Abstract: An intrabody introduced device comprising: a power storage section for supplying driving power to a function executing section; a detecting section for detecting a supply voltage of the power storage section; and a timing output section for outputting a detection signal for use in detecting the supply voltage using the detecting section at given timing. The detection timing of the supply voltage can be controlled in this manner, and therefore the supply voltage can be detected at timing at which the load of function executing section is low, thereby enabling efficient voltage detection. For example, if the aforementioned timing is synchronized with the blanking period of a picked-up image, a stable voltage measurement is enabled at timing at which the intrabody introduced device applies a low load.

Abstract: In an endoscope control system, endoscope devices capture an image of each inspection site, write endoscope information in a title and/or a text of an electronic mail, and transmit the captured image in the electronic mail which has a captured image management computer of a management center as its distribution destination. The captured image management computer of the management center receives the captured images from the endoscope devices in the electronic mails, and manages them collectively.

Abstract: An endoscope is provided with a bending tube including sequentially connected plural bending pieces constituting a bending section which is provided in a slim and elongated insertion portion and which is brought into a bending operation by remote control, a distal end section which is provided in the front end side of this bending tube and which constitutes the front end side of the insertion portion, a flexible tube section which is provided in the base end side of the bending tube and which constitutes the rear end side of the insertion portion, and a covering member which is disposed to cover the bending tube and which has elasticity in order that both end portions of the covering member are fixed to the distal end section or the flexible tube section by being fastened radially inward, wherein the relationship represented by 0.3D<d<1.0D is established between a thickness d of the covering member fixed by fastening and the thickness D of the covering member before being fixed by fastening.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for controlling operating room equipment during an electrosurgical procedure is disclosed. The system includes an electrosurgical generator, a controller in electrical communication with and configured to control the electrosurgical generator and at least one operating room device, and a handpiece having a housing and a cable extending proximally from the housing providing electrical connection to the controller, the handpiece further includes first controls for controlling the generator and second controls for controlling at least one operating room device.

Abstract: A power driven bending endoscope with detachable insertion portion 2 is formed of an insertion body 3 having a flexible bending portion 3B, and a motor unit 4 having an electric motor 23 for driving to bend the bending portion 3B and a potentiometer 26 for detecting a bending state of the bending portion 3B, which are detachably coupled.

Abstract: An insertion unit has a channel through which a treatment tool can be inserted. A distal end of the insertion unit has a single-focus objective optical system or a focal-point-variable objective optical system to focus the optical image on a light receiving surface of an image capturing element. At a short object distance from the distal end, an image signal with a sufficient resolution is obtained from the image capturing element. In this state, a treatment tool projected by a reduced amount from a distal end opening of the channel is captured on a light receiving surface of the image capturing element. A required resolution is also provided for a far side.

Abstract: A system for transmitting the light required for a medical device is disclosed generally comprising an endoscope body, a light guide for transmitting light from a light source to the instrument body, where the light guide includes a bundle of optical fibers having a tapered portion, and a ceramic housing disposed around at least part of the tapered portion of the bundle. In certain embodiments, the ceramic has a pigment for improving insulation. In some embodiments, the taper and ceramic housing are located in an endoscope handle, which may be coupled to the endoscope body via an input post, and in certain embodiments, the inner diameter of the ceramic housing has an increase substantially equal to the decrease of diameter of the taper.

Abstract: A control system for supplying fluid medium to an endoscopic apparatus which comprises an operation handle and an insertion tube provided with an insufflation channel, an irrigation channel and a suction channel extending therealong. The control system is provided with a system control unit with at least one source of a first fluid medium, with a source of a second fluid medium, with a source of vacuum and with a multifunctional connector for bringing the operation handle in fluid and electrical communication with the system control unit. The source of the first fluid medium and the source of the second fluid medium are simultaneously connectable to and disconnectable from the insufflation channel and the irrigation channel.

Abstract: A detecting system of the position and the posture of a capsule medical device includes a main body of the capsule medical device that is inserted in a living body, a coil in a capsule that is arranged to the main body of the capsule medical device and forms a resonant circuit, a magnetic field generating device that is arranged around the living body and generates the Alternating magnetic field for generating an induced magnetic field in the coil in the capsule, and a plurality of magnetic field detecting devices that detect the strength of the induced magnetic field generated by the coil in the capsule by the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating device.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope system, which is adapted to observe a fluorescence image of autofluorescence emitted from a body cavity wall irradiated with excitation light, includes a controller that controls a light source apparatus to alternately introduce either white light or excitation light into a light guide while taking a normal color image and the fluorescence image, and controls an image signal generating system to generate normal color image signals and fluorescence image signals.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to enable a receiving side to easily recognize which of imaging devices has picked up received image data. A capsule endoscope (one example of the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus) of the present invention is swallowed by a subject, and picks up images of the inside of organs of the subject. The capsule endoscope has a plurality of LEDs, a plurality of CCDs, and a transmission module. The CCDs paired with the LEDs pick up images of the inside of a body cavity illuminated by the LEDs. The transmission module adds identification data for identifying the CCDs to image data in front and rear directions of the capsule endoscope picked up by the CCDS, and transmit the image data together with the identification data to the receiving side.

Abstract: A medical device control system improves an inducing stability and operability of a medical device having its direction controlled with magnetism, which is used for the inspection or treatment in a subject's body. The control system is formed of a medical device including an insertion member inserted into the subject's body, and a magnetic field response portion disposed within the insertion member for generating torque in response to the magnetic field applied from outside the subject's body, a direction detection unit that detects an insertion direction of the insertion member, a user interface through which the information with respect to the control of the insertion direction is input and output, a magnetic field generation portion that generates a magnetic field that directs the insertion member to a control direction, and a user interface control unit that controls the user interface based on a discordance between the control direction and the insertion direction.

Abstract: A flexible endoscope providing increased control to an operator or user, the flexible endoscope utilizing an ionic polymeric material positioned in the shaft of the endoscope, such that, upon application of an electrical current to the ionic polymeric material, the material contracts and becomes relatively rigid. The flexible endoscope may further include mechanical controls for control of the flexible shaft allowing the user to simultaneously actuate both the polymeric material and mechanically deflect the shaft.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for studying an object based on at least one of polarization, space, position or angle of light that has reflected from the object. An optical tomographic instrumentation of the apparatus includes a light source coupled to a source path, a sample path, a reference path, and a detection path, wherein the light source generates a spectrally resolved bandwidth. The spectrally resolved bandwidth includes a plurality of spectrally resolved cells and a detector in the detection path for analyzing light reflected from an object in the sample path and the light reflected in the reference path based upon at least one of the polarization, spatial relationship, position or angle domains.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope system according to the present invention has a video-scope that has an image sensor, and a light source unit that is capable of selectively emitting normal-light and excitation-light. The electronic endoscope system further has a signal processor and a display processor. The signal processor generates normal color image signals, which corresponds to the normal color image, on the basis of the normal image-pixel signals. Similarly, the signal processor generates auto-fluorescent image signals corresponding to the auto-fluorescent image on the basis of the auto-fluorescent image-pixel signals, and generates diagnosis color image signals corresponding to the diagnosis color image on the basis of the normal color image signals and the auto-fluorescent image signals.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope system, which is adapted to observe a fluorescence image of autofluorescence emitted from a body cavity wall irradiated with excitation light as well as a normal image of the body cavity wall illuminated with white light on a display device, includes a display controller whereby the aspect ratio of at least one of a plurality of images to display is converted so that the plurality of images are displayed in conformity with the shape of a display area of the display device when the plurality of images including the normal image and the fluorescence image are displayed on the display device. In the electronic endoscope system, the display controller converts the aspect ratio of at least one of the plurality of images by cutting both horizontal ends of the image to convert.

Abstract: A capsule endoscope, which is inserted into a subject and picking up an image inside the subject, includes an illuminating unit that illuminates an interior surface of the subject with illuminating light; an imaging unit that generates an electronic signal corresponding to incident light and outputs the electronic signal generated; a noise canceller that eliminates noise charges which are caused by dark current and accumulated in the imaging unit; and a timing controller that controls driving timing of the noise canceller so that the driving timing lays within a period after the imaging unit finishes an output operation of the electronic signals and before the illuminating unit starts to emit the illuminating light.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an adaptor detachably mounted on a distal end of an insertion section; a mounting base provided in said adaptor; illumination section attached to the front of said mounting base; front electrode terminals provided at the front end of the mounting base and connected to the illumination section; rear electrode terminals provided at the back of the mounting base, connected to the front electrode terminals, and abutting electrode terminals provided at the distal end of the insertion section when the adaptor is mounted on the distal end of the insertion section; and insulating plates where the front and rear electrode terminals are provided in a manner such that they are exposed from the surface and coupling lines to couple the front and rear electrode terminals are embedded.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope has a video-scope with an image sensor and a video-processor. The electronic endoscope has a first memory, a second memory, and a program data transmitter. The first memory is provided in the video-scope, and is capable of storing program data associated with an operation of the video-processor. The second memory is provided in the video-processor, and is capable of storing the program data. The program data transmitter according to the present invention is capable of transmitting the program data from the first memory to the second memory in a situation where the video-scope is connected to the video-processor.

Abstract: A detecting system of the position and the posture of a capsule medical device includes a main body of the capsule medical device that is inserted in a living body, a coil in a capsule that is arranged to the main body of the capsule medical device and forms a resonant circuit, a magnetic field generating device that is arranged around the living body and generates the Alternating magnetic field for generating an induced magnetic field in the coil in the capsule, and a plurality of magnetic field detecting devices that detect the strength of the induced magnetic field generated by the coil in the capsule by the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating device.