Sony develops life-saving 3D imaging microscopes for complex surgeries

Sony is integrating 3D imaging with microscopy. The company, which is known for its speakers, TVs, camera and most importantly, the PlayStation. It is now diversifying into imaging. It is one of the areas, which it already works in, in a minor way, since it makes the IMX sensors for smartphones. But delving into Microscopy and 3D imaging is taking it to a whole new level.

The company has revealed a new microscope that will use its imaging technology to make complex surgeries easier for surgeons. It will let the surgeon visualise the patient's body, both from outside and from within, with the least invasive procedure possible.

"In order to achieve more natural 3D expressions, Sony has been developing parallel optical mechanism optimized for 3D video filming, and also technologies to make those mechanisms more compact. Sony also leverages its wide-ranging expertise to reproduce a more natural three-dimensional image. These 3D imaging-related technologies are incorporated in the 4K 3D surgical microscope system," the company stated in a post on its website.

The microscope will reduce noise interference in dark areas of the body such as a person's throat, while the 3D imaging system will create a 3D representation of body parts such as the brain. Sony will also use the wide colour range production technology it uses in smartphones along with a low-latency video codec to broadcast from the equipment onto multiple screens so that surgeons can perform surgery with utmost accuracy.

The company may not have been a success in making smartphones, but the components that it makes have been used by major smartphone companies including Apple and Samsung. It is now using this strength to design a technology that can actually end up saving lives.

Sony has also announced a joint venture with Olympus medical solutions to develop systems that can help physicians and medical personnel get a clear view of a patient's body parts.