Medical imaging challenges photogrammetry

In its current status, medical imaging involves a wide range of imaging modalities and is faced with a range of interesting research questions, while trying to automatically convert the huge floods of image data to useful information. The major characteristic of the developed techniques is the exploitation of visual similarities or differences; that is basically qualitative treatment of the information inherent in the images. This proves to be a major shortcoming, leading to erroneous or unreliable results in many cases. To this end, technology transfer from the part of photogrammetry can be proven very beneficial. Such a contribution can be geared by the fact that photogrammetry has developed efficient tools for accounting for imaging formation geometry. These tools, appropriately tuned for medical applications, can accelerate the technology transfer across the involved disciplines. Understanding the possible photogrammetric contributions by the medical imaging experts, and realizing the medical problems in photogrammetric terms by the photogrammetrists, remains a major barrier to this transfer. The intended scope of this paper is to provide a foundation for exchange of ideas and provoke photogrammetric research interest in these issues.     

Experiences with Analytical and Digital Stereoplotters

Members of the Institute of Engineering Surveying and Space Geodesy, University of Nottingham have been working on a collaborative project with staff of the British Geological Survey and the National Remote Sensing Centre Air Photo Group. During this project, experience of using the Intergraph ImageStation and ERDAS Imagine has been obtained. This paper presents some of these experiences which highlight the merits and limitations of digital photogrammetry at this present time. These are important issues not only for photogrammetrists but also for those coming into contact with photogrammetric operations through their potentially increasing availability in general image processing software. Although based on the authors' experiences, the paper also intends to provide a summary of digital photogrammetric systems and therefore issues are presented in a general way.     

INDUSTRIAL PHOTOGRAMMETRY: NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND RECENT APPLICATIONS

Over the past decade, photogrammetry has been increasingly applied as a precise three dimensional measuring tool in industrial and engineering works. Analytical photogrammetry is now routinely employed in tasks of measurement as diverse as machine tool inspection and fixture checking, structural deformation monitoring, the provision of control databases to guide industrial robots and the measurement of structures in earth orbit. Traditional photogrammetric techniques and instrumentation are usually inappropriate for industrial work and the development of complete, fully integrated close range photogrammetric systems has recently gained considerable impetus. This paper details some of the significant new developments in industrial photogrammetry, with particular reference to technological advances in the Simultaneous Triangulation and Resection System (STARS) designed by Geodetic Services, Inc. for industrial photograininetry. Practical aspects of industrial measurement are also presented in a review of some of the varying tasks that GSI has carried out in recent years. Emphasis is placed on demonstrating the flexibility, accuracy, reliability and economy of photogrammetry, as well as the progress made in automating this measurement technique.     

IMU/DGPS supported photogrammetry in China

<正>People'sRepublicofChinaisoneofthemostrapidlydevelopingcountriesintheworldtoday.Thereisagreatdemandonhighlyactualandaccuratespatialinformationofthewholecountry,especiallyofWestChinawhichbecomesthefocusofdevelopmentoftheChinesegovernmentrightnowandinthenextyears,butwherestillnotenoughtopographicmapsareavailable.ThisraisesgreatchallengestothesurveyingandmappingcommunityinChina.FacingthenewchallengestheChineseAcademyofSurveyingandMapping(CASM)starteditspioneerworkearly2002toexplorenewtechniquesandtechnologiesavailabletodaytowardincreasingthemapproductivity.WithimportofaCCNS/AEROcontrolsysteminNovember2002,thefirstDGPS/IMU-basedphotogrammetricprojectinChinawassuccessfullyaccomplishedjointlybyCASM,theGermany-basedcompaniesIGIandTechedge.Twophotogrammetricblocksof1:4,000and1:20,000photoscales,respectively,wereflowninAnyang,China.Directgeoreferencingandintegratedsensororientationwereconducted.Resultsachievedwereprovenbyusinggroundcheckpointsandcomparedwiththoseofaerialtriangulation.Orthophotosgeneratedbasedondir     

High-accuracy photogrammetric technique for human spine measurement

Close range photogrammetry has been recognised as an essential tool for the capture of high-accuracy spatial data for medical applications, in particular work involving dynamic human body parts such as limbs. Offline and online photogrammetric systems are readily available for a number of common applications. However, off-the-shelf systems are not always appropriate because of project site conditions. To achieve high measurement accuracy in a field environment, a modified field camera calibration technique was introduced. The technique is particularly important where each camera is limited to one captured image during calibration, as the camera and the calibration testfield are in fixed positions. In this paper a custom-built imaging system designed for the study of the human spine in an outdoor environment is introduced. The discussion addresses: (1) imaging system design; (2) modified field calibration techniques; and (3) a case study on human spines. Two field camera calibration techniques were evaluated, both of which improved the accuracy of the prototype system, the use of a detachable target board offering the best results. This modified camera calibration procedure has improved the 3D measurement accuracy from 1·25 ± 0·3 mm to 0·43 ± 0·1 mm. The improvement is at a level achievable in the laboratory. The technique is considered to provide accurate and reliable anthropometric landmark measurement at low cost. This was evaluated in a clinical setting where diurnal changes in spine length and contour were measured in a cohort of 30 university students. The capability of the technique to measure sagittal and frontal angular changes provides a novel way of examining changes in spine shape.     

MEDICAL APPLICATIONS OF CLOSE RANGE PHOTOGRAMMETRY

With the advent of powerful computers and cheap optical devices, photogrammetric methods are now being used in several aspects of medicine. The application of close range photogrammetry to human movement analysis and body shape measurement is described.     

The Role of a Digital Intelligent Camera in Automating Industrial Photogrammetry

In the past few years the automation of digital industrial photogrammetric systems has increased dramatically. Due to digital image processing software, coded targets and automatic matching methods, a huge number of photogrammetric measurement tasks can be fully automated. In many cases a "one button click" is enough to provide the three dimensional co-ordinates of measured points without any manual interaction, immediately after acquiring the images. The technology of intelligent cameras is a logical step towards automated photogrammetric measurements. An intelligent camera, which has an integrated computer, analyses the image immediately after it is taken. This technology provides not only a much shorter processing time for the images but also more control over the measurement process just when it is needed, during image acquisition. This takes place in the form of real time feedback.
This paper describes the role of a digital intelligent camera in the automation of an industrial photogrammetric measurement system and gives an overview of existing automation techniques in industrial photogrammetry. As an example of an intelligent camera, the performance of the new INCA digital intelligent camera, developed and manufactured by Geodetic Services, Inc. (GSI) and distributed by Leica, is described.     

PHOTOGRAMMETRY IN THE RANGE 300 MM TO 3000 MM: TECHNIQUES AND APPLICATIONS IN THE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY INDUSTRY

A review is provided of the techniques and applications of very close range photogrammetry to engineering measurements in the electricity supply industry. Starting from a definition of very close range photogrammetry by consideration of depth of field, the techniques of measurement in the range 300 mm to 3 m are discussed with an analysis of four practical examples; two examples relate to the confirmation of continued structural integrity of nuclear reactor components by remote photogrammetric measurement, one uses the technique for measuring creep stress for component life assessment and one uses it for the baseline measurements of insulation coverplates in a nuclear reactor pressure vessel. Emphasis is given to the mathematical modelling of the cameras employed and their subsequent calibration. The development of a universal calibration facility for all cameras working in this range is described.     

Panoramic imaging and virtual reality — filling the gaps between the lines

Close range photogrammetry projects rely upon a clear and unambiguous specification of end-user requirements to inform decisions relating to the format, coverage, accuracy and complexity of the final deliverable. Invariably such deliverables will be a partial and incomplete abstraction of the real world where the benefits of higher accuracy and increased complexity must be traded against the cost of the project. As photogrammetric technologies move into the digital era, computerisation offers opportunities for the photogrammetrist to revisit established mapping traditions in order to explore new markets. One such market is that for three-dimensional Virtual Reality (VR) models for clients who have previously had little exposure to the capabilities, and limitations, of photogrammetry and may have radically different views on the cost/benefit trade-offs in producing geometric models. This paper will present some examples of the authors' recent experience of such markets, drawn from a number of research and commercial projects directed towards the modelling of complex man-made objects. This experience seems to indicate that suitably configured digital image archives may form an important deliverable for a wide range of photogrammetric projects and supplement, or even replace, more traditional CAD models.     

PHOTOGRAMMETRY IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

An individual view is provided of the function of the art and science of photogrammetry, over the whole of the history of attempts to make measurements from optical observations. The predominating influence, in past years, of the need for mapping from air photographs is compared with the prospect that increasing demands for similar facilities in close range measurement, for application in fields such as mechanical engineering, medicine and architecture, may soon be seen to give further encouragement to the development of the subject. The author makes use of illustrations from his experience to point out simple cases where the potential of photogrammetric techniques, in the wider sense, has not been appreciated.     

INTEGRATION OF PHOTOGRAMMETRIC, REMOTE SENSING AND DATABASE TECHNOLOGIES FOR MAPPING APPLICATIONS

The availability of data in digital formats, the rapid evolution of computer systems and the increased demands for cartographic databases are causing photogrammetrists to consider ways of integrating photogrammetric, remote sensing and database technologies. Examples are presented involving the use of aerial photographs and satellite images in combination with geographical information systems and image processing techniques to assess soil erosion, growth of aquatic vegetation and to enhance satellite images for the compilation or revision of map products.     

Solutions for Exterior Orientation in Photogrammetry: A Review

The determination of the attitude, the position and the intrinsic geometric characteristics of the camera is recognised as the fundamental photogrammetric problem. It can be summarised as the determination of camera interior and exterior orientation parameters, as well as the determination of 3D coordinates of object points. The term "exterior orientation"of an image refers to its position and orientation related to an exterior (object space) coordinate system. Several methods can be applied to determine the parameters of the orientation of one, two or more photos. The orientation can be processed in steps (as relative and absolute orientation) but simultaneous methods (such as bundle adjustments) are now available in many software packages. Several methods have also been developed for the orientation of single images. They are based in general on geometric and topological characteristics of imaged objects.
This paper presents a survey of classical and modern methods for the determination of the exterior parameters in photogrammetry, some of which are available as software packages (with practical examples) on the Internet. The methods presented are classified in three principal groups. In the first, a selection of approximate methods for applications that do not require great accuracy is presented. Such methods are also used to calculate values required for iterative processes. In the second group, standard point–based methods derived from collinearity, coplanarity or coangularity conditions are briefly reviewed, followed by line–based approaches. The third group represents orientation methods based on constraints and on concepts of projective geometry, which are becoming of increasing interest for photogrammetrists. In the last section, the paper gives a summary of existing strategies for automatic exterior orientation in aerial photogrammetry.     

Toward a unified theoretical framework for photogrammetry

ABSTRACT

The objective of photogrammetry is to extract information from imagery. With the increasing interaction of sensing and computing technologies, the fundamentals of photogrammetry have undergone an evolutionary change in the past several decades. Numerous theoretical progresses and practical applications have been reported from traditionally different but related multiple disciplines, including computer vision, photogrammetry, computer graphics, pattern recognition, remote sensing and machine learning. This has gradually extended the boundary of traditional photogrammetry in both theory and practice. This paper introduces a new, holistic theoretical framework to describe various photogrammetric tasks and solutions. Under this framework, photogrammetry is generally regarded as a reversed imaging process formulated as a unified optimization problem. Depending on the variables to be determined through optimization, photogrammetric tasks are mostly divided into image space tasks, image-object space tasks and object space tasks, each being a special case of the general formulation. This paper presents representative solution approaches for each task. With this effort, we intend to advocate an imminent and necessary paradigm change in both research and learning of photogrammetry.     

The `Digital Projector': Raytracing as a tool for digital close-range photogrammetry

In close-range applications, digital methods are increasingly used. In addition to the software and techniques which were adopted from aerial photogrammetry, new strategies for the restitution and presentation of digital data have been developed. The `Digital Projector' is a strictly photogrammetric approach using raytracing techniques and off-the-shelf software to provide 3D models with complete texture. It works regardless of the shape of the object while allowing digital presentation (`photomodels') with numerous derivative results (e.g., orthoimages and animations).     

GEO-REFERENCING WITHOUT GROUND CONTROL

A geo-reference is a global or regional geographical or geodetic coor-dinate system to which sensors or spatial object data are related.Hence,geo-ref-erencing is close to the well known photogrammetric concept of exterior or abso-lute orientation,the common execution of which is indirect,via the use of groundcontrol point.GPS and INS technologies have changed the situation,permittingdirect measurement of position and attitude parameters and making exterior orien-tation feasible without ground control at all,in principle.The analysis of accuracyand reliability performance discloses,however,that especially INS does not yetmeet the high demands of photogrammetry.Moreover,control of systematic er-rors,the problem of datum transformation,and reliability conditions make theuse of some ground control points still mandatory,at least for any high perfor-mance geo-referencing.     

AIR SURVEY AND COLONIAL CADASTRAL MAPPING

Abstract

Photogrammetry, terrestrial and particularly aerial, with which the following will exclusively deal, is at the present time employed practically throughout the world for the preparation of maps to every scale. While at the time of the introduction of the system its use was limited to topographical maps, it has been extended in the last fifteen years to the production of cadastral maps. In spite of the conservative. attitude of the cadastral authorities of every country to all innovations, this method has been accepted more and more by such authorities. After the excellent pioneer work of Switzerland, which in the course of time is to produce cadastral maps of half the country (2,000,000 ha.) by means of photogrammetry, Germany, Holland, France, Italy, Spain, and other countries have followed this example, the method being employed in these countries in an ever-increasing degree for cadastral measurement. Although the decision for the use of the photogrammetric method for cadastral measurement has been made in some degree in Europe, the large Colonies, especially those of the British Empire, are still hesitant in this connexion. Investigations which follow hereunder have been made in order to ascertain how far this new method of measurement is useful for Colonial cadastral measurement.     

Conceptual Model Of The Convergent Multistation Network Configuration Task

Despite the potential of close range photogrammetry for high accuracy measurement, it has rarely been used by other than experienced photogrammetrists. One major contributing factor is the expertise needed to design multistation sensor configurations. This paper presents a conceptual model for the most fundamental task in this design problem, configuring a first approximation to a strong imaging geometry. This task entails making decisions on the number of camera stations needed and where they should be placed (positioned and oriented). The conceptual model is based on the theory of generic networks. A generic network constitutes compiled expertise, describing an ideal configuration of camera stations that can be employed to provide a strong imaging geometry for a class of network design problems. In addition to improving our understanding of cognition in network design, this model performs an important role in the development of an expert system for automated network design for dimensional inspection tasks.     

Pavement Deformation Monitoring in a Rolling Load Facility

This paper describes work undertaken to measure deformation of a pavement within the Newcastle University Rolling Load Facility (NUROLF). Precise three dimensional measurements of the pavement have been produced from stereo-imagery taken with diVerent cameras, using both analytical and digital photogrammetric instrumentation. The photogrammetric measurements, and those from the existing system consisting of an array of linear voltage displacement transducers, have been compared with measurements produced using a digital level. Encouraging results have been achieved and photogrammetry has been shown to be capable of producing a similar accuracy to the existing system. There are many advantages associated with a photogrammetric survey but attempts to establish a permanent, automated photogrammetric system for the rolling load facility at a reasonable cost have so far been unsuccessful. It is anticipated that, with the falling cost of high resolution digital sensors, such a system will soon be possible.     

Megapixels, Millimetres and Microsieverts: Packaging Digital Photogrammetry for Emerging Industrial Markets

As the performance of megapixel digital imaging systems continues to improve, the rapid growth of high-end consumer markets drives prices ever lower. When such cameras are married with emerging, desktop "photogrammetric" software packages, the close range photogrammetric community is faced with many new challenges and opportunities. The dramatic changes in the technological arena are matched by a rapidly changing business environment in which concepts such as "Partnering" and "Supply chain management" have become key themes. As organizations of all sizes seek to thrive within this new business landscape, there appears to be a willingness to think more flexibly about the client-supplier relationship and the sharing of risks and rewards. This, in turn, has encouraged the development of highly customized measurement solutions across a wide range of market sectors. In each of these solutions the emphasis is not on a generic photogrammetric product, but on a highly tailored system tightly coupled to existing workflows, and focused on the specific needs of the client. Such systems pose particular challenges to their designers, since they are frequently operated by users with relatively little photogrammetric background and yet must always meet the challenging requirement of producing an output which is "fit for purpose". Thus this paper hopes to show how novel megapixel imaging systems can be configured to deliver flexible measurement systems capable of millimetric level accuracy within the challenging engineering environments typical of the nuclear and process industries (hence the microsievert component of the title).