Horizontal image alignment in rotatable imaging system

A surgical system, comprising:

• a handheld cable housing with a user input device positioned thereon;
• an endoscope shaft with a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the proximal end of the endoscope shaft is releasably coupled to the handheld cable housing at an interface axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the endoscope shaft, wherein the distal end of the endoscope shaft comprises an image sensor, wherein the endoscope shaft is rotatable relative to the handheld cable housing;
• and
• one or more angular position sensors configured to measure an angular offset relative to a defined image horizon, wherein at least one of the one or more angular position sensors is positioned on the endoscope shaft.

A method comprising:

• defining an image horizon relative to an orientation of a surgical system, wherein the surgical system comprises a handheld cable housing with a user input device positioned thereon and a shaft with an image sensor positioned in a distal end of the shaft, wherein the shaft is releasably coupled to the handheld cable housing at an interface axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the shaft such that the shaft is rotatable relative to the handheld cable housing;
• determining an angular offset between the image horizon and a direction of view of the shaft, wherein the angular offset is measured by one or more angular position sensors, and wherein at least one of the one or more angular position sensors is positioned on the shaft;
• and
• transmitting image data captured by the image sensor and angular offset data indicative of the angular offset, the angular offset data for rotation of the image data.

A method comprising:

• receiving image data captured by an image sensor positioned in a distal end of a shaft, wherein the shaft is releasably coupled to a handheld cable housing at an interface axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the shaft, wherein a user input device is positioned on the handheld cable housing, wherein the shaft is rotatable relative to the handheld cable housing;
• receiving angular offset data indicative of an angular offset relative to a defined image horizon, wherein the angular offset is measured by one or more angular position sensors, and wherein at least one of the one or more angular position sensors is positioned on the shaft;
• generating rotated image data based on the angular offset data;
• and
• causing display of the rotated image data.