Various embodiments of the present invention comprise endoscopes for viewing inside a cavity of a body such as a vessel like a vein or artery. These endoscopes may include at least one solid state emitter such as a light emitting diode (LED) that is inserted into the body cavity to provide illumination therein. Certain embodiments of the invention comprise disposable endoscopes that can be fabricated relatively inexpensively such that discarding these endoscopes after a single use is cost-effective. The endoscope may comprise a lens holder on a distal end of the endoscope for collection of light reflected from surfaces within the body in which the endoscope is inserted. This lens holder may have an inner cavity through which light passes along an optical path. Reflective surfaces on sidewalls of the inner cavity may direct light along this optical path. The endoscope may further comprise an elongated support structure for supporting a plurality of lenses disposed along the optical path. This optical path may lead to a detector onto which images are formed.

The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for endoscopy which includes a probe, a first and a second optical fiber to guide light, a third optical fiber to capture light; and a switch configured to operate the first optical fiber and second optical fiber. Light dispersed by the first optical fiber at least partially overlaps light dispersed by the second optical.

The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for endoscopy which includes a probe, a first and a second optical fiber to guide light, a third optical fiber to capture light; and a switch configured to operate the first optical fiber and second optical fiber. Light dispersed by the first optical fiber at least partially overlaps light dispersed by the second optical.

A robotic link may include a link having an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface, and a pair of outer hinge portions on a first end of the link. Each outer hinge portion may have an inner bearing surface positioned between the inner wall surface and an outer ear. The link may include a pair of inner hinge portions on a second end of the link. Each inner hinge portion may have an outer bearing surface positioned between the outer wall surface and an inner ear.

A robotic link may include a link having an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface, and a pair of outer hinge portions on a first end of the link. Each outer hinge portion may have an inner bearing surface positioned between the inner wall surface and an outer ear. The link may include a pair of inner hinge portions on a second end of the link. Each inner hinge portion may have an outer bearing surface positioned between the outer wall surface and an inner ear.

Described are various embodiments of micro-optical surgical probes and micro-optical probe tips and methods of manufacture therefor. In some embodiments, multichannel micro-optical probe tip structures are directly manufactured upon respective optical channel waveguides, or again manufactured to integrally define respective optical coupling to these waveguides. In some embodiments, micro-optical probe tip structures are manufactured via a 3D laser printing process. Specific embodiments include, but are not limited to, spectroscopic or particularly Raman spectroscopy probes and their associated multichannel probe tip structures, and multichannel endoscopes.

Described are various embodiments of micro-optical surgical probes and micro-optical probe tips and methods of manufacture therefor. In some embodiments, multichannel micro-optical probe tip structures are directly manufactured upon respective optical channel waveguides, or again manufactured to integrally define respective optical coupling to these waveguides. In some embodiments, micro-optical probe tip structures are manufactured via a 3D laser printing process. Specific embodiments include, but are not limited to, spectroscopic or particularly Raman spectroscopy probes and their associated multichannel probe tip structures, and multichannel endoscopes.

A hybrid detection apparatus including a detection device and a functional circuit is provided. The detection device is configured to execute a first detection function, so as to obtain first detection information. The functional circuit is suitable to be removably connected to the detection device. When the functional circuit is connected to the detection device, the detection device controls the functional circuit for performing a second detection function, so as to obtain second detection information. One of the first and the second detection functions is an image capturing function, and another one of the first and the second detection functions is a temperature detection function.

A hybrid detection apparatus including a detection device and a functional circuit is provided. The detection device is configured to execute a first detection function, so as to obtain first detection information. The functional circuit is suitable to be removably connected to the detection device. When the functional circuit is connected to the detection device, the detection device controls the functional circuit for performing a second detection function, so as to obtain second detection information. One of the first and the second detection functions is an image capturing function, and another one of the first and the second detection functions is a temperature detection function.

There is provided a camera head for endoscope which enables to achieve a favorable fluorescent image in any wavelength band when the observation is switched over from a normal white-light image observation to an observation of fluorescent images of different wavelength bands. The camera head for endoscope includes a camera-head optical system which includes a spectral prism having a dichroic film which splits light from the endoscope into white light and fluorescent light, and a first image pickup element and a second image pickup element which are disposed in respective optical paths split into two by the spectral prism, and the first image pickup element is for the white-light image observation in which a white-light image is captured, and the second image pickup element is for a fluorescent-image observation in which two fluorescent images of different wavelengths are captured, and the first image pickup element is disposed at a position at which an image is formed in an optical path for the white-light image observation, and the second image pickup element is disposed at a position between two positions at which the two fluorescent images are formed in an optical path for the fluorescent-mage observation, and the camera head for endoscope satisfies the following conditional expression (1).
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