NOTES3D: ENDOSCOPES LEARN TO SEE 3-D - Basic Algorithms for a Novel Endoscope

Abstract

TOF chips enable the acquisition of distance information via the phase shift of a reference signal and the reference signal reflected in a scene. Transmitting the reference signal via the light conductor of an endoscope and mounting a TOF chip distally enables the acquisition of distance information via an endoscope. The hardware combination of TOF technology and endoscope optics is termed Multisensor-Time-Of-Flight endoscope (MUSTOF endoscope). Utilizing a MUSTOF endoscope in the context of NOTES procedures, enables the direct endoscopic acquisition of 3-D information (NOTES 3D). While hardware issues are currently under investigation, an algorithmic framework is proposed here, dealing with the main points of interest: calibration, registration and reconstruction.