New PLUS software release

We are happy to announce the new stable release of the PLUS toolkit (PLUS-2.2.0) that contains several major features and many improvements. Check out the release highlights and corresponding short demo videos below. More information and download links are available on the PLUS toolkit website (www.plustoolkit.org).

Release highlights

  • Acquisition of 4D (3D+t) image data, biplane image data, color image data – demo video
  • Live tracking, image, and registration data acquisition from Medtronic StealthStation – demo video 
  • Thorlabs optical spectrometer support for real-time navigated intra-operative tissue characterization – demo video
  • Remote control interface for recording and volume reconstruction for 3D Slicer – demo video
  • Model catalog of 3D printable tracking fixtures and calibration tools
  • Spatial calibration for Ultrasonix systems can be dynamically updated as imaging depth is changing
  • Direct digital image acquisition from Telemed and Philips ultrasound systems

Detailed release notes

Support for new devices:

Improvements in calibration application (fCal):

  • Automatic landmark detection for phantom calibration: more convenient (no need pressing keys or foot pedal), more accurate (stylus tip position is averaged for several seconds, therefore effect of random measurement noise is reduced) => https://youtu.be/6Oi8baLmRNY
  • Timers are added for each calibration step to allow a single person to perform all steps without a foot pedal

Improvements in volume reconstruction:

Improvements in Ultrasonix ultrasound imaging system support (doc: http://perk-software.cs.queensu.ca/plus/doc/nightly/user/DeviceSonixVideo.html):

  • Spatial probe calibration matrix can be updated dynamically when imaging parameters, such as imaging depth, are changed (use ImageToTransducerTransformName and the TransducerToProbe transform provided by Ultrasonix)
  • Support for volumetric data acquisition from motorized probes (thanks to Mikael Brudfors from UBC)
  • Auto-clip of images to non-empty image area (using AutoClipEnabled)
  • Ultrasonix SDK 6.1.x support

Other platform improvements:

  • Support added for acquiring, storing, processing, and streaming of 4D (3D+t) image data, biplane image data (create two image streams from a single input image), and full color image data
  • Data recording, off-line and real-time volume reconstruction, and configuration file update is available for remote clients, such as 3D Slicer through OpenIGTLink. PlusRemote client is available for 3D Slicer in the SlicerIGT extension – demo: http://youtu.be/lfZeXabDjMg
  • Model catalog is created for 3D printable tracking fixtures and calibration tools (http://perk-software.cs.queensu.ca/plus/doc/nightly/modelcatalog/)
  • Detailed application help included in the Plus installation package (online version: http://perk-software.cs.queensu.ca/plus/doc/nightly/user/index.html)
  • Virtual device is added for integrating image processing algorithms, such as bone extraction, image enhancement into Plus (example: vtkImageProcessorVideoSource)