A new wide-angle view endoscopic robot using wedge prisms

We describe a novel robotic endoscope system. It can be used to observe a wide area without moving or bending the endoscope. The system consists of a laparoscope with zoom facility and two wedge prisms at the tip. This new concept produces excellent characteristics as follows. Firstly, it can change the field of view even in a small space. Secondly, it is safe because it avoids the possibility of hitting internal organs. Finally, because it does not require a large mechanism for manipulation of the endoscope, it does not obstruct the surgeon's operation. During evaluation, we confirmed that the range of view and levels of image deformation were acceptable for clinical use.