Sony, in conjunction with scandal-ridden Olympus, announced a series of surgical tools, including a endoscope, utilizing Sony’s 4K display technology. This is notable because it is two Japanese tech giants entering the medical equipment market in a big way. Although the products are currently under developement, there’s no estimated release date because medical equipment requires not only regulatory approval but also presents special engineering challenges. Sony’s 4K technology is currently available in the form of a few beautiful–and expensive–TV screens. 4K offers a resolution of 3840 x 2160, which is exactly four times the number of pixels as the current HD standard, 1080p. However, with a lack of broadcast 4K and movies offered at 4K, the standard is years away from wide adoption. Medical applications, which could use the extra resolution to add precision to surgery, may be the most logical application for the technology in the near-term.