Laser enhanced reconstruction of 3d surface

Abstract

A method for reconstructing a surface of a three-dimensional object (41) involves a projection of a laser spot pattern (12, 14) onto the surface of the three-dimensional object (41) by a laser (11), and a generation of a series of endoscopic images (24) as an endoscope (21) is translated and/or rotated relative to the three-dimensional object (41). Each endoscopic image (24) illustrates a different view (23) of a laser spot array (13, 15) within the laser spot pattern (12, 14) as projected onto the surface of the three-dimensional object (41) by the laser (11). The laser spot array (13, 15) may be identical to or a subset of the laser spot pattern (12, 14). The method further involves a reconstruction of the surface of the three-dimensional object (41) from a correspondence of the different views (23) of the laser spot array (13, 15) as illustrated in the endoscopic images (24).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for reconstructing a surface of a three-dimensional object, the system comprising:
 an endoscope configured to generate a series of endoscopic images as the endoscope is translated and/or rotated relative to the three-dimensional object, wherein each endoscopic image illustrates a different view of a laser spot array within a laser spot pattern projected onto the surface of the three-dimensional object; and   a processor, in communication with the endoscope, configured to reconstruct the surface of the three-dimensional object from a correspondence of each different view of the laser spot array as illustrated in the endoscopic images.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, to reconstruct the surface of the three-dimensional object, the processor is further configured to:
 generate a fundamental matrix that relates the different views of the laser spot array as illustrated in the endoscopic images; and   reconstruct three-dimensional object points as a function of the fundamental matrix and the different views of the laser spot array.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, to reconstruct the surface of the three-dimensional object, the processor is further configured to:
 generate a fundamental matrix that relates the different views of the laser spot array as illustrated in the endoscopic images;   detect surface features of the object as illustrated in the endoscopic image; and   reconstruct three-dimensional object points as a function of the fundamental matrix and the surface features of the object detected in the endoscopic images.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, to reconstruct the surface of the three-dimensional object, the processor is further configured to:
 generate a fundamental matrix that relates the different views of the laser spot array as illustrated in the endoscopic images.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein, to reconstruct the surface of the three-dimensional object, the processor is further configured to:
 generate an essential matrix that relates the different views of the laser spot array as illustrated in the endoscopic images, the essential matrix being a function of the fundamental matrix and a camera calibration matrix associated with a camera calibration of the endoscope.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein, to reconstruct the surface of the three-dimensional object, the processor is further configured to:
 generate a translation vector and a rotation matrix as a function of the essential matrix.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein, to reconstruct the surface of the three-dimensional object, the processor is further configured to:
 generate a projection matrix for each view of the laser spot array as a function of the translation vector and the rotation matrix, each projection matrix being a linear transformation of an associated view of the laser spot array.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein, to reconstruct the surface of the three-dimensional object, the processor is further configured to:
 reconstruct three-dimensional object points as a function of each projection matrix and associated views of the laser spot array.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein, to reconstruct the surface of the three-dimensional object, the processor is further configured to:
 detect surface features of the object as illustrated in the endoscopic images for each view of the laser spot array; and   reconstruct three-dimensional object points as a function of each projection matrix and each surface feature of the object detected in the endoscopic images.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the endoscope is intra-operatively calibrated from at least two of the endoscopic images. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a laser configured to project the laser spot pattern onto the surface of the three-dimensional object.   
     
     
         12 . A method for reconstructing a surface of a three-dimensional object, the method comprising:
 generating a series of endoscopic images as an endoscope is translated and/or rotated relative to the three-dimensional object, wherein each endoscopic image illustrates a different view of a laser spot array within a laser spot pattern projected onto the surface of the three-dimensional object; and   reconstructing the surface of the three-dimensional object from a correspondence of each different view of the laser spot array as illustrated in the endoscopic images.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 generating a fundamental matrix that relates the different views of the laser spot array as illustrated in the endoscopic images; and   reconstructing three-dimensional object points as a function of the fundamental matrix and the different views of the laser spot array.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 generating a fundamental matrix that relates the different views of the laser spot array as illustrated in the endoscopic images;   detecting surface features of the object as illustrated in the endoscopic image; and   reconstructing three-dimensional object points as a function of the fundamental matrix and the surface features of the object detected in the endoscopic images.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 generating a fundamental matrix that relates the different views of the laser spot array as illustrated in the endoscopic images; and   generating an essential matrix that relates the different views of the laser spot array as illustrated in the endoscopic images, the essential matrix being a function of the fundamental matrix and a camera calibration matrix associated with a camera calibration of the endoscope.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 generating a translation vector and a rotation matrix as a function of the essential matrix.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 generating a projection matrix for each view of the laser spot array as a function of the translation vector and the rotation matrix, each projection matrix being a linear transformation of an associated view of the laser spot array.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 reconstructing three-dimensional object points as a function of each projection matrix and associated views of the laser spot array.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 detecting surface features of the object as illustrated in the endoscopic images for each view of the laser spot array; and   reconstructing three-dimensional object points as a function of each projection matrix and each surface feature of the object detected in the endoscopic images.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored a computer program comprising instructions, the instructions, when the computer program is executed by a process, cause the processor to:
 generate a series of endoscopic images as an endoscope is translated and/or rotated relative to a three-dimensional object, wherein each endoscopic image illustrates a different view of a laser spot array within a laser spot pattern projected onto a surface of the three-dimensional object; and   reconstruct the surface of the three-dimensional object from a correspondence of each different view of the laser spot array as illustrated in the endoscopic images.