Abstract: An insertion apparatus includes an insertion section, a motor that rotates a rotational housing, a drive control unit that supplies a driving current to the motor to control driving of the motor, a temperature detector provided in the rotational housing, that detects a temperature of the rotational housing, a temperature measurement unit that measures a temperature in a vicinity of the rotational housing based on a detection result obtained from the temperature detector, a heating element used for heating, and a heating control unit that controls the heating element to perform heating when a measurement result of the temperature measurement unit is lower than a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: It is possible to create a virtual slide of a subject of observation in a simple configuration without setting a movement pattern in advance.

Abstract: It is possible to create a virtual slide of a subject of observation in a simple configuration without setting a movement pattern in advance.

Abstract: To prevent incidence of strong external light into a photodetector and an imaging device while a lid is opened, so as to thereby perform accurate photodetection and imaging operations without receiving the influence of external light. An observation apparatus comprising: a stage on which a sample serving as an observation target is placed; a detection unit which detects light from the sample; an imaging optical system which projects the light from the sample onto the detection unit; a light shielding member which covers the whole or a part thereof; an opening provided in the light shielding member; a lid which opens/closes the opening; an open/close detection unit which detects the open/close state of the lid; a dimmer which limits light incident into the detection unit; and a controller which operates the dimmer to reduce the amount of the light incident into the detection unit, when the open/close detection unit detects that the lid has been opened.

Abstract: An object is to easily and reliably reach an examination site. The present invention provides an examination method of carrying out in-vivo examination using an in-vivo examination apparatus capable of fluorescence examination and reflected-light examination and includes the steps of setting a reference position so as to set an examination site by carrying out reflected-light examination, switching from reflected-light examination to fluorescence examination, and moving from the reference position to the examination site.

Abstract: Without setting an examination site, it is possible to easily position an end face of a narrow-diameter end portion at a suitable position with respect to an examination target, allowing an image of the examination site to be acquired quickly and easily. The invention provides an objective-lens guiding device comprising a support portion secured to an objective lens having a narrow-diameter end portion; and a cylindrical portion for accommodating the narrow-diameter end portion. The support portion supports the cylindrical portion such that a front end of the cylindrical portion is disposed at a location farther toward the front than an end face of the narrow-diameter end portion, and so as to be capable of moving in an optical axis direction.

Abstract: To prevent incidence of strong external light into a photodetector and an imaging device while a lid is opened, so as to thereby perform accurate photodetection and imaging operations without receiving the influence of external light. An observation apparatus comprising: a stage on which a sample serving as an observation target is placed; a detection unit which detects light from the sample; an imaging optical system which projects the light from the sample onto the detection unit; a light shielding member which covers the whole or a part thereof; an opening provided in the light shielding member; a lid which opens/closes the opening; an open/close detection unit which detects the open/close state of the lid; a dimmer which limits light incident into the detection unit; and a controller which operates the dimmer to reduce the amount of the light incident into the detection unit, when the open/close detection unit detects that the lid has been opened.

Abstract: Various kinds of observation can be accurately realized using different types of image-acquisition unit. Low-magnification observation is possible and return light from a single specimen is acquired by a plurality of image-acquisition units. The invention provides an observation apparatus including an illumination light source for emitting illumination light for irradiating a specimen mounted on a stage; an objective lens for collecting return light from the specimen; an image-forming lens for imaging the return light collected by the objective lens; an image-acquisition unit for acquiring the return light imaged by the image-forming lens; and an attaching-and-detaching mechanism for attaching and detaching the image-acquisition unit in such a manner that the image-acquisition unit is capable of being positionally aligned with an optical axis of the image-forming lens.

Abstract: Without setting an examination site, it is possible to easily position an end face of a narrow-diameter end portion at a suitable position with respect to an examination target, allowing an image of the examination site to be acquired quickly and easily. The invention provides an objective-lens guiding device comprising a support portion secured to an objective lens having a narrow-diameter end portion; and a cylindrical portion for accommodating the narrow-diameter end portion. The support portion supports the cylindrical portion such that a front end of the cylindrical portion is disposed at a location farther toward the front than an end face of the narrow-diameter end portion, and so as to be capable of moving in an optical axis direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides an examination apparatus which includes a base; a stage on which a specimen is mounted, the stage being movable relative to the base; and a movable image acquisition apparatus for acquiring an image of the specimen, the movable image acquisition apparatus being fixed on the stage.

Abstract: An object is to easily and reliably reach an examination site. The present invention provides an examination method of carrying out in-vivo examination using an in-vivo examination apparatus capable of fluorescence examination and reflected-light examination and includes the steps of setting a reference position so as to set an examination site by carrying out reflected-light examination, switching from reflected-light examination to fluorescence examination, and moving from the reference position to the examination site.

Abstract: There is disclosed a laser scanning microscope including a first optical scanning system which scans a first laser light for observing a sample on the sample, a first light branch device which branches the light from the sample from an optical path of the first laser light, a photodetector which detects the light from the sample, separated by the first light branch device, a second optical scanning system which irradiates a specific portion on the sample with a second laser light for stimulating or operating the sample, and a wavelength selection device which is disposed between the first light branch device and photodetector and which includes a first function of transmitting a desired observation light and a second function of limiting transmission of the second laser light.

Abstract: A laser beam is scanned on a sample while a wavelength of the laser beam is varied. Quantity of fluorescence from the sample is detected. Absorption wavelength spectral characteristic data of fluorescence indicators whose kinds are known and which dye the sample is acquired. The absorption wavelength spectral characteristic data of a site to be discriminated is compared with the absorption wavelength spectral characteristic data of each of the fluorescence indicators of known kinds. The kind of fluorescence indicator dyeing the site to be discriminated is discriminated from a result of the comparison.

Abstract: When exchanging a dichroic mirror to detect fluorescence of a different wavelength, it is unnecessary to carry out precise positional adjustment, particularly in a compact examination apparatus, and the dichroic mirror can be easily exchanged. The invention provides a connection unit including a light-source optical fiber, removably connected to the light source, for conveying the excitation light from the light source; a collimator lens for collimating the excitation light emitted from the light-source optical fiber to introduce the excitation light to the optical scanning section; and a dichroic mirror for splitting off fluorescence, which is generated in the sample and which returns via the objective lens and the optical scanning section, from a light path of the excitation light and for directing the fluorescence to a photodetector. The light-source optical fiber, the collimator lens, and the dichroic mirror are secured to each other such that optical axes thereof are aligned.

Abstract: A microscope system is provided which includes a single microscope. The system includes a laser source, a light path splitting unit which splits a light path of a laser beam from the laser source into at least two split light paths, a plurality of optical fibers upon which laser beams on the light paths split by the light path splitting unit are incident, and a plurality of different microscope optical systems which use the respective laser beams passed through the plurality of optical fibers.

Abstract: A mirror driving mechanism comprises a driver configured to drive at least one mirror which reflects a light flux while adjusting a wavelength width and a wavelength band of the light flux separated in a spectrum, and a controller configured to control the driver.

Abstract: A laser beam is scanned on a sample while a wavelength of the laser beam is varied. Quantity of fluorescence from the sample is detected. Absorption wavelength spectral characteristic data of fluorescence indicators whose kinds are known and which dye the sample is acquired. The absorption wavelength spectral characteristic data of a site to be discriminated is compared with the absorption wavelength spectral characteristic data of each of the fluorescence indicators of known kinds. The kind of fluorescence indicator dyeing the site to be discriminated is discriminated from a result of the comparison.

Abstract: There is disclosed a laser scanning microscope including a first optical scanning system which scans a first laser light for observing a sample on the sample, a first light branch device which branches the light from the sample from an optical path of the first laser light, a photodetector which detects the light from the sample, separated by the first light branch device, a second optical scanning system which irradiates a specific portion on the sample with a second laser light for stimulating or operating the sample, and a wavelength selection device which is disposed between the first light branch device and photodetector and which includes a first function of transmitting a desired observation light and a second function of limiting transmission of the second laser light.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is disclosed a microscope system comprising a single microscope comprising a laser source, a light path splitting unit which splits a light path of a laser beam from the laser source into at least two, a plurality of optical fibers upon which laser beams on the light paths split by the light path splitting unit are incident, and a plurality of different microscope optical systems which use the respective laser beams passed through the plurality of optical fibers.

Abstract: A mirror driving mechanism comprises a driver configured to drive at least one mirror which reflects a light flux while adjusting a wavelength width and a wavelength band of the light flux separated in a spectrum, and a controller configured to control the driver.