3D Shadow Pointer for Ambiguous Location Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
In three-dimensional region visualization, existing methods struggle to clearly indicate a 3D location on a structure of interest due to ambiguity caused by shadows that are either too large and indistinct or too small, especially when dealing with anisotropic structures and complex backgrounds.
Innovation Solution
A system that computes a shadow based on the size and shape of the structure, using a display unit, pointer unit, location unit, and shadow unit to determine connected sets of two- and three-dimensional candidate locations, ensuring the shadow adapts to the structure's dimensions and orientation, thereby improving clarity and reducing ambiguity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a shadow is made large to improve visibility, then the shadow becomes indistinct and ambiguous when multiple structures are present
Solution Approach 1:
The shadow adapts its size and shape to match the local characteristics of each structure. Instead of using a uniform shadow size, the system computes candidate locations and determines connectivity specific to each structure, making the shadow locally optimized for that structure's geometry and position.
Solution Approach 2:
The shadow dynamically adjusts its properties based on the structure it indicates. The system computes candidate shadow locations, evaluates connectivity to structures, and adapts the shadow's size and shape in real-time according to the specific structure being pointed at, rather than using a fixed shadow configuration.
2Measurement precision
If a shadow is made small to improve location precision, then the shadow becomes hardly visible
Solution Approach 1:
The shadow size is locally optimized for each structure. For small structures, the shadow is appropriately small to maintain precision, while for larger structures, the shadow scales up to remain visible. This local adaptation resolves the contradiction between size and visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the shadow's parameters (size, shape) based on the structure's characteristics. By computing candidate locations and evaluating connectivity, the system dynamically adjusts shadow parameters to achieve both visibility and precision simultaneously.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a universal shadow size is used for all structures, then the shadow cannot adapt to anisotropic structures with different orientations and sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The shadow's size and shape are determined locally for each structure based on its specific geometry and orientation. The system computes candidate locations and evaluates connectivity specific to each structure, enabling the shadow to adapt to anisotropic structures rather than using a universal template.
Solution Approach 2:
The shadow dynamically adapts its properties to match each structure's characteristics. By computing candidate shadow locations and evaluating connectivity to specific structures, the system makes the shadow responsive to each structure's unique geometry, orientation, and size.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a system (100) for determining a feedback on a three- dimensional location of a pointer in a three-dimensional region of image data, the system comprising: a display unit (110) for computing a view of the three-dimensional region for displaying on a display; a pointer unit (115) for computing a two-dimensional location of the pointer on the view of the three-dimensional region, based on a pointer location input; a location unit (120) for computing a three-dimensional location in the three-dimensional region, based on a two-dimensional location on the view of the three-dimensional region; and a shadow unit (125) for determining a set of two-dimensional locations for displaying a shadow on the view of the three-dimensional region, wherein the set of two-dimensional locations for displaying the shadow comprises the two-dimensional location of the pointer on the view of the three-dimensional region, and wherein a set of three-dimensional locations, computed based on the set of two-dimensional locations for displaying the shadow, is connected. Typically, the connected set of candidate three-dimensional locations comprising the three-dimensional location of the pointer is comprised in a structure indicated by the pointer. Therefore, the determined feedback on a three-dimensional pointer location on a view of the three-dimensional region of the image data improves clarity and decreases ambiguity of indicating a 3D location on the structure.