Medical support apparatus, medical support method, and medical support system

A medical support system comprising a first medical support apparatus and a second medical support apparatus, for sharing, among users, a view or an operation of at least one of the users, each of said first medical support apparatus and said second medical support apparatus including:

• an image capturing unit configured to capture an image according to the view of the user to obtain an image capturing signal;
• an attitude observing unit configured to obtain information on an attitude of said image capturing unit;
• a position observing unit configured to obtain information on an image capturing position of said image capturing unit;
• an operation detecting unit configured to detect, from the image capturing signal obtained by said image capturing unit, the operation of the user and an operation position at which the user performs the operation, the user wearing said medical support apparatus;
• a view management unit configured to manage the image capturing signal, the information on the attitude, and the information on the image capturing position in association with one another;
• a superimposed information constructing unit configured to determine (i) superimposed details based on the operation detected by said operation detecting unit and (ii) information on the operation position based on the image capturing signal, the information on the attitude, and the information on the image capturing position, and generate superimposed information including the superimposed details and the information on the operation position;
• a display management unit configured to generate a viewpoint image from the image capturing signal, generate an image by superimposing the superimposed details at the operation position on the viewpoint image, and display the image;
• and
• a communication unit configured to communicate with at least one other medical support apparatus,
• wherein said communication unit of said first medical support apparatus is configured to transmit the superimposed information to said second medical support apparatus,
• said communication unit of said second medical support apparatus is configured to receive the superimposed information from said first medical support apparatus, and
• said display management unit of said second medical support apparatus is configured to generate an image by superimposing the superimposed details at the operation position on the viewpoint image, based on the received superimposed information.

A medical support method for sharing, among users, a view or an operation of at least one of the users, said method being performed by a medical support apparatus including an image capturing unit that captures an image according to the view of the user to obtain an image capturing signal, and comprising:

• obtaining information on an attitude of the image capturing unit;
• obtaining information on an image capturing position of the image capturing unit;
• detecting, from the image capturing signal obtained by the image capturing unit, the operation of the user and an operation position at which the user performs the operation, the user wearing the medical support apparatus;
• managing the image capturing signal, the information on the attitude, and the information on the image capturing position in association with one another;
• determining (i) superimposed details based on the operation detected by the operation detecting unit and (ii) information on the operation position based on the image capturing signal, the information on the attitude, and the information on the image capturing position, and generating superimposed information including the superimposed details and the information on the operation position;
• generating a viewpoint image from the image capturing signal, generating an image by superimposing the superimposed details at the operation position on the viewpoint image, and displaying the image;
• and
• transmitting the superimposed information to at least one other medical support apparatus.