Smallest 3-D camera offers brain surgery innovation

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQHnEUWEgRQ[/embed]

Posted on 08/10/2015

MARVEL, a fascinating 3-D camera, is going to improve the minimally invasive brain surgery. The most crucial structure in MARVEL is its camera. It determines the invasion ratio and visual field during the surgery. MARVEL’s camera is only 4 millimeters in diameter and around 15 millimeters long. However, it not only can sweep right or left but also look around corners up to 120-degree. Compared to the traditional open craniotomy, it reduces the high costs and long stays in hospitals. In addition, it lowers the high risk of craniotomy and raises the successful rate of the brain surgery. Another interesting function in this camera is that MARVEL generates 3-D images by two apertures. What is the secret of those two pores? These tow apertures have their own color filter, which can transmit distinct wavelengths of red, green and blue light. Using the turn and off system of wavelengths, the camera makes up the 3-D effect by two sets of images. The ultimate goal of this innovation is to make it suitable for use in medical settings.

[caption id=”attachment_21” align=”alignnone” width=”300”] A laboratory prototype of MARVEL, one of the world’s smallest 3-D cameras.[/caption]

Comment: I can image that we need just a few surgeon to accomplish the complex brain surgery and improve the survival rate of this serious trauma. It enhances the accuracy of the surgery, dropping the invasion and costs of this dangerous and expensive surgery. In addition to the medical use, we can implement a zoom function to capture the terrain and observe other microscopic details about planets or geography. It may be a widely used technology in the future.

Reference:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/08/150827111111.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craniotomy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQHnEUWEgRQ

Picture–Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Skull Base Institute.