Abstract: An endoscope apparatus includes: a long insertion portion that is inserted into an examination object; an illumination portion provided at a distal end portion of the insertion portion, that irradiates illumination light at the examination object; an image pickup portion provided inside the distal end portion, that picks up reflected light captured in the insertion portion; and a heat radiating member that radiates heat emitted from at least one of the illumination portion and the image pickup portion. A distal end of the heat radiating member is disposed on a further proximal end side of the insertion portion than a maximum external diameter portion of the image pickup portion within the distal end portion. Therefore, not only can heat be radiated from the distal end portion of the insertion portion, but the distal end portion of the insertion portion can also be formed with a narrow diameter.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention comprise endoscopes for viewing inside a cavity of a body such as a vessel like a vein or artery. These endoscopes may include at least one solid state emitter such as a light emitting diode (LED) that is inserted into the body cavity to provide illumination therein. Certain embodiments of the invention comprise disposable endoscopes that can be fabricated relatively inexpensively such that discarding these endoscopses after a single use is cost-effective. The endoscope may comprise a lens holder on a distal end of the endoscope for collection of light reflected from surfaces within the body in which the endoscope is inserted. This lens holder may have an inner cavity through which light passes along an optical path. Reflective surfaces on sidewalls of the inner cavity may direct light along this optical path. The endoscope may further comprise an elongated support structure for supporting a plurality of lenses disposed along the optical path.

Abstract: An intra-subject observation system includes a first liquid inserted into a desired organ of a subject; and a second liquid inserted into the organ without being mixed with the first liquid due to a specific gravity lighter than that of the first liquid. The system also includes a capsule medical apparatus inserted into the organ with an intermediate specific gravity between the specific gravity of the first liquid and that of the second liquid to acquire intra-subject information, which is output out of the subject by radio.

Abstract: A flexible shaft includes a flexible, elongated outer sheath, at least one drive shaft disposed within the outer sheath and a moisture sensor disposed within the outer sheath configured to detect moisture within the outer sheath. Another flexible shaft includes a flexible, elongated outer sheath, at least one flexible drive shaft disposed within the outer sheath and a coupling connected to a distal end of the outer sheath configured to couple to a surgical attachment. A sleeve includes an elongated shaft configured to receive a flexible shaft therein and a securing arrangement configured to selectively and variably retain the elongated shaft in any one of a number of longitudinal positions along the flexible shaft.

Abstract: The in-vivo image acquiring apparatus includes an imaging unit which captures an inside of a subject, a transmission processing unit which wirelessly transmits the image information captured by the imaging unit, a power supply unit which supplies driving power for each unit of the apparatus, and a switching unit which detects an external input and switches a supply state of the driving power from the power supply unit. The apparatus also includes a mode setting unit which sets predetermined operation modes based on information of the external input which is input to the switching unit, and a control unit which controls the operation of each unit of the apparatus according to the operation mode set by the mode setting unit.

Abstract: In the present invention, a logical block of an FPGA is configured by a serial communication unit, a serial communication control portion, an EEPROM controller, an abnormal signal processing portion, an LED controller, an operation mode controller, a DPRAM, a clutch signal input portion, a jig substrate input output portion, a RAM, a motor controller, a motor drive waveform generating portion, an RL (right and left) motor current F/B portion, a UD (up and down) motor current F/B portion, a potentiometer control portion, a thermistor control portion, an RL encoder control portion, a UD encoder control portion, and an FPGA block abnormality monitoring portion.

Abstract: An endoscope adapter for use with an endoscope is provided. The endoscope includes an endoscopic insertion section subject to be inserted into an object subject to inspection and the endoscope adapter so that the endoscopic insertion section has an insertion section electrodes; the endoscope adapter comprises a lighting section for emitting light to the object and an adapter electrode section connected to the lighting section. The adapter electrode section comprises: an elongated hollow casing having an opening section at one end in the longitudinal direction of the casing; and a columnar electrode terminal configured to be movable in the longitudinal direction in the hollow casing and capable of projecting from the longitudinal direction end of the hollow casing. The inner diameter of the opening section is equalized to the outer diameter of the electrode terminal.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes an spouting portion spouting a fluorescent agent and a cleaning liquid, a light source portion emitting excitation light and irradiation light having different spectral characteristics, an optical system transmitting the excitation light or the irradiation light to the object, an image capture portion disposed in a section inserted into the coelom and picking up fluorescence and light having a different spectrum band that are emitted from the object, a spectroscopic portion disposed in an optical pass between the image capture portion and an end of the inserted section and restraining light having the same spectrum band as the excitation light from entering the image capture portion, and a control portion allowing the light source portion to emit excitation light at least once after the spouting portion spouts the fluorescent agent onto the object and before the spouting portion spouts the cleaning liquid.

Abstract: A capsule-type medical apparatus includes a capsule-shape sealed container accommodating an electric component for executing a predetermined function; and a switch unit arranged in a substantially center of the sealed container, and controlling supply of electric power for driving the electric component according to action of a magnetic field from outside of the sealed container.

Abstract: Various embodiments for providing removable and pluggable opto-electronic modules for illumination and imaging for endoscopy or borescopy are provided. Generally, various medical or industrial devices can include one or more solid state or other compact electro-optic illuminating elements located thereon. Additionally, such opto-electronic modules may include illuminating optics, imaging optics, image capture devices, and heat dissipation mechanisms. The illumination elements may have different wavelengths and can be time synchronized with an image sensor to illuminate an object for imaging or detecting purpose or otherwise conditioning purpose. The optoelectronic modules may include means for optical and/or wireless communication. The removable opto-electronic modules may be plugged in on the exterior surface of a device, inside the device, deployably coupled to the distal end of the device, or otherwise disposed on the device.

Abstract: An endoscopy capsule contains an induction coil that is elongated along a longitudinal axis thereof, the endoscopy coil supplying power to components within the endoscopy capsule. A magnetic element in the endoscopy capsule has a magnetic dipole moment and interacts with an external magnetic field to navigate the endoscopy capsule within the body of a subject. The magnetic element is oriented so that the magnetic dipole element is aligned perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the induction coil. The endoscopy capsule has a cross-sectional area, in a plane having a normal aligned in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the induction coil, which contains both a cross-section through the magnetic element and a cross-section through the induction coil. The magnetic element has a length along the longitudinal axis of the induction coil so that the magnetic element projects beyond the induction coil at each end thereof.

Abstract: A medical device includes: a body electrode disposed in contact with a human body; a tubular instrument having a distal electrode at a distal end portion of an insertion portion inserted into the body and a plurality of active joints for changing an orientation and a position of the distal end portion at the insertion portion; a plurality of joint position information detecting sections for respectively acquiring joint position information of the plurality of active joints; and a storage section for storing the joint position information respectively acquired by the plurality of joint position information detecting sections based on conduction between the body electrode and the distal electrode.

Abstract: A medical instrument having a lighting system for illumination a target area, the system comprising a light source and associated power controller, the system being configured to move from a first illumination mode to a second illumination mode based on a sensed or determined changed condition, such as predetermined temperature and/or change in a scene or brightness signal, or lack of change, from an image sensor that may be associated with the instrument.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an endoscopic visioning system and related method for both forward and backward viewing of a body lumen. According to an embodiment, the system includes an endoscope, a vision head including a light source and a vision chip on both a proximal and a distal side of the vision head, and an extension arm for moving the vision head away from and back toward the endoscope. Alternatively, the light source and vision chip may be contained in a distal end of the endoscope. In such an alternative embodiment, the vision head is a parabolic mirror mounted on the extension arm for reflecting images, for example, from behind the distal end of the endoscope to the vision chip in the distal end of the endoscope to permit, for example, a retrograde view of the surgical site entrance.

Abstract: In a wireless power supply system including a power feeding system equipped with a transmission antenna for wirelessly transmitting an electric power from a power source, and a receiver antenna formed by winding a receiver coil around an outer periphery of a substantially bar-like core member for receiving the transmitted electric power, the length of the core member of the receiver antenna is more than 10 times longer than the diameter of the core member.

Abstract: An endoscope deflection section frame including a plurality of rings and rivets. Each ring has front ears and rear ears with rivet holes through the ears. The rivets are located in the rivet holes to thereby pivotably connect the rings to one another. Each rivet includes a head at an interior side of an inner one of the ears and an opposite end at an exterior side of an outer one of the ears. The opposite end is welded to the outer ear.

Abstract: A body-insertable apparatus includes an imaging unit that captures an in-vivo image of a subject; a signal processing unit that writes the in-vivo image in a memory, reads the in-vivo image from the memory on a pixel basis and converts the in-vivo image to serial information to transfer the serial information; and a rate converter that converts a transfer processing rate to a rate higher than a writing processing rate. The transfer processing rate is at which the signal processing unit reads the in-vivo image from the memory and converts the in-vivo image to the serial information to transfer the serial information. The writing processing rate is at which the signal processing unit writes the in-vivo image in the memory. The apparatus also includes a transmitting unit that wirelessly transmits the serial information transferred from the signal processing unit at a transmission rate corresponding to the transfer processing rate.

Abstract: Hermetically sealed enclosures and constructions are disclosed for use in endoscopic systems, particularly endoscopic systems with electronic imaging and illumination systems in the enclosures. Compound optical windows are also disclosed for use in the systems. The compound optical windows may have separate panes for an imaging system and an illumination system, and contrast-reducing optical boundaries are between panes.

Abstract: A capsule endoscope system includes a capsule endoscope and a receiver. The capsule endoscope has plural image pickup units for endoscopic imaging by passing a gastrointestinal tract in a body. The receiver for wireless communication with the capsule endoscope receives and stores image data from the capsule endoscope. The receiver includes a data analyzer for retrieving position relationship data expressing a position relationship of the image pickup units to a target region in the gastrointestinal tract. A CPU of the receiver produces a command signal according to the position relationship data for determining a number of frames of imaging per unit time for respectively the plural image pickup units. The capsule endoscope includes a CPU for controlling operation of the plural image pickup units according to the command signal from the receiver.

Abstract: An endoscope device is provided. The endoscope device includes a capsule sensor entering a human body for detection and sending a signal, a driving device movably disposed outside of the human body and moving and rotating the capsule sensor in the human body with non-contact force for omni-directional human body detection, a data receiving device disposed outside of the human body and receiving signals from the capsule sensor, and a power supply device providing power to the driving device and the data receiving device.