PC-based control unit for a head-mounted operating microscope for augmented-reality visualization in surgical navigation

Michael Figl; Wolfgang Birkfellner; Franz Watzinger; Felix Wanschitz; Johann Hummel; Rudolf A. Hanel; Rolf Ewers; Helmar Bergmann

doi:10.1117/12.466983

17 May 2002 PC-based control unit for a head-mounted operating microscope for augmented-reality visualization in surgical navigation

Michael Figl, Wolfgang Birkfellner, Franz Watzinger, Felix Wanschitz, Johann Hummel, Rudolf A. Hanel, Rolf Ewers, Helmar Bergmann

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 4681, Medical Imaging 2002: Visualization, Image-Guided Procedures, and Display; (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.466983
Event: Medical Imaging 2002, 2002, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Two main concepts of Head Mounted Displays (HMD) for augmented reality (AR) visualization exist, the optical and video-see through type. Several research groups have pursued both approaches for utilizing HMDs for computer aided surgery. While the hardware requirements for a video see through HMD to achieve acceptable time delay and frame rate seem to be enormous the clinical acceptance of such a device is doubtful from a practical point of view. Starting from previous work in displaying additional computer-generated graphics in operating microscopes, we have adapted a miniature head mounted operating microscope for AR by integrating two very small computer displays. To calibrate the projection parameters of this so called Varioscope AR we have used Tsai's Algorithm for camera calibration. Connection to a surgical navigation system was performed by defining an open interface to the control unit of the Varioscope AR. The control unit consists of a standard PC with a dual head graphics adapter to render and display the desired augmentation of the scene. We connected this control unit to a computer aided surgery (CAS) system by the TCP/IP interface. In this paper we present the control unit for the HMD and its software design. We tested two different optical tracking systems, the Flashpoint (Image Guided Technologies, Boulder, CO), which provided about 10 frames per second, and the Polaris (Northern Digital, Ontario, Canada) which provided at least 30 frames per second, both with a time delay of one frame.

Citation Download Citation

Michael Figl, Wolfgang Birkfellner, Franz Watzinger, Felix Wanschitz, Johann Hummel, Rudolf A. Hanel, Rolf Ewers, and Helmar Bergmann "PC-based control unit for a head-mounted operating microscope for augmented-reality visualization in surgical navigation", Proc. SPIE 4681, Medical Imaging 2002: Visualization, Image-Guided Procedures, and Display, (17 May 2002); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.466983

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available