart rate. From all acquired loops, lower temporal resolution image sequences were generated by dropping frames, decreasing the frame rate by up to 10-fold. Tissue velocities were estimated by automated speckle tracking. Above 40 frames/s the peak velocity was reliably measured. When frame rate was lower, the inter-frame interval containing the instant of highest velocity also contained lower velocities, and therefore the average velocity in that interval was an underestimate of the clinically desired instantaneous maximum velocity. The higher the frame rate, the more accurately maximum velocities are identified by speckle tracking, until the frame rate drops below 40 frames/s, beyond which there is little increase in peak velocity. We provide in an online supplement the vendor-independent software we used for automatic speckle-tracked velocity assessment to help others working in this field. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Real-time non-rigid target tracking for ultrasound-guided clinical interventions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zachiu, C.; Ries, M.; Ramaekers, P.; Guey, J.-L.; Moonen, C. T. W.; de Senneville, B. Denis

2017-10-01

Biological motion is a problem for non- or mini-invasive interventions when conducted in mobile/deformable organs due to the targeted pathology moving/deforming with the organ. This may lead to high miss rates and/or incomplete treatment of the pathology. Therefore, real-time tracking of the target anatomy during the intervention would be beneficial for such applications. Since the aforementioned interventions are often conducted under B-mode ultrasound (US) guidance, target tracking can be achieved via image registration, by comparing the acquired US images to a separate image established as positional reference. However, such US images are intrinsically altered by speckle noise, introducing incoherent gray-level intensity variations. This may prove problematic for existing intensity-based registration methods. In the current study we address US-based target tracking by employing the recently proposed EVolution registration algorithm. The method is, by construction, robust to transient gray-level intensities. Instead of directly matching image intensities, EVolution aligns similar contrast patterns in the images. Moreover, the displacement is computed by evaluating a matching criterion for image sub-regions rather than on a point-by-point basis, which typically provides more robust motion estimates. However, unlike similar previously published approaches, which assume rigid displacements in the image sub-regions, the EVolution algorithm integrates the matching criterion in a global functional, allowing the estimation of an elastic dense deformation. The approach was validated for soft tissue tracking under free-breathing conditions on the abdomen of seven healthy volunteers. Contact echography was performed on all volunteers, while three of the volunteers also underwent standoff echography. Each of the two modalities is predominantly specific to a particular type of non- or mini-invasive clinical intervention. The method demonstrated on average an accuracy of  ˜1.5 mm and submillimeter precision. This, together with a computational performance of 20 images per second make the proposed method an attractive solution for real-time target tracking during US-guided clinical interventions.

Real-time non-rigid target tracking for ultrasound-guided clinical interventions.

PubMed

Zachiu, C; Ries, M; Ramaekers, P; Guey, J-L; Moonen, C T W; de Senneville, B Denis

2017-10-04

Biological motion is a problem for non- or mini-invasive interventions when conducted in mobile/deformable organs due to the targeted pathology moving/deforming with the organ. This may lead to high miss rates and/or incomplete treatment of the pathology. Therefore, real-time tracking of the target anatomy during the intervention would be beneficial for such applications. Since the aforementioned interventions are often conducted under B-mode ultrasound (US) guidance, target tracking can be achieved via image registration, by comparing the acquired US images to a separate image established as positional reference. However, such US images are intrinsically altered by speckle noise, introducing incoherent gray-level intensity variations. This may prove problematic for existing intensity-based registration methods. In the current study we address US-based target tracking by employing the recently proposed EVolution registration algorithm. The method is, by construction, robust to transient gray-level intensities. Instead of directly matching image intensities, EVolution aligns similar contrast patterns in the images. Moreover, the displacement is computed by evaluating a matching criterion for image sub-regions rather than on a point-by-point basis, which typically provides more robust motion estimates. However, unlike similar previously published approaches, which assume rigid displacements in the image sub-regions, the EVolution algorithm integrates the matching criterion in a global functional, allowing the estimation of an elastic dense deformation. The approach was validated for soft tissue tracking under free-breathing conditions on the abdomen of seven healthy volunteers. Contact echography was performed on all volunteers, while three of the volunteers also underwent standoff echography. Each of the two modalities is predominantly specific to a particular type of non- or mini-invasive clinical intervention. The method demonstrated on average an accuracy of  ∼1.5 mm and submillimeter precision. This, together with a computational performance of 20 images per second make the proposed method an attractive solution for real-time target tracking during US-guided clinical interventions.

Fusion of Cross-Track TerraSAR-X PS Point Clouds over Las Vegas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ziyun; Balz, Timo; Wei, Lianhuan; Liao, Mingsheng

2014-11-01

Persistent scatterer interferometry (PS-InSAR) is widely used in radar remote sensing. However, because the surface motion is estimated in the line-of-sight (LOS) direction, it is not possible to differentiate between vertical and horizontal surface motions from a single stack. Cross-track data, i.e. the combination of data from ascending and descending orbits, allows us to better analyze the deformation and to obtain 3d motion information. We implemented a cross-track fusion of PS-InSAR point cloud data, making it possible to separate the vertical and horizontal components of the surface motion.

Double-Windows-Based Motion Recognition in Multi-Floor Buildings Assisted by a Built-In Barometer.

PubMed

Liu, Maolin; Li, Huaiyu; Wang, Yuan; Li, Fei; Chen, Xiuwan

2018-04-01

Accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers in smartphones are often used to recognize human motions. Since it is difficult to distinguish between vertical motions and horizontal motions in the data provided by these built-in sensors, the vertical motion recognition accuracy is relatively low. The emergence of a built-in barometer in smartphones improves the accuracy of motion recognition in the vertical direction. However, there is a lack of quantitative analysis and modelling of the barometer signals, which is the basis of barometer's application to motion recognition, and a problem of imbalanced data also exists. This work focuses on using the barometers inside smartphones for vertical motion recognition in multi-floor buildings through modelling and feature extraction of pressure signals. A novel double-windows pressure feature extraction method, which adopts two sliding time windows of different length, is proposed to balance recognition accuracy and response time. Then, a random forest classifier correlation rule is further designed to weaken the impact of imbalanced data on recognition accuracy. The results demonstrate that the recognition accuracy can reach 95.05% when pressure features and the improved random forest classifier are adopted. Specifically, the recognition accuracy of the stair and elevator motions is significantly improved with enhanced response time. The proposed approach proves effective and accurate, providing a robust strategy for increasing accuracy of vertical motions.

MagicPlate-512: A 2D silicon detector array for quality assurance of stereotactic motion adaptive radiotherapy.

PubMed

Petasecca, M; Newall, M K; Booth, J T; Duncan, M; Aldosari, A H; Fuduli, I; Espinoza, A A; Porumb, C S; Guatelli, S; Metcalfe, P; Colvill, E; Cammarano, D; Carolan, M; Oborn, B; Lerch, M L F; Perevertaylo, V; Keall, P J; Rosenfeld, A B

2015-06-01

Spatial and temporal resolutions are two of the most important features for quality assurance instrumentation of motion adaptive radiotherapy modalities. The goal of this work is to characterize the performance of the 2D high spatial resolution monolithic silicon diode array named "MagicPlate-512" for quality assurance of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) combined with a dynamic multileaf collimator (MLC) tracking technique for motion compensation. MagicPlate-512 is used in combination with the movable platform HexaMotion and a research version of radiofrequency tracking system Calypso driving MLC tracking software. The authors reconstruct 2D dose distributions of small field square beams in three modalities: in static conditions, mimicking the temporal movement pattern of a lung tumor and tracking the moving target while the MLC compensates almost instantaneously for the tumor displacement. Use of Calypso in combination with MagicPlate-512 requires a proper radiofrequency interference shielding. Impact of the shielding on dosimetry has been simulated by (GEANT)4 and verified experimentally. Temporal and spatial resolutions of the dosimetry system allow also for accurate verification of segments of complex stereotactic radiotherapy plans with identification of the instant and location where a certain dose is delivered. This feature allows for retrospective temporal reconstruction of the delivery process and easy identification of error in the tracking or the multileaf collimator driving systems. A sliding MLC wedge combined with the lung motion pattern has been measured. The ability of the MagicPlate-512 (MP512) in 2D dose mapping in all three modes of operation was benchmarked by EBT3 film. Full width at half maximum and penumbra of the moving and stationary dose profiles measured by EBT3 film and MagicPlate-512 confirm that motion has a significant impact on the dose distribution. Motion, no motion, and motion with MLC tracking profiles agreed within 1 and 0.4 mm, respectively, for all field sizes tested. Use of electromagnetic tracking system generates a fluctuation of the detector baseline up to 10% of the full scale signal requiring a proper shielding strategy. MagicPlate-512 is also able to reconstruct the dose variation pulse-by-pulse in each pixel of the detector. An analysis of the dose transients with motion and motion with tracking shows that the tracking feedback algorithm used for this experiment can compensate effectively only the effect of the slower transient components. The fast changing components of the organ motion can contribute only to discrepancy of the order of 15% in penumbral region while the slower components can change the dose profile up to 75% of the expected dose. MagicPlate-512 is shown to be, potentially, a valid alternative to film or 2D ionizing chambers for quality assurance dosimetry in SRS or SBRT. Its high spatial and temporal resolutions allow for accurate reconstruction of the profile in any conditions with motion and with tracking of the motion. It shows excellent performance to reconstruct the dose deposition in real time or retrospectively as a function of time for detailed analysis of the effect of motion in a specific pixel or area of interest.

Shape-and-behavior encoded tracking of bee dances.

PubMed

Veeraraghavan, Ashok; Chellappa, Rama; Srinivasan, Mandyam

2008-03-01

Behavior analysis of social insects has garnered impetus in recent years and has led to some advances in fields like control systems, flight navigation etc. Manual labeling of insect motions required for analyzing the behaviors of insects requires significant investment of time and effort. In this paper, we propose certain general principles that help in simultaneous automatic tracking and behavior analysis with applications in tracking bees and recognizing specific behaviors exhibited by them. The state space for tracking is defined using position, orientation and the current behavior of the insect being tracked. The position and orientation are parametrized using a shape model while the behavior is explicitly modeled using a three-tier hierarchical motion model. The first tier (dynamics) models the local motions exhibited and the models built in this tier act as a vocabulary for behavior modeling. The second tier is a Markov motion model built on top of the local motion vocabulary which serves as the behavior model. The third tier of the hierarchy models the switching between behaviors and this is also modeled as a Markov model. We address issues in learning the three-tier behavioral model, in discriminating between models, detecting and in modeling abnormal behaviors. Another important aspect of this work is that it leads to joint tracking and behavior analysis instead of the traditional track and then recognize approach. We apply these principles for tracking bees in a hive while they are executing the waggle dance and the round dance.

Tools for Protecting the Privacy of Specific Individuals in Video

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Datong; Chang, Yi; Yan, Rong; Yang, Jie

2007-12-01

This paper presents a system for protecting the privacy of specific individuals in video recordings. We address the following two problems: automatic people identification with limited labeled data, and human body obscuring with preserved structure and motion information. In order to address the first problem, we propose a new discriminative learning algorithm to improve people identification accuracy using limited training data labeled from the original video and imperfect pairwise constraints labeled from face obscured video data. We employ a robust face detection and tracking algorithm to obscure human faces in the video. Our experiments in a nursing home environment show that the system can obtain a high accuracy of people identification using limited labeled data and noisy pairwise constraints. The study result indicates that human subjects can perform reasonably well in labeling pairwise constraints with the face masked data. For the second problem, we propose a novel method of body obscuring, which removes the appearance information of the people while preserving rich structure and motion information. The proposed approach provides a way to minimize the risk of exposing the identities of the protected people while maximizing the use of the captured data for activity/behavior analysis.

Simultaneous Tracking of Multiple Points Using a Wiimote

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skeffington, Alex; Scully, Kyle

2012-11-01

This paper reviews the construction of an inexpensive motion tracking and data logging system, which can be used for a wide variety of teaching experiments ranging from entry-level physics courses to advanced courses. The system utilizes an affordable infrared camera found in a Nintendo Wiimote to track IR LEDs mounted to the objects to be tracked. Two quick experiments are presented using the motion tracking system to demonstrate the diversity of tasks this system can handle. The first experiment uses the Wiimote to record the harmonic motion of oscillating masses on a near-frictionless surface, while the second experiment uses the Wiimote as part of a feedback mechanism in a rotational system. The construction, capabilities, demonstrations, and suggested improvements of the system are reported here.

MotorSense: Using Motion Tracking Technology to Support the Identification and Treatment of Gross-Motor Dysfunction.

PubMed

Arnedillo-Sánchez, Inmaculada; Boyle, Bryan; Bossavit, Benoît

2017-01-01

MotorSense is a motion detection and tracking technology that can be implemented across a range of environments to assist in detecting delays in gross-motor skills development. The system utilises the motion tracking functionality of Microsoft's Kinect™. It features games that require children to perform graded gross-motor tasks matched with their chronological and developmental ages. This paper describes the rationale for MotorSense, provides an overview of the functionality of the system and illustrates sample activities.

Cuff-less blood pressure measurement using pulse arrival time and a Kalman filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qiang; Chen, Xianxiang; Fang, Zhen; Xue, Yongjiao; Zhan, Qingyuan; Yang, Ting; Xia, Shanhong

2017-02-01

The present study designs an algorithm to increase the accuracy of continuous blood pressure (BP) estimation. Pulse arrival time (PAT) has been widely used for continuous BP estimation. However, because of motion artifact and physiological activities, PAT-based methods are often troubled with low BP estimation accuracy. This paper used a signal quality modified Kalman filter to track blood pressure changes. A Kalman filter guarantees that BP estimation value is optimal in the sense of minimizing the mean square error. We propose a joint signal quality indice to adjust the measurement noise covariance, pushing the Kalman filter to weigh more heavily on measurements from cleaner data. Twenty 2 h physiological data segments selected from the MIMIC II database were used to evaluate the performance. Compared with straightforward use of the PAT-based linear regression model, the proposed model achieved higher measurement accuracy. Due to low computation complexity, the proposed algorithm can be easily transplanted into wearable sensor devices.

High-accuracy optical extensometer based on coordinate transform in two-dimensional digital image correlation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lv, Zeqian; Xu, Xiaohai; Yan, Tianhao; Cai, Yulong; Su, Yong; Zhang, Qingchuan

2018-01-01

In the measurement of plate specimens, traditional two-dimensional (2D) digital image correlation (DIC) is challenged by two aspects: (1) the slant optical axis (misalignment of the optical camera axis and the object surface) and (2) out-of-plane motions (including translations and rotations) of the specimens. There are measurement errors in the results measured by 2D DIC, especially when the out-of-plane motions are big enough. To solve this problem, a novel compensation method has been proposed to correct the unsatisfactory results. The proposed compensation method consists of three main parts: 1) a pre-calibration step is used to determine the intrinsic parameters and lens distortions; 2) a compensation panel (a rigid panel with several markers located at known positions) is mounted to the specimen to track the specimen's motion so that the relative coordinate transformation between the compensation panel and the 2D DIC setup can be calculated using the coordinate transform algorithm; 3) three-dimensional world coordinates of measuring points on the specimen can be reconstructed via the coordinate transform algorithm and used to calculate deformations. Simulations have been carried out to validate the proposed compensation method. Results come out that when the extensometer length is 400 pixels, the strain accuracy reaches 10 με no matter out-of-plane translations (less than 1/200 of the object distance) nor out-of-plane rotations (rotation angle less than 5°) occur. The proposed compensation method leads to good results even when the out-of-plane translation reaches several percents of the object distance or the out-of-plane rotation angle reaches tens of degrees. The proposed compensation method has been applied in tensile experiments to obtain high-accuracy results as well.

Shoulder-Mounted Robot for MRI-guided arthrography: Accuracy and mounting study.

PubMed

Monfaredi, R; Wilson, E; Sze, R; Sharma, K; Azizi, B; Iordachita, I; Cleary, K

2015-08-01

A new version of our compact and lightweight patient-mounted MRI-compatible 4 degree-of-freedom (DOF) robot for MRI-guided arthrography procedures is introduced. This robot could convert the traditional two-stage arthrography procedure (fluoroscopy-guided needle insertion followed by a diagnostic MRI scan) to a one-stage procedure, all in the MRI suite. The results of a recent accuracy study are reported. A new mounting technique is proposed and the mounting stability is investigated using optical and electromagnetic tracking on an anthropomorphic phantom. Five volunteer subjects including 2 radiologists were asked to conduct needle insertion in 4 different random positions and orientations within the robot's workspace and the displacement of the base of the robot was investigated during robot motion and needle insertion. Experimental results show that the proposed mounting method is stable and promising for clinical application.

Benchmarking of a motion sensing system for medical imaging and radiotherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnes, Peter J.; Baldock, Clive; Meikle, Steven R.; Fulton, Roger R.

2008-10-01

We have tested the performance of an Optotrak Certus system, which optically tracks multiple markers, in both position and time. To do this, we have developed custom code which enables a range of testing protocols, and make this code available to the community. We find that the Certus' positional accuracy is very high, around 20 µm at a distance of 2.8 m. In contrast, we find that its timing accuracy is typically no better than around 5-10% for typical data rates, whether one is using an ethernet connection or a dedicated SCSI link from the system to a host computer. However, with our code we are able to attach very accurate timestamps to the data frames, and in cases where regularly-spaced data are not an absolute requirement, this will be more than adequate.

Robust tracking of respiratory rate in high-dynamic range scenes using mobile thermal imaging

PubMed Central

Cho, Youngjun; Julier, Simon J.; Marquardt, Nicolai; Bianchi-Berthouze, Nadia

2017-01-01

The ability to monitor the respiratory rate, one of the vital signs, is extremely important for the medical treatment, healthcare and fitness sectors. In many situations, mobile methods, which allow users to undertake everyday activities, are required. However, current monitoring systems can be obtrusive, requiring users to wear respiration belts or nasal probes. Alternatively, contactless digital image sensor based remote-photoplethysmography (PPG) can be used. However, remote PPG requires an ambient source of light, and does not work properly in dark places or under varying lighting conditions. Recent advances in thermographic systems have shrunk their size, weight and cost, to the point where it is possible to create smart-phone based respiration rate monitoring devices that are not affected by lighting conditions. However, mobile thermal imaging is challenged in scenes with high thermal dynamic ranges (e.g. due to the different environmental temperature distributions indoors and outdoors). This challenge is further amplified by general problems such as motion artifacts and low spatial resolution, leading to unreliable breathing signals. In this paper, we propose a novel and robust approach for respiration tracking which compensates for the negative effects of variations in the ambient temperature and motion artifacts and can accurately extract breathing rates in highly dynamic thermal scenes. The approach is based on tracking the nostril of the user and using local temperature variations to infer inhalation and exhalation cycles. It has three main contributions. The first is a novel Optimal Quantization technique which adaptively constructs a color mapping of absolute temperature to improve segmentation, classification and tracking. The second is the Thermal Gradient Flow method that computes thermal gradient magnitude maps to enhance the accuracy of the nostril region tracking. Finally, we introduce the Thermal Voxel method to increase the reliability of the captured respiration signals compared to the traditional averaging method. We demonstrate the extreme robustness of our system to track the nostril-region and measure the respiratory rate by evaluating it during controlled respiration exercises in high thermal dynamic scenes (e.g. strong correlation (r = 0.9987) with the ground truth from the respiration-belt sensor). We also demonstrate how our algorithm outperformed standard algorithms in settings with different amounts of environmental thermal changes and human motion. We open the tracked ROI sequences of the datasets collected for these studies (i.e. under both controlled and unconstrained real-world settings) to the community to foster work in this area. PMID:29082079

Robust tracking of respiratory rate in high-dynamic range scenes using mobile thermal imaging.

PubMed

Cho, Youngjun; Julier, Simon J; Marquardt, Nicolai; Bianchi-Berthouze, Nadia

2017-10-01

The ability to monitor the respiratory rate, one of the vital signs, is extremely important for the medical treatment, healthcare and fitness sectors. In many situations, mobile methods, which allow users to undertake everyday activities, are required. However, current monitoring systems can be obtrusive, requiring users to wear respiration belts or nasal probes. Alternatively, contactless digital image sensor based remote-photoplethysmography (PPG) can be used. However, remote PPG requires an ambient source of light, and does not work properly in dark places or under varying lighting conditions. Recent advances in thermographic systems have shrunk their size, weight and cost, to the point where it is possible to create smart-phone based respiration rate monitoring devices that are not affected by lighting conditions. However, mobile thermal imaging is challenged in scenes with high thermal dynamic ranges (e.g. due to the different environmental temperature distributions indoors and outdoors). This challenge is further amplified by general problems such as motion artifacts and low spatial resolution, leading to unreliable breathing signals. In this paper, we propose a novel and robust approach for respiration tracking which compensates for the negative effects of variations in the ambient temperature and motion artifacts and can accurately extract breathing rates in highly dynamic thermal scenes. The approach is based on tracking the nostril of the user and using local temperature variations to infer inhalation and exhalation cycles. It has three main contributions. The first is a novel Optimal Quantization technique which adaptively constructs a color mapping of absolute temperature to improve segmentation, classification and tracking. The second is the Thermal Gradient Flow method that computes thermal gradient magnitude maps to enhance the accuracy of the nostril region tracking. Finally, we introduce the Thermal Voxel method to increase the reliability of the captured respiration signals compared to the traditional averaging method. We demonstrate the extreme robustness of our system to track the nostril-region and measure the respiratory rate by evaluating it during controlled respiration exercises in high thermal dynamic scenes (e.g. strong correlation (r = 0.9987) with the ground truth from the respiration-belt sensor). We also demonstrate how our algorithm outperformed standard algorithms in settings with different amounts of environmental thermal changes and human motion. We open the tracked ROI sequences of the datasets collected for these studies (i.e. under both controlled and unconstrained real-world settings) to the community to foster work in this area.