Abstract: Disclosed is a novel assembly and method that enables a user to collimate a focused Cassegrain telescope. The assembly, having a secondary mirror and support baffle, comprising an axle, a bearing, and hub, enables a user to precisely rotate or freely spin a Cassegrain telescope's secondary mirror about its optical axis. Incident to freely spinning the telescope's secondary mirror, the user may peer into the telescope's eyepiece and observe a focused image that may wobble, or remain stable, dependent upon how well the telescope's mirrors are aligned. Further, the assembly's eyepiece, comprising a reticle design, enables the observer to measure the magnitude and direction of image shift incident to the secondary mirror spinning. Lastly, the assembly, comprising a radially marked collimating faceplate, and radially marked collimating knob screws, enables a user to make specific adjustments to the telescope's secondary mirror, compensating for the observed image shift, precisely collimating the telescope.

Abstract: The present invention is a lightweight night vision device (NVD) sealed from environmental conditions, shielded from electromagnetic interference (EMI), and having mechanisms for easy adjustment and fixation of collimation and interpupillary distance. The NVD monocular housing is integrated with the eyepiece, image intensifier tube module, and objective, allowing collimation to be fixed via an optical alignment of the monocular housing to its eyepiece, tube module, and objective. Certain components from existing NVDs may be reused in assembling the present invention to provide cost savings.

Abstract: The imaging optical system consists of a first optical system and a second optical system in order from a magnified side. The second optical system forms an image on an image display surface as an intermediate image, and the first optical system forms the intermediate image on a magnified-side conjugate plane. A height of a principal ray of light having a maximum angle of view becomes maximum on a lens surface of the whole system on the most magnified side, among heights of principal rays of light having a maximum angle of view on respective lens surfaces. The imaging optical system satisfies predetermined conditional expressions.

Abstract: A retroreflective system is disclosed that includes a retroreflective sheet for retroreflecting light, and a light control film disposed on the retroreflective sheet. For a first wavelength, light incident on the light control film at each of a first and second angles of incidence is retroreflected. For a second wavelength, light incident on the light control film at the first, but not the second, angle of incidence is retroreflected.

Abstract: An optical lens for use in a media feed device, having a first lens surface and a second lens surface, wherein the first lens is provided to be facing an object to be observed and the second lens surface is provided to be facing away from the object to be observed. At least one channel opening onto the first lens surface is present, wherein the at least one channel runs through the optical lens and at least one section of a media line is formed in the at least one, channel or, if a plurality of channels are formed, at least one of the plurality of channels opens up outside a highest point in alignment with a line that is vertical with respect to the first lens surface and to the surface of the earth.

Abstract: In a case where a microscope apparatus main body scans the bottom surface of the cultivation container by synchronously controlling a piezoelectric element and an actuator serving as optical axis-directional transport devices having different properties from each other, an objective lens of the imaging optical system is transported to a focus position in the optical axis direction.

Abstract: An optical scanning microscope includes an illumination system having a light source portion emanating from a light source, first and second polarizing beam splitters, and first and second optical channels disposed between the beam splitters. The light source portion is configured to emit a first illumination light beam comprising light of a first main polarization direction and of a second main polarization direction. The first beam splitter is configured to guide the light primarily into the first and channels, respectively. The second beam splitter is configured to form a second illumination light beam from light of the first and second main polarization directions from the first channel and second channels, respectively. The first and second channels are configured to emit the light of the first and second main polarization directions from the first and second channels, respectively, so as to have different types of convergence.

Abstract: A system for quantitative differential phase contrast microscopy with isotropic transfer function utilizes a modulation mechanism to create a detection light field having a radial or other axial orientation of optical intensity gradient or other distribution. A condenser generates an off-axis light field to project onto an object under examination, thereby generating an object light field, which is then guided to an image capturing device through an objective lens for capturing images. A differential phase contrast algorithm is applied to the images for obtaining a phase, thereby a depth information corresponding to the phase can be obtained to reconstruct the surface profile of the object.

Abstract: Provided is a biological specimen holder for positioning multiple specimens for imaging by a light-sheet microscope. The specimen holder allows developing plant embryos, small intact animals, or organs to be imaged in the light-sheet microscope in a single setting. The specimen holders significantly improve the imaging conditions with respect to the standard glass capillary system. Also provided is a semi-automatic image processing pipeline that quantifies cell divisions of plants imaged with both the glass capillary and the novel chambers. Plants imaged using the specimen holder undergo cell divisions for a period at least 16 times longer than those imaged with a glass capillary system and allow increased sample throughput and the option of incorporating light emitting diode (LED) lights to generate a light-controlled environment are also advantages.

Abstract: An endoscope includes in order from an object side, an objective optical system, an optical-path splitter, an image sensor, and an image processor. A ?/4 wavelength plate is disposed between the objective optical system and the splitter. The splitter includes first and second prisms, and has a beam splitting surface at which the first prism and the second prism are brought into close contact. The splitter splits light at the beam splitting surface, into a first optical path through which P-polarized light is transmitted and a second optical path through which S-polarized light is reflected. The first and second prisms are slid relative to one another along the beam splitting surface to adjust optical path lengths of the first and second optical paths, and are disposed at positions to cancel an amount of shift in focusing positions of extraordinary and ordinary light, and satisfy specific conditional expressions.

Abstract: An imaging lens includes first to sixth lens elements having refractive power and arranged in order from an object side to an image side along an optical axis of the imaging lens. Through designs of surfaces of the lens elements and relevant optical parameters, a short system length of the imaging lens may be achieved while maintaining good optical performance.

Abstract: An adapter is useful with a sample holder of a microscope. The adapter has at least one support region for reproducibly orienting the adapter in a mounted state in a sample holder support. The adapter also has a first coupling point for detachable connection to a coupling structure of a sample holder on one side, and a second coupling point for detachable connection to a coupling structure of a sample manipulator on a side of the adapter opposite to the first coupling point. The adapter is useful with the sample holder, a sample chamber, a microscope and a method for arranging a sample in a detection beam path of a microscope.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for measuring infrared absorption of a sample that includes delivering a pulse of infrared radiation to a region of the sample, delivering pulses of radiation of a shorter wavelength than infrared radiation to a sub-region within the region, and using one or more properties of the induced photoacoustic signals to create a signal indicative of infrared absorption of the sub-region of the sample.

Abstract: An endoscope and lens cleaning device assembly includes a tubular body, a visualization device including a lens, and a lens cleaning device. The visualization device is supported on a distal portion of the tubular body. The lens cleaning device is supported on the distal portion of the tubular body and includes an iris mechanism having a plurality of vanes. The vanes are movable between a first position in which the vanes are positioned radially outwardly of the lens of the visualization device and a second position in which the vanes cover the lens of the visualization device. Each of the vanes has a cleaning surface that is positioned to contact the lens of the visualization device as the vanes move between the first and second positions to clean the lens of the visualization device.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical lens, from an object side to an image side including a first lens, a second lens and a third lens. The camera optical lens satisfies: 1.20?f1/f?1.80; ?2.00?f2/f??1.00; 0.75?f3/f?1.10; ?6.00?R2/R1??2.00; 2.20?R4/R3?8.00; 1.50?d2/d4?3.50; where f, f1, f2 and f3 denote a focal length of the camera optical lens, the first lens, the second lens and the third lens, respectively; R1, R2 denote a central curvature radius of an object-side surface and an image-side surface of the first lens, respectively; R3, R4 denote a central curvature radius of an object-side surface and an image-side surface of the second lens, respectively; d2 denotes an on-axis distance from the image-side surface of the first lens to the object-side surface of the second lens, and d4 denotes an on-axis distance from the image-side surface of the second lens to an object-side surface of the third lens.

Abstract: An on-axis four mirror anastigmat telescope includes an entrance pupil configured to receive light from an image, and a mirror assembly. The mirror assembly has a first reflective surface having a central aperture formed therein, a second reflective surface, a third reflective surface having a central aperture formed therein, a fourth reflective surface, and an aperture stop. The mirror assembly is configured to receive light from the image on a common axis and to reflect the light successively by the four coaxial reflective surfaces through the aperture stop. The telescope further comprises a detector configured to receive light from the mirror assembly. The central aperture formed in the first reflective surface defines a field stop to limit the field of view.

Abstract: The invention discloses a programmable annular LED illumination-based high efficiency quantitative phase microscopy imaging method, the proposed method comprising the following steps: the derivation of system optical transfer function in a partially coherent illumination imaging system; the derivation of phase transfer function with the weak object approximation under the illumination of tilted axially symmetric coherent point illumination source; the extension of illumination from an axially symmetric coherence point source to a discrete annular point source, and the optical transfer function can be treated as an incoherent superposition of each pair of tilted axially symmetric coherent point sources. The acquisition of raw intensity dataset; the implementation of deconvolution for quantitative phase reconstruction.

Abstract: A mobile phone-based dark field microscope (MDFM) apparatus suitable for quantifying nanoparticle signals is provided. The MDFM apparatus includes an electrically operated light source, a dark-field condenser, a slide housing configured to receive an analytical slide, and an adapter housing configured to receive an objective lens and receive a portable electronic communication device. The slide housing positions the analytical slide between the objective lens and the dark-field condenser. The adapter housing registers the objective lens with a camera lens of the portable electronic communication device. A method for performing a biological quantitative study using the dark-field microscope apparatus is further provided.

Abstract: The application is directed to a locking adjustment assembly for an optical aiming device. The locking adjustment assembly is usable across different optical platforms regardless of the focal length of a particular optical platform. The locking adjustment assembly is operationally configured to be reset to a zero position. The locking adjustment assembly may also provide an automatic lock at a zero position.

Abstract: A camera assembly comprises a lens assembly supported on a support structure, wherein the lens assembly includes an autofocus actuator arrangement and the camera assembly includes an optical image stabilization assembly arranged to move the lens assembly in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis. A flexible printed circuit tape connected between the support structure and the lens assembly and providing an electrical connection to the auto-focus actuator arrangement is bent around a corner, thereby allowing the flexible printed circuit tape to accommodate the motion of the lens assembly perpendicular to the optical axis. A crimp plate connected to the lens assembly which crimps shape memory alloy wires has features extending out of the plane of the crimp plate for reducing flexibility. At least part of the optical image stabilization assembly overlaps the lens assembly in the direction along the optical axis, thereby reducing the height of the camera assembly.