Identification and Characterization of Fiber Optic Imaging Bundle Structures in Endoscopic Fringe Projection Systems.

Area of Science:

• Optical engineering
• Medical imaging
• Endoscopy

Background:

• Endoscopic fringe projection is crucial for inspecting hard-to-reach areas.
• Fiber optic imaging bundles (FOIB) are used to transfer fringe patterns.
• Minimizing fibers in FOIB for flexibility degrades pattern quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop methods for projecting high-frequency fringe patterns using FOIB with a reduced number of fibers.
• To adapt FOIB structure to overcome limitations of fiber count on pattern quality.

Main Methods:

• Identifying the spatial structure of FOIB in relation to projector pixels.
• Addressing individual fibers by determining their center points.
• Recording intensity curves to analyze nonlinear behavior of fiber spots.
• Developing an algorithm to adapt fringe pattern orientation and intensity.

Main Results:

• Individual fiber spots exhibit nonlinear intensity behavior.
• Intensity distribution within fiber spots changes.
• The algorithm successfully adapts fringe patterns.
• Improved amplitude and signal-to-noise ratio were achieved, especially for high-frequency patterns.

Conclusions:

• Adapting FOIB structure enables high-quality fringe pattern projection even with fewer fibers.
• This method enhances the feasibility of endoscopic fringe projection in demanding applications.
• The developed algorithm significantly improves pattern quality and inspection reliability.