Abstract: A laser-based hair cutting device (10) comprises a laser source (18), an optically transparent exit window (15) and optical elements (11, 12, 13, 14). The laser source (18) provides an incident light beam (21) for cutting a hair (22) above and near a skin surface by laser-induced optical breakdown (LIOB) of the hair (22) in a focal position of the light beam (21). The optically transparent exit window has an external exit surface (15) for allowing the incident light beam (21) to leave the device. The optical elements (11, 12, 13, 14) focus the incident light beam (21) in the focal position at a working distance from the exit surface (15).

Abstract: A method, system and device for shortening hair with the method including generating a plurality of laser pulses overlapping in time; focusing the laser pulses into spatially separated focal spots having a peak power density at least equal to a first threshold at which a laser induced optical breakdown phenomenon occurs in the hair and below a second threshold at which a laser induced optical breakdown phenomenon occurs in skin. Generating the plurality of laser pulses includes an act of generating the plurality of laser pulses to reach the first characteristic threshold value after a start of each corresponding laser pulse in a time span of less than half of the pulse duration; and positioning the respective at least three focal spots into respective target positions within a single hair such that only one of the plurality of laser pulses occur in each of the at least three focal spats.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to the treatment of skin using laser light, and more particularly to a non-invasive device and method for such treatment. During skin treatments, heating of the epidermis is undesired because it may cause discomfort for the person being treated, adverse skin reactions and unwanted changes in skin pigment. The invention provides a laser treatment beam having a first 22a and a second 22b beam region of non-zero light intensity disposed at a periphery of a transverse cross-section of the beam, and a third beam region 22c, arranged between the first 22a and the second 22b beam region, of lower light intensity than said non-zero light intensity. The treatment beam 22 exits the device 10 along its optical treatment axis 13.

Abstract: The invention provides a non-invasive skin treatment device (200) for generating a multiphoton ionization process at a target position (110) in skin tissue (102). The skin treatment device (200) comprises a laser source (105) configured and constructed for generating a laser beam (106), an optical system (109, 112) for focusing the laser beam into the target position below a skin surface (103), and a plasma unit (117) configured and constructed for generating a plasma (100) such that, in use, at least a portion of the plasma penetrates the skin tissue for generating at least one free electron at the target position. The skin treatment device further comprises a control unit (123) configured and constructed for controlling the laser source and the plasma unit such that, in use, at least a portion of the light of the laser beam is absorbed by said at least one free electron generated at the target position, thereby generating the multiphoton ionization process.

Abstract: The invention provides a non-invasive device comprising an optical system having a laser light source for generating a light beam, being configured such that, in use, the light beam exits the device and impinges on an outer surface of the skin to be treated; the optical system being configured to focus, in use, the light beam at a position of a treatment location inside the skin, whereby Laser Induced Optical Breakdown is induced at the position of the treatment location; an opening disposed such that, in use, light returning from the skin enters the device as a measurement light beam; and a first and second intensity detection channel configured and arranged to detect the intensity in, respectively, a first and a second bandwidth range of the measurement light beam, wherein the first and the second bandwidth ranges both comprise a wavelength of light produced in the skin as a result of Laser Induced Optical Breakdown, and the first bandwidth range comprises the Second Harmonic Generation wavelength of the la

Abstract: The invention provides a non-invasive skin treatment device (100) comprising: a light source (10) constructed and configured for generating linearly polarized probe light (12) and linearly polarized treatment light (22), a polarization modulator (30) constructed and configured for controlling a polarization direction of the probe light and a polarization direction of the treatment light, a polarization sensitive sensor (40) constructed and configured for sensing a level of depolarization of the probe light by sensing an intensity of back-scattered probe light (42) from the target position (210) in a predefined polarization direction of the polarization sensitive sensor, and a controller (60) being configured for scanning the polarization direction of the probe light over a predefined range while receiving the measurement signal (Sm) and for selecting an optimum polarization (P1) direction for which the depolarization of the probe light is at a minimum.

Abstract: A hair treatment (40) device is provided comprising a light-based detector (10) for detecting a hair (22) near a skin surface (21) the detector (10) comprising a light source (11), optical elements (14, 16, 17, 18) and a polarization-sensitive light sensor (12, 13). The light source (11) is provided for generating a light beam (31) with an incident polarization. The optical elements (14, 16, 17, 18) are provided for focusing the light beam (31) at the hair (22) near the skin surface (21). The polarization-sensitive light sensor (12, 13) is provided for detecting light interacted with the hair (22) or the skin surface (21) and having a predefined linear polarization. The light source (11) and/or the optical elements (14, 16, 17, 18) are arranged to cause the light beam (31) to simultaneously have multiple spatially separated foci (51, 52, 53) at or near the hair (22) or the skin surface (21).

Abstract: An optical blade and a hair cutting device is configured to cut a hair near skin of a human body part or animal body part. The optical blade maybe used in a hair cutting device and includes a blade body configured to guide optical radiation, and a tapered end configured to allow the optical radiation to exit the optical blade. The tapered end includes a reflector configured to redirect the optical radiation before it exits the optical blade.

Abstract: The invention provides a non-invasive device (100) for treatment of skin tissue using laser light, and it provides a method and a computer program product. The non-invasive device comprises a light emission system (110) for generating a first laser pulse (130) and a subsequent second laser pulse (150) at a predefined time delay (?T) after the first laser pulse. The non-invasive device further comprises an optical system (160) for focusing, in use, the first laser pulse and the second laser pulse at a treatment location (210) inside the skin tissue (200). The first laser pulse comprises a first power density, a first pulse duration and a first pulse energy for initiating a plasma (205) at the treatment location.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for removing hair. The system comprises a hair detection device and a hair-removing device (20). Since 3D information on hairs (32) is required, but due to the very dispersed presence of, e.g., human hairs (32) on skin (30), known detection devices are too slow, the invention provides a combination of two image sensors. A first image sensor (12) produces a first image, based on which a selected part is imaged with a second image sensor (14) that provides the required 3D position information with which the hair-removing device (20) can remove the hair. Thus, optimum use may be made of both fast but less accurate image sensors, such as (2D) CCDs or CMOS sensors, and accurate but slow sensors such as 3D scanning sensors.

Abstract: A device for cutting hair is disclosed that includes a laser beam generator (2) and a polarisation controller (6) configured to polarise the laser beam (10) and substantially align the polarisation of the laser beam with a longitudinal axis of a hair to be cut. Also disclosed is a method of cutting hair using a laser beam to cut hair. The method including generating and polarising the laser beam to substantially align the polarisation of the laser beam with a longitudinal axis of a hair to be cut.

Abstract: A method of treating a skin tissue area, in particular non-invasively treating the skin tissue area (1), is provided. The skin tissue area has a dermis layer area (3), an epidermis layer area (5) providing a skin surface (7) and covering the dermis layer area. The method comprises: a first step of causing one or more dermal lesions (11) localized in the dermis layer area while avoiding epidermal damage, and a second step of causing, separately from causing said plurality of dermal lesions, a plurality of epidermal lesions (15) localized in the epidermis layer area. An apparatus is also provided.

Abstract: A laser-based hair cutting device (10) is provided, which device (10) comprises a laser source (18), an optically transparent exit window (15) and optical elements (11, 12, 13, 14) The laser source (18) provides an incident light beam (21) for cutting a hair (22) above and near a skin surface by laser-induced optical breakdown (LIOB) of the hair (22) in a focal position of the light beam (21). The optically transparent exit window has an external exit surface (15) for allowing the incident light beam (21) to leave the device. The optical elements (11, 12, 13, 14) focus the incident light beam (21) in the focal position at a working distance from the exit surface (15).

Abstract: A skin treatment system comprising a light based skin treatment device (10, 20, 30) is provided. The device (10, 20, 30) comprises a treatment light source (18) for providing a treatment light beam (21) for treating hair or skin tissue, a transparent exit window (14) for allowing the treatment light beam (21) to leave the device (10, 20, 30), and an exit location control unit (17) for controlling a position for the treatment light beam (21) to pass through the exit window (14). The system further comprises a detection light source for providing a detection light beam.

Abstract: A cutting head for a device for cutting hair is disclosed. The cutting head has an optical system configured to direct a laser beam along an optical axis across a cutting zone within the cutting head. The optical system has a variable focus lens configured to control the position of the focal point of the laser beam along the optical axis within the cutting zone.

Abstract: A shaver is disclosed that comprises a handle (12) and a cutting head (13) that are arranged to move relative to each other via a rotational and/or translational axis (16,17). This movement facilitates skin contour following during shaving to achieve a close cut. The handle (12) comprises a laser source that emits a laser beam and the shaver has an optical system that includes optical elements (23,25,26,37,40,42) to direct a part of a laser beam so that it coincides with the rotational axis and/or is parallel to the translational axis. In this way, when the cutting head (13) is moved the optical alignment between the laser source, optical elements (23,25,26,37,40,42) and cutting zone (28) does not change.

Abstract: A system (101) for treatment of an epithelial tissue layer (3) is provided. The system comprises a reservoir (107), for containing an amount of a flowable medium, arranged to enable the medium, when contained in the reservoir, to be in contact with a surface (5) of the epithelial tissue layer, a light source (109) for generating a laser beam (11) during at least a predetermined pulse time, and an optical system for focusing the laser beam into a focal spot (15), and for positioning the focal spot in a target position. The target position of the focal spot is within the reservoir and within the medium, when contained in the reservoir, and the dimension of the focal spot and the power of the generated laser beam are such that, in the focal spot, the laser beam has a power density, which is above the characteristic threshold value for the medium, above which, for the predetermined pulse time, a laser induced optical breakdown event occurs in the medium.

Abstract: The invention provides a hair treatment device (40) comprising a detector (10) for detecting a hair (22) near a skin surface (21). The detector (10) comprises a light source (11) for generating a light beam (31) with an initial polarization direction, a polarization modulator (32) for time-dependent modulation of the polarization direction of the light beam (31) between at least a first polarization direction and a second polarization direction, optical elements (14, 16, 17, 18) for focusing the light beam (31) at the hair (22) near the skin surface (21), and a polarization-sensitive light-based detection unit (13) for detecting light interacted with the hair (22) or the skin surface (21) and for discerning when the interacted light has a polarization-direction component different from the initial polarization direction.

Abstract: A cutting element for a cutting head for a device for cutting hair is disclosed. A laser beam is directed across a cutting zone, in the cutting head, substantially parallel to a user's skin. The laser beam has an effective cutting region in which the laser beam is of a sufficient intensity to cut hair entering said region. The cutting element has a guard adjacent to the cutting zone to contact a user's skin and space the laser beam there from. The guard has a non-planar shape in a direction extending across the cutting zone so that it substantially follows the contours of an edge of the effective cutting region of the laser beam to reduce any variation in the distance between the edge of the effective cutting region and the user's skin across the length of the cutting zone.

Abstract: A light based skin treatment device (10, 20) is provided, comprising a light source (18) for providing an incident light beam (21) for treating a skin (30) by laser induced optical breakdown (LIOB) of hair or skin tissue, a transparent exit window (14) for allowing the incident light beam (21) to exit the device (10, 20), and an optical system for focusing the incident light beam (21) into a focal spot (221, 222) in the hair or skin tissue outside the skin treatment device (10, 20).