Abstract: A robotic surgical system positions and holds an endoscope. A visible imaging system is coupled to the endoscope. The visible imaging system captures a visible image of tissue. An alternate imaging system is also coupled to the endoscope. The alternate imaging system captures a fluorescence image of at least a portion of the tissue. A stereoscopic video display system is coupled to the visible imaging system and to the alternate imaging system. The stereoscopic video display system outputs a real-time stereoscopic image comprising a three-dimensional presentation of a blend of a fluorescence image associated with the captured fluorescence image, and the visible image.

Abstract: An endoscope with a stereoscopic optical channel is held and positioned by a robotic surgical system. A first capture unit captures: a visible first color component of a visible left image combined with a fluorescence left image from first light from one channel in the endoscope; a visible second color component of the visible left image from the first light; and a visible third color component of the visible left image from the first light. A second capture unit captures: a visible first color component of a visible right image combined with a fluorescence right image from second light from the other channel in the endoscope; a visible second color component of the visible right image from the second light; and a visible third color component of the visible right image from the second light. An augmented stereoscopic outputs a real-time stereoscopic image including a three-dimensional presentation including the visible left and right images and the fluorescence left and right images.

Abstract: An illumination channel, a stereoscopic optical channel and another optical channel are held and positioned by a robotic surgical system. A first capture unit captures a stereoscopic visible image from the first light from the stereoscopic optical channel while a second capture unit captures a fluorescence image from the second light from the other optical channel. An intelligent image processing system receives the captured stereoscopic visible image and the captured fluorescence image and generates a stereoscopic pair of fluorescence images. An augmented stereoscopic display system outputs a real-time stereoscopic image comprising a three-dimensional presentation of a blend of the stereoscopic visible image and the stereoscopic pair of fluorescence images.

Abstract: An endoscope with a stereoscopic optical channel is again held and positioned by a robotic surgical system. A capture unit captures (1) at a first time, a first image from light from the channel; and (2) at a second time different from the first time, a second image from the light. Only one of the first image and the second image includes a combination of a fluorescence image and a visible image. The other of the first image and the second image is a visible image. An intelligent image processing system generates an artificial fluorescence image using the captured fluorescence image. An augmented stereoscopic display system outputs an augmented stereoscopic image of at least a portion of the tissue comprising the artificial fluorescence image.

Abstract: This invention relates to a stereo imaging system for use in telerobotic systems. A method of imaging a target site in a stereo imaging system is provided. The method typically includes capturing a right and a left optical image of the target site and transforming the right and the left optical images preferably into digital information. The method further includes converting the digital information into opposed images of the target site displayed on a stereo display of the stereo imaging system, one of the opposed images being associated with the right optical image and the other of the opposed images being associated with the left optical image. The method further includes regulating the digital information to cause the positions of the target site displayed on the opposed images to change relative to each other.

Abstract: This invention relates to a stereo imaging system for use in telerobotic systems. A method of imaging a target site in a stereo imaging system is provided. The method typically includes capturing a right and a left optical image of the target site and transforming the right and the left optical images preferably into digital information. The method further includes converting the digital information into opposed images of the target site displayed on a stereo display of the stereo imaging system, one of the opposed images being associated with the right optical image and the other of the opposed images being associated with the left optical image. The method further includes regulating the digital information to cause the positions of the target site displayed on the opposed images to change relative to each other.

Abstract: According to a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, image enhancement apparatus for digital video images comprises a two-stage filter comprising a median filter and a recursive filter. The median filter operates in one, two, and three dimensions wherein the cluster of pixels framing the center pixel are ranked, and the median value of the pixel cluster is chosen as the correct pixel value. The pixel cluster configuration is selectable, as are the planes where the pixels are located. Multiple weights may be given to the appropriate median filter inputs. A motion detector is used to prevent replacement of each pixel by its pixel cluster median value when there is excessive motion. Finally an adjustable pixel-replacement threshold is defined. Each pixel must deviate from its median value before it is replaced by that value.