Can I run COBRA on my own PC?

COBRA can be installed on every PC running Windows NT, 2000 or XP. Minimum requirements are Pentium 3 or Athlon CPU's and 256 MB of RAM, as well as sufficient disk space to store the projections and the final image (typically 1/2 GB each).

How long will it take to reconstruct a 3D image?

Image reconstruction time depends on a number of factors: processor speed, processor-memory bandwidth, hard disk speed; it scales with the number of incoming projections, and roughly with the number of voxels in the output volume. Options to enhance image quality will add further computation. As a rule thumb, one can take the following benchmark number: a dual 2.6 GHz P4 computer will reach 5 fps (incoming) of 512x512 when reconstructing a 512-cube output file.

Is COBRA for re-sellers or end users?

COBRA licenses are available for both categories. COBRA is available as stand-alone application, which may be used in off-line mode (accessing raw data from a file), or in-line (using a communication library). Resellers can integrate COBRA as dll into their scanner software and write their own GUI.

What support do I get from Exxim?

In addition to the User's Guide and the Programmer's Manual, Exxim engineering will work with end users and OEM engineers to make integration simple and straight forward. Exxim provides dedicated maintenance services and upgrades.

Can we update Cobra to new version and is it free?

Any Cobra update to a newer version is free in general. It means that all existing and purchased functionality is supported and free to update in upcoming versions. In the same time when Cobra comes in a new generation it usually gets a major new functionality. For example it was SDK for Cobra 2 (versus Cobra 1), cluster solutions (Cobra 3 versus Cobra 2), SAMARA (Cobra 4 versus Cobra 3), etc. The latest big update is an advanced visualization including volume rendering in Cobra7. Some of those big changes are reflected in our price list as options that have to be bought for extra money. Particularly they are: SDK, cluster solutions, graphics acceleration support , and advanced visualization (available only as an Alfa at the moment). So whatever functionality you bought it is supported and free to update. If some options were not purchased then they are not available for free in updates (you always can pay an exact price difference and have them). The setup package is totally the same for all available Cobra configurations (we invite you to visit our web site for the latest and greatest versions and fixes). We control a user access to options through a programmed (on our side) HASP USB key.

What about Feldkamp artifacts?

Feldkamp's algorithm, which filters the projections along rows perpendicular to the axis of rotation, is not exact outside the equatorial plane. If the object is not homogeneous along the axis, visible artifacts will occur at cone angles larger than about 10 degrees.

What about image quality?

Image quality comprises many aspects, most of which resemble 2-dimensional CT:
(1) geometric fidelity: excellent.
(2) high contrast spatial resolution: typically better than achievable with 2D CT as flat panel detectors have smaller pixels.
(3) low contrast density resolution: COBRA works with 32 bits, results are available at 16 bits. Low contrast resolution depends on photonic noise (dose) and the amount of artifacts (most important: streaks from under-sampling, lack of geometric scanner control, metal artifacts; rings caused by bad pixels in the detector; swirls caused by misalignment; light and dark bands and cupping caused by beam hardening and scatter). At the present stage, cone beam CT has not reached the same image quality as 2D CT, but rapid progress is being made to improve it.

How to upload a dataset to the Exxim's FTP site?

Our ftp (available for uploading by exxim's customers) is:
URL: www.exxim-cc.com
Login: customer-up@exxim-cc.com
Psw: Please contact Exxim at sgouzeev@exxim-cc.com

Please note:
1) This is ftp protocol, so this is not about our web site www.exxim-cc.com.
You should use any FTP client program, for example, SmartFTP (www.smartFTP.com).
2) We recommend compressing data before uploading (see e.g. www.rarlab.com).

Both programs are free for a reasonable trial period.

How can I buy COBRA?

Please contact sales@exxim-cc.com or call Exxim at (925)416-1900.

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