Digital Surgical Loupes With Distance-Based Stereo Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing near-eye display devices for medical procedures, such as image-guided surgery, struggle to provide accurate stereoscopic and magnified images of a region of interest while maintaining clarity and alignment with the patient's anatomy.
Innovation Solution
A head-mounted display device equipped with symmetrically positioned video cameras and a distance sensor that adjusts image display based on measured distances, ensuring overlapping and focused images are presented on a see-through display, with optional augmented reality overlays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If optical loupes with fixed or variable magnification are used, then magnified image is provided, but alignment with patient anatomy and stereoscopic accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional optical loupes with a digital imaging system using video cameras and computational processing. Instead of relying on optical magnification through lenses, the system captures images with video cameras and applies digital magnification and stereoscopic processing to achieve alignment accuracy and depth perception without the limitations of fixed or variable optical magnification.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a digital copy of the surgical field using video cameras positioned on the head-mounted device. By capturing and processing video images, the system generates a magnified stereoscopic view that can be displayed on see-through displays, eliminating the need for direct optical magnification through loupes while maintaining alignment with the patient's anatomy.
2Reliability
If video cameras are positioned symmetrically to capture images, then stereoscopic display is improved, but image overlap and convergence control becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from distance sensors and image processing to automatically adjust and maintain proper convergence and overlap of images from symmetrically positioned video cameras. The processor analyzes the captured images and adjusts parameters to ensure correct stereoscopic alignment, eliminating the need for manual control while maintaining high display quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts image parameters such as convergence angle and overlap based on real-time distance measurements and camera positioning. This dynamic control allows the system to maintain optimal stereoscopic display quality as the surgeon moves or as the surgical field changes, while the symmetric camera positioning remains fixed for stability.
3Measurement precision
If distance sensing is implemented to adjust image display, then magnification accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The head-mounted display device integrates multiple functions into a single system: video cameras for image capture, distance sensors for depth measurement, and a processor for combined image processing and magnification control. This multi-functional integration achieves accurate magnification based on real-time distance sensing while consolidating components to manage overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the head-mounted device's own integrated distance sensors to automatically determine the distance to the surgical field and adjust magnification accordingly. This self-service capability eliminates the need for external measurement devices or manual magnification adjustment, achieving accurate magnification through autonomous operation of integrated components.
4Loss of information
If see-through displays are used for augmented reality, then surgical field visibility is improved, but image clarity and focus control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the focus and clarity of images displayed on the see-through display based on real-time distance measurements from the surgical field. By continuously updating focus parameters according to the measured distance, the system maintains sharp, clear images while preserving visibility of the actual surgical field through the see-through display.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes display parameters such as focus, brightness, and magnification based on distance sensor input. These parameter adjustments ensure that the augmented reality images remain clear and focused at varying distances from the surgical field, while the see-through nature of the display continues to provide visibility of the actual surgical area.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides improved stereoscopic and magnified images aligned with the patient's anatomy, enhancing surgical precision and clarity during medical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a distance sensor configured to measure the distance from the HMD to the ROI
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of video cameras configured to simultaneously capture an image including a region of interest (ROI)
Data Source
AI summary
A head mounted display device (HMD) includes a display including a first display and a second display; a first and a second digital cameras, respectively including a first image sensor and a second image sensor; and at least one processor configured to: generate a first image and a second image from a first image region of the first image sensor and from a second image region of the second image sensor, respectively, wherein: the first image region corresponds to a first image AFOV, and the second image region corresponds to a second image AFOV; change at least one of the first image region of the first image sensor or the second image region of the second image sensor based on a distance between the HMD and a Region of Interest (ROI) plane; and simultaneously display the first image on the first display and the second image on the second display.