Abstract: There is disclosed an inverted microscope comprising an objective lens disposed under a sample, a tube lens which is disposed in a light path of an observation light emitted from the objective lens and which forms the observation light into an image, an incident light illumination optical device which is disposed between the objective lens and the tube lens, and which introduces incident light illumination into the light path of the observation light, and an input/output port which is disposed between the incident light illumination optical device and the tube lens, and which splits a light flux from the light path of the observation light or introduces the light flux into the light path of the observation light.

Abstract: In a pattern formation member adopted to a sectioning image observation apparatus which selectively irradiates a light from a light source to a sample, scans the sample, and acquires a light from the sample as a sectioning image, the pattern formation member comprises an irradiation section and a cutoff section, each of the irradiation section and the cutoff section is in a straight pattern, and these straight patterns are disposed alternatively.

Abstract: An optical probe system comprises an optical probe that is inserted into a body cavity, a light source that generates light which is irradiated to an object, and a high-magnification observation unit included in the distal section of the optical probe. The optical probe system further comprises: an image digitization unit that digitizes a luminance signal produced by the high-magnification observation unit; an image parameter sampling unit that samples an image parameter from an image; an optimization parameter calculation unit that calculates an optimization parameter on the basis of the image parameter; an image optimization unit that optimizes an image according to the optimization parameter; an image display device on which an optimized image is displayed; and a digital image preservation unit in which a digitized image is preserved.

Abstract: An electronic camera includes a camera main body and a lens barrel arranged on the front face of the camera main body to extend forward therefrom, and to hold an image-pickup lens therein. A U-shaped protruding cover is attached to the lens barrel to extend downward therefrom. The bottoms of the camera main body and the protruding cover are level with each other. First and second windows are arranged on the front face of the protruding cover. A lamp for emitting an auto-focus assist light is arranged in the protruding cover to face the first window. A sensor for receiving a light signal from a remote control is arranged in the protruding cover to face the second window.

Abstract: A scanning unit for moving an object to be moved along at least one axis, which comprises a first actuator for moving the object along a first axis, the first actuator having a pair of end portions, and the object being attached to one of the end portions, the first actuator being held at a position in the vicinity of the center in dimension or the center of gravity thereof.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus is constructed as including: a smear level detecting section for detecting smear components of CCD image pickup device; a smear correcting section for correcting effective pixel signals based on the detected smear components; an output deteriorated pixel determining section for determining corresponding effective signal pixels as output deteriorated pixels when the level of smear component has reached a predetermined value; a compensation condition determining section for determining whether an output deteriorated pixel satisfies predetermined compensation conditions or not; and a data compensating section for performing data compensation of pixels determined as satisfying the compensation conditions by using information of neighboring pixels, the other pixels determined as not satisfying the compensation conditions at the compensation condition determining section being subjected to correction at the smear correcting section.

Abstract: An imaging system includes: an optical-system holding member for holding an optical system to form an optical image of a subject; an imaging-device holding member for holding an imaging device to obtain the optical image formed by the optical system; a case for hermetically enclosing the optical-system holding member and the imaging-device holding member; a hermetic connector for hermetically sealing the case, the hermetic connector being electrically connected to the imaging device; a power generator for generating a driving force to move either of the optical-system holding member and the imaging-device holding member; and a driving-force transfer member for connecting the power generator and either the optical-system holding member or the imaging-device holding member to transfer the driving force of the power generator to either the optical-system holding member or the imaging-device holding member.

Abstract: An optical sheet to be used as a screen on which an image is projected from an image projector is provided. The optical sheet is produced by joining a plurality of optical sheet members with end surfaces thereof meeting each other as joint surfaces. The optical sheet members are realized with lenticular lens sheets. Each lenticular lens sheet has lenses, which are elongated in a second direction, juxtaposed in a first direction orthogonal to the second direction. The optical properties of the optical sheet members that are slightly undulated vary cyclically in the first direction. And the optical sheet members to be joined are a selected pair of optical sheet members whose undulations are substantially identical to each other or symmetrical to each other with respect to the joint surfaces.

Abstract: An endoscope surgery system is provided, as a medical system, to be easily used by a user who is not used to the operation. An endoscope operation system includes a trolley and a remote controller. The trolley includes a plurality of medical devices (having a TV camera for an endoscope, a light source device, pneumoperitoneum equipment, an electric knife, and a VTR). Further, the trolley includes a system controller for radio communication with the medical devices, and an operation panel and a display panel for operating the system controller. The system controller detects operation states of the plurality of medical devices, determines the medical device to be operated next based on the detection result, and displays, on the operation panel or the display panel, an operation screen of the medical device or a screen for information on the operation state based on the determination result.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electronic camera for generating an image having a wide dynamic range by synthesizing two image pickup signals of different exposure amount generated by using an electronic shutter function and means for shutting off light, shading of image pickup signals resulting from difference in charge accumulating time among the pixels of image pickup device due to operation from opened state to closed state of the means for shutting off light being corrected by a shading correction means to form a synthesized image without an occurrence of false color due to shading.

Abstract: A zoom optical system includes only one optical-element group moved in a magnification change and at least one deformable mirror having a compensating function for compensating for a shift of an image surface caused by the magnification change and a focusing function. According to this configuration of the zoom optical system, it is possible to attain a zoom optical system and an imaging apparatus using the zoom optical system that have as small a number of movable lenses as possible, are very small in size, and work with an extremely low power consumption and low operation noise.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus has the ability to output one of a received motion image and a still image, which is selected by an image switching circuit, to an image display device. The still image is read from a memory in which an image of the motion image constructing one frame is stored. When a remote controller is used to instruct image recording, a recording mode is automatically determined depending on whether a still image or a motion image is actually displayed on the image display device. Specifically, when a still image is displayed, a still image recording mode is automatically selected. When a motion image is displayed, a motion image recording mode is automatically selected. The motion image or still image is then recorded onto a recording medium.

Abstract: A camera body including a camera CPU, a detection switch and an interchangeable lens having a lens CPU are provided. The detection switch is connected to the camera CPU and is switched in response to the start of the attachment of the interchangeable lens and is switched to a reproducing state in response to the completion of the attachment of the interchangeable lens. In this case, when the interchangeable lens is attached to the camera body, the camera CPU supplies reset signals to the lens CPU in response to the switching of the detection switch. Upon the completion of the attachment of the lens, the camera CPU cancels reset signals in response to the switching of the detection switch to the reproducing state.

Abstract: The invention provides a small-sized projection optical apparatus which uses a decentered prism as a projection optical system and in which some contrivances are provided to how to introduce illumination light into a reflection type display device. The projection optical apparatus comprises a reflection type display device 1, a projection optical system 2 for providing projection of an image displayed thereon and an illumination light source for illuminating a display surface. The projection optical system 2 comprises a catadioptric optical element 10 having two rotationally asymmetric curved reflecting surfaces 12, 13 having positive power.

Abstract: The data transfer method includes, defining to divide a display image of monitor into a plurality of frames, the first group frame being defined such that occurrence of an event corresponding to a mark or a marked indicator in a display region is recognizable, and the second group frame being defined such that when data corresponding to the event that occurs in connection with the first group frame, are transferred from the server, thus received data are stored in the storage as the data for the second group frame, transferring the data from the server as data for the second group frame and storing the data in an applicable storage of the processing terminal, and executing renewal of an image or reproduction of sound with the data stored in the storage as the data for the second group frame.

Abstract: The invention relates to an image-formation lens system for reading images, etc., which has an image-formation magnification of less than 1×, comprises a reduced number of lenses, has a short length and compactness, and is fabricated with improved image quality yet at low cost. The image-formation lens system of the four-unit type comprises, in order from its object side toward its image side, a first lens L1 having positive power, a second lens L2 having positive power, a third lens L3 having negative lens and a fourth lens L4 having positive power. The image-formation lens system satisfies conditions (1) and (3) with respect to the Abbe numbers of L1 and L3 and conditions (2) and (4) with respect to the refractive indices of L2 and L4.

Abstract: An ink head includes an ink head module and a nozzle plate. The ink head module has a plurality of ink chambers in which ink is retained. The nozzle plate is attached to the ink head module. The nozzle plate has at least one nozzle to jet ink inside the ink chamber. The surface of the nozzle plate opposing to a recording medium has a first region coming in contact with an opening of the nozzle and a second region other than the first region. Water repellency of the first region is higher than that of the second region.

Abstract: A distance measurement apparatus of the present invention outputs image signal from the area sensor to which an optical image is input from a plurality of distance measurement areas two-dimensionally distributed in an area to be shot. A calculation control circuit detects portions changing equally to or more than a predetermined value in positive or negative directions, for the output level of pixel rows arranged on a plurality of straight lines included in the image signal. The distance measurement area is identified, based on the output of this calculation control circuit.

Abstract: An electric bending endoscope includes a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of a motor as a state value indicating the driving state of a bending drive unit. A bending control device comprises: a temperature detection unit that receives the data of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor; a record unit in which the limits of motor temperature inputted in advance are recorded; a comparison unit that compares the data of the temperature sent from the temperature detection unit with the limits of motor temperature recorded in the record unit; and a notification unit that notifies that the driving state of a motor is approaching the limit.

Abstract: An electric bending endoscope includes a bending driving portion which bends a bending portion arranged to a distal side of an inserting portion, a bending operation input portion which instructs and inputs a bending operation of the bending portion, and a preventing device which prevents the bending operation of the bending portion which is not intended by an operator.