Sony has announced the launch of what it claims is the industry’s first medical monitors to combine UltraHD and 3D imaging technologies, delivering high brightness, enhanced resolution and increased depth of field for a range of medical applications.
The new LMD-X550MT (55”) and LMD-X310MT (31”) UltraHD 3D surgical monitors are designed for use with UltraHD or 3D endoscopes and surgical microscopes in operating rooms, as well as in medical facilities for training and education. The new monitors display 2D and 3D content in UltraHD or HD resolution which Sony believes will match the UltraHD and next generation 3D endoscopes now being launched on to the marke.
The units are designed to have a slender chassis and narrow bezel UltraHD offers four times the resolution of HD, resulting in enhanced clarity, higher contrast and more accurate colour reproduction. The increased number of pixels in a UltraHD image means that objects displayed are more defined compared to a high-definition image, which, Sony claims, helps improve surgical vision. 3D visualisation, the company said, is clinically proven to improve surgical accuracy, reduce procedure times and deliver realistic depth perception. The combination of UltraHD and 3D expands the visualisation capabilities for surgical teams, where before 3D imagery was limited to HD resolution.
“With the introduction of these monitors, Sony has combined the best of both UltraHD and 3D worlds,” said John Herman, European Product Marketing Manager at Sony Professional Solutions Europe. “Namely – improved surgical vision through higher resolution, enhanced identification of tissue surface structure from increased brightness and colour reproduction and improvements in surgical accuracy with increased depth perception from 3D visualisation.”
The new monitor series can display an increased number of 3D signal formats, compared to existing models, in both HD and UltraHD resolutions. In the case of dual-channel 3D HD video format, used by many 3D endoscopes, these new monitors can combine and reproduce the full HD resolution of both left and right channels, whereas conventional 3D monitors have to discard 50% of the vertical resolution as they are limited to using an HD panel.
The monitors also include Sony’s original OptiContrast panel, an optical technology that reduces glare and reflection, and is intended to increase contrast to assure sharp, vivid images with deep black reproduction. By enhancing the contrast ratio under direct lighting, OptiContrast technology aims to ensure that colour reproduction is also improved, again helping visualisation accuracy for surgical staff. An AIME (Advanced Image Multiple Enhancer) process allows operators to adjust the structure and colours of UltraHD and 3D images from endoscopes and surgical microscopes in real time, for more comfortable viewing.
These monitors are designed with an edge-to-edge water resistant glass front design, aluminum housing and a removable cable cover at the rear to hide connectors and manage cables neatly. Due to the sleek design of the monitors Sony said that they can be easily wiped down using commonly available cleaning solutions for infection control.
The monitors will also come equipped with compatible and disposable 3D eye-shields that are intended for use by surgeons and nursing staff viewing images on Sony´s medical monitors. The eye-shields comply with the requirements outlined by Annex II of Directive 89/686/EEC on Personal Protective Equipment, and can be used to protect staff against splashes from blood and other liquids, as well as enabling 3D viewing on surgical monitors during laparoscopic surgical procedures.
The new LMD-X550MT and LMD-X310MT UltraHD 3D monitors will be showcased for the first time at Medica in Düsseldorf from 14-17 November 2016 (Hall 10 Stand H57) and will be available in Europe in December 2016. For more information, visit www.pro.sony.eu/medical.
The LMD-X550MT and LMD-X310MT monitors comply with the Medical Device Directive 93/42/EEC as amended by 2007/47/EC.
Analyst Comment
In checking the Sony site, I found the HMS-300MT, a 3D headset that is being offered to the market for 3D surgery. The unit uses 0.7″ AMOLEDs with 1280 x 720 resolution. Input is by SDI/HD-SDI and DVD-D (x2) and there are loopthrough outputs. The headset is designed to allow a surgeon to look down directly and see their hands. (BR)
