Abstract: Provided is an imaging system including a video endoscope, the video endoscope having a handle, and an endoscope. The endoscope includes an image sensor fixedly mounted within the endoscope. A capacitive sensing unit is disposed along an outer surface of the handle. The capacitive sensing unit includes a plurality of capacitive sensors disposed on the outer surface of the handle. The handle includes an electronic controller operable to process an actuation of the plurality of capacitive sensors so as to control a camera control function and determine a medical procedure and/or an identity of the user.

Abstract: Provided is a camera head having a capacitive sensing unit disposed along the outer surface of the camera head. The capacitive sensing unit includes a plurality of capacitive sensors. The camera head includes an electronic controller operable to process an actuation of the plurality of capacitive sensors to control a camera control function and determine a medical procedure and/or the identity of the user.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing adaptive lighting controls for an endoscope with multiple light emitting elements such as distinct light fibers, or distinct distal light emitting diodes (LEDs), etc. The amount of light delivered to the scene can be locally adjusted on a per-light basis to manage the dynamic range of the scene. For example highly reflective metallic tools many benefit from reduced light, while cavities may benefit from increased light projected into the lumen.

Abstract: An imaging system includes a light source for emitting visible light and infrared light and a camera head unit configured to capture visible light image data so as to generate a visible light image frame and configured to capture infrared image data so as to generate an infrared image frame. A camera control unit is configured to extract a structural data from the visible light image frame. The camera control unit is further configured to apply the structural data to the infrared image frame so as to enhance the infrared image with structural data.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided to generate metamerically matched illumination on a surgical site. The metamerically matched illumination may reduce or remove strobing effects associated with illumination devices during a surgery or surgical procedure. By metamerically matching illuminants in the illumination in combination with estimates of the human visual system, the illumination of the surgical site can visually appear to a user as a continuous white light, while maintaining distinct underlying spectra in the illumination. The light reflected by the surgical object may also be captured and metamerically matched, such that the reflected light appears as a single continuous color.

Abstract: An imaging system includes a light source for emitting visible light and infrared light and a camera head unit configured to capture visible light image data so as to generate a visible light image frame and configured to capture infrared image data so as to generate an infrared image frame. A camera control unit is configured to extract a structural data from the visible light image frame. The camera control unit is further configured to apply the structural data to the infrared image frame so as to enhance the infrared image with structural data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing adaptive lighting controls for an endoscope with multiple light emitting elements such as distinct light fibers, or distinct distal light emitting diodes (LEDs), etc. The amount of light delivered to the scene can be locally adjusted on a per-light basis to manage the dynamic range of the scene. For example highly reflective metallic tools many benefit from reduced light, while cavities may benefit from increased light projected into the lumen.

Abstract: An enhanced fluorescence imaging system includes a light source for emitting non-visible and visible light and a visible light image sensor and a non-visible light image sensor. Each pixel of the visible light image sensor corresponds to a pixel of the non-visible light image sensor. Data processing hardware performs operations that include, for each pixel in the visible light image sensor, determining an intensity of visible light received by the pixel. The operations also include determining, based on the intensity, an amount of unwanted non-visible light captured by the corresponding pixel of the non-visible light image sensor. The unwanted non-visible light originates from sources other than the non-visible light source. The operations also include reducing an intensity of non-visible light in non-visible image data captured by the corresponding pixel based on the determined amount of unwanted non-visible light.

Abstract: An imaging system includes a light source for emitting visible light and infrared light and a camera head unit configured to capture visible light image data so as to generate a visible light image frame and configured to capture infrared image data so as to generate an infrared image frame. A camera control unit is configured to extract a structural data from the visible light image frame. The camera control unit is further configured to apply the structural data to the infrared image frame so as to enhance the infrared image with structural data.

Abstract: An imaging system includes a light source for emitting visible light and infrared light and a camera head unit configured to capture visible light image data so as to generate a visible light image frame and configured to capture infrared image data so as to generate an infrared image frame. A camera control unit is configured to extract a structural data from the visible light image frame. The camera control unit is further configured to apply the structural data to the infrared image frame so as to enhance the infrared image with structural data.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an imaging scope, a camera, an image processor, and a system controller. The imaging scope is configured to illuminate an object and capture light reflected from the object. The camera has a light sensor with a light-sensitive surface configured to receive the captured light from the imaging scope, and generate a digital image representative of the captured light. The image processor is configured to receive the digital image from the camera, and use at least one of a random sample consensus (RANSAC) technique and a Hough Transform technique to (i) identify a boundary between an active portion and an inactive portion of the digital image and (ii) generate boundary data indicative of a characteristic of the boundary. The system controller is configured to receive the boundary data from the image processor, and use the boundary data to select and/or adjust a setting of the imaging system.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an imaging scope, a camera, an image processor, and a system controller. The imaging scope is configured to illuminate an object and capture light reflected from the object. The camera has a light sensor with a light-sensitive surface configured to receive the captured light from the imaging scope, and generate a digital image representative of the captured light. The image processor is configured to receive the digital image from the camera, and use at least one of a random sample consensus (RANSAC) technique and a Hough Transform technique to (i) identify a boundary between an active portion and an inactive portion of the digital image and (ii) generate boundary data indicative of a characteristic of the boundary. The system controller is configured to receive the boundary data from the image processor, and use the boundary data to select and/or adjust a setting of the imaging system.

Abstract: An imaging system includes a light source for emitting visible light and infrared light and a camera head unit configured to capture visible light image data so as to generate a visible light image frame and configured to capture infrared image data so as to generate an infrared image frame. A camera control unit is configured to extract a structural data from the visible light image frame. The camera control unit is further configured to apply the structural data to the infrared image frame so as to enhance the infrared image with structural data.

Abstract: Improved exposure control processes, devices, and systems are provided for wide angle lens imaging systems that suffer from image distortion. The exposure control uses a model of the wide angle lens distortion that estimates the weights that respective pixels of the image would have when producing an undistorted version of the image signal, and then scales pixel intensity values by the respective weights to produce weighted pixel values. The weighted pixel values are provided to an exposure control pixel counting process to produce one or more exposure feedback control signals, which control exposure features of the imaging system.

Abstract: Improved exposure control processes, devices, and systems are provided for wide angle lens imaging systems that suffer from image distortion. The exposure control uses a model of the wide angle lens distortion that estimates the weights that respective pixels of the image would have when producing an undistorted version of the image signal, and then scales pixel intensity values by the respective weights to produce weighted pixel values. The weighted pixel values are provided to an exposure control pixel counting process to produce one or more exposure feedback control signals, which control exposure features of the imaging system.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an imaging scope, a camera, an image processor, and a system controller. The imaging scope is configured to illuminate an object and capture light reflected from the object. The camera has a light sensor with a light-sensitive surface configured to receive the captured light from the imaging scope, and generate a digital image representative of the captured light. The image processor is configured to receive the digital image from the camera, and use at least one of a random sample consensus (RANSAC) technique and a Hough Transform technique to (i) identify a boundary between an active portion and an inactive portion of the digital image and (ii) generate boundary data indicative of a characteristic of the boundary. The system controller is configured to receive the boundary data from the image processor, and use the boundary data to select and/or adjust a setting of the imaging system.

Abstract: A method and system for real time luminance correction and detail enhancement of a video image including the steps of extracting a luminance component from a video image, separating the luminance component into an illumination layer and a scene reflectivity layer, the illumination layer having a dynamic range, compressing the dynamic range of the illumination layer to generate a corrected illumination layer, filtering the reflectivity layer to generate an enhanced reflectivity layer; and combining the corrected illumination layer with the enhanced scene reflectivity layer to generate an enhanced luminance image, is provided. A system for real time luminance correction and detail enhancement of a video image is also provided.

Abstract: A method and system for real time luminance correction and detail enhancement of a video image including the steps of extracting a luminance component from a video image, separating the luminance component into an illumination layer and a scene reflectivity layer, the illumination layer having a dynamic range, compressing the dynamic range of the illumination layer to generate a corrected illumination layer, filtering the reflectivity layer to generate an enhanced reflectivity layer; and combining the corrected illumination layer with the enhanced scene reflectivity layer to generate an enhanced luminance image, is provided. A system for real time luminance correction and detail enhancement of a video image is also provided.