Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090052738 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COUNTING FOLLICULAR UNITS - A system and method for counting follicular units using an automated system comprises acquiring an image of a body surface having skin and follicular units, filtering the image to remove skin components in the image, processing the resulted image to segment it, and filtering noise to eliminate all elements other than hair follicles of interest so that hair follicles in an area of interest can be counted. The system may comprise an image acquisition device and an image processor for performing the method. In another aspect, the system and method also classifies the follicular units based on the number of hairs in the follicular unit. | 02-26-2009 |
20090080733 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CLASSIFYING FOLLICULAR UNITS - A system and method for classifying follicular units based on the number of hairs in a follicular unit of interest comprises acquiring an image of a body surface having a follicular unit of interest, processing the image to calculate a contour of the follicular unit and an outline profile which disregards concavities in the contour, and determining the number of defects in the outline profile to determine the number of hairs in the follicular unit. The system and method may also adjust for hairs which converge beneath the skin and for images which appear as a single wide hair but which are actually multiple hairs. In another aspect, a system and method for determining the end points of a follicular unit comprises generating a skeleton of a segmented image and identifying the end points from the skeletonized image. | 03-26-2009 |
20090306680 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTING FOLLICULAR UNITS FOR HARVESTING - A system and method for selecting follicular units for hair harvesting using imaging and processing techniques are provided. The method of selecting an order of harvesting follicular units is based on a combination of one or more policies and filters that are generally designed to improve a speed, quality and efficacy of the harvesting process. The method of the present invention may be implemented with various hair harvesting and transplantation systems, including manual, partially automated and fully automated systems. | 12-10-2009 |
20100080415 | OBJECT-TRACKING SYSTEMS AND METHODS - A system and method for tracking, identifying, and labeling objects or features of interest is provided. In some embodiments, tracking is accomplished using unique signature of the feature of interest and image stabilization techniques. According to some aspects a frame of reference using predetermined markers is defined and updated based on a change in location of the markers and/or specific signature information. Individual objects or features within the frame may also be tracked and identified. Objects may be tracked by comparing two still images, determining a change in position of an object between the still images, calculating a movement vector of the object, and using the movement vector to update the location of an image device. | 04-01-2010 |
20100080417 | Object-Tracking Systems and Methods - A system and method for tracking, identifying, and labeling objects or features of interest is provided. In some embodiments, tracking is accomplished using unique signature of the feature of interest and image stabilization techniques. According to some aspects a frame of reference using predetermined markers is defined and updated based on a change in location of the markers and/or specific signature information. Individual objects or features within the frame may also be tracked and identified. Objects may be tracked by comparing two still images, determining a change in position of an object between the still images, calculating a movement vector of the object, and using the movement vector to update the location of an image device. | 04-01-2010 |
20100234871 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HARVESTING AND IMPLANTING HAIR USING IMAGE-GENERATED TOPOLOGICAL SKIN MODELS - Systems and methods are provided for orienting a hair harvesting tool relative to a follicular unit to be harvested. Further, systems and methods of implanting follicular units are provided, which are based on the orientation of the existing follicular units or based on pre-determined insertion angle. The provided systems and methods use image processing and image-generated topological skill models. In some embodiments surface fit is performed using, for example, a planar fit, quadric fit, cubic fit, mesh fit and parametric fit. | 09-16-2010 |
20100262129 | System and Method for Selecting Follicular Units for Harvesting - A system and method is provided for improving the visibility of hair on the skin surface, in a region that is bloodied or bruised, and potentially expanding the candidate pool of the hair grafts to be selected for harvesting. The system uses a light source comprising at least two emitters and the method comprises controlling the contrast between the image of the blood and the image of the skin surface. The method of the present invention may be implemented with various hair harvesting and transplantation systems, including manual, partially automated and fully automated systems. | 10-14-2010 |
20120039516 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR HARVESTING AND IMPLANTING HAIR USING IMAGE-GENERATED TOPOLOGICAL SKIN MODELS - Systems and methods are provided for orienting a hair harvesting tool relative to a follicular unit to be harvested. Further, systems and methods of implanting follicular units are provided, which are based on the orientation of the existing follicular units or based on predetermined insertion angle. The provided systems and methods use image processing and image-generated topological skin models. In some embodiments surface fit is performed using, for example, a planar fit, quadric fit, cubic fit, mesh fit and parametric fit. | 02-16-2012 |
20120116417 | Systems and Methods for Harvesting and Implanting Hair Using Image-Generated Topological Skin Models - Systems and methods are provided for determining the need to change and/or changing orientation of a tool relative to an object on a body in at least partially automated procedure. Also, systems and methods are provided for orienting a hair harvesting tool relative to a follicular unit to be harvested. Further, systems and methods of implanting follicular units are provided, which are based on the orientation of the existing follicular units or based on pre-determined insertion angle. The provided systems and methods use image processing and image-generated topological skin models. In some embodiments surface fit is performed using, for example, a planar fit, quadric fit, cubic fit, mesh fit and parametric fit. | 05-10-2012 |
20120230561 | System and Method for Counting Follicular Units - A system and method for counting follicular units using an automated system comprises acquiring an image of a body surface having skin and follicular units, filtering the image to remove skin components in the image, processing the resulted image to segment it, and filtering noise to eliminate all elements other than hair follicles of interest so that hair follicles in an area of interest can be counted. The system may comprise an image acquisition device and an image processor for performing the method. In another aspect, the system and method also classifies the follicular units based on the number of hairs in the follicular unit. | 09-13-2012 |
20140355834 | Object-Tracking Systems and Methods - A system and method for tracking, identifying, and labeling objects or features of interest, such as follicular units is provided. In some embodiments, tracking is accomplished using unique signature of the follicular unit and image stabilization techniques. According to some aspects pixel data of a region of interest in a first image is compared to pixel data of the regions of interest in a second image, and based on a result of the comparison of pixel data in the region of interest in the first and second images and the signature of the follicular unit, locating the follicular unit in the second image. In some embodiments the follicular unit is searched for in the direction of a motion vector. | 12-04-2014 |