Dual 3D Surgical Microscope Displays for Face-to-Face Ergonomics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical microscopes pose ergonomic challenges for operators and assistants due to fixed exit pupil positions, limited compensation ranges, and complex manual adjustments, while 3D displays often require polarized glasses and are unsuitable for real-time operations, especially in face-to-face surgical scenarios.
Innovation Solution
A surgical microscope with dual naked eye 3D displays mounted on a support system, allowing independent vertical and horizontal movement, and opposite image directions, enabling comfortable ergonomic positions for operators and assistants, and facilitating simultaneous observation without the need for polarized glasses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional surgical microscope with fixed exit pupil position is used, then the microscope structure is simple, but the operator experiences visual fatigue and cannot maintain comfortable posture for long periods
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the optical imaging function from the display function. The surgical microscope captures images through a single optical path, while two independent display devices present the images to the operator and assistant respectively. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, improving comfort without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A video signal processing system acts as an intermediary between the microscope's photosensitive element and the two display devices. This intermediary captures the optical image, converts it to video signals, and distributes processed signals to multiple displays, enabling flexible viewing positions without complicating the optical path.
2Ease of operation
If a single display is used for both operator and assistant, then the device complexity is reduced, but neither person can maintain comfortable direct viewing posture simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the video signal source (microscope output) with multiple display devices (two screens). A single video signal is processed and distributed to both displays simultaneously, allowing the operator and assistant to view the same surgical field on separate screens positioned for optimal viewing angles, eliminating the need to share a single display.
Solution Approach 2:
The display system is designed to serve multiple functions: it can display the surgical field for the operator, for the assistant, or be switched between different viewing perspectives. The video signal processing unit can route signals to different displays based on operational needs, providing universal viewing capability.
3Loss of information
If polarization-based 3D display is used, then depth information is provided, but polarized glasses are required which are unsuitable for glass-wearing operators and real-time operation
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using complex polarization-based 3D display hardware, the system creates a simplified copy of the surgical field view on a standard display screen. The video signal from the microscope is reproduced on an LCD or similar display that provides adequate depth perception through standard screen visualization, eliminating the need for special glasses while maintaining operational accessibility.
4Ease of operation
If bridge type light splitting device is used for face-to-face observation, then simultaneous viewing is enabled, but the structure becomes cumbersome with multiple optical transitions causing luminous flux loss and reduced image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex mechanical optical splitting devices with an electronic video signal processing approach. Instead of physically splitting light paths through multiple lenses and mirrors, the microscope captures the image once and electronically distributes the video signal to multiple displays, eliminating optical losses and maintaining image quality.
Data Source
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AI summary
A surgical microscope having assistant's device, comprises a support (1), a microscope body (2), a first naked eye 3D display (3) and a second naked eye 3D display (4). The microscope body (2) is mounted on the support (1), a photosensitive element (24) is arranged in the microscope body (2), the first naked eye 3D display (3) and the second naked eye 3D display (4) are respectively connected to the photosensitive element (24), display directions of the first naked eye 3D display (3) and the second naked eye 3D display (4) are opposite, and directions of an image displayed by the first naked eye 3D display (3) and an image displayed by the second naked eye 3D display (4) are different by 180 degrees. The surgical microscope having assistant's device of the present invention enables an operator (9) and an assistant (10) of different body sizes to maintain reasonable ergonomic postures, see true images of their respective perspectives, observe the state of each other at any time and communicate in facial language. Meanwhile, only one set of stereo optical imaging system is needed, and two persons can observe at the same time by simply assigning and flipping video signals.