An interface for precise and comfortable 3D work with volumetric medical datasets.

We have developed a 3D/2D paradigm of interaction that combines manipulation of precise 3D volumetric data with unambiguous widget interaction. Precise 3D interaction is ensured by a combination of resting the lower arms on an armrest and pivoting the hands around the wrist. Unambiguous 2D interaction is achieved by providing passive haptic feedback by means of a virtual control panel whose position coincides with the physical surfaces encasing the system. We have tested this interface with a neurosurgical planning application that has been clinically used for 17 skull-base cases at two local hospitals.

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