Proposal for the Appropriateness of Endoscopic Images based on the Use of Binocular Visual Space

Abstract

We focus on the fact that human body kinematic structure leads to the linearity between a binocular visual space and a joint space, and propose a novel criterion for evaluating the appropriateness of endoscopic images. Then, we aim to establish a new autonomous endoscope positioning method based on that criterion. In this study, we first assumed that the stereo endoscope robot was regarded as virtual binocular eyes of the surgeon and the surgical instruments were regarded as virtual arms connecting the surgeon's real arms. We then made a hypothesis that the surgeon or the camera assistant operated the endoscope such that the binocular visual space coordinates of the tip of the surgical instrument and the joint angles of the surgeon's arm had a linear relationship.