An artificial compound eye for stereoendoscopy

A scanning endoscope has been designed with the ability to both project three-dimensional images and provide precise measurements of internal structures. 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. Borrowing from the insect compound eye, the design uses an array of prisms, each facing a different direction but with overlapping fields of view. The prisms redirect their respective images normal to a fibre optic imaging plane and are individually controlled by electrochromic shutters. The device thereby retains the ability to scan in multiple directions without mechanical parts and uses only a single camera. Comparison of the overlapping images with known prism positions allows for the calculation of absolute coordinates. Results from large-scale models show that the technology is plausible, and fabrication methods for a smaller device are discussed.