Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the visual characteristics of a surface of a workpiece includes two separate light sources. The first source provides one or more focused beams of light which strike the workpiece at a first angle and are reflected therefrom. The second source provides one or more unfocused beams of light which strike the workpiece at a second angle, different from the first angle, and are reflected therefrom. All of the reflected beams converge onto a single photo detector. The beams are time multiplexed so that the photo detector only reads one beam at a time. The output of the photo detector is processed to provide surface quality measurements of the workpiece such as gloss, distinctness of image and orange peel.

Abstract: A catheter includes at least two electrical conductors extending from the proximal to the distal ends. A semiconductor chip generator of electromagnetic radiation is located at the distal end and is energized by electrical power supplied by the electrical conductors. The chip may be a laser or include an oscillator for generating electromagnetic radiation at a selected frequency or frequencies. In one embodiment, two chip radiation generators are located distally, each connected to one of the conductors. A third conductor is connected in common to both chips, whereby they may be energized independently. An axial aperture may be provided for a guide wire. A balloon may surround the distal end of the catheter, and may be inflated by way of another axial aperture.