Abstract: An endoscope. One or more image sensors are designed to capture image data in visible light. One or more image sensors are designed to capture image data in a nonvisible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. An insertion shaft is designed to support the visible and nonvisible image sensors at or near a distal tip with sufficient rigidity to permit guidance to a surgical site in a human body. Image processing software is trained through machine learning to enhance image quality of at least the nonvisible portion of the image, and to present the enhanced nonvisible image as a real-time, visible presentation to a surgeon. A handle has electronics for drive of illumination circuitry and to receive imaging signal from the imaging circuitry. A joint between the proximal handle portion and the insertion shaft is designed to separably connect the insertion shaft to the proximal handle portion. When separated, the joint permits removal of the insertion shaft for disposal and replacement.

Abstract: An injection needle has a point designed to pierce flesh of a living body, and has a fluid passage therethrough designed for delivery of a therapeutic agent at a delivery site within the body, the delivery site to be reached by piercing at which an injection fluid is to be delivered via the fluid passage. The outer diameter of the needle is no more than about 2.1 mm. Solid state illumination circuitry and an imaging sensor are designed to provide illumination and imaging, and are mounted within supporting structure designed to support the illumination circuitry and imaging sensor within the needle arranged for illuminating and viewing the delivery site reached by piercing.

Abstract: An endoscope. One or more image sensors are designed to capture image data in visible light. One or more image sensors are designed to capture image data in a nonvisible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. An insertion shaft is designed to support the visible and nonvisible image sensors at or near a distal tip with sufficient rigidity to permit guidance to a surgical site in a human body. Image processing software is trained through machine learning to enhance image quality of at least the nonvisible portion of the image, and to present the enhanced nonvisible image as a real-time, visible presentation to a surgeon. A handle has electronics for drive of illumination circuitry and to receive imaging signal from the imaging circuitry. A joint between the proximal handle portion and the insertion shaft is designed to separably connect the insertion shaft to the proximal handle portion. When separated, the joint permits removal of the insertion shaft for disposal and replacement.

Abstract: An endoscope with a handle and an insertion shaft. The insertion shaft has solid state illumination and imaging circuitry at or near a tip designed to provide illumination and imaging of the interior of a body cavity for a surgeon during surgery. The proximal portion of the handle has electronics for drive of the illumination circuitry and to receive imaging signal from the imaging circuitry, the proximal handle portion being designed to permit sterilization between uses. A joint between the proximal handle portion and the insertion shaft is designed to separably connect the insertion shaft to the proximal handle portion. When it is separated, the joint permits removal of the insertion shaft for disposal and replacement. The joint is designed so that, when connected, the joint can transfer mechanical force from a surgeon's hand to the insertion shaft, and provides electrical connectivity between the proximal handle circuitry and the illumination and imaging circuitry.

Abstract: A distributed intercom system that interconnects a hub and various keypad and door zone units having microphones and/or speakers via CAT5 or similar cable having multiple twisted pairs. Audio is carried between all devices over a first audio wire pair, in analog signal format, forming an audio bus. Audio twisted pair acts as a data communication bus for control messages. One or more of receiver units may be active, while only one keypad device can be individually instructed to connect its corresponding microphone circuit to the audio bus. Determination of which unit is selected to be the transmitter occurs under the control of the hub. For example, in a case where a first user wishes to speak to another user in a different room, the first user presses a “talk” button at his keypad, causing that keypad to send out a message on a data communication bus to the hub.