Patent ID: 8284234

Claim:
An endoscopic imaging apparatus comprising: a stereo endoscope for providing at least first and second video signals corresponding to first and second perspectives of an object; a reflection holographic optical element that reconstructs rays of incident light to form at least first and second viewing zones corresponding to first and second azimuthal angles of incidence of the rays of light on the reflection holographic optical element; a first projector for projecting an image corresponding to the first video signal at a first azimuthal angle and first altitudinal angle onto the reflection holographic optical element; and a second projector for projecting an image corresponding to the second video signal at a second azimuthal angle and the first altitudinal angle onto the reflection holographic optical element such that the reflection holographic element redirects light from the first projector to a first viewing zone and light from the second projector to a second viewing zone so that a viewer positioned with one eye in the first viewing zone and the other eye in the second viewing zone may perceive a three-dimensional image, the first and second projectors disposed generally above the reflection holographic optical element with central principal rays of corresponding output lenses coaxially aligned.