Stereo Endoscopic Image 3D Projection for Remote Medical Mentoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing teleoperational robotic systems for medical procedures lack effective remote mentoring capabilities, as the visual information provided to mentors is limited to two-dimensional representations, hindering accurate three-dimensional guidance.
Innovation Solution
The system generates stereo endoscopic image data to create a three-dimensional representation of a medical field volume, which is projected onto an extended-reality display. This allows mentors to provide visual guidance with three-dimensional accuracy by mapping guidance from a remote volume to the medical field volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If two-dimensional visual information is provided to mentors in teleoperational robotic systems, then the system complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision and guidance accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms two-dimensional visual information into three-dimensional stereoscopic representations by introducing a temporal dimension (sequential stereo images) and spatial dimension (depth perception). This allows mentors to perceive depth and spatial relationships accurately while maintaining system feasibility through software-based processing rather than complex hardware modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing system that converts standard two-dimensional endoscopic images into stereoscopic representations. This intermediary layer processes images to create virtual depth information, allowing mentors to achieve three-dimensional perception without requiring complex three-dimensional imaging hardware at the source.
2Measurement precision
If three-dimensional stereo endoscopic image data is generated and processed, then the measurement precision and guidance accuracy improve, but the device complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary processing of endoscopic images by pre-calculating stereo pairs and depth information before transmission to the mentor. This preliminary action prepares the three-dimensional visual data in advance, reducing real-time processing requirements during actual mentoring sessions and lowering overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates virtual copies of the surgical field in three-dimensional space by generating stereoscopic representations from standard two-dimensional images. These visual copies provide accurate depth perception and spatial relationships without requiring physical three-dimensional cameras or complex imaging hardware, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining guidance accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A non-transitory machine-readable media may store instructions that, when run by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to generate stereo endoscopic image data of a medical field and define a medical field volume from the stereo endoscopic image data. The processors may also project a 3D representation of the medical field volume to an extended-reality display device in a remote volume. The 3D representation may include a stereoscopic image and a 3D scene generated from the stereo endoscopic image data. The processors may also generate visual guidance in the remote volume to augment the stereo endoscopic image, map the visual guidance from the remote volume to the medical field volume to generate an augmented image of the medical field volume, and project the augmented image of the medical field volume to a display device viewed by an operator of instruments in the medical field.