Abstract: An image capturing device includes: an illuminator configured to generate illumination light having wavelength bands and an illumination characteristic; an imager configured to generate an image signal by capturing light from a subject; and a processor configured to: control the illumination characteristic; set a piece of statistical data used for estimating a spectral characteristic of the subject included in the image signal; estimate the spectral characteristic of the subject included in the image signal based on the set piece of statistical data; define an illumination characteristic of illumination light in accordance with the estimated spectral characteristic of the subject; and determine whether or not the set piece of statistical data is an adequate piece of statistical data based on whether or not an image signal generated by the imager under the illumination light having the defined illumination characteristic satisfies a criterion for achromatic color.

Abstract: An image capturing device includes: an illuminator configured to generate illumination light composed of components at a plurality of wavelength bands, each of the components having a characteristic in accordance with a corresponding one of settings; an imager configured to generate an image signal by capturing light from a subject; and a processor. The processor is configured to: set an acquisition condition for acquiring spectral information of the subject, the acquisition condition including a condition related to an operation of each of the illuminator and the imager; analyze the image signal generated by the imager based on the acquisition condition in order to acquire the spectral information of the subject; determine whether or not the acquired spectral information satisfies an end condition for ending acquisition of the spectral information; and change the acquisition condition when the processor determines that the end condition is not satisfied.

Abstract: A subject identification device includes: an illuminator configured to generate illumination light including components at a plurality of wavelength bands, each of the components having a characteristic in accordance with a respective one of settings; an imager configured to generate an image signal by capturing light from a subject under the illumination light having the illumination characteristic; and a processor including hardware. The processor is configured to: define an illumination characteristic of the illumination light; analyze the image signal to acquire spectral information of the subject; and cross check the spectral information of the subject with subject identification information in order to identify the subject. When the subject is not identified, the processor is configured to define another illumination characteristic that causes spectral information of potentials for the subject to be identified, and subsequently each of the imager and the processor performs a process.

Abstract: A subject identification device includes: an illuminator configured to generate illumination light including components at a plurality of wavelength bands, each of the components having a characteristic in accordance with a respective one of settings; an imager configured to generate an image signal by capturing light from a subject under the illumination light having the illumination characteristic; and a processor including hardware. The processor is configured to: define an illumination characteristic of the illumination light; analyze the image signal to acquire spectral information of the subject; and cross check the spectral information of the subject with subject identification information in order to identify the subject. When the subject is not identified, the processor is configured to define another illumination characteristic that causes spectral information of potentials for the subject to be identified, and subsequently each of the imager and the processor performs a process.

Abstract: An image capturing device includes: an illuminator configured to generate illumination light composed of components at a plurality of wavelength bands, each of the components having a characteristic in accordance with a corresponding one of settings; an imager configured to generate an image signal by capturing light from a subject; and a processor. The processor is configured to: set an acquisition condition for acquiring spectral information of the subject, the acquisition condition including a condition related to an operation of each of the illuminator and the imager; analyze the image signal generated by the imager based on the acquisition condition in order to acquire the spectral information of the subject; determine whether or not the acquired spectral information satisfies an end condition for ending acquisition of the spectral information; and change the acquisition condition when the processor determines that the end condition is not satisfied.

Abstract: An image capturing device includes: an illuminator configured to generate illumination light having wavelength bands and an illumination characteristic; an imager configured to generate an image signal by capturing light from a subject; and a processor configured to: control the illumination characteristic; set a piece of statistical data used for estimating a spectral characteristic of the subject included in the image signal; estimate the spectral characteristic of the subject included in the image signal based on the set piece of statistical data; define an illumination characteristic of illumination light in accordance with the estimated spectral characteristic of the subject; and determine whether or not the set piece of statistical data is an adequate piece of statistical data based on whether or not an image signal generated by the imager under the illumination light having the defined illumination characteristic satisfies a criterion for achromatic color.

Abstract: An image acquisition system according to the present invention includes: a display device including a display surface on which a subject can be mounted; and the image acquisition device that is disposed face-down at a position above the display device in a manner spaced apart from the display surface, the display device being disposed with the display surface face-up, and that acquires images of the display surface and the subject placed on the display surface, wherein the image acquisition device includes a transmission unit that transmits the acquired images, and the display device includes: a reception unit that receives the transmitted images; a relative-position calculation unit that calculates the relative position between the display device and the image acquisition device on the basis of the received image; and a display control unit that controls content displayed on the display surface on the basis of the calculated relative position.

Abstract: Provided is an image acquisition system according to the present invention includes: a display device that has a display surface on which an image is displayed; a dome-shaped reflective member that is disposed so as to cover at least a part of the display surface of the display device, that includes a reflective surface reflecting light from the display surface, on an inner surface thereof, and has a through-hole that passes between an interior and an exterior; and a photographing device that photographs light radiated from the display surface via the through-hole, while a subject is disposed at a position between the reflective member and the display surface.

Abstract: An image acquisition system according to the present invention includes: a display device including a display surface on which a subject can be mounted; and the image acquisition device that is disposed face-down at a position above the display device in a manner spaced apart from the display surface, the display device being disposed with the display surface face-up, and that acquires images of the display surface and the subject placed on the display surface, wherein the image acquisition device includes a transmission unit that transmits the acquired images, and the display device includes: a reception unit that receives the transmitted images; a relative-position calculation unit that calculates the relative position between the display device and the image acquisition device on the basis of the received image; and a display control unit that controls content displayed on the display surface on the basis of the calculated relative position.

Abstract: Provided is an image acquisition system according to the present invention includes: a display device that has a display surface on which an image is displayed; a dome-shaped reflective member that is disposed so as to cover at least a part of the display surface of the display device, that includes a reflective surface reflecting light from the display surface, on an inner surface thereof, and has a through-hole that passes between an interior and an exterior; and a photographing device that photographs light radiated from the display surface via the through-hole, while a subject is disposed at a position between the reflective member and the display surface.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided in an imaging system having an image capturing unit. The image capturing unit is configured to irradiate a subject with light and to generate first image data representing a first image based on the light reflected from the subject and having first spectral characteristics, and to generate second image data representing a second image based on the light reflected from the subject and having second spectral characteristics different from the first spectral characteristics. The image processing apparatus includes: a computing unit that determines a degree of correlation between the first image and the second image; and a control unit that causes the image capturing unit to generate the first image data at a preset frame rate, and controls timing to generate the second image data instead of the first image data based on a determination result of the degree of correlation.

Abstract: A photocatalyst element structure includes a photocatalyst element that includes a flat photocatalyst sheet and an undulating photocatalyst sheet overlapped on the flat photocatalyst sheet. The flat photocatalyst sheet and the undulating photocatalyst sheet include a porous titanium foil having a non-periodic spongy structure impregnated with anatase titanium dioxide particles. The photocatalyst element structure can include a plurality of the photocatalyst elements so that the flat photocatalyst sheet and the undulating photocatalyst sheet alternate.

Abstract: In a color reproduction system for displaying an image subjected to color conversion processing by a server side system on a monitor device of a user side system, the server side system comprises a first storage unit for storing a multi-spectrum image, a second storage unit for storing color reproduction characteristic information, which is information relating to a color reproduction characteristic when the image is displayed on the monitor device, a server side communication unit for receiving the color reproduction requirement information transmitted from the user side communication unit via the network, and a color conversion processing unit for obtaining, from the second storage unit, color reproduction characteristic information corresponding to the color reproduction requirement information, and performing color conversion processing on the multi-spectrum image on the basis of the obtained color reproduction characteristic information.

Abstract: A photocatalyst element structure includes a photocatalyst element that includes a flat photocatalyst sheet and an undulating photocatalyst sheet overlapped on the flat photocatalyst sheet. The flat photocatalyst sheet and the undulating photocatalyst sheet include a porous titanium foil having a non-periodic spongy structure impregnated with anatase titanium dioxide particles. The photocatalyst element structure can include a plurality of the photocatalyst elements so that the flat photocatalyst sheet and the undulating photocatalyst sheet alternate.

Abstract: A filter switching device includes: an optical filter unit that is disposed on an optical path of an object light that passes through an image pickup lens of a camera, and can be switched to any one of a plurality of spectral transmission characteristics; a spectral transmission characteristic switching unit that switches a spectral transmission characteristic of the optical filter unit to one of the plurality of spectral transmission characteristics; a filter spectral transmission characteristic information storage unit that stores filter spectral transmission characteristic information, which is information relating to each of the plurality of spectral transmission characteristics; and a filter spectral transmission characteristic information output unit that outputs filter spectral transmission characteristic information corresponding to the spectral transmission characteristic of the optical filter unit to the camera when the spectral transmission characteristic of the optical filter unit is switched.

Abstract: An optical system is presented that enables images of a wide range of natural subjects to be well reproduced with their colors, and provides an image pickup system including, at least, an image pickup optical system, an electronic image pickup device having three or more different spectral characteristics to obtain a color image, and a controller for implementing signal processing or image processing on the basis of an output from the electronic image pickup device. The optical element that takes part in determining the focal length in the image pickup system includes an optical element making use of a refraction phenomenon alone.

Abstract: A filter switching device includes: an optical filter unit that is disposed on an optical path of an object light that passes through an image pickup lens of a camera, and can be switched to any one of a plurality of spectral transmission characteristics; a spectral transmission characteristic switching unit that switches a spectral transmission characteristic of the optical filter unit to one of the plurality of spectral transmission characteristics; a filter spectral transmission characteristic information storage unit that stores filter spectral transmission characteristic information, which is information relating to each of the plurality of spectral transmission characteristics; and a filter spectral transmission characteristic information output unit that outputs filter spectral transmission characteristic information corresponding to the spectral transmission characteristic of the optical filter unit to the camera when the spectral transmission characteristic of the optical filter unit is switched.

Abstract: An optical system is presented that enables images of a wide range of natural subjects to be well reproduced with their colors, and provides an image pickup system including, at least, an image pickup optical system, an electronic image pickup device having three or more different spectral characteristics to obtain a color image, and a controller for implementing signal processing or image processing on the basis of an output from the electronic image pickup device. The optical element that takes part in determining the focal length in the image pickup system includes an optical element making use of a refraction phenomenon alone.

Abstract: An optical system enables images to be well reproduced with their colors, and provides an image pickup system including an image pickup optical system, an electronic image pickup device to obtain a color image and a controller for implementing signal processing or image processing on the basis of an output from the electronic image pickup device. The optical element that takes part in the determination of a focal length includes an optical element making use of a refraction phenomenon alone. The 400-nm wavelength input/output ratio is 10% or less with respect to an input-output ratio for a 400-nm to 800-nm wavelength at which an output signal strength ratio with respect to an input quantity of light is highest when the input quantity of light is defined by the quantity of a light beam emanating from the same object point and entering the image pickup optical system and the output signal strength is defined by the strength of a signal produced from the controller in response to the light beam.

Abstract: In a color reproduction system for displaying an image subjected to color conversion processing by a server side system on a monitor device of a user side system, the server side system comprises a first storage unit for storing a multi-spectrum image, a second storage unit for storing color reproduction characteristic information, which is information relating to a color reproduction characteristic when the image is displayed on the monitor device, a server side communication unit for receiving the color reproduction requirement information transmitted from the user side communication unit via the network, and a color conversion processing unit for obtaining, from the second storage unit, color reproduction characteristic information corresponding to the color reproduction requirement information, and performing color conversion processing on the multi-spectrum image on the basis of the obtained color reproduction characteristic information.