Muriel D Ross

US Patent:

6608628, Aug 19, 2003

Filed:

Nov 5, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/436716

Inventors:

Muriel D. Ross - Albuquerque NM
Ian Alexander Twombly - Santa Clara CA
Steven O. Senger - Onalaska WI

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) - Washington DC

International Classification:

G06F 900

US Classification:

345619, 345723, 345733, 345734, 345751, 345756, 709107, 709204, 709231, 382128, 382154

Abstract:

A virtual interactive imaging system allows the displaying of high-resolution, three-dimensional images of medical data to a user and allows the user to manipulate the images, including rotation of images in any of various axes. The system includes a mesh component that generates a mesh to represent a surface of an anatomical object, based on a set of data of the object, such as from a CT or MRI scan or the like. The mesh is generated so as to avoid tears, or holes, in the mesh, providing very high-quality representations of topographical features of the object, particularly at high-resolution. The system further includes a virtual surgical cutting tool that enables the user to simulate the removal of a piece or layer of a displayed object, such as a piece of skin or bone, view the interior of the object, manipulate the removed piece, and reattach the removed piece if desired. The system further includes a virtual collaborative clinic component, which allows the users of multiple, remotely-located computer systems to collaboratively and simultaneously view and manipulate the high-resolution, three-dimensional images of the object in real-time.