To reduce size and cost of a stereo camera and an onboard lighting unit. A stereo camera includes a first convex hyperboloidal mirror and a second convex hyperboloidal mirror that share a central axis and are vertically disposed with vertexes facing each other, an imaging optical system, and an image sensor. The second convex hyperboloidal mirror is formed of an outer circumferential hyperboloidal mirror and an inner circumferential hyperboloidal mirror that share the central axis with different conic constants, and an absolute value of the conic constant of the inner circumferential hyperboloidal mirror is greater than an absolute value of the conic constant of the outer circumferential hyperboloidal mirror.

A method is provided for calibrating a stereo imaging system by using at least one camera and a planar mirror. The method involves obtaining at least two images with the camera, each of the images being captured from a different camera position and containing the mirror view of the camera and a mirror view of an object, thereby obtaining multiple views of the object. The method further involves finding the center of the picture of the camera in each of the images, obtaining a relative focal length of the camera, determining an aspect ratio in each of the images, determining the mirror plane equation in the coordinate system of the camera, defining an up-vector in the mirror's plane, selecting a reference point in the mirror's plane, determining the coordinate transformation from the coordinate system of the image capturing camera into the mirror coordinate system, and determining a coordinate transformation.

A method is provided for calibrating a stereo imaging system by using at least one camera and a planar mirror. The method involves obtaining at least two images with the camera, each of the images being captured from a different camera position and containing the mirror view of the camera and a mirror view of an object, thereby obtaining multiple views of the object. The method further involves finding the center of the picture of the camera in each of the images, obtaining a relative focal length of the camera, determining an aspect ratio in each of the images, determining the mirror plane equation in the coordinate system of the camera, defining an up-vector in the mirror's plane, selecting a reference point in the mirror's plane, determining the coordinate transformation from the coordinate system of the image capturing camera into the mirror coordinate system, and determining a coordinate transformation.

A stereoscopic visualization camera and platform are disclosed. An example stereoscopic visualization camera includes a main objective assembly and left and right lens sets defining respective parallel left and right optical paths from light that is received from the main objective assembly of a target surgical site. Each of the left and right lens sets includes a front lens, first and second zoom lenses configured to be movable along the optical path, and a lens barrel configured to receive the light from the second zoom lens. The example stereoscopic visualization camera also includes left and right image sensors configured to convert the light after passing through the lens barrel into image data that is indicative of the received light. The example stereoscopic visualization camera further includes a processor configured to convert the image data into stereoscopic video signals or video data for display on a display monitor.

A stereoscopic visualization camera and platform are disclosed. An example stereoscopic visualization camera includes a main objective assembly and left and right lens sets defining respective parallel left and right optical paths from light that is received from the main objective assembly of a target surgical site. Each of the left and right lens sets includes a front lens, first and second zoom lenses configured to be movable along the optical path, and a lens barrel configured to receive the light from the second zoom lens. The example stereoscopic visualization camera also includes left and right image sensors configured to convert the light after passing through the lens barrel into image data that is indicative of the received light. The example stereoscopic visualization camera further includes a processor configured to convert the image data into stereoscopic video signals or video data for display on a display monitor.

A multi-directional digital camera comprising: a light sensor capable of converting incoming light beams into an electrical signal output representing an imaged scene; one or more multi-mode optical path controlling elements, each having at least two operation modes including (a) a first operation mode in which the multi-mode optical path controlling element reflects the light beams directed thereon, and (b) a second operation mode in which the multi-mode optical path controlling element enables passage of the light beams directed thereon; a controller configured to selectively change the imaged scene by selectively changing an optical path of the light beams, wherein changing the optical path is made by changing the operation modes of one or more of the multi-mode optical path controlling elements.

A multi-directional digital camera comprising: a light sensor capable of converting incoming light beams into an electrical signal output representing an imaged scene; one or more multi-mode optical path controlling elements, each having at least two operation modes including (a) a first operation mode in which the multi-mode optical path controlling element reflects the light beams directed thereon, and (b) a second operation mode in which the multi-mode optical path controlling element enables passage of the light beams directed thereon; a controller configured to selectively change the imaged scene by selectively changing an optical path of the light beams, wherein changing the optical path is made by changing the operation modes of one or more of the multi-mode optical path controlling elements.

An image display apparatus according to the present invention includes an image light generator (100) that emits image light, a first reflection element (11) that the image light from the image light generator (100) is to enter, the first reflection element (11) having a transmitting action and a reflecting action on the image light, a second reflection element (12) that reflects, toward the first reflection element (11), the image light that has entered via the first reflection element (11) and causes the image light to re-enter the first reflection element (11), the second reflection element (12) having a reflecting action on the image light, a light-condensing optical system (20) that converges, toward a position of a pupil of an observer, the image light that has re-entered the first reflection element (11), and a controller (40) that controls a placement angle of the first reflection element (11), the second reflection element (12), or both on the basis of the position of the pupil of the observer.

Production of calibrated stereo images and more particularly methods of producing calibrated stereo images by using a planar mirror and computer program products to carry out the methods. By using mirrored view(s) of at least one camera with multiple (different) mirrored views of an object in one or more captured images, the 3D coordinates of a point in real space with respect to the mirror's coordinate system can be easily determined even if the mirror's coordinate system is not known in advance. Additionally, the real distance between two selected spatial points appearing in one or more captured images can be determined on the basis of their corresponding image points. The invention includes the steps of finding a reference coordinate system by using the captured images, and then determining the transformations between the reference coordinate system and the camera coordinate system, as described in greater detail herein.

Production of calibrated stereo images and more particularly methods of producing calibrated stereo images by using a planar mirror and computer program products to carry out the methods. By using mirrored view(s) of at least one camera with multiple (different) mirrored views of an object in one or more captured images, the 3D coordinates of a point in real space with respect to the mirror's coordinate system can be easily determined even if the mirror's coordinate system is not known in advance. Additionally, the real distance between two selected spatial points appearing in one or more captured images can be determined on the basis of their corresponding image points. The invention includes the steps of finding a reference coordinate system by using the captured images, and then determining the transformations between the reference coordinate system and the camera coordinate system, as described in greater detail herein.