Fibered Microscopy Mosaicing with Motion Distortion Correction

Solution Overview

Problem

Fibered confocal microscopy faces challenges in providing an efficient and complete representation of imaged regions due to motion artifacts and irregular sampling, limiting the field of view and requiring adaptations of classical video mosaicing techniques.

Innovation Solution

A method for mosaicing frames from a video sequence acquired from a scanning device, involving motion compensation, global optimization of inter-frame registration, and fine frame-to-mosaic non-rigid registration, using a hierarchical framework that models motion distortions and non-rigid deformations on a Lie group, and applies scattered data fitting for reconstruction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If fibered confocal microscopy is used for in vivo imaging, then real-time cellular structure visualization is achieved, but motion artifacts and irregular sampling occur due to microprobe movement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidmotion artifacts

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing motion compensation and distortion correction before the mosaicing process. The method pre-aligns frames by estimating and correcting microprobe motion trajectories, and pre-processes individual frames to remove motion-induced distortions before combining them into a mosaic, thereby preventing artifact propagation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses an intermediary approach by introducing a reference frame and transformation models as mediators. The reference frame serves as an intermediary coordinate system to which all frames are transformed, and mathematical transformation models act as intermediaries to map pixel coordinates between moving frames and the reference frame, enabling accurate alignment despite motion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Area of stationary object

If the optical microprobe is moved across the tissue to image a region of interest, then the field of view is expanded, but motion artifacts and tissue deformations increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefield of viewVSAvoidmotion artifacts and tissue deformations

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing motion compensation and distortion correction before the mosaicing process. The method pre-aligns frames by estimating and correcting microprobe motion trajectories, and pre-processes individual frames to remove motion-induced distortions before combining them into a mosaic, thereby preventing artifact propagation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses an intermediary approach by introducing a reference frame and transformation models as mediators. The reference frame serves as an intermediary coordinate system to which all frames are transformed, and mathematical transformation models act as intermediaries to map pixel coordinates between moving frames and the reference frame, enabling accurate alignment despite motion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If classical video mosaicing techniques are applied, then frame alignment is achieved, but they fail to account for motion distortions and irregular sampling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveframe alignment precisionVSAvoidadaptability to motion distortions

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by treating different regions of the image and different frames with customized processing. The method estimates motion parameters locally for each frame pair, applies local distortion correction transformations to specific regions, and uses local feature matching for registration, allowing adaptation to varying motion conditions across different parts of the mosaic

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting transformation parameters based on estimated motion. The method changes scaling factors, rotation angles, and translation vectors for each frame according to measured motion parameters, and adapts the distortion correction model parameters to match the specific motion characteristics of each acquisition sequence

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS8218901B2Robust mosaicing method, notably with correction of motion distortions and tissue deformations for a vivo fibered microscopy

Publication Date: 2012.07.10 INRIA INSTITUT NATIONAL DE RECHERCHE EN INFORMATIQUE ET EN AUTOMATIQUE

AI summary

A method for mosaicing frames from a video sequence is disclosed. Each frame is constituted by a point cloud, and each point in the point cloud is potentially acquired at a different time. The method involves compensating for motion and motion distortion due to acquisition time differences in each frame, applying a global optimization of inter-frame registration to align consistently the frames, and applying a reconstruction algorithm on the registered frames to construct a mosaic.