Miniaturised 3D camera ‘offers brain surgery potential’

NASA scientists have developed a miniaturised 3D camera that could be used to make brain surgery safer and more effective.

Developed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, the MARVEL (Multi Angle Rear Viewing Endoscopic tooL) device consists of a camera that is only four mm in diameter and about 15 mm long, attached to a bendable and highly manoeuvrable neck.

The camera has two apertures, each with its own colour filter, with images from each of the two merged to create a 3D effect. The resulting 3D images allow surgeons see more intricacies of the tissue they are handling, leading to faster, safer procedures.

A laboratory prototype of the device has been created, with further work to be conducted to refine the engineering of the tool to make it suitable for use in real-world medical settings and receive regulatory approval.

Harish Manohara, principal investigator of the project at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said: "With one of the world's smallest 3D cameras, MARVEL is designed for minimally invasive brain surgery."

It could also be used in space exploration, allowing robotic probes to deliver intricate 3D views of geological features of interest.