SUPERPOSITION FOR VISUALIZATION OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL DATA ACQUISITION

Abstract

The systems and methods disclosed herein employ superposition of two-dimensional video and a rendered, three-dimensional image to provide visual feedback during acquisition and analysis of three-dimensional data. These systems and methods may be usefully employed in a context such as dentistry to assist in the acquisition of highly detailed and accurate digital dental models from the dentition of a dental patient.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention and the following detailed description of certain embodiments thereof may be understood by reference to the following figures.

FIG. 1 shows a dental image capture system.

FIG. 2 depicts a view of a user interface for an image capture system.

FIG. 3 depicts a view of a user interface for an image capture system.

FIG. 4 depicts a view of a user interface for an image capture system during an acquisition of three-dimensional data.

FIG. 5 depicts a view of a user interface for an image capture system during an evaluation.

FIG. 6 depicts a dental model in digital form.

FIG. 7 depicts a cross-section of a digital dental model.

FIG. 8 depicts a visualization technique for locating holes in a digital surface representation of dental subject matter.

FIG. 9 depicts a visualization technique using a simulated external illumination.

Claims

1. A method comprising: acquiring a three-dimensional surface representation of an anatomic structure as a plurality of fitted three-dimensional surface scans; andsuperimposing the three-dimensional surface representation and a two-dimensional video image of the anatomic structure in a display while acquiring the three-dimensional surface representation.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying one or more regions of the anatomic structure requiring additional scanning.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the one or more regions include a region of inadequate scan data.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the region of inadequate scan data includes a region of inadequate point cloud density.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the region of inadequate scan data includes a region deficient in one or more of completeness, consistency, or quality.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the one or more regions include a region deviating substantially from an expected surface contour.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising providing a visual indication of the one or more regions within the display.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the visual indication includes a variation in one or more of a color, a brightness, a density of a point cloud rendered in the display, and a surface texture.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the three-dimensional surface representation includes a point cloud.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the three-dimensional surface representation includes a polygonal mesh.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the anatomic structure includes at least one dental object.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising rendering the three-dimensional surface representation in a manner that provides real time user feedback for at least one of a position and an orientation of a scanner used to acquire the three-dimensional surface representation.

13. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium that, when executing on one or more computing devices, performs the steps of: acquiring a three-dimensional surface representation of an anatomic structure as a plurality of fitted three-dimensional surface scans; andsuperimposing the three-dimensional surface representation onto a two-dimensional video image of the anatomic structure in a display while acquiring the three-dimensional surface representation.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising code performing the step of identifying one or more regions of the anatomic structure requiring additional scanning.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the one or more regions include a region of inadequate scan data.

16. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the one or more regions include a region deviating substantially from an expected surface contour.

17. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising code performing the step of providing a visual indication of the one or more regions within the display.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the visual indication includes a variation in one or more of a color, a brightness, a density of a point cloud rendered in the display, and a surface texture.

19. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the three-dimensional surface representation includes a point cloud.

20. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the anatomic structure includes at least one dental object.

21. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising code performing the step of rendering the three-dimensional surface representation in a manner that provides real time user feedback for at least one of a position and an orientation of a scanner used to acquire the three-dimensional surface representation.

22. A system comprising: a scanner for acquiring a three-dimensional surface representation of an anatomic structure as a plurality of fitted three-dimensional surface scans;a processor for superimposing the three-dimensional surface representation onto a two-dimensional video image of the anatomic structure while acquiring the three-dimensional surface representation to provide a superimposed video image; anda display for displaying the superimposed video image.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the processor renders the superimposed video image to provide real time user feedback for at least one of a position and an orientation of the scanner.