Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a personal watercraft, such as a standup paddleboard, provided with a viewing window that allows the user to view the underwater environment. The viewing window may be watertight and constructed from at least two durable, transparent panels. The area between panels may be sealed from air and water infiltration. A user may add waterproof lights to the bottom of the standup paddleboard in order to allow viewing of the underwater marine environment at night.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for modifying blemished image intensifier tubes that otherwise would be inappropriate for use in strictly specified night vision equipment. The systems include masks and display elements designed and structured to be oriented in a variety of directions so as to cover over and hide blemishes within an image intensifier tube. Masks may be provided utilizing glass discs that are ground, polished, and etched with particular geometric masking elements and fixed over the display end of the image intensifier tube. Electronic components may be presented as display elements over the opaque portions of the masks. Methods for manufacturing the masks are described that detect and characterize the location and size of the blemishes and select mask type, size, and orientation for manufacture and use.

Abstract: Viewing enhancing apparatus for visibility impaired fluid, such as turbid water or a smoke-filled room, includes a fluid-permeable sidewall and a housing defining a confluence cavity having an axis extending between first and second housing ends. The housing ends are connected by the sidewall. The second housing end is open. The sidewall has a proximal end towards the first housing end and a distal end towards the second housing end. The housing defines a supply cavity surrounding the sidewall and coupleable to a source of viewing fluid, typically clear water when operating in a turbid water environment. The sidewall provides a resistance to flow of the viewing fluid therethrough, the resistance varying according to the position on the sidewall. The viewing fluid passes through the confluence cavity and exits the second housing end. This creates a chosen velocity profile for the viewing fluid exiting the second housing end.

Abstract: An emergency supplementary vision device comprises a collapsible tube made of airtight material and having an expanded form and a compact stowed form; first and second clear members disposed at respective first and second ends of the tube to enable the user to see through said tube and observe a source of information at the other end while smoke or other particulate matter is in the environment; and a filter operably associated with the tube to filter the ambient atmosphere and fill the interior of said tube with clear air when said tube is expanded to its expanded form.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for capturing and analyzing video images of sediment from the bottom of a body of water such as a river or sea. The apparatus includes a video imager with a close-up focus of lens adapted to collect images of sediment at the bottom of the body of water. A waterproof housing surrounds the video imager. The video images are analyzed using any appropriate algorithm to determine grain size.

Abstract: An underwater seeing device for enabling the user to see underwater without having to bend over. The underwater seeing device includes an elongate tubular member having a main portion, a neck portion, a front end portion, and a passageway extending therethrough; and also includes magnifying lens being disposed in the elongate tubular member; and further includes a handle member being securely attached to the tubular member.

Abstract: A floating window for viewing underwater life, which has an unfolded viewing configuration and a folded storage configuration for transport and/or storage. Floating end walls are attached to a central viewing window and have sufficient buoyancy to prevent the device from sinking beneath the surface. The central window is secured on either end to a floating end wall. The central window is flexible and curve upward on the edges extending between the floating end walls such that a cavity is formed with a central viewing area. The central window is attached to the floating end walls such that the central viewing area is held below the surface of the water and the edges of the central window extend above the surface of the water to prevent water from spilling onto the top surface of the central viewing area. The central window is secured to slots on the inside surface of each floating end wall by a pressure fit.

Abstract: An emergency visual assistance device which provides an operator at an operator station access to operationally necessary visual information when that visual information is obscured by smoke or other vision-obstructing matter, and a method for using that device. In the device's basic version, a transparent panel is attached to either end of an elongated rigid hollow spacer tube in a manner which provides a substantially airtight seal. The preferred embodiment includes flexible skirts at each end of the device, and an illumination means mounted within the device. The flexible skirts serve mainly to exclude smoke from the operator's visual pathway, and the illumination means provides light for illuminating the visual information.

Abstract: An underwater viewing apparatus is provided including a housing with a hollow configuration. Also included is a lens assembly comprising a magnifying lens secured within the housing for magnifying items beneath the housing when viewed through the housing.

Abstract: A binocular incorporates a focusing and diopter correction mechanism having a common shaft, whereby the diopter adjustment is performed by rotation of the shaft and the focusing operation is performed by axial movement of the shaft. The lens-moving portions of the focusing/diopter adjustment mechanism are in a cavity having an access hole, in which the shaft enters the access hole through a water-tight seal to control the lens-moving portions of the adjustment mechanism. The binocular also incorporates a strap attaching mechanism having a spring-loaded clip and groove, wherein a flanged pin provided to a strap end is pushed past the clip into the groove, and the clip returns under the bias of the spring to hold the flanged pin in the groove. Also included is an eyecup adjustment mechanism having two positions defined by click-stops, wherein the eyecups are not rotatable, but are longitudinally slidable relative to corresponding support barrels.

Abstract: In an analytic spectrometer (50) having a central computer (9), permanently installed and exchangeable components (5), such as a radiation source, a detector, a beam splitter, a filter, external measurement probes and the like, each of which exhibiting a readable data carrier (7) with encoded data of parameters characterizing the respective component (5), the data media (7) can be written to and contains changeable time dependent data concerning the history and/or the actual properties of the corresponding component (5) for example length of operation, performance deterioration parameters or calibration curves of the component (5). These data can be continuously adjusted by the central computer (9) to the current state of the component (5) so that the data medium (7) connected to the component (5) can immediately supply information concerning the current actual properties of the component (5) when installing the component (5) in another spectrometer.

Abstract: A cylindrical viewing tube for reading submerged water meters, comprising a clear, high strength polycarbonate viewing tube, a closed bottom end for engaging a submerged meter face, the bottom end being replacable and being threaded onto the viewing tube.

Abstract: A device for retrieving submerged golfballs comprising a telescoping, elongated member having a golfball scoop at one end. An underwater viewing device having a lens is secured to the elongated bar to enable a submerged golfball to be seen from outside the water when the scoop and a portion of the viewing device are submerged into the water.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for the exchange of an optical component 20 is proposed in which a storage housing 1 exhibits a lower opening with a first gate means 21 adapted for sealing the lower opening. A second stopping means 6 attached to a driving means 5 and a first stop attached to the storage housing 1 are adapted to assume two states, a first state in which a optical component 20 is completely within the storage housing 1, and a second state in which an optical component 20 is completely removed from the storage housing 1. A pivoted mounting 4 of a lifting means 2 onto the driving means 5 in combination with a rotation of said driving means 5 allows for the force of gravity to guide the removal and introduction of the optical component 20 out of and into a spectrometer housing 24.

Abstract: A submerged meter reading apparatus for enabling a human user to visually read a meter submerged in water or the like, having an elongated tubular body member with a sidewall defining an interior chamber, an upper end constructed to allow a user to look into the interior chamber, a lower end sealed with a transparent cap for positioning adjacent a submerged meter to be read therewith, a magnifying lens positioned in the interior chamber of the body member for producing a magnified image of the meter, a light for illuminating the meter, and a meter cap opening device for enabling a user to open a cap on the meter to be read.

Abstract: An underwater night vision apparatus employing a night vision device for enhancing images illuminated solely by ambient light and an LED illuminator for provision of invisible infrared light to supplement ambient light. A catadioptric lens is used to increase optical efficiency and becomes the cover of a recessed compartment in the apparatus and in the optical path between the lens and the night vision device. The compartment fills with non-turbid seawater when the lens is changed underwater. The entrapped seawater constitutes a lens which contributes to the overall image enhancement.