NOTICE

We moved to Python. We preserve this repository and merge pull requests that we receive, but we do not actively develop these scripts anymore. You can use pyigtl Python package to communicate via OpenIGTLink in your data processing workflow.

PlusMatlabUtils

Matlab utilities for reading/writing Plus data structures and communicating with Plus applications

• MatlabMetafileIO: Scripts for reading/writing transforms and images in Matlab, from sequence metafiles (.mha, .mhd) written by Plus
• MatlabOpenIGTLinkInterface: Scripts for real-time receiving of transforms in Matlab through OpenIGTLink

Detailed documentation is available in the headers of the Matlab scripts

Examples

Receive live data from trackers from PlusServer

• Download or clone PlusMatlabUtils repository to your computer
• Download and install the Plus package
• Select a configuration file that connects to a tracking device and provides access to the acquired transforms then click Launch Server.
  • "PlusServer: NDI Polaris tracker with passive markers": connect to an NDI Polaris tracker.
  • "PlusServer: Replay...": connect to a simulated tracking device (that reads pre-recorded transforms from a file). No tracking hardware is needed.
• Receive and display transforms by running the test.m in scriptMatlabOpenIGTLinkReceiver folder

Receive live data from 3D Slicer

• Download or clone PlusMatlabUtils repository to your computer
• Download and install 3D Slicer
• Start 3D Slicer
• Go to the Transforms module and create a new LinearTransform (this transform will be sent to Matlab)
• Go to the OpenIGTLinkIF module, create a new connection, set it as Server, set status to Active
• In the I/O configuration tab select Scene/IGTLConnector/OUT
• Click on + next to the Add/remove Node selector to add the linear transform to the list of transforms that are broadcasted through OpenIGTLink
• Click on Push on Connect checkbox in the tree for the newly added transform to make sure the transform is sent when Matlab connects (otherwise Slicer only sends the transform whenever is updated)
• In Matlab, run the testReceiveTransforms.m script in MatlabOpenIGTLinkInterface folder to receive and display transforms
• Change the LinearTransform in 3D Slicer, the updated transform values will be automatically sent to Matlab

Send live data to 3D Slicer

• Download or clone PlusMatlabUtils repository to your computer
• Download and install 3D Slicer
• Start 3D Slicer
• Go to the OpenIGTLinkIF module, create a new connection, set it as Server, set status to Active
• In Matlab, run the the testSendTransform.m script in MatlabOpenIGTLinkInterface folder receive and display transforms
• The updated transform values will be displayed in the Transforms module in 3D Slicer

Running Matlab functions from 3D Slicer

MatlabBridge extension in 3D Slicer can be used for running Matlab functions directly from Slicer (inputs are defined in Slicer and results are visualized immediately in Slicer), see MatlabBridge extension documentation for details.