Abstract: The invention relates to an instrument (100) that can at least partially be inserted into an internal cavity (2) of an object (1), particularly a catheter or an endoscope. The instrument (100) comprises an optical system (OS) for collecting light coming from external objects through a viewing corridor (VC). The optical system comprises an OLED (110) for illuminating said external objects which is disposed in the viewing corridor (VC). In a particular embodiment, the OLED (110) may at least partially be transparent. By arranging the OLED (110) in the light corridor, an optimal illumination can be achieved together with a compact design of the whole instrument (100).

Abstract: Fluid lens system includes a container enclosing a fluid arranged to refract incoming waves. A pressure release mechanism is in contact with the fluid so as to compensate changes in its volume due to thermal variations. The pressure release mechanism is positioned within a pathway of incoming waves. The fluid container may be connected via a tube to the fluid as a reservoir which is arranged within or outside the container, such as beyond an image sensor. Alternatively, an easily compressible body such as a small closed metal bellows enclosing a gas, is positioned inside the fluid to absorb volume changes by compression. The container may have an inner container part that fits inside an outer container part, where the pressure release mechanism is positioned within the outer container part. A fluid filled cavity including a compressible body may be formed between the inner and outer container parts.

Abstract: At least two chemically different substances of interest of an unstained biological specimen (12). For each of a substance image (24, 26) is generated, indicating for every region of the image an amount of the substance. A multicolour image is generated on the basis of the substance images. In a related aspect, a data carrier carries instructions for instructing a computer to control or to perform the method. In another related aspect, a system (10) an unstained biological specimen (12) comprises an optical system for exposing to ultraviolet light (18) of a selected frequency and for measuring for various regions of the specimen the intensity of transmitted ultraviolet light (20) and for repeating the steps of exposing and of measuring for different ultraviolet frequencies, thus generating for each frequency an ultra violet image; a computer for generating substance images on the basis of the ultraviolet images and for generating the multicolour image on the basis of the substance images.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an optical device comprising a container enclosing an insulating liquid (A) and a liquid responsive to an electric field (B), the insulating liquid (A) and the liquid responsive to an electric field (B) being immiscible and being in contact with each other via an interface (14), at least one of the liquids (A; B) being at least partially placed in a light path through the container. The optical device further comprises an electrode arrangement (2; 12) for controlling the shape of the interface (14) by means of a voltage; and means (100) for preventing the interface from an exposure to an external electric field. Consequently, the build-up of electrostatic charge on a surface of the optical device is avoided, which prevents the unwanted distortion of the interface (14) caused by the interaction of the liquid responsive to an electric field (B) and the electrostatic charge.

Abstract: An acoustic probe includes an acoustic transducer having acoustic transducer elements arranged in a one-dimensional array; and a variably-refracting acoustic lens coupled to the acoustic transducer. The variably-refracting acoustic lens has a pair of electrodes configured to adjust the focus of the variably-refracting acoustic lens in response to a selected voltage applied across the electrodes. In one embodiment, the variably-refracting acoustic lens includes a cavity, first and second fluid media disposed within the cavity, and the pair of electrodes. The speed of sound of an acoustic wave in the first fluid medium is different than the speed of sound of the acoustic wave in the second fluid medium. The first and second fluid media are immiscible with respect to each other, and the first fluid medium has a substantially different electrical conductivity than the second fluid medium.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical image probe(20) for particularly suited for miniature application e.g. in-vivo. A fluid lens(5) is positioned a housing (19),the fluid lens having a changeable optical power. An image collector (40) is positioned within the housing, the collector being arranged on an optical path of the fluid lens, the collector being displaceable along the said optical path by an actuator (42, 70, 80, 90) in various ways. It is highly advantageous in obtaining a compact optical image probe and which simultaneously has a high zoom factor. Due the possible displacement of the image collector and the changeable optical power of the fluid lens, and cooperation between these two elements, it is possible to obtain a compact endoscope with a wide dynamic range of zoom factor with satisfactory focusing properties.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an optical device comprising a container enclosing a first liquid (A) and an electrically susceptible second liquid (v2), said liquids (A; B) being immiscible and being in contact with each other via an interface (14); at least one of the liquids (A; B) being at least partially placed in a light path through the container; said liquids having an averaged kinematic viscosity V (in m2/s) and an averaged density D (in kg/m3). said liquids experiencing a surface tension S (in N/m), the optical device having a diameter d (in m) in at the contact line of said interface (14) with an inner wall of the container, the optical device obeying the relationship, (Formula I) Such an optical device has a critically damped or a near-critically damped interface, thus yielding a device that can be subjected to high switching frequencies.

Abstract: The invention relates to a biopsy device, particularly a biopsy device comprising a shaft with a transducer element for providing information about acoustic properties of a material to be analysed, a system of positioning a biopsy device and a method for positioning a biopsy device. The biopsy device may be adapted to take biopsies of different regions of the 5 human body for excluding or detecting abnormalities as cancerous lesions. The biopsy device may be used to measure acoustic properties of the material while inserting the tip portion of the biopsy device into the material to be analysed. The biopsy device may further allow measurement based on elastography.

Abstract: An objective lens system for an optical biopsy device has a lens that comprises a first part configured for viewing at a first magnification, and a second part configured for viewing at a second magnification. The second magnification is substantially different from the first magnification. The first magnification enables viewing a larger area of a target and the second magnification enables viewing the target at a cellular level with high sensitivity and specificity. Combining viewing at two different magnifications in a single objective lens results in a compact optical biopsy device.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a system for variably refracting, and is transparent for, ultrasound as well as for light. By choosing liquids with the right optical and acoustical properties, it is possible to variably refract (including focusing and deflecting or steering) ultrasound while not affecting the refraction of light, or vice versa. Two lenses in series, or preferably one lens, allow for variably refracting ultrasound and light.

Abstract: Fluid lens system, e.g. for medical imaging or medical treatment, with a container enclosing a fluid arranged to refract incoming waves. A pressure release mechanism is in contact with the fluid so as to compensate changes in its volume due to thermal variations, e.g. during high temperature medical cleaning. This pressure release mechanism is positioned within a pathway of incoming waves. In preferred embodiments a fluid container connected via a tube to the fluid as a reservoir, is arranged within or outside the container, e.g. beyond an image sensor. Alternatively, an easily compressible body, e.g. a small closed metal bellows enclosing a gas, is positioned inside the fluid to absorb volume changes by compression. In both embodiments, the pressure release elements are preferably positioned in a peripheral part of the pathway of incoming waves to not affect performance of the lens.

Abstract: A catheter apparatus (100, 2000, 3000, 4000, 540) includes an elongated body (110) having proximal (112) and distal (114) ends, an acoustic transducer (130, 2300, 5 3300, 4300, 544), disposed proximate the distal end (114) of the elongated body (110), and a variably-refracting acoustic lens (140, 2200, 3200, 4200, 542) adapted to dynamically adjust a direction associated with an acoustic wave coupled to the acoustic transducer in response to one or more control signals provided thereto.

Abstract: An adjustable fluid type lens system is provided that allows e.g. ultrasound imaging through the lens during adjustment of the lens. The lens includes a container enclosing two immiscible fluids, e.g. water and oil, being in contact with each other at an interface. Incoming waves are then refracted at this interface. The shape of the interface, and thereby the refraction property, is adjustable by adjusting a voltage applied to the lens. The two fluids are selected such that they together exhibit a mechanical damping which is critical or near critical. A control circuit generates the electric voltage for adjusting the refraction from one value to another, the control circuit being arranged to change the electric voltage such that a rate of voltage change is limited to avoid oscillation of the interface, thereby adjusting refraction of incoming waves at the interface in a continuous manner.

Abstract: Apparatus for providing a fluid meniscus with variable configurations by means of electrowetting. A fluid chamber (5) holds two different fluids (A, B) separated by a meniscus (14) of which the edge, having different sides, is constrained by the fluid chamber. A first electrowetting electrode (2a) is arranged to act on a first side of the meniscus edge and a second electrowetting electrode (2a?) is arranged to act separately on a second side of the meniscus edge. Selected meniscus configurations can be formed by providing selected voltages to the first and second electrowetting electrodes respectively.

Abstract: A device or support, system and method are provided for precisely targeted and/or highly controlled interaction with a targeted cell or tissue in a body, with the support providing an ergonomic connecting interface for selectively connecting the support to a cell or tissue with at least minimal adverse affect to such cell or tissue, the system providing a remote facility that may be operatively associated with the support, and the method providing steps for employing the support and/or system so as to, inter alia, improve treatment, diagnostic and/or monitoring techniques and increase sensitivity and specificity with respect to interacting with, for example, diseased or abnormal cells or tissue without adversely effecting surrounding healthy cells or tissue, and/or the body in general.

Abstract: An electrowetting cell including an expandable joint between a body section and an end section. Such an expandable joint could include a membrane or a flange-like portion.

Abstract: A lens system comprises a first lens group and a second lens group, and is configured to form an image at a first magnification and at a second magnification. The lens system has a common optical axis in both magnifications. The lens system is further configured to form an intermediate image between the first lens group and the second lens group at the first magnification. The intermediate image formed in the first magnification is further imaged onto an optical detector. In the first magnification, the second lens group acts as a relay lens imaging the intermediate image onto the optical detector. In the second magnification, the first and second lens groups together form an image on the optical detector without forming an intermediate image.

Abstract: An optical element is provided for generating interfacial waves by means of electro wetting. The optical element comprises a fluid chamber with at least one side wall and an optical axis. Furthermore the fluid chamber includes a first fluid (A) and a second fluid (B) which are separated by an interface, the fluids (A, B) being immiscible. A first electro wetting electrode and a second electro wetting electrode are provided, the first electro wetting electrode is separated from the first fluid (A) and the second fluid (B) by a fluid contact layer. The second electro wetting electrode is arranged to act on the first fluid (A). The selected standing or running waves can be formed by providing selected voltages to the first and the second electro wetting electrodes respectively.

Abstract: It is described a device (100) for analyzing biological cell material (115). The device (100) comprises a light source arrangement (120), which is adapted for directing a first (131) and a second illumination light (132) towards the cell material (115), wherein the first (131) and the second (132) illumination light comprises a first and a second spectral radiation component, respectively. The device (100) further comprises a detector arrangement (170), which is adapted for receiving a first measurement light (151) based on a first interaction of the first illumination light (131) with the cell material (115) and a second measurement light (152) based on a second interaction of the second illumination light (152) with the cell material (115).

Abstract: In an optical scanning device (10) capable of scanning an information plane of an optical record carrier (5) of different types such as BD, DVD and CD, the diameter of the radiation spot on the detector (7) is dependent on the numerical aperture of the objective system (4) that is used for scanning the record carrier An optimal design of the optical detection system for scanning a BD, result in a small radiation spot for the other types such as DVD and CD.