Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit, an illuminating unit, and an image-characteristic setting unit. The imaging unit images an object to acquire an image of the object. The illuminating unit includes a light source configured to apply illumination light beams different in optical characteristics to the object. The image-characteristic setting unit sets the image characteristics of the image data, then refers to light source characteristic information, and sets to the illuminating unit, the intensity, distribution pattern, spectrum distribution or polarization characteristic of at least one illumination light beam. The imaging unit acquires effectively image data having the image characteristics set.

Abstract: A body-insertable apparatus that is used in a state of being introduced inside the body of a subject and that executes a predetermined function inside the body of the subject, comprises a driving controller that controls the driving condition of the predetermined function.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope apparatus has a distal part, an imaging unit, a light emitting unit, and a transmitting unit. The imaging unit converts light applied to the distal part, into an electrical signal. The light emitting unit converts the electrical signal supplied from the imaging unit, into an optical signal. The transmitting unit, which is attached to the distal part, guides the optical signal supplied from the light emitting unit. The electrical signal output from the imaging unit is converted into an optical signal. This optical signal is transmitted from the distal part through the transmitting unit.

Abstract: A transmitting and receiving apparatus (2) that transmits a radio signal to a capsule endoscope includes: a transmitting level determining unit (25) disposed near a transmitting resonance circuit (22); a frequency controller (26) that controls an oscillation frequency based on a result of determination executed by the transmitting level determining unit (25); and a frequency variable oscillator (16) that changes the oscillation frequency, based on the control of the frequency controller (26). By changing the oscillation frequency so that a transmission level becomes large, the oscillation frequency can be changed so as to decrease a frequency difference between the oscillation frequency and the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit (22) that changes along a variation in a self inductance value of a coil (24).

Abstract: A power supply apparatus supplies power to a body-insertable apparatus from outside a subject. The body-insertable apparatus is introduced into the subject and obtains intra-subject information. The power supply apparatus includes a first electric cable which is wound around a circumferential surface of a garment and forms a coil, the garment covering the subject, the coil having a non-directionality at a time of power supply; and a power supply unit which supplies power to the body-insertable apparatus in a contactless manner through the coil.

Abstract: A pill inserted into a body of a patient acquires in-vivo information on the body of the patient. A receiver disposed on the outside of the body receives the in-vivo information on the body of the patient from the pill through an antenna. When a power supply signal is transmitted from the receiver to the pill through the antenna, a drive control signal for making the pill to execute a predetermined function is superposed on the power supply signal, which makes it possible to control various functions performed by the pill from outside.

Abstract: An in-body information acquiring apparatus includes a function executing unit that realizes a predetermined function inside a body of a patient. A power-supply circuit includes a power unit that includes a cell and that outputs a first current and a first voltage; and a converter that converts the first current to a second current, which is a current required to operate the function executing unit for a predetermined time, and converts the first voltage to a second voltage, which is a voltage required to operate the function executing unit.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus supplies power to a body-insertable apparatus from outside a subject. The body-insertable apparatus is introduced into the subject and obtains intra-subject information. The power supply apparatus includes a first electric cable which is wound around a circumferential surface of a garment and forms a coil, the garment covering the subject, the coil having a non-directionality at a time of power supply; and a power supply unit which supplies power to the body-insertable apparatus in a contactless manner through the coil.

Abstract: A color image pickup device including: a pixel group placed in an array of a plurality of pixels of photoelectric conversion elements; and a color coding array corresponding to the pixel group, the color coding array arranged in a randomized array, or arranged in a randomized array satisfying predetermined array restricting conditions, or arranged in a randomized array satisfying predetermined color distributing conditions. Thereby an object image can be picked up in accordance with a randomized color coding array having no regularity, making it possible without using an optical low-pass filter to achieve a color image pickup device and color image pickup apparatus using the color image pickup device capable of keeping color moire from occurring even of an object having a cyclic luminance change.

Abstract: A system includes a device swallowed, passing through a subject, and including a constant magnetic field generator generating a constant magnetic field; and a position transducer. The position transducer includes a magnetic detector, a calibration magnetic field generator, a magnetic detector detecting an intensity of a magnetic field, a coordinate calibrating unit, and a position processor. The calibration magnetic field generator is disposed at a fixed relative position to the subject, and generates a calibration magnetic field for position calibration of the magnetic detector. The coordinate calibrating unit calibrates a position coordinate of the magnetic detector using an intensity of the calibration magnetic field. The position processor calculates a position of the device in the subject based on the intensity of the constant magnetic field and the position coordinate of the magnetic detector calibrated.

Abstract: A medical capsule device (100) includes a first pad (109), an apparatus outside the body (200) includes a plurality of second pads (such as 201a), and at least one of the medical capsule device (100) and the apparatus outside the body (200) includes a modulating unit (106) which applies a voltage to the pad of one of the apparatuses, upon modulating a signal, and the other apparatus includes a demodulating unit (203) which demodulates the signal from an electric potential of the pad of the other apparatus, and moreover, includes a position-detection signal generating unit (111) for transmitting a signal for position detection, and a position calculating unit (204) which calculates a position of the medical capsule device (100), based on a magnitude of a signal strength of the signal for position detection which is demodulated from the electric potential at the plurality of second pads (such as 201a).

Abstract: A system is for detecting a position of a device. The device is swallowed, passes through a subject, and includes a magnetic field generator generating a constant magnetic field. The system also includes a position transducer including a magnetic detector and a position processor. The magnetic detector is disposed at a fixed relative position to the subject, and detects an intensity of a constant magnetic field output from the magnetic field generator. The position processor calculates a position of the device in the subject based on the intensity detected by the magnetic field intensity detector.

Abstract: A system is for detecting a position of a device. The device is swallowed, passes through a subject, and includes a magnetic field generator generating a constant magnetic field. The system also includes a position transducer. The position transducer includes a magnetic detector detecting an intensity of a magnetic field component parallel to a constant magnetic field output from the magnetic field generator, and a position processor calculating a position of the device in the subject based on the intensity detected by the magnetic detector.

Abstract: A system includes a device that is swallowed, passed through a subject, and includes a magnetic field generator generating a constant magnetic field; and a position transducer. The position transducer includes a plurality of magnetic detectors detecting intensities of a magnetic filed, first and second fixing units that fix at least one magnetic detector to the subject, respectively, a position fluctuation detector that detects a fluctuation of positional relation between the first fixing unit and the second fixing unit, a coordinate calibrating unit that calibrates position coordinate of the magnetic detector based on a detection result by the position fluctuation detector. The system also includes a position processor that calculates a position of the device in the subject based on an intensity of the constant magnetic field detected by the magnetic detector and the position coordinate of the magnetic detector after calibration by the coordinate calibrating unit.

Abstract: An in-body information acquiring apparatus includes a function executing unit that realizes a predetermined function inside a body of a patient. A power-supply circuit includes a power unit that includes a cell and that outputs a first current and a first voltage; and a converter that converts the first current to a second current, which is a current required to operate the function executing unit for a predetermined time, and converts the first voltage to a second voltage, which is a voltage required to operate the function executing unit.

Abstract: A system is for detecting a position of a device. The device is swallowed, passes through a subject, and includes a magnetic field generator generating a constant magnetic field. The system also includes a position transducer. The position transducer includes a magnetic detector detecting an intensity of a magnetic field component parallel to a constant magnetic field output from the magnetic field generator, and a position processor calculating a position of the device in the subject based on the intensity detected by the magnetic detector.

Abstract: A pill inserted into a body of a patient acquires in-vivo information on the body of the patient. The in-vivo information on the body of the patient is input to a receiver from the pill through a receiving antenna. The pill receives a power-supply signal from the receiver through a power receiving antenna, and a power recovering circuit recovers power from the power-supply signal. A level determining circuit compares the power recovered with a predetermined value to determine the strength of the power-supply signal, and wirelessly transmits the determination result signal to the receiver.

Abstract: A transmitting and receiving apparatus (2) that transmits a radio signal to a capsule endoscope includes: a transmitting level determining unit (25) disposed near a transmitting resonance circuit (22); a frequency controller (26) that controls an oscillation frequency based on a result of determination executed by the transmitting level determining unit (25); and a frequency variable oscillator (16) that changes the oscillation frequency, based on the control of the frequency controller (26). By changing the oscillation frequency so that a transmission level becomes large, the oscillation frequency can be changed so as to decrease a frequency difference between the oscillation frequency and the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit (22) that changes along a variation in a self inductance value of a coil (24).

Abstract: A system includes a device that is swallowed, passes through a subject, and includes a magnetic field generator generating a constant magnetic field; and a position transducer. The position transducer includes a magnetic detector detecting a magnetic filed, a magnetic field extractor extracting the constant magnetic field output from the magnetic field generator by removing a noise magnetic field component from the magnetic field detected by the magnetic detector, and a position processor calculating a position of the device in the subject based on an intensity of the constant magnetic field extracted by the magnetic field extractor.

Abstract: A capsule endoscope 3 as an example of a body-insertable apparatus includes a battery 100, a control information detecting circuit 31 to which driving power is supplied from the battery 100, a system control circuit 32, and a driving controller 34 that is arranged between the battery 100 and the control information detecting circuit 31 and the system control circuit 32. The driving controller 34 controls driving of the control information detecting circuit 31, the system control circuit 32 or the like based on a temperature detected by a temperature sensor unit 33, thereby preventing actuation of the capsule endoscope 3 outside the body of a subject.