Surgical Robotic System Multi-Camera 3D Visualization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical robotic systems face limitations due to a single endoscopic camera providing a limited field of view during minimally invasive procedures, necessitating a system that can combine video feeds from multiple cameras to enhance visualization of the surgical site.
Innovation Solution
An imaging system comprising multiple cameras capturing video streams of opposing tissue surfaces, a video processing device that modifies and combines these streams to generate a modified video stream, and a surgeon console displaying the combined video stream, including virtual markers and depth maps to enhance visualization and navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a single endoscopic camera is used, then the device complexity is low, but the field of view of the surgical site is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines video feeds from multiple cameras (including endoscopic and external cameras) into a single integrated view. The video processing device merges these multiple video streams to create a composite image that displays both the internal surgical site and external anatomical landmarks in one unified field of view, thereby expanding the visible area without requiring the surgeon to switch between multiple separate views.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent overlays video feeds from different spatial perspectives and dimensions onto a single display plane. By combining internal endoscopic views with external camera views showing anatomical landmarks, the system creates a multi-dimensional representation that provides comprehensive spatial context in a two-dimensional display, effectively expanding the field of view beyond what any single camera could provide.
2Loss of information
If multiple cameras are used to capture video streams, then the visualization of the surgical site is enhanced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The video processing device merges multiple video streams from different cameras into a single integrated display. This consolidation combines internal surgical site views with external anatomical landmark views, providing complete information about both the surgical field and surrounding anatomy without requiring the surgeon to mentally integrate multiple separate displays.
Solution Approach 2:
The video processing device acts as an intermediary that automatically integrates and synchronizes multiple camera feeds. This intermediary system handles the complex task of combining, aligning, and displaying multiple video streams, thereby reducing the cognitive burden on the surgeon and simplifying the overall system operation despite using multiple cameras.
3Measurement precision
If video streams from multiple cameras are combined, then the surgical precision is improved, but the processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary registration and alignment of anatomical landmarks before the surgical procedure begins. By pre-processing and establishing the spatial relationships between external landmarks and internal surgical sites beforehand, the system reduces real-time processing requirements and enables rapid integration of video feeds during the actual surgery, thereby maintaining high surgical precision without excessive processing delays.
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging system includes a first camera configured to capture a first video stream of a first tissue surface and a second camera configured to capture a second video stream of a second tissue surface, the first tissue surface opposing the second tissue surface of the tissue. The system also includes a video processing device configured to receive the first video stream from the first camera and the second video stream from the second camera and modify at least one the first video stream or the second video stream based on one the first video stream or the second video stream to generate a 3D volume having a modified video stream. The system further includes a first screen coupled to the video processing device and configured to display the 3D volume with the modified video stream.