World's tiniest video camera helps doctors see inside of you
The thought of an endoscope entering any orifice is an unpleasant one, even if it's so your doctor can diagnose what ails you. Good thing Medigus made the world's smallest video camera so those medical probes are a little less painful. It's .99mm in diameter -- making it a smidge smaller than previous peewee endoscopes -- and packs a .66mm x .66mm CMOS sensor to deliver video of your insides at 45,000 pixels worth of resolution. Best of all, the devices are disposable, so clean-up's a breeze. A reusable version is also available, but given where these things go, we're just fine with them being one use only. PR's after the break.
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Less Than 1 mm in Diameter, the Camera is Used for Medical Endoscopic Procedures
OMER, Israel, May 3, 2011 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Medigus Ltd. (TASE: MDGS) has developed the world's smallest video camera - just 0.99 mm in diameter.
These miniature cameras are manufactured from materials suitable for human medical procedures. They are designed specifically for small-diameter disposable endoscopic devices, used in diagnostic and surgical procedures in regions of the anatomy where larger scopes are not viable. Medical fields in which such tools are required include: cardiology; orthopedics; gastroenterology; gynecology; otolaryngology, bronchoscopy and robotic surgery.
These cameras will be integrated into endoscopic devices developed and manufactured by the company, and also sold to third-party medical device manufacturers. Medigus will begin supplying camera samples in the coming weeks to US and Japanese companies which produce cardiology-related devices. The miniature cameras offered by Medigus are supported by the company's digital video processing systems.
The second generation cameras utilize advanced technology, notably the TSV (Through Silicon Via) method which enables miniaturization and reduction of mass-production costs. A dedicated 0.66x0.66 mm CMOS sensor provides high image resolution at 45,000 pixels. When manufactured and sold in large quantities, the costs are sufficiently low for the camera to be used in disposable devices, eliminating the need for costly, time-consuming and potentially hazardous device sterilization.
The global miniature camera market for disposable endoscopic devices is estimated at 4M units in 2011 and 7M in 2015.
"We are excited to release our second generation of disposable cameras to further progress the medical endoscopic field." said Dr. Elazar Sonnenschein, CEO for Medigus Ltd. "Medical procedures that have not been possible until now become possible with the world's smallest camera. The advanced technology provides the medical community and patients with safe, quality and cost-effective treatment."
