Real-time anatomical 3D image extraction for laparoscopic surgery

Progress in the application of augmented reality to laparoscopic surgery has been limited by the difficulty associated with generating geometric information about the current patient in real time. Structured light techniques are well known methods for generating range images using a camera and projector, but typically fail when faced with biological specimens. We describe techniques and equipment that have shown promise for acquisition of range images for use in a real-time augmented reality system for laparoscopic surgery.