Abstract: The invention relates to a head-mounted visualization system having a wearing system, at least one light-transmissive optical system, an image generation device designed to generate image information based on the image data supplied to the image generation device, wherein the optical system is designed to supply image information generated by the image generation device to a person wearing the visualization system, and a polarization unit designed to polarize light penetrating the optical system differently in two spatial regions. The invention further relates to a surgical visualization system having such a head-mounted visualization system and to a visualization method for a surgical environment.

Abstract: An optical detection device includes a first linear light source, a second linear light source, an optical sensor array and a processor. The first linear light source is adapted to project a first long strip illumination beam onto the target container. The second linear light source is adapted to project a second long strip illumination beam onto the target container, and the second long strip illumination beam is crossed with the first long strip illumination beam. The optical sensor array is adapted to receive a first long strip detection beam and a second long strip detection beam reflected from the target container. The processor is electrically connected to the optical sensor array. The processor is adapted to analyze intensity distribution of the first long strip detection beam and the second long strip detection beam to acquire a relative distance between the optical sensor array and the target container.

Abstract: Described herein are techniques that improve the collection and readout of charge carriers in an integrated circuit. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to integrated circuits having pixels with a plurality of charge storage regions. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to integrated circuits configured to substantially simultaneously collect and read out charge carriers, at least in part. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to integrated circuits having a plurality of pixels configured to transfer charge carriers between charge storage regions within each pixel substantially at the same time. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to integrated circuits having three or more sequentially coupled charge storage regions. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to integrated circuits capable of increased charge transfer rates.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for producing an output photon having a predefined frequency. The system comprises a frequency comb generator for generating a frequency comb. The system further comprises a frequency comb mode selector configured to: receive a heralding signal representative of the detection of a first photon of a frequency-correlated photon pair, the heralding signal indicative of a frequency of the heralded second photon of the frequency-correlated photon pair; and select, based on the received heralding signal, a comb spectral mode of the frequency comb. The system further comprises a non-linear photonic element configured to receive the heralded second photon and the selected comb spectral mode and produce an output photon having the predefined frequency based on the frequency of the heralded second photon and the selected comb spectral mode. Methods, controllers and computer-readable media are also described herein.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing eye tracking using a scanning light signal with low power consumption are disclosed herein. Power consumption is reduced by intelligent disabling and re-enabling of non-imaging photodetector(s) and/or light source(s). In one embodiment, the scan region is contracted to a single feature of the eye (e.g., the pupil, a glint, etc.) in view of a particular type of event of interest to detect.

Abstract: A method for controlling the orientation of a single-axis solar tracker orientable about an axis of rotation, said method repetitively completing successive control phases, where each control phase implements the following successive steps: a) observing the cloud coverage above the solar tracker; b) comparing the observed cloud coverage with cloud coverage models stored in a database, each cloud coverage model being associated to an orientation setpoint value of the solar tracker; c) matching the observed cloud coverage with a cloud coverage model; d) servo-controlling the orientation of the solar tracker by applying the orientation setpoint value associated to said cloud coverage model retained during step c).

Abstract: An optical sensor assembly including a housing structure, a first optical sensor secured to the housing structure and arranged to sense in a first direction and a second optical sensor secured to the housing structure and arranged to sense in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical sensor arrangement including the steps of providing a substrate having a surface and providing an integrated circuit comprising an optical detector arranged for detecting light of a desired wavelength range. The integrated circuit and a light emitter are mounted onto the surface, wherein the light emitter is arranged for emitting light in the desired wavelength range. The integrated circuit and the light emitter are electrically connected to each other and to the substrate. A light barrier is formed between the optical detector and the light emitter by dispensing a first optically opaque material along a profile of the integrated circuit. A mold layer is formed by at least partly encapsulating the substrate, the integrated circuit and the light emitter with an optically transparent material. A casing, made from a second optically opaque material, is mounted on the light barrier and thereby encloses a hollow space between the casing and the mold layer.

Abstract: There is provided a solid-state imaging device including: a first semiconductor layer including a photoelectric converter and an electric charge accumulation section for each pixel, the electric charge accumulation section in which a signal electric charge generated in the photoelectric converter is accumulated; a pixel separation section that is provided in the first semiconductor layer, and partitions a plurality of the pixels from each other; a second semiconductor layer that is provided with a pixel transistor and is stacked on the first semiconductor layer, the pixel transistor that reads the signal electric charge of the electric charge accumulation section; and a first shared coupling section that is provided between the second semiconductor layer and the first semiconductor layer, and is provided to straddle the pixel separation section and is electrically coupled to a plurality of the electric charge accumulation sections.

Abstract: A system and method for detection, localization and signaling of single photon events and of at least two photons time coincidence events. The system includes at least one array of pixels, each of which includes a photodetector and a front-end electronics, which outputs a digital signal; at least one event detection electronics including: a plurality of digital-to-analog transducers, one for each pixel of the array, configured to convert the digital signal coming from the respective pixel in a corresponding analog signal, which is quantized in amplitude and duration; an analog adder node configured to sum the analog signals coming from the digital-to-analog transducers, obtaining a sum analog signal; and an overall analog-to-digital transducer. The system and method are ultimately configured to output a digital signal if an output signal of an analog adder node exceeds, respectively, a first threshold or the second threshold, allowing event detection, within a time window.

Abstract: A time-to-frequency converter transforms an initial single-photon pulse into a transformed pulse such that the temporal waveform of the initial pulse is mapped to the spectrum of the transformed pulse. The time-to-frequency converter includes a dispersive optical element followed by a time lens. The spectrum of the transformed pulse is then measured to determine the arrival time of the initial pulse. The spectrum can be measured using a photon-counting spectrometer that spatially disperses the transformed pulse onto an single-photon detector array. Alternatively, an additional dispersive element can be used with the time-to-frequency converter to implement a time magnifier. The arrival time of the resulting time-magnified pulse can then be measured using time-correlated single-photon counting. This arrival time can then be divided by the magnification factor of the time magnifier to obtain the arrival time of the initial pulse.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting optical signals includes a photodetector. The photodetector is reverse-biased by a first voltage and a second voltage is added to the first voltage to provide an offset equal to the second voltage for the photodetector. A first circuit is coupled to the first circuit to provide the second voltage for the photodetector and a second circuit is coupled to the first circuit to provide the first voltage to the photodetector to reverse-bias the photodetector. The second circuit provides an output voltage proportional to a current of the photodetector at an output of the second circuit.

Abstract: An optical device for optical signals comprises: a photodiode configured to receive the optical signals; and a linear transimpedance amplifier (TIA) having an input stage, an output stage, and at least one variable gain amplifier (VGA) provided between the input stage and the output stage. The optical device also comprises: an automatic gain control loop configured to rectify an output of the at least one VGA and compare the rectified output with a threshold gain setting to generate an automatic gain control voltage; and a detection circuitry being configured to detect a rate of change in the automatic gain control voltage and being configured to determine a first state indicative of an absence of the optical signals at the photodiode. At least in response to the determined first state, the detection circuitry is configured to disable the output stage of the linear TIA.

Abstract: A voltage control system has a light receiving array part receiving incident light and a light shielding array part shielding light receiving elements from incident light by a light shielding mechanism. The voltage control system also includes: a voltage application unit applying a bias voltage to an anode terminal; a multiplication state determination unit determining the multiplication state of the light shielding array part based on output signals from cathodes of the light receiving elements in the light shielding array part; and a voltage setting unit performing voltage setting for the bias voltage to be output from the voltage application unit based on the determination results from the multiplication state determination unit.

Abstract: The present technology relates to a light-receiving element and a distance-measuring module for enabling improvement of characteristics. A light-receiving element includes an on-chip lens, a wiring layer, and a semiconductor layer arranged between the on-chip lens and the wiring layer, the semiconductor layer includes a first voltage application portion to which a first voltage is applied, a second voltage application portion to which a second voltage different from the first voltage is applied, a first charge detection portion arranged near the first voltage application portion, and a second charge detection portion arranged near the second voltage application portion, and each of the first voltage application portion and the second voltage application portion is covered with an insulating film in the semiconductor layer. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a light-receiving element that generates distance information by a ToF method.