Abstract: Measured locations of position sensors on a steerable medical device are used to determine the insertion depth of the steerable medical device with respect to a foundation point, which is initialized by an operator. The insertion depth, in turn, is used to determine the state of each segment that has passed the foundation point, i.e., is distal to the foundation point.

Abstract: An encapsulated medical device guidance system, and a method of controlling the system, in which a magnetic generator acts on a magnet built into a capsulated medical device, and generates a magnetic field for controlling the position and/or posture of the capsulated medical device, and a control unit has a dynamic torque estimation unit to estimate a dynamic torque to be applied to the encapsulated medical device in a target posture, controls a magnetic field generated from the magnetic field generator so that a magnetic torque generated by the magnetic field generator becomes proportional to a dynamic torque estimated by the dynamic torque estimation unit, and controls the posture of a capsule endoscope by considering gravity applied to the capsule endoscope itself.

Abstract: A device for sterilization check for an endoscope, comprising: an elongated insertion member insertable into an inner pipeline of the endoscope, wherein a plurality of indicator holding members each capable of holding a sterilization indicator for checking a sterilization effect by a sterilizing medium introduced to the inner pipeline are arranged on the insertion member along a longitudinal direction of the insertion member, and ones of the indicator holding members adjacent to each other along the longitudinal direction of the insertion member are coupled together via a flexible coupling member deformable along a shape of the inner pipeline of the endoscope.

Abstract: In an endoscope apparatus in which an imaging element and a circuit board to which the imaging element is connected are provided inside a distal end of an insertion part, disconnection between the circuit board and a signal wiring line is prevented. In an endoscope apparatus including an insertion part to be inserted into the body, an imaging element, a circuit board electrically connected to the imaging element and arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction of the insertion part, and a signal wiring line electrically connected to the circuit board and extending in the longitudinal direction are provided within the insertion part, and a connecting portion between the circuit board and the signal wiring line is provided with a easing member that eases a force applied to the connecting portion.

Abstract: Endoscopic images and virtual endoscopic images are obtained. Then, an endoscopic image captured at a predetermined position of the anatomical structure is extracted from the obtained endoscopic images, and a comparative virtual endoscopic image virtually generated as if it is captured at a position corresponding to the predetermined position is extracted from the obtained virtual endoscopic images, and the extracted images are associated with each other. A three-dimensional position corresponding to each pixel forming the endoscopic image captured at the predetermined position is calculated based on a three-dimensional position of each pixel forming the comparative virtual endoscopic image. Then, volume data is generated from the endoscopic image captured at the predetermined position based on a pixel value of each pixel forming the endoscopic image and the three-dimensional position calculated for each pixel.

Abstract: A method and device may control energy consumption of in an in vivo imaging device by determining or estimating an amount of energy needed to capture images at a frame rate until a complete passage of the device through a predetermined region of the gastrointestinal tract, and alter or limit the frame capture rate accordingly.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus is adapted to be inserted into an inside of a subject and observe the inside of the subject and includes: an observation optical system which has a first optical path and a second optical path with parallax; an imaging portion on which a light passing through the first optical path and a light passing through the second optical path are formed; a diaphragm portion which selectively blocks out the first optical path or the second optical path; a distance measurement portion which measures a distance to the subject on the basis of parallax between a first image formed on the imaging portion via the first optical path and a second image formed on the imaging portion via the second optical path; a displacement amount detection portion which detects a displacement amount between two first images acquired with a time interval therebetween; and a measurement environment determination portion which determines, on the basis of the displacement amount, whether or not the first image and the secon

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus includes: a display device that displays a first image and a second image, the first image and the second image being contained in image data of a subject captured by an imaging unit of an endoscope apparatus; a designation section that designates a first position on the first image in accordance with an instruction input through an input device; a position calculation section that calculates a second position on the second image, the second position corresponding to the first position on the first image; a display control section that, when the first position is designated, performs a control of displaying a mark at the first position, subsequently displaying a mark at a third position which is different from the first and second positions, and subsequently displaying a mark at the second position; and a measurement section that performs measurement relating to the subject based on the first and second positions.

Abstract: Waypoints for a steerable medical device are stored as the steerable medical device is moved within a patient. The stored waypoints are an ordered sequence of locations. The ordered sequence of locations defines a safe path within the patient for moving an articulatable portion of the steerable medical device. The articulatable portion of the steerable medical device is constrained to follow the safe path as the articulatable portion moves within the patient. For example, the articulatable portion of the steerable medical device is constrained to remain within a boundary region enclosing the safe path as the articulatable portion of the steerable medical device follows the safe path.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope has an insert section to be introduced into a human body cavity. A distal portion of the insert section contains a CCD and a printed circuit board to which the CCD is bonded. In the insert section, a cable bundle being a bundle of coaxial cables extends. Each coaxial cable consists of a signal line, insulation surrounding the signal line, a braided wire surrounding the insulation, and an insulating jacket. The cylindrical braided wire is stranded into a single line, and is soldered as a ground line to a ground terminal of the printed circuit board. The signal line is pulled out of the coaxial cable with a length longer than the ground line. The signal line is soldered to an input/output terminal of the printed circuit board with a larger sag than the ground line.

Abstract: When a suction button is pushed in a pushing operation direction, the suction button pushes down longer lever ends of inversion levers, shorter lever ends of the inversion levers are pushed up based on a seesaw operation and the principle of leverage, and a piston body coupled through a coupling body moves in a direction opposed to a pushing operation direction against an urging force of a spring in cooperation with this upward movement. As a result, a valve moving portion moves away from a valve receiving portion to open a suction duct valve portion and suction is carried out, but the piston body retires to an outer periphery side of a bent duct when the valve portion is opened, and hence a suction duct is widened, thereby facilitating suction of even, e.g., a fluid having high viscosity.

Abstract: A tool feeding module for an endoscopic apparatus is disclosed. The module includes a housing removably connected to the endoscopic apparatus. A channel is formed within the housing, the channel having an inlet, an outlet, and discrete sections between the inlet and outlet, the channel configured to receive a tool therethrough. An insertion length selection switch is configured to select a length of the tool fed through the channel. A feed mechanism is aligned with and positioned between the discrete sections, the feed mechanism configured to advance and retract the tool through the channel. A tool advancement switch is formed proximate the inlet, contact with the tool advancement switch by the tool automatically activating an advance of the tool into the channel via the feed mechanism. Actuation of the manual retraction switch mounted on the housing of the device activates retraction of the tool out of the channel via the feed mechanism.

Abstract: An endoscopic coupler by which the rotary and/or linear motion of an external ring is transferred via magnetic interaction of specially configured continuous plastic magnets to a lens resident in a hermetically sealed housing to effect focusing and/or zooming action of the lens without mechanically breaching the integrity of the hermetic seal thereby making the coupler particularly suitable for withstanding the rigors of autoclaving.