Minimally invasive medical applications by means of endoscopes show several advantages over open surgery treatments. The challenges lie in achieving a perfect manoeuvring, handling and optical vision combined with the miniaturization of all components. To address optical limitations, especially with regard to image resolution and field of view, a previously designed multi-resolution foveated laparoscope (MRFL) with autofocus and zooming capabilities has been redesigned and optimized.

The performance of the new MRFL is evaluated in comparison with the previous one regarding image brightness, slanted edge modulation transfer function, and resolution by means of a resolution test chart. Furthermore, real-time digital corrections of the chromatic aberration in wide-view and zoom-view have been developed to improve the image quality. The opto-mechanical redesign confronts challenges such as the computer-controlled and reproducible movement of optical components and the mechanical manufacturing.

Although bench tests, and tests in animal surgery, show improvements, such developments need the immediate contact and cooperative discussion with the potential end-users (e.g., clinical endoscopists) to be successfully translated into medical use. Additionally, such technical achievements need to be directly compared with conventional clinically established, as well as innovative, specialized endoscopes as competing techniques, in order to identify their real technical niche, or gap, and medical need.

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