Abstract: A continuous high resolution fluid level monitoring system is provided by embodiments of the present invention. This continuous high resolution fluid level monitoring system includes a unique fluid level sensor having a point light source, parabolic reflector, sensor array, and detection, processing and control system. The point light source illumines a parabolic reflector wherein the point light source is located at the focus of the parabolic reflector. The parabolic reflector reflects light from the point light source to produce a parallel light curtain. This parallel light curtain is parallel to an axis of symmetry of the parabolic reflector. The parallel light curtain illumines a chamber such as a chamber in an ophthalmic surgical device used to contain surgical fluid. The sensor array coupled to the chamber detects the parallel light curtain illuminating the chamber. The sensor array provides an output to a detection/processing/control system in order to determine the fluid level within the chamber.

Abstract: A boiler and method of operating a boiler are disclosed. The boiler generally includes a housing defining an enclosed region and a plurality of heat exchange conduits at least partially positioned within the enclosed region of the housing and arranged into an interior column and an exterior column. A baffle is at least partially positioned within the enclosed region of the housing and positioned between the interior column and the exterior column of heat exchange conduits. The baffle and the housing together define a constricted region. The heat exchange conduits of the exterior column are positioned within the constricted region. The constricted region defines a path for directing the flow of products of combustion adjacent the heat exchange conduits of the exterior column thereby facilitating the exchange of heat between the products of combustion and water within the heat exchange conduit of the exterior column.

Abstract: The present invention provides a surgical footswitch that includes a base, a pedal, an encoder assembly, a wireless interface, and an internal power generator. The pedal mounts upon the base and pivots. The encoder assembly couples to the pedal. As the pedal pivots, the encoder assembly translates the mechanical signal of the pedal into a control signal based on the pedals position and/or orientation. The wireless interface couples the encoder assembly to receive the control signal. The wireless interface also couples the surgical footswitch to a surgical console operable to control and direct surgical equipment. The wireless interface passes the control signal from the encoder to the surgical console, which then directs the surgical equipment based on the control signal. This wireless interface eliminates the tangle of wires or tethers, which may be a hazard in the surgical theater.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for spatially distributed, spectrally neutral optical attenuation. One embodiment of the apparatus can include: an attenuator fin plate; a set of attenuator fins, wherein each of the fins is operably coupled to the fin plate at a preset fin angle to the fin plate normal such that the attenuator fins maintain their position relative to the fin plate as the fin plate moves; and a motor for rotating the fin plate a set angular distance around an axis of rotation, wherein the axis of rotation is at a preset fin plate angle to a light beam direction of travel and wherein the attenuator fins block varying amounts of the light beam as the fin plate is rotated through the set angular distance. The attenuator fin plate and attenuator fins can be a single, integral component, wherein the attenuator fin plate is etched and stamped to form the attenuator fins, or separately formed components that are attached, for example, to a separate frame.

Abstract: System and method for identifying a component, such as an optical probe or pneumatic scissors, of an ophthalmic surgical device. A component of a surgical device includes an identifier, such as a RFID tag. Data from the RFID tag is transmitted to a RFID reader in the device. A controller determines whether the component corresponding to the received data is operable with the surgical device based on criteria, such as whether the received data is an authorized code that matches data stored in memory or whether the received data solves or satisfies an algorithm. The authorized codes are selected from a larger set of available codes. The controller enables or disables the operation of the device with the component based on whether the criteria is satisfied, the number of uses of the component, an amount of time that has passed since the component has been used, or a geographic location.

Abstract: An ophthalmic apparatus for precisely positioning an optical instrument, such as a wavefront aberrometer, in three dimensions with respect to a patient's eye. The ophthalmic apparatus may include an optical instrument directed in a first direction toward a target area to receive light therefrom and a camera directed in a second direction toward the target area to receive light therefrom, the first and second directions being non-parallel. The camera may include imaging optics to form an optical image on a photodetector array using light reflected from the target area. The ophthalmic apparatus may also include a processor configured to correlate a position of the optical image on the photodetector array with the distance between the optical instrument and the target area.

Abstract: A continuous high resolution fluid level monitoring system is provided by embodiments of the present invention. This continuous high resolution fluid level monitoring system includes a unique fluid level sensor having a point light source, parabolic reflector, sensor array, and detection, processing and control system. The point light source illumines a parabolic reflector wherein the point light source is located at the focus of the parabolic reflector. The parabolic reflector reflects light from the point light source to produce a parallel light curtain. This parallel light curtain is parallel to an axis of symmetry of the parabolic reflector. The parallel light curtain illumines a chamber such as a chamber in an ophthalmic surgical device used to contain surgical fluid. The sensor array coupled to the chamber detects the parallel light curtain illuminating the chamber. The sensor array provides an output to a detection/processing/control system in order to determine the fluid level within the chamber.

Abstract: A filter and method for filtering an optical beam are disclosed. One embodiment of the filter is an optical filter for filtering an incident light beam, comprising an optically effective material characterized by: a light transmittance of less than 1% for wavelengths below 420 nm; and a light transmittance for wavelengths complementary and near complementary to wavelengths below 420 nm that, combined with the transmittance for wavelengths below 420 nm, will yield a filtered light beam having a luminosity of about 90% and an excitation purity of 5% or less. The complementary wavelengths can be wavelengths above about 640 nm, wavelengths above about 660 nm, and/or wavelengths from about 540 nm to about 560 nm. Further, in one embodiment the difference between the light transmittance just below 420 nm and the light transmittance just above 420 nm can be greater than 90%. Above 420 nm, in some embodiments, the light transmittance can be arbitrarily determined.

Abstract: An optical fiber detector, and a method and system for optical fiber detection are disclosed. One embodiment comprises a receptacle, to receive and position an optical fiber connector, an infra-red (“IR”) source for providing an incident IR beam onto a cross-sectional face of an optical fiber and a cross-sectional face of the optical fiber connector, and an IR detector for receiving a reflected IR beam from the face of the optical fiber and the face of the optical fiber connector and generating a detector signal representative of the intensity of the reflected IR beam, wherein the intensity of the reflected IR beam is representative of the presence and type of the optical fiber. It is contemplated that the optical fiber detector of this invention can be implemented or incorporated in any machine or system requiring connection of an optical fiber to a light source.

Abstract: The present invention provides variable spot size illuminators that provide a light spot on a treatment plane by utilizing a zoom lens to direct light received from an image of a light source formed on an intermediate image plane onto the treatment plane. The zoom lens allows varying the size of the treatment spot while ensuring that the treatment spot exhibits parfocality. An illuminator of the invention can be utilized for performing a number of ophthalmic surgical procedures, such as, photocoagulation, transpupillary thermal therapy, and photodynamic therapy.

Abstract: A method and system for a software driver of a graphics controller to work with a display codec. The software driver may be configured to work with different display codecs at different periods of time while using a default configuration. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: The present invention provides variable spot size illuminators that provide a light spot on a treatment plane by utilizing a zoom lens to direct light received from an image of a light source formed on an intermediate image plane onto the treatment plane. The zoom lens allows varying the size of the treatment spot while ensuring that the treatment spot exhibits parfocality. An illuminator of the invention can be utilized for performing a number of ophthalmic surgical procedures, such as, photocoagulation, transpupillary thermal therapy, and photodynamic therapy.

Abstract: The present invention provides both continuously variable spot size illuminators and discretely variable spot size illuminators that can be utilized in many applications, e.g., photo-dynamic therapy, to provide a light spot on a treatment plane, e.g., a patient's retina, whose size can be continuously or discretely adjusted while ensuring that the light fluence and the working focal distance remain substantially constant at all spot sizes, thereby preserving parfocality with other optical systems. In a continuous variable spot size illuminator of the invention, a focusing lens system is employed to form an image of a light source on an intermediate plane, and a variable aperture is utilized to select a portion of the intermediate image. An objective lens system then images the selected portion of the intermediate image onto a treatment plane.

Abstract: A cylindrical heat exchanger member can be formed from multiple stacked ring shaped tubular members wherein an inlet and outlet of each ring shaped member terminate at a single header interface, thus permitting access to the inlet and outlet of each ring shaped member at a single location which enables rapid configuration of an combination of flow paths through the multiple ring shape members as well as simple and efficient cleaning of each ring shaped member.

Abstract: A cylindrical heat exchanger member can be formed from multiple stacked ring shaped tubular members wherein an inlet and outlet of each ring shaped member terminate at a single header interface, thus permitting access to the inlet and outlet of each ring shaped member at a single location which enables rapid configuration of any combination of flow paths through the multiple ring shape members as well as simple and efficient cleaning of each ring shaped member.

Abstract: An intraocular data display device having an N.times.M display with each row (N) and column (M) of the display confined by a planar waveguide array. The waveguides will form uniform pixel size anywhere on the display and ensure uniform pixel luminance across the display.

Abstract: A package having two halves that are connected by a hinge. The hinge allows the halves to be folded against each other about a device and held in this position by snap/indentation pairs. A folded tab on one half rests against a detent on the other half. Pushing down on the folded tab causes the tab to straighten out and thereby push against the detent, eventually overcoming the frictional force of the snap/indentation pair closest to the tab and pushing the halves apart an amount sufficient to remove the device.

Abstract: A fiberoptic illumination system having an attenuator with a "multiple wedge" aperture that more uniformly attenuates the light beam striking the fiberoptic without changing the color temperature of the light beam or affecting the exit divergence angle of the light beam. The system includes an optical housing design having orthogonal lights paths that allows two fiberoptics to be illuminated from the same bulb, two bulbs located in primary and back-up positions, respectively, mounted on a rotating carousel and a retinal protection filter that filters out wavelengths of light harmful to the retina.

Abstract: A method of calculating the required power of an intraocular lens to be implanted in an eye having the steps of measuring the axial length, preoperative anterior chamber depth and natural lens thickness of the eye, measuring and averaging corneal radii of curvature along a first axis and along a second axis normal to the first axis, calculating a lens locator constant from the axial length and the averaged corneal radii of curvature using a quadratic surface equation, determining a postoperative anterior chamber depth using the measured preoperative anterior chamber depth, the measured natural lens thickness and the calculated constant and calculating the required power of the intraocular lens and the predicted postoperative refraction using the postoperative anterior chamber depth.

Abstract: A solid-state tunable laser having a ND:YAG pumping source, a chromium-doped fosterite crystal lasing medium, a birefringent filter for selecting a specific fundamental wavelength, a pair of harmonic generating crystals mounted on counter-rotating platforms driven by stepper motors under the control of a computer, a partially reflective, partially transmissive mirror for directing the output of the pumping source through the lasing medium so that the lasing medium produces radiation having a range of fundamental wavelengths, and a fully reflective mirror for directing the radiation of the specific fundamental wavelength through the birefringent filter and the pair of crystals so as to produce radiation of a harmonic wavelength of the specific fundamental wavelength.