An optical system of a stereo-video endoscope with a sideways viewing direction, the optical system including: a sideways-viewing distal optical assembly; and a proximal optical assembly; wherein the distal optical assembly includes an inlet lens, a deflecting unit configured as a prism unit, and an outlet lens on a common optical axis one after the other in the direction of light incidence, the proximal optical assembly includes a left and a right lens system channel, the lens system channels being identically configured and arranged parallel to each other, each lens system channel having its own optical axis, and the outlet lens is formed with one or more of a light-impermeable coating on a light inlet side facing the deflecting unit and with a light-impermeable coating formed on a light outlet side facing away from the deflecting unit in a central region of the outlet lens.

A family of endoscopes includes a non-zero degree endoscope and a zero degree endoscope. The zero degree endoscope includes a first image capture unit mounted in a distal portion of the zero degree endoscope with a lengthwise axis of the first image capture unit substantially parallel to a lengthwise axis of that distal portion. The non-zero degree endoscope includes a second image capture unit mounted in a distal portion of the non-zero degree endoscope with a lengthwise axis of the second image capture unit intersecting a lengthwise axis of that distal portion at a non-zero angle. The first and second image capture units have substantially identical non-folded optical paths.

A stereoscopic optical system that includes an image member that is located at a position along a center optical axis and that has a first stereoscopic image area on a first side of the optical axis for receipt of a first stereoscopic image thereon and a second, separate stereoscopic image area on a second, separate side of the optical axis for receipt of a second, separate stereoscopic image thereon. The system includes an optical arrangement extending along the center optical axis and includes a roof prism with first and second roof segments. The arrangement is configured to transmit image-forming rays passing through the first roof segment to the first stereoscopic image area along a first optical path through the arrangement and is configured to transmit image-forming rays passing through the second roof segment to the second stereoscopic image area along a second, different optical path through the arrangement.

A stereoscopic endoscope apparatus includes: an image pickup device configured to pick up optical images for a right eye and a left eye; a similarity degree determination portion configured to receive input of an image signal for the right eye and an image signal for the left eye outputted from the image pickup device, and calculate a similarity degree between the image for the right eye and the image for the left eye; and an image signal output portion configured to switch and output a three-dimensional image signal formed of the image signal for the right eye and the image signal for the left eye and a two-dimensional image signal formed of either one of the image signal for the right eye and the image signal for the left eye, based on the similarity degree calculated by the similarity degree determination portion.

A relay optical system for a rigid endoscope has two identically formed lens systems which are arranged symmetrically to each other with respect to a plane of symmetry that is perpendicular to the optical axis. The lens systems each comprise a first biconvex lens, a biconcave lens, a rod lens having a convex lens surface facing the plane of symmetry and a concave lens surface facing away from the plane of symmetry, and a second biconvex lens, in this order as viewed from the plane of symmetry.

In a minimally invasive surgical system, an image capture unit includes a prism assembly and sensor assembly. The prism assembly includes a beam splitter, while the sensor assembly includes coplanar image capture sensors. Each of the coplanar image capture sensors has a common front end optical structure, e.g., the optical structure distal to the image capture unit is the same for each of the sensors. A controller enhances images acquired by the coplanar image capture sensors. The enhanced images may include (a) visible images with enhanced feature definition, in which a particular feature in the scene is emphasized to the operator of minimally invasive surgical system; (b) images having increased image apparent resolution; (c) images having increased dynamic range; (d) images displayed in a way based on a pixel color component vector having three or more color components; and (e) images having extended depth of field.

A novel dual-path-endoscope where a multi-function light source produces a first-light and a second-light toward an object. The first-light exhibits first-light-characteristics. The second-light exhibits second-light-characteristics different from the first-light-characteristics. The endoscope includes two light-paths, the disparity there between is larger than zero. Each light-path includes a respective pupil and a respective light-separator coupled with the pupil, transmitting there through one of the first-light and the second-light, associating the first-light and the second-light with a respective light-path. The dual-channel-imager includes two imager sensors, each associated with a respective light-path and optically coupled with a respective light-separator. Each imaging-sensor exhibits sensitivity to the characteristics of the respective one of the first-light and the second-light. A first imaging-sensor acquires a first-image of the first-light reflected of the object and a second imaging-sensor acquires a second-image of the second-light reflected of the object. The processor processes the acquired images.

An apparatus for capturing a stereo image includes a first objective for producing a first image, a second eye objective for producing a second eye image, a first viewing direction device rotatable about a first axis assigned the first objective, and a second viewing direction device rotatable about a second axis assigned the second objective. The viewing direction of the apparatus is rotatable by simultaneous rotation of the first and second viewing direction devices. The first objective or part is movable in a translational fashion. A cam mechanism is provided and embodied to couple a rotation of the first viewing direction device to a translational movement of the first objective or part.

A surgery assisting apparatus comprises: a distance measuring unit configured to measure a distance to an object in a body cavity; a hollow tube including a cylindrical portion to be partially inserted into the body cavity and a portion that performs distance measurement by the distance measuring unit, the hollow tube enabling distance measurement in a given position on a circumference at a predetermined distance from a major axis of the cylindrical portion; and a controller configured to control the position on the circumference around the major axis where the distance measuring unit performs distance measurement, such that approach of a medical instrument inserted into the body cavity to the object is sensed, wherein the controller controls the position on the circumference around the major axis in accordance with an advancing direction of a distal end of the medical instrument.

An imaging condition set in a first region of a three-dimensional model of a subject and an imaging condition set in a second region of the three-dimensional model are different from each other. A processor of an observation device determines whether or not the imaging condition that has been set in the first region or the second region including a position on the three-dimensional model is satisfied. The position is identified on the basis of a position of an imaging device and a posture of the imaging device. The processor displays observation information on a display on the basis of a result of determination. The observation information represents whether or not the first region or the second region including the position on the three-dimensional model has been observed.