A system for measurement and visualisation of human back shape for estimation of 3D deformities

Describes a system for the estimation of back deformities, implemented as a software package. We present the methods adopted for measuring, processing and visualisation of human back shape data. Our goal was to develop a system that was adequate for practical clinical work. To achieve this goal, we implemented the applied methodologies in a way that enables the user to explore and understand the results in a user-friendly way, without prior knowledge of technical internals. The programming package performs the following functions: acquisition of data, processing of data, and presentation of the processing results in various forms. The presented and visualised entities support the user in the determination of and judgement about the subject´s condition. For the initial determination of the 3D surface model, we employed Fourier transform profilometry (FTP), in which the phase of a projected fringe pattern is extracted, from which the surface shape reconstruction is possible. FTP is often considered to be just one deviation of moire topography, but in FTP, the grating image projected on an object surface is put directly into the computer and processed without using the second grating to generate moire fringes.