Abstract: A stereo display system using shape from shading algorithm is an image conversion device connected between a monoscopic endoscope and a 3D monitor. The system applies the algorithm which generates a depth map for a 2D image of video frames. The algorithm first calculates a direction of a light source for the 2D image and based upon the information of light distribution and shading for the 2D image to generate the depth map. The depth map is used to calculate another view of the original 2D image by depth image based rendering algorithm in generation of stereoscopic images. After the new view is rendered, the stereo display system also needs to convert the display format of the stereoscopic images for different kinds of 3D displays. Base on this method, it is necessary to replace the whole monoscopic endoscope with a stereo-endoscope system and no modification is required for the monoscopic endoscope.

Abstract: A stereoscopic vision system includes a monoscopic endoscope, an external adapter lens, and a camera calibration and stereoscopic processing unit. The external adapter lens has two tubes formed therein for forming two optical paths and is mounted on the endoscope for a CCD of the endoscope to receive parallax image pairs of an observed object. Each parallax image pair has a left image and a right image thereon. The camera calibration and stereoscopic processing unit receives the parallax image pairs, and calibrates two camera systems formed by the adapter lens and the endoscope and processes the parallax image pairs generated from the calibration to generate stereoscopic images to be displayed on a display. The simple and inexpensive two-tube external adapter lens directly mounted on any type of monoscopic endoscope without modifying the monoscopic endoscope and one-time camera calibration ensures cost effectiveness and operational convenience.