Abstract: A speculum operable to be disposed within an ear of a subject may include a housing. The housing may include a light conducting element. A transmitted optical illumination may be conducted by total internal reflection via the light conducting element. The housing may include a lumen. The housing may be configured to allow a reflected optical illumination to propagate through the lumen. The speculum may include one or more coupling portions which couple the transmitted optical illumination from a light source to the light conducting element. The one or more coupling portions may be shaped as a conic section.

Abstract: A fixed focus microscope objective lens designed for high magnification viewing of homogenous specimens. The fixed focus microscope objective comprises a last surface 16 which serves as a specimen mount and enables the device to operate in focus without the need for focus adjustors in the microscope system. The user can observe specimens by simply placing a sample of the specimen on the fixed focus objective lens surface 16. There is no need for preparing a microscope slide, focusing, or positioning the specimen. By eliminating focus and stage adjustors the microscope becomes both simpler to operate and less expensive to manufacture. A fixed focus microscope objective lens can be used by novice microscopists to obtain high quality images at high magnification for nominal cost, and can convert a common video camera into a high quality video microscope.

Abstract: A fixed focus microscope objective lens designed for high magnification viewing of homogenous specimens. The fixed focus microscope objective comprises a last surface 16 which serves as a specimen mount and enables the device to operate in focus without the need for focus adjustors in the microscope system. The user can observe specimens by simply placing a sample of the specimen on the fixed focus objective lens surface 16. There is no need for preparing a microscope slide, focusing, or positioning the specimen. By eliminating focus and stage adjustors the microscope becomes both simpler to operate and less expensive to manufacture. A fixed focus microscope objective lens can be used by novice microscopists to obtain high quality images at high magnification for nominal cost, and can convert a common video camera into a high quality video microscope.

Abstract: A free space optical tap and multi/demultiplexer unit includes at least one optical unit that can tap off an optical signal from and/or add an input optical signal to a received FSO signal. The optical unit propagates the resulting optical signal, via free space, to a next optical unit of the system. The optical unit can include a holographic grating to diffract a portion of the received FSO signal to an optical detector and/or diffract an input optical signal to form part of a free space optical output signal. In addition, the FSO signal can include component signals of different wavelengths, with each optical unit of the system being wavelength specific to a different one of the wavelengths of the FSO signal.