Geometric Artifact Correction for Symmetric Multi-Linear Trajectory CT: Theory, Method, and Generalization

For extending CT field-of-view to perform non-destructive testing, the Symmetric Multi-Linear trajectory Computed Tomography (SMLCT) has been developed as a successful example of non-standard CT scanning modes. However, inevitable geometric errors can cause severe artifacts in the reconstructed images. The existing calibration method for SMLCT is both crude and inefficient. It involves reconstructing hundreds of images by exhaustively substituting each potential error, and then manually identifying the images with the fewest geometric artifacts to estimate the final geometric errors for calibration. In this paper, we comprehensively and efficiently address the challenging geometric artifacts in SMLCT, , and the corresponding works mainly involve theory, method, and generalization. In particular, after identifying sensitive parameters and conducting some theory analysis of geometric artifacts, we summarize several key properties between sensitive geometric parameters and artifact characteristics. Then, we further construct mathematical relationships that relate sensitive geometric errors to the pixel offsets of reconstruction images with artifact characteristics. To accurately extract pixel bias, we innovatively adapt the Generalized Cross-Correlation with Phase Transform (GCC-PHAT) algorithm, commonly used in sound processing, for our image registration task for each paired symmetric LCT. This adaptation leads to the design of a highly efficient rigid translation registration method. Simulation and physical experiments have validated the excellent performance of this work. Additionally, our results demonstrate significant generalization to common rotated CT and a variant of SMLCT.

An Outline of Prognostics and Health Management Large Model: Concepts, Paradigms, and Challenges

Prognosis and Health Management (PHM), critical for ensuring task completion by complex systems and preventing unexpected failures, is widely adopted in aerospace, manufacturing, maritime, rail, energy, etc. However, PHM's development is constrained by bottlenecks like generalization, interpretation and verification abilities. Presently, generative artificial intelligence (AI), represented by Large Model, heralds a technological revolution with the potential to fundamentally reshape traditional technological fields and human production methods. Its capabilities, including strong generalization, reasoning, and generative attributes, present opportunities to address PHM's bottlenecks. To this end, based on a systematic analysis of the current challenges and bottlenecks in PHM, as well as the research status and advantages of Large Model, we propose a novel concept and three progressive paradigms of Prognosis and Health Management Large Model (PHM-LM) through the integration of the Large Model with PHM. Subsequently, we provide feasible technical approaches for PHM-LM to bolster PHM's core capabilities within the framework of the three paradigms. Moreover, to address core issues confronting PHM, we discuss a series of technical challenges of PHM-LM throughout the entire process of construction and application. This comprehensive effort offers a holistic PHM-LM technical framework, and provides avenues for new PHM technologies, methodologies, tools, platforms and applications, which also potentially innovates design, research & development, verification and application mode of PHM. And furthermore, a new generation of PHM with AI will also capably be realized, i.e., from custom to generalized, from discriminative to generative, and from theoretical conditions to practical applications.