title: Time-of-Flight 3-D endoscopy.
abstract: This paper describes the first accomplishment of the Time-of-Flight (ToF) measurement principle via endoscope optics. The applicability of the approach is verified by in-vitro experiments. Off-the-shelf ToF camera sensors enable the per-pixel, on-chip, real-time, marker-less acquisition of distance information. The transfer of the emerging ToF measurement technique to endoscope optics is the basis for a new generation of ToF rigid or flexible 3-D endoscopes. No modification of the endoscope optic itself is necessary as only an enhancement of illumination unit and image sensors is necessary. The major contribution of this paper is threefold: First, the accomplishment of the ToF measurement principle via endoscope optics; second, the development and validation of a complete calibration and post-processing routine; third, accomplishment of extensive in-vitro experiments. Currently, a depth measurement precision of 0.89 mm at 20 fps with 3072 3-D points is achieved.
authors.affiliation: Chair of Pattern Recognition and Erlangen Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany. Jochen.Penne@informatik.uni-erlangen.de
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Penne
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Höller
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stürmer
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schrauder
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Engelbrecht
authors.forename: Hubertus
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Feussner
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schmauss
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hornegger
mesh_terms: D019723:Endoscopes; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008029:Lighting / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014159:Transducers