The Endoscope (Figure 1) uses 3D printed pieces to keep its price-point low, while also using a solar-rechargeable LED lumen light.
Figure 1: Endokscope disassembled and in-use.
This study compared the recordings of six smart phones to that of a 45,000 USD Karl Storz imaging platform. Although the Storz platform did universally score higher in terms of quality, color, brightness, sharpness, and overall performance, the Endokscope offered an extremely reasonable comparison given its price. In fact, many of the differences between the HD camera and the Endokscope were not statistically significant. Of note, the Apple iPhone 7 had no statistically significant differences at all to the HD camera platform.
This study also included evaluators to indicate the efficacy of the endokscope in clinical diagnostics. All evaluators found the Samsung Galaxy S8 to be suitable for diagnoses.
All in all, this study presents an incredibly exciting future for endoscopy on a global scale: this technology is affordable, very easy to use and to disseminate, and is comparable to contemporary HD camera platforms that are 1000x more expensive.
Presented by: Renai Yoon, BS, University of California, Irvine, Orange, California
Co-Authors: Roshan M. Patel, Assistant Clinical Professor, University of California, Irvine, Department of Urology, Orange, California, Christina Tse, Zhamshid Okhunov, Professor and Chair Jaime Landman, and Professor Ralph V. Clayman
Author Affiliation: Department of Urology, University of California, Irvine, USA
Written by Mitchell O’Leary, Department of Urology, University of California-Irvine, medical writer for UroToday.com at the 36th World Congress of Endourology (WCE) and SWL - September 20-23, 2018 Paris, France