Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The human meridian is usually invisible, but it can be displayed on the computer screen using the meridian information visualization technique based on the method of the graphics, images and computer vision. So the abstract meridian information can be displayed, and can be used to help us to locate the meridian and to do clinical treatment.
OBJECTIVE: To provide a more effective and convenient method for visualizing the meridian line, and to develop a meridian detection and display system based on the magnetic tracker and the camera calibration technology.
METHODS: Electrical impedance on skin with multi-channel impedance detector was measured, the three-dimensional coordinate of all electrode probes on skin was acquired by using the magnetic tracker, and the electrical impedance of each channel was matched with the three-dimensional coordinate of all probes respectively. Then, according to the lower impedance characteristic of meridian, the accurate meridian place could be selected from the candidate channels using cost function. The three-dimensional coordinate of meridian could be projected onto the two-dimensional image that was taken from skin by using the “Zhang Zhengyou” method, optimized projection transformation and the image fusion. With the moving of the electrode probe, the meridian line could be displ ayed on the two-dimensional image of skin.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The results of experiment showed that the system impedance detection error was less than 0.2%, and the meridian line could be displayed accurately and effectively on the image of the body surface in real time. The method achieves the human meridian visualization, and can be used for medical diagnosis, the treatment or Chinese medical teaching.