Abstract: A system, apparatus and method may indicate in-vivo device (10) location within a body utilizing for example illumination irregularities for calculation of location. There may be provided with an in-vivo imaging device (24) a set of dedicated illumination sources (43) and a set of detectors (30) located on an in-vivo device, such as a swallowable capsule (10).

Abstract: An electrical connection portion fixed to an apparatus main body includes a plurality of conductive members and an insulating portion for electrically insulating the conductive members from the apparatus main body in which the conductive members are arranged. The insulating portion covers the circumference of the plurality of conductive members. Further, the insulating portion makes the conductive members arranged side by side in a state where the conductive members are insulated from each other.

Abstract: An endoscope (1) has a handle (2) as well as a probe part (3) that can be connected thereto via a coupling (4), with an illumination device as well as an eye-piece (17) with an imaging optic being arranged in the handle (2) and image conductors and light conductors in the probe part (3). The coupling includes an image interface and a light interface. In the coupling area, at least one axially engaging guide (6, 8) as well as bayonet-like engaging coupling parts (6, 5) are provided, one of which is embodied as a rotational locking part (5). In the final locked position the locking part (5) is secured by a snap. Preferably, the coupling (4) is provided with an axially engaging guide and additionally axially engaging guides (13, 15; 14, 16) are provided of the illumination system and the image transmission system, which are particularly arranged side-by-side.

Abstract: A method for displaying images includes adjusting at least one characteristic of an image from a first imaging device of an endoscope to match at least one corresponding characteristic of an image from a second imaging device of the endoscope. The at least one characteristic may be one or more of color, contrast and brightness. An endoscopic system includes an endoscope including a first imaging device and a second imaging device, and a display device that displays an image from the first imaging device of the endoscope and an image from the second imaging device of the endoscope, wherein the images are sized so that an object, when placed at the same distance from the imaging devices, appears to have about the same size in the images.

Abstract: Image splitting device for videoendoscope, comprising an image splitting optical component to form on the sensitive surface of a video sensor housed in the distal end part of a videoendoscope a single composite image formed from two images of an observed target, viewed from two different angles; the image splitting optical component comprises two sections of identical convergent lenses, integrated into an opaque central element, maintaining the space between the two sections of lenses, each of the two sections of lenses are at least equal to a half-moon so that it is crossed by the optical axes of the lens.

Abstract: An endoscope inserted-shape detecting apparatus 8 includes a sense coil unit 23 in which multiple sense coil groups of sense coil groups 23A to 23I for detecting magnetic fields generated by multiple source coils 21 in an inserted-shape detecting probe 6 are placed as a part of the endoscope inserted-shape detecting apparatus 8, a signal detecting section 33, a source coil position analyzing section 35 and a signal control section 37 that selects a magnetic-field detecting element to be used for detection of a magnetic field signal based on the magnetic field generated by each of the source coils 21 from the sense coil groups 23A to 23I in a control section based on positional information signals outputted from the source coil position analyzing section 35.

Abstract: An endoscope according to an aspect of the invention includes an image pickup connector portion projecting from one end side of an endoscope connector and connected to a first electrical contact of a video processor, and a magnification change connector portion projecting from the other end side of the endoscope connector opposite to the one end side and connected to a second electrical contact of a magnification control device.

Abstract: A monitor apparatus for a laparoscopic surgery rotates images captured by a laparoscope as an endoscope and displayed on monitors for the laparoscopic surgery clockwise or counter-clockwise according to commands for rotating the images by surgeons who use image rotation manipulation parts such that the images of surgical devices displayed on the monitors are arranged in the direction where the surgeons can actually manipulate the laparoscopic surgical devices most conveniently.

Abstract: An image pick-up unit inserted in the body picks up an image of the body, and transmits by radio the image to an extra-corporeal unit which is arranged outside the body. The image pick-up unit includes an image pick-up portion capturing an image, a data transmitting portion for transmitting the image obtained by the image pick-up portion to the extra-corporeal unit at a plurality of transmitting ratios, a characteristic amount detecting portion for detecting a predetermined amount of characteristics based on the image, and a determining portion for determining a valid image based on an output from the characteristic amount detecting portion. The data transmitting portion controls the data transmitting ratio in accordance with the determining result of the determining portion.

Abstract: To provide a capsule endoscope in which a degree of appearance of a sting-like member in a captured image is reduced, a capsule endoscope (2) includes an optical system (18) having a predetermined principal point, an imaging unit (19) which captures light focused by the optical system (18), and an attachment member (28) which is arranged at a predetermined position on a window portion (17a) having optical transparency and forming a portion of an outer casing member (17) housing the optical system (18) and the imaging unit (19). The capsule endoscope (2) further includes a traction member (29) having one end secured to the attachment member (28) and extending by a predetermined distance in a direction from the optical system (18) toward a position of the attachment member (28). Since the traction member (29) has such a structure, an appearance of an image of the traction member (29) can be reduced at the imaging unit (19).

Abstract: An electric bending endoscope includes an elongate insertion portion provided with a bending portion, a drive unit, and an operation unit, wherein the drive unit and the operation unit respectively include a drive unit side electric contact portion and an operation unit side electric contact portion configured to be coupled to and separated from each other by moving the drive unit and the operation unit close to and apart from each other in a coupling and separation axial direction, and the drive unit and the operation unit includes a lock mechanism configured to lock and unlock the drive unit and the operation unit to and from each other with respect to the coupling and separating axial direction.

Abstract: An endoscope system is disclosed for detecting fluorescent light emitted in the near-infrared region by a plurality of fluorescent labeling materials introduced into a living tissue. An illumination system generates illumination light in the wavelength range 600 nm-2000 nm which serves as excitation light for the plurality of fluorescent labeling materials, and a detection system that can separately detect different ones of the plurality of fluorescent light emissions that are emitted at different wavelengths from among the plurality of fluorescent labeling materials is provided. The endoscope system may include a conventional-type endoscope having an insertion section, or a capsule endoscope that wirelessly transmits image data. By superimposing the image data obtained using reflected light in the visible region and fluorescent light emitted by the fluorescent labeling materials, improved diagnostic capabilities are provided.

Abstract: An endoscope with a stereoscopic optical channel is again held and positioned by a robotic surgical system. A capture unit captures (1) at a first time, a first image from light from the channel; and (2) at a second time different from the first time, a second image from the light. Only one of the first image and the second image includes a combination of a fluorescence image and a visible image. The other of the first image and the second image is a visible image. An intelligent image processing system generates an artificial fluorescence image using the captured fluorescence image. An augmented stereoscopic display system outputs an augmented stereoscopic image of at least a portion of the tissue comprising the artificial fluorescence image.

Abstract: An endoscope which includes a flexible tube and a protective tube placed in the flexible tube, the protective tube containing a plurality of elongated built-in components including an optical fiber bundle, characterized in that a solid lubricant containing rice-bran ceramics is interposed at interstices between the optical fibers placed in the protective tube and between the protective tube and the flexible tube.

Abstract: A portable hand-held endoscopy system adapted for interchangeable use with a variety of endoscopes. The system includes an endoscope having a first end and a second end, the first end having an eyepiece and the second end having a viewing end, the endoscope further having a coupler for coupling to a light source; and a battery operated unitary digital camera having an optical input, viewing screen, digital signal processor, memory with embedded software for processing data from the processor and for displaying an image on the viewing screen, and a coupler having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end includes a connector for removably connecting to the eyepiece, and the second end is coupled to the optical input of the digital camera. The video display is rotatable and pivotable about several different axes of rotation and a pivot point spaced distally from the main camera body.

Abstract: A driving block includes a plurality of magnetic-field generating elements and a driving signal generating section, and the magnetic field generated by the plurality of magnetic-field generating elements is detected by a plurality of magnetic-field detecting elements. A shape calculating block calculates a shape of an insertion portion of an endoscope based on a frequency component corresponding to a frequency of the driving signal in a detection signal detected by the plurality of magnetic-field detecting elements. Oscillation frequency of the reference clock for deciding the frequency of the driving signal is changeably set by the frequency setting section, and the reference clock with oscillation frequency set by the frequency setting section is supplied to both of the driving block and the shape calculating block.

Abstract: A device and system for in-vivo sensing having a relatively heavy part and a relatively light part such that the heavy and light part may be temporarily attached in-vivo. Detachment of the heavy part may be provided at a predetermined location along a body lumen. The light part upon detachment of the heavy part may for example float within a body lumen.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an endoscope to perform observation using a plurality of image pick up units and an endoscope system including such an endoscope, and its object is to provide an endoscope and an endoscope system having a simplified structure and a reduced cost. There is provided an endoscope including a plurality of image pick up units (24a, 24b) to pick up an observation image, a connector (28) to be connected with an external device (46) to perform signal processing, and a switching circuit portion (26) electrically connected with each image pick up unit (24a, 24b) and the connector (28) and configured to switch the plurality of image pick up units (24a, 24b) so that one of the image pick up units (24a, 24b) transmits/receives a signal to/from the connector (28).

Abstract: An in-vivo information acquiring apparatus includes an information acquiring unit that acquires in-vivo information, a transmitting unit that transmits the in-vivo information to an outside of a living body, a power source that serves to supply power to the information acquiring unit and the transmitting unit, a power supply unit that is provided between the power source and at least one of the information acquiring unit and the transmitting unit so as to supply the power of the power source to at least one of the information acquiring unit and the transmitting unit, an external signal detecting unit that detects an external control signal supplied from outside and generates a control signal according to a detected state of the external control signal, a power supply controller that controls a power supply state of the power supply unit according to the control signal supplied from the external signal detecting unit, and a masking unit that masks the control signal supplied to the power supply controller by t

Abstract: A light source device of an endoscope system comprises a light source and a light-source controller. The light source emits in a flash-emitting mode that the light source flashes in a flash interval longer than a field period of an imaging sensor for the endoscope system and for a flash period shorter than the field period. The light-source controller controls the light source so that the light source emits in the flash-emitting mode within an imaging period that is a period excluding a reading period within the field period. The flash interval is defined as a period from when the flash of the light source commences to when the next flash of the light source commences. The flash period is defined as a period from when the flash of the light source commences to when the flash of the light source is completed.