Binocular Overlap Control for Adjustable 3D Digital Magnification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical loupes offer fixed magnification levels, increasing form factor and weight, limiting use duration and causing neck strain, and stereo imaging systems require mechanical adjustments and calibration, making them unsuitable for surgical environments.
Innovation Solution
A digital magnification system using two image sensors and a controller to maintain binocular overlap and vertical alignment, allowing adjustable magnification and 3D image generation without mechanical adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional surgical loupes use magnifying lenses to provide magnification, then the surgical field can be enlarged for better visualization, but the form factor and weight increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the optical magnifying lens system with a digital imaging system consisting of image sensors and signal processing circuits. This substitution eliminates the need for heavy optical components while achieving the same magnification effect through electronic means, thereby significantly reducing the weight of the surgical loupe device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses image sensors to capture digital copies of the surgical field and processes these copies to generate magnified images. This digital copying approach replaces the optical magnification process, allowing for variable magnification levels without the weight constraints of physical optical components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional surgical loupes use fixed magnification lenses, then the optical design is simple, but the adaptability to different magnification requirements is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic magnification system where the magnification level can be adjusted in real-time through software control of the image processing system. This allows the system to adapt to different surgical requirements dynamically, replacing the need for multiple fixed magnification lens sets with a single adjustable digital system.
Solution Approach 2:
The digital imaging system serves multiple functions: it provides magnification, enables variable magnification levels, and maintains 3D visualization capabilities. This multi-functional approach replaces the need for multiple specialized optical devices, reducing overall system complexity while increasing adaptability.
3Length of stationary object
If conventional surgical loupes use non-imaging configuration with virtual images, then the optical path is simple, but the working distance and depth of focus are decreased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the optical imaging configuration with a digital imaging system that captures images at the surgeon's working distance and then processes them digitally. This eliminates the optical constraints that required the surgeon to maintain specific head and neck positions, as the digital system can accommodate various working distances without optical compromises.
4Adaptability or versatility
If stereo imaging systems use two displays with zoom lenses for adjustable magnification, then the adaptability is improved, but the mechanical adjustment and calibration become complex and infeasible in surgical environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical zoom lenses and display adjustments with a digital image processing system. Magnification is achieved through digital signal processing rather than mechanical optical adjustments, eliminating the need for complex mechanical calibration and adjustment mechanisms that would be difficult to implement in surgical environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The digital imaging system automatically processes and adjusts images through electronic control, eliminating the need for manual mechanical adjustment and calibration. The system self-adjusts magnification levels and maintains proper image alignment through digital processing, making it suitable for surgical environments where mechanical adjustments would be cumbersome.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for generating three-dimensional (3D) images from captured images of a target when executing digital magnification. A controller executes a digital magnification on the first image of the target captured by the first image sensor and on the second image captured by the second image sensor of the target. The controller crops the first image and the second image to overlap a first portion of the target captured by the first image sensor with a second portion of the target captured by the second image sensor. The controller adjusts the cropping of the first image and the second image to provide binocular overlap of the first portion of the target with the second portion of target. The displayed cropped first image and the cropped second image display the 3D image at the digital magnification to the user.