Endoscope Angle View Reproduction Using Feature Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current endoscope technologies fail to accurately reproduce the angle of view before the endoscope is pulled out for cleaning and reinsertion during laparoscopic surgery, relying on operator memory and resulting in prolonged surgery times.
Innovation Solution
An endoscope apparatus with a recording unit, assist display control unit, and display unit that captures and synthesizes images to assist in reproducing the original angle of view by generating an assist image, using feature value detection and matching to ensure accurate alignment and hiding unnecessary elements like forceps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the endoscope scope is pulled out for cleaning and reinserted, then the lens cleanliness is improved, but the time to reproduce the original angle of view increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a copy of the pre-pulling angle of view information and displays it as a guide during reinsertion, allowing the operator to quickly reproduce the original viewing angle without relying on memory
Solution Approach 2:
The system captures and stores angle of view information before the scope is pulled out, preparing the reference data in advance so that it is immediately available when the scope is reinserted
2Measurement precision
If the endoscope scope is pulled out and reinserted multiple times, then the image quality is improved by cleaning dirt, but the surgery duration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides visual feedback by displaying the captured angle of view as a guide, enabling the operator to quickly and accurately reproduce the original viewing angle after reinsertion, thereby reducing the time lost during cleaning cycles
3Device complexity
If the operator relies on memory to reproduce the angle of view, then the system complexity is reduced, but the accuracy of reproducing the original angle of view decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system captures and stores angle of view information as reference data, creating a copy that can be displayed as a guide during reinsertion, thereby providing accurate angle reproduction without requiring complex mechanical memory devices
Data Source
AI summary
The present technology relates to an endoscope apparatus configured to be capable of assisting with setting of an angle of view of immediately before an endoscope is pulled out when the endoscope is pulled out and cleaned and then reinserted during surgery in endoscopic surgery and the like, and a method and program for operating the endoscope apparatus. An image captured by the endoscope apparatus is recorded, a feature value of the image captured is detected, a difference between detected feature values of consecutive images is obtained, and, when the difference is greater than a predetermined threshold value, an index is added to the image captured. Thus, the index is added to an image of immediately before the endoscope is pulled out from a body cavity, and the image is recorded. Then, when the endoscope is pulled out and then reinserted, the images each to which the index is added are displayed as a list, and information indicating an angle of view in an image selected is displayed to be superimposed on information indicating an angle of view of an image currently captured after reinsertion, whereby assist display to an original angle of view is obtained. The present technology can be applied to the endoscope apparatus.