One or more triggers, fluorescence or auto-fluorescence triggers, NIRAF triggers, methods of using triggers, fiber optic rotary joints (FORJ), free space beam combiners, OCT, SEE and/or fluorescence devices and systems for use therewith, methods of using and/or manufacturing same and storage mediums are provided. One or more embodiments using one or more triggers achieve structural compactness and/or high-speed acquisition while avoiding or reducing the need for high computational power. One or more embodiments use one or more triggers, one or more fluorescence triggers, one or more auto-fluorescence triggers, or NIRAF triggers, and/or one or more rotary joints, for performing pullback and/or image recording. Examples of optical applications that may involve the use of a trigger, fluorescence/auto-fluorescence trigger or NIRAF trigger, and/or a fiber optic rotary joint, include imaging, evaluating and characterizing/identifying biological objects or tissue, such as, but not limited to, for gastro-intestinal, otolaryngologic, cardio and/or ophthalmic applications.

A method for enhanced surgical navigation, and a system performing the method and displaying graphical user interfaces associated with the method. A 3D spatial map of a surgical site is generated using a 3D endoscope including a camera source and an IR scan source. The method includes detecting a needle tip protruding from an anatomy and determining a needle protrusion distance corresponding to a distance between the needle tip and a surface of the anatomy using the 3D spatial map. A position of a surgical tool in the 3D spatial map is detected and a determination is made by the system indicative of whether the needle protrusion distance is sufficient for grasping by the surgical tool. A warning is generated when it is determined that the needle protrusion distance is not sufficient for grasping by the surgical tool.

An intra-oral scanning device includes a light source and an optical system, and communicates with a display system. The device has a reduced form factor as compared to prior devices, and it provides for more efficient transmission and capture of images.

A photoacoustic remote sensing system for imaging a subsurface structure in a sample, comprising exactly one laser source configured to generate a pulsed or intensity-modulated excitation beam configured to generate ultrasonic pressure signals in the sample at an excitation location, and an interrogation beam incident on the sample at the excitation location, a portion of the interrogation beam returning from the sample that is indicative of the generated ultrasonic pressure signals, an optical system configured to focus the excitation beam and the interrogation beam below a surface of the sample, a detector configured to detect the returning portion of the interrogation beam, and a processor configured to calculate an image of the sample based on a detected intensity modulation of the returning portion of the interrogation beam from below the surface of the sample.

A method of multimodal scanning may include generating surface scan data of an intraoral structured using structured light. The method may include generating volumetric scan data of an internal structure of the intraoral structure with OCT scanning. The OCT scan data may be aligned with the surface scan data. A three-dimensional volumetric model of the patient's dentition may be generated based on the aligned OCT scan data and the surface scan data.

Systems and methods herein provide improved, high-throughput multiphoton imaging of thick samples with reduced emission scattering. The systems and methods use structured illumination to modify the excitation light. A reconstruction process can be applied to the resulting images to recover image information free of scattering. The disclosed systems and methods provide high throughput, high signal-to-noise ratio, and high resolution images that are depth selective.

A photoacoustic remote sensing system for imaging a subsurface structure in a sample, comprising exactly one laser source configured to generate a pulsed or intensity-modulated excitation beam configured to generate ultrasonic pressure signals in the sample at an excitation location, and an interrogation beam incident on the sample at the excitation location, a portion of the interrogation beam returning from the sample that is indicative of the generated ultrasonic pressure signals, an optical system configured to focus the excitation beam and the interrogation beam below a surface of the sample, a detector configured to detect the returning portion of the interrogation beam, and a processor configured to calculate an image of the sample based on a detected intensity modulation of the returning portion of the interrogation beam from below the surface of the sample.

Provided is a medical arm device that avoids interference with a surgeon.

A medical arm device includes a first arm part including a tip part that supports a medical instrument such as an endoscope, and a second arm part that supports the first arm part, and includes at least two horizontal rotation axes and an inter-axis distance changing unit that changes a distance between the two horizontal rotation axes. The tip part includes a structure in which joint members corresponding to rotation axes of three degrees of freedom that determine an attitude of the medical instrument are directly connected, and a rotation axis around a longitudinal axis of the medical instrument, a yaw axis in a case where the rotation axis around the longitudinal axis is a roll axis, and a pitch axis are disposed in order from a most tip part.

An intraoral scanning system that includes a housing and a sleeve. The housing includes optical components, a head, and a defogging unit that includes a heating unit. The head includes a primary aperture and is configured to be inserted into an oral cavity of a patient. The sleeve includes a secondary optical component arranged at a secondary aperture that is configured to be positioned in alignment with the primary aperture when the sleeve is coupled with the housing. The heating unit is configured to generate heat in response to application of electrical power to the heating unit. When the sleeve is coupled with the housing, the secondary optical component is configured to be arranged such that the generated heat is transferred from the heating unit to the secondary optical component through thermal conduction between the heating unit and secondary optical component.

A scanner for scanning a dental site comprises a base, a detector mounted to the base, and an optical element to redirect light reflected off of the dental site towards the detector along a detection axis in a first direction. Two or more flexures couple the optical element to the base, wherein the two or more flexures maintain an alignment of the optical element to the detector with changes in temperature.