Tsai Frank S, Johnson Daniel, Cho Sung Hwan, Qiao Wen, Arianpour Ashkan, Lo Yu-Hwa
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0407, USA.
Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2009;2009:4081-4. doi: 10.1109/IEMBS.2009.5334570.
We report a new type of surgical camera that will greatly improve minimally invasive surgery (MIS). The key enabling technology for this camera is a unique type of lens-bio-inspired fluidic lens, which is a bio-mimetic lens that can change its curvature, just like the way human crystalline lens can accommodate. Because of its curvature changing capability, it is now possible to design a new regime of optical systems where auto-focusing and optical zoom can be performed without moving the lens positions, as is done in typical cameras. Hence, miniaturized imaging system with high functionality can be achieved with such technology. MIS is a surgical technique where small incisions are made on the abdominal wall as opposed to a large cut in open surgery. This type of surgery ensures faster patient recovery. The key tool for MIS is its surgical camera, or laparoscope. Traditional laparoscope is long and rigid and limits the field of view. To further advance MIS technology, we utilized bio-inspired fluidic lens to design a highly versatile imager that is small, can change its field of view or zoom optically, works in low light conditions, and varies the viewing angles. The surgical camera prototype is small (total track<17 mm), possesses 3X optical zoom, operates with light emitting diode (LED) lighting, among many other unique features.
我们报告了一种新型手术相机，它将极大地改善微创手术（MIS）。这款相机的关键 enabling 技术是一种独特类型的镜头——受生物启发的流体镜头，它是一种仿生镜头，能够改变其曲率，就如同人类晶状体能够调节一样。由于其曲率变化能力，现在有可能设计一种新的光学系统模式，在这种模式下可以在不移动镜头位置的情况下进行自动对焦和光学变焦，这与典型相机的操作方式不同。因此，利用这种技术可以实现具有高功能的小型化成像系统。微创手术是一种在腹壁上做小切口的手术技术，与开放手术中的大切口相反。这种手术方式能确保患者更快康复。微创手术的关键工具是其手术相机，即腹腔镜。传统腹腔镜又长又硬，限制了视野。为了进一步推进微创手术技术，我们利用受生物启发的流体镜头设计了一种高度通用的成像仪，它体积小、能够改变视野或进行光学变焦、在低光照条件下工作并且可以改变视角。该手术相机原型体积小（总长度<17 毫米），具备 3 倍光学变焦，采用发光二极管（LED）照明，还有许多其他独特特性。
