Abstract: An otoscanner including a conical laser-reflective optical element and a laser light source and the conical laser-reflecting optical element are configured so that the conical laser-reflecting optical element, when illuminated by the laser light source, projects a broken ring of laser light upon an interior surface of the ear when the ear probe is positioned in the ear and a diffractive laser optic lens and the laser light source and the diffractive laser optic lens are configured so that the diffractive laser optic lens, when illuminated by the laser light source, projects upon an interior surface of the ear a fan of laser light at a predetermined angle with respect to a front surface of the diffractive laser optic lens when the ear probe is positioned in the ear.

Abstract: An otoscanner including an otoscanner body, the body comprising a hand grip, the body having mounted upon it an ear probe, a tracking illumination emitter, a plurality of tracking illumination sensors, and a display screen, the otoscanner body having mounted within it an image sensor; the ear probe comprising a wide-angle lens optically coupled to the image sensor, laser light source, a laser optical element, and a source of non-laser video illumination; the display screen coupled for data communications to the image sensor, the display screen displaying images of the scanned ear, the display screen positioned on the otoscanner body in relation to the ear probe so that when the ear probe is positioned for scanning, both the display screen and the ear probe are visible to a operator operating the otoscanner; and a data processor configured to construct a 3D image of the interior of the scanned ear.

Abstract: An otoscanner including an otoscanner body, the body comprising a hand grip, the body having mounted upon it an ear probe, a tracking illumination emitter, a plurality of tracking illumination sensors, and a display screen, the otoscanner body having mounted within it an image sensor; the ear probe comprising a wide-angle lens optically coupled to the image sensor, laser light source, a laser optical element, and a source of non-laser video illumination; the plurality of tracking illumination sensors disposed upon the otoscanner body so as to sense reflections of tracking illumination emitted from the tracking illumination emitter and reflected from tracking targets installed at positions that are fixed relative to the scanned ear; the image sensor coupled for data communications to a data processor, with the data processor configured so that it functions by constructing a 3D image of the interior of the scanned ear.

Abstract: An otoscanner including an otoscanner body, the body comprising a hand grip, the body having mounted upon it an ear probe, a tracking illumination emitter, a plurality of tracking illumination sensors, and a display screen, the otoscanner body having mounted within it an image sensor; the ear probe comprising a wide-angle lens optically coupled to the image sensor, laser light source, a laser optical element, and a source of non-laser video illumination; the plurality of tracking illumination sensors disposed upon the otoscanner body so as to sense reflections of tracking illumination emitted from the tracking illumination emitter and reflected from tracking targets installed at positions that are fixed relative to the scanned ear; the image sensor coupled for data communications to a data processor, with the data processor configured so that it functions by constructing a 3D image of the interior of the scanned ear.

Abstract: An otoscanner including an otoscanner body, the body comprising a hand grip, the body having mounted upon it an ear probe, a tracking illumination emitter, a plurality of tracking illumination sensors, and a display screen, the otoscanner body having mounted within it an image sensor; wherein the image sensor operates at a video frame rate that is twice a standard video frame rate; a laser light source is strobed during capture by the image sensor of alternate video frames; video frames are captured by the image sensor when only the non-laser video illumination illuminates the scanned ear; and images for constructing 3D images are captured by the image sensor only when the strobed laser light illuminates the scanned ear.

Abstract: A device for scanning a body orifice or surface including a light source and a wide angle lens. The light from the light source is projected in a pattern distal or adjacent to the wide angle lens. Preferably, the pattern is within a focal surface of the wide angle lens. The pattern intersects a surface of the body orifice, such as an ear canal, and defines a partial lateral portion of the pattern extending along the surface. A processor is configured to receive an image of the lateral portion from the wide angle lens and determine a position of the lateral portion in a coordinate system using a known focal surface of the wide angle lens. Multiple lateral portions are reconstructed by the processor to build a three-dimensional shape. This three-dimensional shape may be used for purposes such as diagnostic, navigation, or custom-fitting of medical devices, such as hearing aids.

Abstract: A light tunnel (24) comprising a hollow light tunnel body (30) or a solid light tunnel body (80) having a central axis (A1 or A2), a reflective surface (42 or 84) facing the axis, and an output end (54 or 94) having an edge (60 or 106) with a chamfered surface (120 or 130) formed on the edge. The chamfered surface is designed to alter the reflective properties of the reflective surfaces of the light tunnel body near the output end so as to reduce or eliminate edge ringing from the light tunnel body edge. In the case of a knife-edge (340) placed at the output end of the light tunnel body, knife-edge ringing is eliminated by providing a light source (310) in the form of a laser with a large number of spatial modes (M2>30). The present invention is expected to be most useful in cases where time-averaging or other interference-eliminating means prove impossible or impractical, such as with applications requiring only one or a few high-irradiance light pulses that need to uniformly irradiate a workpiece.

Abstract: An method of and apparatus (10) for performing laser thermal processing (LTP) of a workpiece (74) having one or more workpiece fields (78). The apparatus includes a pulsed, solid state laser light source (14) having more than 1000 spatial modes (M) and capable of emitting one or more pulses of radiation with a temporal pulse length between 1 nanosecond and 1 microsecond, a workpiece stage (70) for supporting the workpiece, and an illumination optical system having an exposure field (64). The system is arranged between the laser light source and the workpiece stage so as to illuminate within the exposure field at least one of the one or more workpiece fields with the one or more pulses of radiation, with an irradiance uniformity of less than ±5%. The method and apparatus is particularly well-suited for LTP processing of workpieces which require a single pulse or only a few pulses of high-irradiance radiation.

Abstract: A light tunnel apparatus (200 or 300) having an output end (56 or 98), for uniformizing light (L) that travels through a light tunnel (30 or 80). The apparatus comprises a light tunnel having first and second sides (36, 40 or 86, 90), and one or more AO modulators (210 or 310) respectively arranged on at least one of the first and second sides. The AO modulators are arranged such that activating the one or more of them causes at least one of the first and second sides to be displaced. This displacement changes the path of light traveling through the light tunnel by an amount sufficient to reduce illumination non-uniformities at the output end. The light tunnel may be a hollow light tunnel (30) with reflective inner surfaces, or a solid light tunnel (80) with a refractive index. A method of uniformizing illumination using a light tunnel is also disclosed.

Abstract: A folded light tunnel apparatus and method of providing light with a high degree of spatial uniformity in a compact arrangement. The light tunnel (100, 190, 300, 350) comprises plurality of prisms (110, 310) having a different cross-sectional dimension (W) and at least one beveled end (110E) having a corresponding beveled end face (110F) through which light reflected by the beveled end passes. The plurality of prisms are arranged adjacent one another in a either two-dimensional or three dimensional stack, with each beveled end face arranged adjacent another beveled end face such that light reflected from one beveled end is received by said adjacent beveled end face and coupled into the adjacent prism. The width of the prisms is governed by a scaling factor (K or K′) that depends on whether the prism stack is two-dimensional or three-dimensional. Designing the light tunnel according to the scaling factor allows for the light tunnel to be theoretically 100% efficient in the transmission of light.

Abstract: A microimage recording apparatus of the type utilizing an elongated master film strip movable along a master film processing path and a duplicate film strip movable along a duplicate film strip processing path for making duplicates of successive developed image areas on the master film strip includes a duplication station having a support for the master film strip to position a developed image area thereon in a duplication position along the master film strip path. Support is provided for the duplicate film strip along a segment of the duplicate film processing path merging with the master film strip path at the duplication station. The master and duplicate film strips are biased together in close contact at the duplication station against a glass platen and light is passed through a developed image area on the master film strip to create a latent, duplicate image area on the duplicate film strip for subsequent development.

Abstract: An apparatus for correcting aberrations in prisms in convergent light paths. The prism has a transparent entrance and exit face which are connected by a hypotenuse surface. The effect of adding a wedge-shaped addition is made on one of the entrance or exit faces to create a compensating dispersive spectrum to compensate for lateral chromatic aberration. The hypotenuse surface is formed as a spherically convex surface to produce a compensating astigmatic aberration to compensate for the astigmatic aberration caused by the entrance and exit faces of the prism.

Abstract: A film transport mechanism moves film from area to area and then stops it to project an image. During the period while the film is being transported, the lens is shuttered and glass flats on either side of the film are opened. This way, the viewer does not see a blurred montage of images being moved across a screen at a high rate of speed, and there is a much less chance of scratching film. The shutter may be either a mechanical blade which cuts across a beam of light or an electrical circuit which dims a light supply to darken the screen. Dimming is preferred to switching a lamp off or on since it is much less damaging to a filament if it remains continuously energized.

Abstract: A pair of glass flats are mounted in a removable carrier frame assembly, which is adapted to be inserted into a microfilm reader/printer. Supports on the carrier frame may be rested upon a front panel of a reader/printer in order to facilitate an alignment and an insertion of the carrier. A solenoid controlled mechanical linkage normally holds the glass flats in an open position except when the film is actually being projected. Then, they close. Signals are sent back to indicate to the reader/printer whether the flats are opened or closed and to control it in response thereto.

Abstract: A roll film reader/printer transports film to a selected photographic area of imagery. Transparent areas are also left at any one or more selected locations on the roll film. When it is necessary or desirable to read an image on a separate and discrete piece of film, the roll of film is transported through the reader/printer in order to display a transparent area. There, a carrier for the separate and discrete piece of film is manually inserted into the reader/printer and over the transparent area on the roll film. An optically detectable symbol may be provided on the carrier so that a signal may be given when the carrier is in a reading position. Either suitable interlock switches or signals responsive to the optically detected symbol may disable the roll film transport mechanism while the carrier for the manually inserted film is in the reader/printer.