Sony to release a microscopic 3D camcorder

Sony’s HD 3D camcorder will be attachable to common-used operation microscopes, as the company aim to become the ultimate name in 3D medical technologies.

"We will promote the use of our 3D technologies, which we have developed for the field of consumer electronics, in the medical field," Sony said. "We will establish a position so that everyone will say, 'Speaking of 3D in the medical field, it's Sony.'"

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As the value of 3D for entertainment is increasingly questioned, 3D can massively improve accuracy in the field of healthcare. Sony have already released the "LMD-2451MT" – a medical 3D LCD monitor designed for surgeons and training situations. When combined with the new microscopic 3D camcorder (the MCC-3000MT), other staff members will be able to see neurosurgery, ophthalmology and otolaryngology operations in 3D.

Sony utilised some of the image processing technology integrated in their broadcast 3D camcorders. The camcorder consists of two (right and left) cameras and one control unit. It is able to record 3D video by attaching the two camera units to an operation microscope. Both cameras record full HD images.

Sony also announced it will release the "HVO-3000MT" 3D medical recorder and the "VMI-40MD" image multiplexer later this year. When the camcorder is combined with the image multiplexer, real-time 3D video transmission “will advance telemedicine services”, the company said, ideal for remote training. Other products will further the field of endoscopic surgeries, where the “need for 3D video is high” including the application of its 3D head-mounted display (HMD) technologies for endoscopic surgery say Sony.

"At this point, there are few 3D endoscopes in the market," Sony said. "But, in the near future, several major manufactures are expected to launch products. We will expand the product line of 3D video products for endoscopes in response to that movement."

Stereoscopic 3D applications can greatly improve the accuracy of operations and training and could become potentially become a competitive market for AV manufacturers. JVC already offer a 3D passive medical display which was used in a trial summer last year.

Mattu, the internationally recognised centre of excellence for teaching innovative laparoscopic surgical techniques, initiated a live stereoscopic broadcast to a training facility which incorporated cutting-edge motion tracking technology to record the exact movements of the surgeon.

For the live stereo surgery, 3D specialists Inition provided a 3D Panasonic camera (Panasonic AG-3DA1), Sony and JVC displays and an endoscopic camera which were integrated with a LG CF3D projector in the viewing room. The audio-visual presentation enabled the doctors to talk to the students throughout the surgery whilst they viewed the operation in 3D just as the doctors saw it.

At the time, Shannon Dowsing, Inition’s 3D display consultant commented: “In a fast growing market it is easy to forget the practical applications for 3D. It truly is a sign of how good the technology is now that we can incorporate so many components into a flawless solution for medical training.” Read the full story here.

Last year, 3D Focus reported that ISee3D had showcased the world’s first single sensor 3D microscope adaptor at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Annual Meeting in Orlando. 

ISee3D Product Manager Shawn Veltman told us “In some applications, dual lens 3D just won’t be a useful solution especially when you’re looking at applications where size is critical, like in endoscopes for minimally invasive surgery but by removing the requirement for a second lens, you can dramatically reduce the size of the endoscope and enable many additional types of minimally invasive surgeries to be performed that provide depth information to the surgeon.”

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