Snapshot light-field laryngoscope

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel light-field imaging approach for laryngoscopy, enabling 3D imaging of vocal folds in a single shot and improving spatial resolution through an innovative image fusion algorithm.

Contribution

It is the first application of light-field imaging in laryngoscopy, combining optical fabrication, digital processing, and a new fusion algorithm for enhanced 3D imaging.

Findings

Successful 3D imaging of vocal folds in a single exposure

Development of a novel image fusion algorithm for light-field data

Enhanced spatial resolution in light-field laryngoscopy

Abstract

The convergence of recent advances in optical fabrication and digital processing yields a new generation of imaging technology: light-field cameras, which bridge the realms of applied mathematics, optics, and high-performance computing. Herein for the first time, we introduce the paradigm of light-field imaging into laryngoscopy. The resultant probe can image the three-dimensional (3D) shape of vocal folds within a single camera exposure. Furthermore, to improve the spatial resolution, we developed an image fusion algorithm, providing a simple solution to a long-standing problem in light-field imaging.