Real-Time Virtual Endoscopic Camera Placement in Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional 2D interfaces are inefficient and prone to inaccuracies when defining observer points and orientations in 3D virtual environments, which can lead to suboptimal virtual endoscopic views during image-guided surgery, increasing procedure time and reducing surgical precision.
Innovation Solution
A real-time virtual endoscopic preview system that allows clinicians to interactively place and modify a virtual camera using a 3D-capable interface, with a placement interface that includes preoperative image panes and navigation controls, enabling the definition of a first and second point in 3D space to render a virtual camera view, and providing a fly-through effect for improved spatial context.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional 2D interfaces are used to define observer points and orientations in 3D virtual environments, then the interface is simple and familiar, but the process becomes inefficient and inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from 2D interface interaction to 3D virtual environment navigation, allowing users to define observer points and orientations by physically moving and looking in desired directions within the 3D space. This dimensional upgrade eliminates the inaccuracies of 2D point selection while maintaining interface simplicity through natural 3D movement and viewing.
2Productivity
If conventional 2D interfaces require manual selection of points on multiple images, then the interface is easy to implement, but the procedure time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows users to directly navigate and position themselves within the 3D virtual environment to define observer points, eliminating the need for manual coordinate input or multiple image selection. The self-service approach lets users intuitively establish camera positions and orientations through natural 3D movement, dramatically reducing configuration time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-renders the 3D virtual environment and makes it immediately available for interaction, allowing users to begin defining observer points without waiting for complex 2D coordinate calculations or image alignment procedures. This preliminary preparation enables instant 3D navigation and camera placement.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If 2D interfaces are used for navigating 3D virtual environments, then the interface is familiar and easy to implement, but spatial understanding and judgment become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables direct 3D navigation within the virtual environment, allowing users to visually perceive spatial relationships, distances, and orientations in their natural 3D context. This eliminates the information loss inherent in 2D representations by providing authentic 3D spatial awareness through movement and viewing in the virtual space.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides real-time visual feedback as users move within the 3D environment, showing them their current position, orientation, and the resulting virtual camera view. This immediate feedback loop helps users understand spatial relationships and make accurate adjustments to observer points and orientations.
Data Source
AI summary
A virtual endoscopic view shows a surgical area and surrounding anatomy and may also show a position of a surgical instrument in use during a surgical procedure, allowing a surgeon to virtually view the surgical area when direct viewing or actual endoscopic views are incomplete, obstructed, or otherwise unavailable or undesirable. In order to render the endoscopic view, an IGS navigation system may be configured with an observer point and an observer orientation within 3-D space based upon user inputs. A user interface for defining these points allows a user to view a virtual endoscopic preview in real-time while providing inputs, thus improving the likelihood that the resulting virtual endoscopic view is as desired by the user; and reducing time spent redefining and reconfiguring the virtual endoscopic view. The virtual endoscopic preview may provide combinations of static and dynamic images to illustrate the spatial relationship of the provided inputs.