An endoscopic device comprising a housing, first imaging means in the housing for detecting light emanating from objects from a predetermined first surrounding region annularly surrounding the endoscopic device and for producing a first image of the first surrounding region, a first image sensor for detecting the first image and for producing a first image signal, a first image sensor for sensing the first image and for generating a first image signal representing the first image, a second imaging means in the housing for sensing light emanating from objects in a predetermined second surrounding region and for generating a second image of the second surrounding region, and a second image sensor for sensing the second image and for generating a second image signal representing the second image. The first imaging device comprises a catadioptric imaging system with a first reflective surface, a second reflective surface, and a light refracting interface.

A projection apparatus includes a projection cavity, a light source, a scanning motor, and a processor. The light source and the scanning motor are located inside the projection cavity, and the processor is connected to both the light source and the scanning motor. A reflection layer is disposed on a scanning mirror of the scanning motor, where the reflection layer is configured to reflect light emitted by the light source.

Disclosed herein are configurations for few-mode fiber optical endoscope systems employing distal optics and few-mode, double-clad or other optical fiber wherein the systems directing an optical beam to a sample via the optical fiber; collecting light backscattered from the sample; direct the backscattered light to a detector via the optical fiber; and detect the backscattered light; wherein the directed optical beam is single mode and the collected light is one or more higher order modes.

The system includes a catheter with an internal optical fiber that carries an optical beam and an optical element, which reflects the optical beam substantially orthogonal to a rotational axis of the catheter and is coupled to the end of the optical fiber. A motor drive unit (MDU) is coupled to the catheter, wherein the MDU comprises: a rotary collimator; a catheter interface, which couples the optical fiber to the rotary collimator; and a drive motor, which rotates the rotary collimator. The MDU also includes a first dichroic mirror that combines optical paths for a fluorescence-lifetime imaging (FLIm) system and an optical coherence tomography system into a single optical path, which is coupled to the optical fiber through the rotary collimator and the catheter interface. The MDU additionally includes a multispectral detector for the FLIm system, which is electrically coupled to a data acquisition unit forthe FLIm imagin system.

Provided is a scanning endoscope apparatus capable of generating an image having an optimum SNR. The scanning endoscope apparatus includes: a light source; an optical fiber that guides light emitted from the light source; an actuator that deflects light emitted from the optical fiber and repeatedly scans the deflected light on the irradiation object; a light detector with a controllable multiplication factor, the light detector photoelectrically converting signal light obtained from the irradiation object irradiated with the light; and a controller, the controller controlling the multiplication factor so as to optimize a SNR based on electric signals obtained for a certain period, the signals having been photoelectrically converted by the optical detection unit.

Methods and apparatuses for enlarging the optical scan angle of imaging probes are provided. The optical scan angle of endoscopic probes can be increased by employing the “Snell's Window” effect. An endoscopic probe can include an endoscope shell, a device for capturing electromagnetic radiation, and a liquid or gel provided between the device for capturing electromagnetic radiation and the endoscope shell. The endoscope probe can further include a first mirror placed such that electromagnetic radiation entering through the endoscope shell can bounce off the first mirror and enter the device for capturing electromagnetic radiation. The first mirror can be a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) mirror.

An exemplary apparatus for obtaining data for at least one portion within at least one luminal or hollow sample can be provided. For example, the apparatus can include a first optical arrangement configured to transceive at least one electromagnetic radiation to and from the portion(s). The apparatus can also include a wavelength dispersive second arrangement, which can be configured to disperse the electromagnetic radiation(s). A housing can be provided with a shape of a pill, and enclosing the first and second arrangements.

This optical scanning endoscope apparatus can correct the white balance even when bending occurs in the illumination fiber. An optical scanning endoscope apparatus includes an illumination fiber that guides illumination light composed of RGB wavelengths (colors), an actuator that drives the tip of the illumination fiber and repeatedly scans the illumination light over an object, a photodetector that detects light obtained from the object by scanning of the illumination light, a signal processor that generates an image based on output of the photodetector, and a light amount detector for white balance that detects the light amount of light of RGB wavelengths from a portion of the illumination light guided by the illumination fiber. Based on the light amount of light of each of the RGB wavelengths detected by the light amount detector for white balance, the controller adjusts the white balance of the generated image.

[Object] To propose an information processing device, an image acquisition system, an information processing method, an image information acquisition method, and a program which enable a position of a surface of a measurement subject to be more simply specified.

[Solution] An information processing device according to the present invention includes: a representative luminance value specifying unit configured to, when luminance values constituting a plurality of fluorescence images of a measurement subject captured while a position of the measurement subject in a thickness direction is changed are sequentially rearranged from a highest luminance value on the basis of the fluorescence images for each of the fluorescence images corresponding to respective thickness positions, extract a luminance value ranked at a predetermined position from the highest luminance value and set the extracted luminance value as a representative luminance value of the fluorescence image at the thickness position to be noted; and a surface position specifying unit configured to use the representative luminance value for each of the fluorescence images and set the thickness position corresponding to the fluorescence image that gives the maximum representative luminance value as a position corresponding to a surface of the measurement subject.

This optical scanning method yields a high quality image regardless of the size of the scanning area. An emission end of an optical fiber is displaced two-dimensionally to scan light emitted from the optical fiber, the emission end being displaced by an optical scanning actuator that includes a first driver and a second driver for driving the emission end in different directions. A non-circular scanning area is scanned by controlling, with a driver controller, a first drive signal supplied to the first driver and a second drive signal supplied to the second driver so as to rotate a scanning pattern of the light, while causing the scanning pattern to reciprocate repeatedly in a nearly parallel manner, and to change a length of the scanning pattern in accordance with a rotation angle of the scanning pattern.