A scanning stereoscope for minimally invasive biomedical applications

A scanning stereoscope has been developed for use in minimally invasive biomedical applications. Based on the compound eye of insects, this system uses a single camera with multiple facets facing disparate directions. The images obtained are isolatable and can be indexed according to direction. Overlapping fields of view allow for the measurement of object distance and size. This is beneficial for minimally invasive surgery, where surgeons suffer from a lack of depth perception, limited field of view, and the absence of a reference frame for dimensional measurements. Results from various aspects of the compound eye are reported, including depth measurement from a multi-image lens, image isolation by spectral filters, and a method of optical segmentation using an electrochromic liquid crystal arrangement.