Development of 3D endoscope system based on structured light projection

Abstract

Measuring sizes of tumors is important in endoscopic diagnosis. Currently, size estimation is commonly performed by humans. However, more objective methods are desired. Furthermore, surgical robots began to be introduced to real clinical environments, where 3D measurement technologies have more importance. Our research group has been developing a 3D endoscopic system, using a micro pattern projector inserted into the instrument channel. In our system, by using an optical element called DOE, a clear pattern can be projected with wide varieties of distances to the target. The projected pattern is a grid-like pattern where codes are embedded into gaps between grid edges. The grid structure and the codes can be obtained from endoscope images using a CNN. As a result, three-dimensional measurement can be performed with high accuracy. In this talk, we will introduce the technical elements of our system and the 3D measurement results.