Snapshot light-field laryngoscope

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.