Abstract: A system and method of monitoring equipment performance and predicting failures. The system can include a data historian that stores data for a piece of equipment and designates the data to tags. The tags can correspond to sensors that gather the data from the piece of equipment. A matrix model builder application can allow a user to generate regression models for various time spans to determine whether new data is within a normal operating range.

Abstract: The invention provides a stereoscopic display to display a high-quality three-dimensional video which can be viewed without using polarizing glasses. A stereoscopic display according to the present invention includes an electronically-formed, multi-viewpoint light beam group and an image-forming device to reproduce a conjugate image of the multi-viewpoint light beams. The stereoscopic display further includes a cylindrical, or partially cylindrical parallax barrier and a rotating light-emitting array as a multi-viewpoint-light-beam forming device. In addition, the stereoscopic display further includes a polarizing element and a polarization separation device to increase the display contrast. The numerical aperture of the rearmost optical element is preferably increased in order to increase the viewing area, and a reflective optical element with a large aperture is used as the image-forming device.

Abstract: A compact laser-scanning microscope that allows in-vivo observation, particularly of cells, with wavelengths ranging from the visible to the infra-red, can be provided. The laser-scanning microscope includes a laser light source unit, an optical fiber, a collimator optical system, an optical scanning unit, a pupil projection optical system, an objective optical system, and a detection optical system that detects fluorescence or reflected light from the specimen, via the objective optical system, the pupil projection optical system, the optical scanning unit, the collimator optical system and the optical fiber. The objective optical system can be attached to and detached from the pupil projection optical system near the intermediate image position.

Abstract: A scanning optical microscope using a wavefront converting element suffers minimum off-axis performance degradation and allows the wavefront converting element to be controlled by a simple method. Further, a pupil relay optical system is simple in arrangement or unnecessary. A laser scanning microscope includes a laser oscillator and a wavefront converting element for applying a desired wavefront conversion to a laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator. An objective collects a wavefront-converted approximately parallel laser beam emerging from the wavefront converting element onto a sample. A detector detects signal light emitted from the sample. An actuator scans the objective along a direction perpendicular to the optical axis.

Abstract: A process for producing a polarizing film including a step of stretching a raw film, wherein the ratio (L/W) of stretching distance (L) to width of initial raw film (W) is from 0.5 to 30.

Abstract: For a semiconductor device S as a sample of an observed object, there are provided an image acquisition part 1 for carrying out observation of the semiconductor device S, and an optical system 2 comprising an objective lens 20. A solid immersion lens (SIL) 3 for magnifying an image of the semiconductor device S is arranged movable between an insertion position where the solid immersion lens includes an optical axis from the semiconductor device S to the objective lens 20 and is in close contact with a surface of the semiconductor device S, and a standby position off the optical axis. Then an image containing reflected light from SIL 3 is acquired with the SIL 3 at the insertion position, and the insertion position of SIL 3 is adjusted by SIL driver 30, with reference to the image.

Abstract: A mirror system having a common framework that allows interchangeability of mirror styles. The mirror system includes a first skeleton support structure operatively attached to a portion of a vehicle. The support structure including a mounting bracket therein. A removable cover adapted to be attached thereover for providing a stylistic appearance to the bracket portion. A second support structure is provided for attachment to the bracket portion. A second support structure includes attachments for supporting a mirror assembly therein. The support assembly includes a connection structure. An outer interchangeable cover portion is provided, which is interchangeably fitted to the support structure for providing a variable stylistic outer surface to the mirror.

Abstract: An arrangement in the illumination beam path of a laser scanning microscope, comprising a mirror which can be introduced into the beam path for coupling in at least one additional wavelength, and a method for the operation of a laser scanning microscope with a mirror which can be swiveled in rapidly for coupling at least one additional wavelength into the illumination beam path, wherein the swiveling process is synchronized with the illumination control by a control unit in such a way that at least one additional wavelength is coupled into the illumination beam path when the mirror is swiveled out.

Abstract: A wide-angle mirror includes a back plate having an inner side formed with an annular support flange having an outer side formed with a stop ring, a mirror plate having an inner side rested on the annular support flange of the back plate and a rim rested on the stop ring of the back plate, and a plurality of press strips secured to the back plate and rested on the mirror plate. Thus, the press strips are snapped onto the back plate and rested on the mirror plate to retain the mirror plate on the back plate, so that the wide-angle mirror is assembled easily and rapidly.

Abstract: An optical system is disclosed with which higher magnification can be easily achieved and aberrations can be favorably corrected, yet is compact. The optical system includes a plurality of optical surfaces including a first surface which has at least a reflective action, a second surface reflecting the light rays reflected by the first surface back toward the first surface, and a diffractive optical surface. The first surface reflects a central field-angle principal ray, which comes from the second surface and is again incident on the first surface, to the opposite side of the previous reflection with respect to a normal at a hit point of the central field-angle principal ray on the first surface.

Abstract: An optical observation device is connected to an extendable and retractable snorkel tube for above-water observation during the snorkel travel (travel at periscope depth) of the submarine. The optical observation device is designed as a compact unit which consists of an optronics unit with a short-travel drive. The compact unit is assembled on the snorkel tube. At least one further compact unit is provided which comprises at least one communication arrangement with a short-travel drive, wherein this further compact unit is likewise provided on the snorkel tube.

Abstract: A real image type zoom finder that, albeit being reduced in size and thickness, can gain high enough zoom ratios and an imaging system equipped with such a real image type zoom finder. The real image type zoom finder comprises an objective optical system, an image-erection optical system and an eyepiece optical system. The objective optical system comprises a negative first lens group, a positive second lens group, a negative third lens group and a positive fourth lens group. Upon zooming, the first lens group and the fourth lens group remain fixed, the second lens group moves toward the object side at the telephoto, not the wide-angle end, and the third lens group moves toward the image side at the telephoto, not the wide-angle end. The first lens group consists of one single lens of double-concave shape, and that single lens satisfies condition regarding a shape factor.

Abstract: In an illumination switching frame fixed to the end of an objective of Greenough stereomicroscope, a folding mirror is fixed removably to illumination optical axes q and q? to switch coaxial vertical illumination and episcopic illumination.

Abstract: An optical system including a diffractive optical element, and an optical member for suppressing incidence of ultraviolet radiation on the diffractive optical element is disclosed. The optical member is disposed on a light incident side of the diffractive optical element. The optical member has optical power to achieve an optical system that has high optical performance and preferable environmental durability.

Abstract: Electronic binoculars include an imaging unit, a first binocular unit, a second binocular unit, and a mode selector. The imaging unit captures an image of an object. The first binocular unit includes a first ocular unit through which the object is observed based on signals from the imaging unit. The second binocular unit includes a second ocular unit through which the object is observed based on signals from the imaging unit. The mode selector selects at least one of first and second modes. The first mode fully supplies electricity to each of the first and second binocular units. The second mode at least partially suspends the electricity supply to the second binocular unit.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for optical beam shaping and diffusing, a method for making the apparatus, and a method for using the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a crystalline material object shaped to fit within an optical train and with a pattern of surface texture along an optical path. Surface removal processes are applied to a portion of a surface of an object made of a crystalline material to form a surface texture pattern at that portion of the surface of the object. The surface texture pattern depends upon: (1) the identity of the crystalline material and (2) the orientation of crystal lattice axes within the object with respect to the portion of the surface of the object where the pattern of surface texture is to be formed. Processes for making the apparatus include, but are not limited to, mechanical grinding, ablating, chemical etching, plasma etching, ion milling, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: An optical device includes an interface between two or more media. The refractive indices, orientations of media, and alignment relative to a propagating wave define a refractive boundary at which reflections may be reduced or eliminated, and at which, for certain incident angles, rays may be refracted on the same side of the normal as the incident ray.

Abstract: An attenuating filter provides a prescribed attenuation of the intensity of transmitted, short-wavelength, ultraviolet light, in particular, at wavelengths below 200 nm, that is governed by a predefinable spatial distribution of its spectral transmittance. The filter has a transparent substrate (3), e.g. fabricated from crystalline calcium fluoride. A filter coating (5) fabricated from a dielectric material that absorbs over a predefined wavelength range is applied to at least one surface (4) of the substrate. In the case of operating wavelengths of about 193 nm, the filter coating consists largely of tantalum pentoxide. Filters of the type, which may be inexpensively fabricated with high yields, are noted for their high abilities to withstand laser radiation and may be effectively antireflection coated employing simply designed antireflection coatings.

Abstract: The objectives of the present invention are to prevent or inhibit the deterioration of optical systems that determine the longevity of an optical apparatus which delivers effects such as light transmission, diffraction, reflection, spectrum generation, and interference, and these combinations, and by so doing, decrease the frequency of maintenance operations such as window replacement and to reduce the costs for such operations. This invention is characterized by steps of creating a near vacuum zone with a presence of active energy to excite an oxidation reaction of carbon wherein the near vacuum zone faces the lighting surfaces of the optical system; generating negative ions or radicals in the near vacuum zone such as unstable chemical seeds containing oxygen atoms, such as OH radicals, OH? ions, ozone, O2? ions, O-radicals; and removing or reducing the accumulated carbon which deposits on the lighting surface, by reacting the deposited carbon with the negative ions or radicals.

Abstract: A laser microscope is provided in which a beam splitter extracts a part of a laser light of two wavelengths ?1=488 nm and ?2=514.5 nm, a prism spectrally resolves the laser light of the two wavelengths ?1 and ?2, a two-split photodiode detects intensities of two lines spectrally resolved in this manner, and a controller controls an acousto-optical tunable filter (AOTF) fixed to an output end of an argon laser based on a detection signal outputted from the two-split photodiode so that respective light intensities of both lines of wavelengths ?1 and ?2 become constant.