A user interface for VR-ready 3D medical imaging by off-the-shelf input devices

The distinctiveness of clinical environments demands specific solutions in the design of both usable and practical user interfaces for 3D medical imaging. In this work, a novel user interface to provide a direct interaction in 3D space by off-the-shelf input devices is proposed. The interface, which has been implemented and integrated into an open-source medical image viewer, features a depth-enhanced mouse pointer and a novel rotation technique that uses the object's geometry as the rotation handle. The usability of the proposed approach is evaluated to show its effectiveness for use in professional 3D imaging applications. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.