Reconfigurable Micro-Camera Array With Panoramic Vision for Surgical Imaging

We present a prototype of a micro-panoramic vision system that includes four micro-cameras controlled simultaneously by mechanical arm-like actuators, structurally similar to umbrella ribs. Each camera rests on an arm that can be oriented at an angle simultaneously with the other three arms. This arrangement offers reconfigurable angle of view and depth perception. Stitching of the images from the four cameras in any one configuration yields a horizontal field of view (FoV) of approximately 45°. Dynamic stitching of panoramas from different configurations can increase the composite horizontal FoV to up to 130° . This micro-camera set is configured in the context of laparoscopic surgery and single-port surgery. Our prototype yields a significantly larger FoV as compared to a commercial laparoscopic camera.