Abstract: An acoustic probe (100, 300) includes an acoustic transducer (15, 444), and a plurality of variably-refracting acoustic lens elements (10, 210a, 210b, 442) coupled to the acoustic transducer. Each variably-refracting acoustic lens element has at least a pair of electrodes (150, 160) adapted to adjust at least one characteristic of the variably-refracting acoustic lens element in response to a selected voltage applied across the electrodes. In one embodiment, each variably-refracting acoustic lens element includes a cavity, first and second fluid media (141, 142) 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 electrowetting optical element comprises a first electrically conducting fluid and a second electrically insulating fluid. According to the invention the second fluid comprises a compound including an aliphatic ring-structure. The optical element may be a lens or a zoomlens or be part of a zoomlens system.

Abstract: An illumination system has a plurality of light emitters (R5G5B), a first light-collimator (1) for collimating light emitted by the light emitters, and at least a second light-collimator (2) for collimating light emitted by the light emitters. The first light-collimator is arranged around a longitudinal axis (25) of the illumination system, and second light-collimator is being arranged around the first light-collimator along the longitudinal axis. Light propagation in the first light-collimator on total internal reflection. Light propagation in the second light-collimator is based on total internal reflection or on reflection at an outer surface of the second light-collimator facing away from the longitudinal axis. The cavity (3) is provided between the first and the second light-collimator. The cavity is provided with a switchable element based on electrowetting, wherein the switchable optical element is switchable in a mode of operation reducing the effect of the second light-collimator.

Abstract: A controllable optical lens system, comprises a chamber housing first and second fluids, the interface between the fluids defining a lens surface. An electrode arrangement controls the shape of the lens surface and has first and second electrodes. A parameter is determined by the system dependent on the electrical resistance through at least one of the lens fluids between the first and second electrodes. Thus, the series resistance through a lens fluid is used as a measure of meniscus position.

Abstract: This application describes a medical device (230) for obtaining optical tissue properties of a target material. The medical device (230) comprises an elongated body (231) having a longitudinal axis (232) and an optical fiber being integrated within the elongated body (231). The optical fiber has a second fiber end (242, 242a, 242b), which is arranged at a side wall (233) of the elongated body (231) and which provides a lateral field of view with respect to the longitudinal axis (232). According to an embodiment many optical fibers are integrated each having an optical outlet (242, 242a, 242b) around the elongated body (231). Using the outlets (242, 242a, 242b) to do diffuse optical tomography and also use optical fibers to do an optical inspection, one can get information on the presence of tumors in a volume around the medical device (230) and a tissue characterization in the vicinity of the medical device (230). Thereby, an optical biopsy may be carried out, wherein no real tissue is removed.

Abstract: A system (100) for determining properties of particles is described, wherein elastic properties of particles can be studied. The system (100) typically comprises a microporous structure (110) having a first side and a second side, the microporous structure comprising a plurality of micropores extending from the first side to the second side. Using a means (120) for generating a pressure difference over the microporous structure, particles provided to the first side of the micropores (113) are passed at least partially into the micropores and deformed. A detector (130) is provided for qualitatively and/or quantitatively detecting presence of particles having passed at least partially into the micropores (113), thus allowing to obtain information about the deformation of the particles.

Abstract: An illumination device comprising a light source (2), an electro-wetting based optical element (1, 10), arranged in front of the light source to allow refraction of a beam of light emitted from said light source, and driving means (9) arranged to operate said optical element between at least two predefined states, said states being adapted to result in refracted beams having different light intensity distribution. According to this design, the electrowetting based optical element can be used to dynamically alter the light intensity distribution of the illumination device between a number of predefined states.

Abstract: An optical scanning device for scanning optical record carriers having cover layers of different thicknesses. The scanning device has a first mode for scanning a first optical record carrier, a second mode for scanning a second optical record carrier and a third mode for scanning third optical record carrier. The device comprises an objective lens system and a switchable optical element having a first discrete state and a different, second discrete state. The element comprises: a fluid system including a first fluid and a different, second fluid (19); a wavefront modifier (17); and a fluid system switch for acting on the fluid system to switch between the first and second discrete states of the element. When the element is in the first discrete state, the wavefront modifier (17) is substantially covered by the first fluid, and when the element is in the second discrete state, the wavefront modifier (17) is substantially covered by the second fluid (19).

Abstract: A device (100; 200; 300; 400) comprising a sealed cavity (210) containing n volumes of fluids (80, 87; 220, 230; 320, 332; 420, 422, 430, 432) is described, where n is an integer and n?2. Each volume of fluid is substantially immiscible with every contiguous volume of fluid. The cavity is defined by an interior surface divided into n continuous areas (60, 170; 260, 270; 360, 362, 370; 460, 462, 470, 472), each continuous area corresponding to and being in contact with a respective one of the volumes of fluid. The wettability of each area is such that each volume of fluid preferentially adheres to the corresponding continuous area rather than any one of the continuous areas adjacent to the corresponding area.

Abstract: A controllable optical lens system, comprises a chamber housing first and second fluids, the interface between the fluids defining a lens surface. An electrode arrangement controls the shape of the lens surface and has first and second electrodes. A parameter is determined by the system dependent on the electrical resistance through at least one of the lens fluids between the first and second electrodes. Thus, the series resistance through a lens fluid is used as a measure of meniscus position.

Abstract: The present invention provides a discretely adjustable lens (300) that is controllable by means of electrostatic or electrowetting forces. The lens provides two accurately reproducible and freely designable lens states that are defined by interfaces between one out of two fluids (120,121) and at least one lens face (155). Changing place of the fluids by means of electrostatic or electrowetting forces provides for switching between the lens states. The lens may, for example, provide a macro lens option in a camera lens arrangement.

Abstract: A controllable electrowetting lens system has a feedback control loop for controlling the electrode arrangement drive signals to implement an autofocus function. The feedback control loop comprising an image analysis focus detection system and a variable gain element. The gain is adjusted based on the lens condition, for example as sensed by a capacitance sensing arrangement. The autofocus control loop can be optimized to the lens characteristics (because the lens characteristics change over time) and/or to external conditions such as temperature.

Abstract: The invention relates to an imaging system 1 with two modalities, the system has a catheter 40 with an optical lens system 50 situated at an end of the catheter and optically connected to optical guide means 15 a. The lens system has a numerical aperture which is changeable between a first 1NA and second 2NA numerical aperture, 2NA being larger than 1NA. The imaging system also has an imaging unit 5 being arranged for optical imaging with the catheter 40. A first imaging modality 1IM and a second imaging modality 21IM are optically connectable with the optical lens system 50 of the catheter 40. The imaging system can change between imaging in two modes: (1) the first numerical aperture 1NA of the optical lens system 50 and the first imaging modality 1IM of the imaging unit 5, and (2) the second numerical aperture 2NA of the optical lens system 50 and the second imaging modality 2IM of the imaging unit 5.

Abstract: An illumination system has a plurality of light emitters (R5G5B), a first light-collimator (1) for collimating light emitted by the light emitters, and at least a second light-collimator (2) for collimating light emitted by the light emitters. The first light-collimator is arranged around a longitudinal axis (25) of the illumination system, and second light-collimator is being arranged around the first light-collimator along the longitudinal axis. Light propagation in the first light-collimator on total internal reflection. Light propagation in the second light-collimator is based on total internal reflection or on reflection at an outer surface of the second light-collimator facing away from the longitudinal axis. The cavity (3) is provided between the first and the second light-collimator. The cavity is provided with a switchable element based on electrowetting, wherein the switchable optical element is switchable in a mode of operation reducing the effect of the second light-collimator.

Abstract: A zoom optical system is provided which has a lens system which comprises a first lens which is arranged to provide a continuously variable focus for a beam of radiation. The lens system further comprises a switchable optical element including a first fluid, a second fluid and a wavefront modifier having a part through which said radiation beam is arranged to pass. In a first mode the switchable optical element has a first fluid configuration with said part being substantially covered by the first fluid, and in a second mode the switchable optical element has a second, different, fluid configuration with said part being substantially covered by the second fluid.

Abstract: An optical waveguide comprises a body (13), the body including an entrance window (9) and an exit window (11) defining an optical path (13) through a cavity. The cavity contains a first fluid (A) and a second fluid (B), with an interface between the first fluid and the second fluid defined by a meniscus. The meniscus lies longitudinally along the optical path. Means for adjusting the meniscus are provided, for example a voltage source and at least two electrodes. Electrowetting can be used for influencing the fluids.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for measuring an intensity of a part of an electromagnetic spectral range, and an electronic device implementing the method. The method comprises the steps of providing an electronic device comprising an optical device (10) comprising at least a first liquid (A) and being placed in front of a sensor (120), the optical device (10) having a transmittance of the part of the electromagnetic spectral range depending on an orientation of at least the first liquid (A); measuring a first intensity of the electromagnetic (EM) spectral range; changing the orientation of at least the first liquid (A); measuring a second intensity of the electromagnetic spectral range; and calculating an intensity of the part of the electromagnetic spectral range from the difference between the first intensity and the second intensity. Consequently, an intensity for a part of the EM spectral range can be measured without the need for a sensor dedicated to this part of the EM spectral range.

Abstract: A switchable optical element having an optical path (OP) for a radiation beam and having a first state and a second state, the element comprising: a first fluid (12) and a second, different, fluid (14) which are immiscible and which are separated from each other by a fluid meniscus (16); a first, transparent, wall part and a second, transparent, wall part spaced from each other along the optical path; and a fluid switching system which is arranged to apply forces to the first and/or the second fluid in order to switch the element between the first and the second state. The first wall part includes a non-planar wavefront modifier (28), and wherein the fluid switching system is arranged to apply the forces so that when the element is in the first state, the first wall part is covered by the first fluid (12); and when the element is in the second state, the first wall part is covered by the second fluid (14).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of determining in vitro the amount of nuclear DNA within a human or animal cell using UV absorption measurement with UV light. The invention also relates to a method for detecting in vitro cancerous cells in a biological sample relying on the aforementioned principles. The invention also relates to an in vitro method of diagnosing or predicting the likely occurrence of cancer in a human or animal subject.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an optical device comprising a container having an inner wall, said container enclosing a first liquid (A) and an electrically susceptible second liquid (B), said liquids (A; B) being immiscible and being in contact with each other via an interface (14), said interface (14) having a contact angle with the inner wall; and an electrode arrangement (2; 12) for controlling the shape of the interface (14) by means of a voltage; the optical device having an operational range in between a first value of the contact angle and a second value of the contact angle, the first value being in a range of 50-110° and the second value being in a range of 70°-130°, the second value being larger than the first value. It has been discovered that the response speed of the interface (14) to a change in position is a function of the contact angle (?), with a response speed reaching a maximum value around (?)=90° and at least 75% of this maximum value in the given interval.