Accurate and robust feature description and dense point-wise matching based on feature fusion for endoscopic images.

Despite the rapid technical advancement of augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in recent years, monocular-based 2D/3D reconstruction still remains technically challenging in AR/MR guided surgery navigation nowadays. In principle, soft tissue surface is smooth and watery with sparse texture, specular reflection, and frequent deformation. As a result, we frequently obtain only sparse feature points that give rise to incorrect matching results with conventional image processing methods.