A guide system for use by a user who performs an operation in a defined
three-dimensional region is disclosed, the system including a data
processing apparatus for generating images of the subject of the
operation in co-registration with the subject, a display for displaying
the images to the user, a probe having a position which is visible to the
user, and a tracking unit for tracking the location of the probe by the
system and transmitting that location to the data processing apparatus,
the data processing apparatus being arranged, upon the user moving the
probe to a selection region outside and surrounding the defined region,
to generate one or more virtual buttons, each of the buttons being
associated with a corresponding instruction to the system, the data
processing apparatus being arranged to register a selection by the user
of any of the virtual buttons, the selection including positioning of the
probe in relation to the apparent position of that virtual button, and to
modify the computer-generated image based on the selection.