A high-performance imaging and control system for a micromirror-based laser-scanning endoscope device

A novel reduced-size endoscope system based on a laser-scanning technology has been developed by the authors. This system employs specific silicon micromirrors and ensures a high-resolution color imaging with improved characteristics. A critical part of the device is its data-acquisition, control, and processing (DACP) system for real-time handling of the collected digital images. The supporting software is an event-driven application for the MS-Windows operating system that incorporates important features such as improved portability through the open PC architecture, cost effectiveness, high performance, and efficient scalability by using a symmetric multiprocessing desktop computer. In this paper, a presentation of the DACP system is performed with a focus in the software developed, which exploits the multithreading technology, resulting in a high-performance endoscope device.