US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

3d Imaging and Simulation Corp. Americas

3d Imaging and Stimulation Corp. Americas

Mathieu Aubailly

Sigrid Smitt

Mikhail Alexseevich Vorontsov

Gary W Carhart

Scott A Mudge

Qingyun Wang

Benjamin J Schaub

An intraoral scanner and computing system for capturing images and generating three-dimensional models. The intraoral scanner includes a handle, a mouthpiece extending from the handle, a flood illuminator projecting light from the mouthpiece, a structured light projector projecting a light pattern from the mouthpiece, and stereo camera capturing images through the mouthpiece. An optimal image of each of different materials within the captured images are combined to create a high dynamic range image. The structured light pattern in the high dynamic range image is used to determine three-dimensional measurements and create a three-dimensional model.

Intraoral scanner and computing system for capturing images and generating three-dimensional models

Intraoral scanner

A method for mitigating image distortions induced by optical wave propagation through a random media (e.g., atmospheric turbulence or volume of water) from a stream of video data provided by a single shortexposure image sensor is described. The method is based on the two following sequential steps: (1) enhancement of the raw video stream and (2) fusion of the enhanced stream using the lucky region fusion (LRF) technique. The first step enhances features of the raw image stream the LRF method success is based on and especially mitigates the effect of low light level, aerosol pollution, dust, haze, and other deteriorating factors. The second step, fusion of the enhanced stream, is realized by sequentially merging image regions with highest quality within a temporal buffer into a single image before sliding the temporal window forward. The process is continuously repeated in order to generate a stream of fused images. The resulting fused stream hence has an image quality superior to that of any image within the buffer and demonstrates improved contrast as well as increased detail visualization. In addition, the disclosed invention offers a method for automated extraction of random media (atmospheric turbulence for example) characteristics needed for optimizing the LRF method performance. Based solely on analysis of the enhanced video stream, this has the advantage to eliminate the need for turbulence strength characterization devices (e.g., scintillometer) and it allows the invention to provide an optimal fused stream even when operating within an evolving environment.

Automated video data fusion method

Growing community of inventors

Washington, DC, United States of America

Mathieu Aubailly