Abstract: A channel tube inserted into an insertion portion of an endoscope includes: a rear side tube including, on a part of an outer surface thereof, a helical-shaped groove; and a front side tube including, on a part of an outer surface thereof, a helical-shaped groove; a connecting pipe for connecting one end of the rear side tube and one end of the front side tube; and a coil wound on the groove of the rear side tube. The rear side tube is connected to the connecting pipe at a part where the groove is formed and the coil is not wound, and the front side tube is connected to the connecting pipe at a part where a coil is not wound.

Abstract: A multiple viewpoint endoscope system having a multiple viewpoint camera setup and/or an intelligent or cognitive image control system and display device particularly adapted for localizing internal structures within a cavity or an enclosing structure, such as an animal body, for instance the abdomen of an animal or human, or for localizing a real or synthetic image of such internal structures within an overview image or on an overview 3D model.

Abstract: A device for scanning a body orifice or surface including a light source and a wide angle lens. The light from the light source is projected in a pattern distal or adjacent to the wide angle lens. Preferably, the pattern is within a focal surface of the wide angle lens. The pattern intersects a surface of the body orifice, such as an ear canal, and defines a partial lateral portion of the pattern extending along the surface. A processor is configured to receive an image of the lateral portion from the wide angle lens and determine a position of the lateral portion in a coordinate system using a known focal surface of the wide angle lens. Multiple lateral portions are reconstructed by the processor to build a three-dimensional shape. This three-dimensional shape may be used for purposes such as diagnostic, navigation, or custom-fitting of medical devices, such as hearing aids.

Abstract: An otoscanner including an otoscanner body, the body comprising a hand grip, the body having mounted upon it an ear probe, a tracking illumination emitter, a plurality of tracking illumination sensors, and a display screen, the otoscanner body having mounted within it an image sensor; wherein the image sensor operates at a video frame rate that is twice a standard video frame rate; a laser light source is strobed during capture by the image sensor of alternate video frames; video frames are captured by the image sensor when only the non-laser video illumination illuminates the scanned ear; and images for constructing 3D images are captured by the image sensor only when the strobed laser light illuminates the scanned ear.

Abstract: An otoscanner including an otoscanner body, the body comprising a hand grip, the body having mounted upon it an ear probe, a tracking illumination emitter, a plurality of tracking illumination sensors, and a display screen, the otoscanner body having mounted within it an image sensor; the ear probe comprising a wide-angle lens optically coupled to the image sensor, laser light source, a laser optical element, and a source of non-laser video illumination; the plurality of tracking illumination sensors disposed upon the otoscanner body so as to sense reflections of tracking illumination emitted from the tracking illumination emitter and reflected from tracking targets installed at positions that are fixed relative to the scanned ear; the image sensor coupled for data communications to a data processor, with the data processor configured so that it functions by constructing a 3D image of the interior of the scanned ear.

Abstract: An otoscanner including an otoscanner body, the body comprising a hand grip, the body having mounted upon it an ear probe, a tracking illumination emitter, a plurality of tracking illumination sensors, and a display screen, the otoscanner body having mounted within it an image sensor; the ear probe comprising a wide-angle lens optically coupled to the image sensor, laser light source, a laser optical element, and a source of non-laser video illumination; the display screen coupled for data communications to the image sensor, the display screen displaying images of the scanned ear, the display screen positioned on the otoscanner body in relation to the ear probe so that when the ear probe is positioned for scanning, both the display screen and the ear probe are visible to a operator operating the otoscanner; and a data processor configured to construct a 3D image of the interior of the scanned ear.

Abstract: An otoscanner including an otoscanner body, the body comprising a hand grip, the body having mounted upon it an ear probe, a tracking illumination emitter, a plurality of tracking illumination sensors, and a display screen, the otoscanner body having mounted within it an image sensor; the image sensor coupled for data communications to a data processor, with the data processor configured to function by inferring, from a tracked position of the ear probe, previously recorded statistics describing typical ear sizes according to human demographics, and currently recorded demographic information regarding a person whose ear is scanned, the actual present position of the ear probe in relation to at least one part of the scanned ear; and providing a warning when the probe moves within a predefined distance from the part of the scanned ear.

Abstract: An otoscanner including an otoscanner body, the body comprising a hand grip, the body having mounted upon it an ear probe, a tracking illumination emitter, a plurality of tracking illumination sensors, and a display screen, the otoscanner body having mounted within it an image sensor; the ear probe comprising a wide-angle lens optically coupled to the image sensor, laser light source, a laser optical element, and a source of non-laser video illumination; the plurality of tracking illumination sensors disposed upon the otoscanner body so as to sense reflections of tracking illumination emitted from the tracking illumination emitter and reflected from tracking targets installed at positions that are fixed relative to the scanned ear; the image sensor coupled for data communications to a data processor, with the data processor configured so that it functions by constructing a 3D image of the interior of the scanned ear.

Abstract: Novel capsule imaging devices, systems and methods are provided for in vivo imaging applications, such as for gastrointestinal applications. A swallowable video imaging device, such as a capsule, can be used with a light filter for in vivo illumination of a target tissue that has absorbed a previously administered biological probe. The target tissue can be distinguished in images transmitted from the video imaging device. Quantification of the signal intensity of fluorescence can be used to assess how progressed the target tissue may be. The target tissue can be therapeutically treated to shrink or kill the target tissue.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes: an image processing portion that constructs three-dimensional data based on preoperative multi-slice image data and extracts a predetermined luminal organ; a position detection apparatus that acquires position information of an image pickup portion; a position alignment portion that makes position information of the image pickup portion correspond to coordinates of the three-dimensional data; and an image processing portion that generates trail information based on the position information of the image pickup portion, and based on a result of the position alignment portion, creates an image in which past trail information, insertion shape information including current distal end position information with respect to the image pickup portion, and determination information obtained by determining whether or not the image pickup portion passes through a duct in three-dimensional data of the predetermined luminal organ are superimposed in a distinguishable manner on three-dimensional

Abstract: A medical system includes: an endoscope including an insertion portion that can be inserted into a body cavity of a subject, and an image pickup section provided at a distal end portion of the insertion portion; an exclusion section capable of, when the insertion portion is inserted into the body cavity of the subject, excluding a tissue existing around the distal end portion; a computing section that obtains luminance information relating to a luminance of an image picked up by the image pickup section, and determines whether or not the obtained luminance information meets a predetermined condition; a drive section that if a determination result that the luminance information does not meet the predetermined condition is provided, continues an operation to drive the exclusion section, and if a determination result that the luminance information meets the predetermined condition is provided, stops the operation to drive the exclusion section.

Abstract: In an imaging method for medical diagnostics and a device operating according to this method, during an endoscopic examination of a body region of a patient with an endoscope, an image is generated with a non-endoscopic imaging method and the image field of the endoscope is determined and rendered in the image (28) with accurate position and orientation.

Abstract: A medical robotic system includes an entry guide with surgical tools and a camera extending out of its distal end. To supplement the view provided by an image captured by the camera, an auxiliary view including articulatable arms of the surgical tools and/or camera is generated from sensed or otherwise determined information about their positions and orientations and displayed on a display screen from the perspective of a specified viewing point. Intuitive control is provided to an operator with respect to the auxiliary view while the operator controls the positioning and orienting of the camera.

Abstract: Various embodiments for providing removable, pluggable and disposable opto-electronic modules for illumination and imaging for endoscopy or borescopy are provided for use with portable display devices. 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, and/or image capture devices. The illuminating elements may have different wavelengths and can be time-synchronized with an image sensor to illuminate an object for imaging or detecting purpose or other conditioning purpose. The removable opto-electronic modules may be plugged onto the exterior surface of another medical device, deployably coupled to the distal end of the device, or otherwise disposed on the device.

Abstract: This endoscope apparatus includes: an insertion portion configured to include a bend portion; an image pickup portion configured to capture an image of an object to be inspected; an operation portion configured to perform a bending operation of the bend portion; a storage portion configured to store at least an image of the objected to be inspected as a recorded image; a display portion configured to display the image, and a display control portion configured to: determine a display orientation of a superimposition information; display the image captured by the image pickup portion without rotating the image; and display the superimposition information, the display control portion being further configured to: determine a display orientation of at least one of the recorded image and a Graphical User Interface; and display the at least one of the recorded image and the Graphical User Interface.

Abstract: An endoscopy device includes several light guides (1, 2, 3), each light guide having one or more optical fibers. The light guides are coupled with a sweeping system (4) arranged to direct an excitation light beam in alternation in one of the fibers of the guides from the proximal end of the guide including the one of the fibers. In this way, the proximal ends of the guides may make use of the same sweeping system, whereas the distal ends of the guides may be installed simultaneously in different zones of interest of an object or animal (10) under study for an almost simultaneous observation of the zones of interest. The invention also relates to an endoscopy method used in a device according to the invention. A device and a method according to the invention may be applied to quasi-simultaneous reflectance, fluorescence, multi-photon imaging of several areas of interest.

Abstract: In a special light mode, first to fourth special images are captured under first to fourth special light being narrow band light. A brightness ratio calculator extracts a blood vessel area containing a blood vessel from each special image. The brightness ratio calculator calculates first to fourth brightness ratios from the special images on every pixel within the blood vessel area. A depth and hemoglobin index calculator calculates the depth of the blood vessel and a hemoglobin index corresponding to the first and second brightness ratios, based on a correlation between the depth of the blood vessel and the hemoglobin index stored in advance. A depth and oxygen saturation calculator calculates an oxygen saturation level corresponding to the third and fourth brightness ratios, based on a correlation between the depth of the blood vessel and the oxygen saturation level stored in advance.

Abstract: The present invention relates, generally, to controlling a steerable instrument having an elongate body. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for sensing the shape of a steerable instrument and controlling the steerable instrument in response to a control signal from a user input device and a shape signal corresponding to the sensed shape of at least a portion of the steerable instrument. The present invention also relates to a system for sensing the shape of a flexible instrument with an optical shape sensor.

Abstract: An endoscopic imaging device for endoscopy in a body vessel is disclosed. The device comprises an annular illumination tube comprising an annular illumination fiber for illuminating a body vessel during endoscopy. The device further includes a first imaging tube comprising a first imaging fiber for gross examination and navigation through the body vessel. The first imaging fiber is disposed within the annular illumination tube. The device further comprises a second imaging tube comprising a second imaging fiber for cellular imaging. The second illumination fiber is disposed adjacent the first imaging tube and within the annular illumination tube.

Abstract: The application relates to an ingestible capsule and method for in vivo imaging and/or treatment of one or more diseased areas of interest within the gastrointestinal tract of an animal or human being.