3-chip Endoscope System Advances Fatigue-Free Operations

A new camera system for three-dimensional (3D) endoscopy reproduces an image with an immediately evident 3D effect, ensuring fatigue-free working.

The ENDOCAM Epic 3D high definition (HD) system offers high quality, distortion free stereo images, based on 3-chip HD sensors that guarantee a uniform 3D impression (when compared to “Chip-On-The-Tip” systems). Benefits of the system include HD color fidelity and detail resolution; superior image quality, thanks to the use of two 3-chip HD sensors; distortion-free images reproduced with accurate geometry; and vivid displays over the entire monitor area.


The general benefits of 3D Endoscopy include precise hand-eye coordination through the 3D image of the operating-room environment, realistic presentation of tissue structures in their actual spatial position, and a shorter and safer learning curve for more complex interventions. Coincidental benefits of 3D endoscopy include a more precise operation, resulting in more comfort for patients, as well as enhanced efficiency during suture positioning.

The ENDOCAM Epic 3D high definition (HD) system is a product of Richard Wolf (Knittlingen, Germany), and comes combined with the Sony LMD-3251MT 32-inch 3D monitor and circularly polarized glasses (necessary for 3D visualization).

One measure of the video quality of different cameras is whether the camera is 1-chip charge coupled device (CCD), or a 3-chip CCD configuration. While the 1-chip CCD uses a single computer chip to process the colors captured, the more expensive 3-chip CCD design has three separate computer chips, with each one processing a separate primary color - red, green, or blue, resulting in highly improved video quality.

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