A tethered imaging camera encapsulated in a shell lens element of such camera enables viewing from inside and imaging of a biological organ in/from a variety of directions. A portion of camera's optical system together with light source(s) and optical detector mutually cooperated by housing structure inside the shell are moveable/re-orientable within the shell to vary a desired view of the object space without interruption of imaging process. A tether carries electrical but not optical signals to and from the camera and controllable traction cords to move the camera, and a hand-control unit and/or electronic circuitry configured to operate the camera and power its movements. Method(s) of using optical, optoelectronic, and optoelectromechanical sub-systems of the camera.

Combined use of a recommended viewpoint and a free viewpoint is achieved without display of a position of the recommended viewpoint using a frame or the like.

A detection unit detects a viewpoint position change instruction. An output unit outputs a part of an image to a display unit. In this case, an output range (an image range corresponding to a current viewpoint) is changed according to a viewpoint position change unit instruction after output of a recommended range such that the output range transits in a direction toward the recommended range on the basis of a predetermined condition. For example, the predetermined condition is deviation of the output range from the recommended range. Moreover, for example, a transition speed is controlled such that return to the recommended range is achieved faster as a positional difference between the output range and the recommended range becomes larger.

An endoscope device includes a hollow tube, a thermal-conductive member, an image-capturing module, and a heat-dissipation tube. The hollow tube includes an insertion end. The thermal-conductive member is in the hollow tube and adjacent to the insertion end. The thermal-conductive member includes a first end, a second end, and a receiving groove. The first end is near to the insertion end as compared with the second end, and the receiving groove is between the first end and the second end. The image-capturing module includes a camera module and a circuit board in the receiving groove. The camera module is at the insertion end and electrically connected to the circuit board. The first end contacts the camera module. The heat-dissipation tube is in the hollow tube. One end of the heat-dissipation tube contacts the thermal conductive member, and the other end of the heat-dissipation tube extends away from the insertion end.

An endoscope includes an insertion portion; a first projecting portion; a second projecting portion; an illumination window disposed on an outer peripheral surface side of the first projecting portion, the illumination window being disposed about an axis along a longitudinal axis direction of the insertion portion, the illumination window having a light emitting surface from which an illumination light for illuminating an inside of a subject is emitted in a direction which includes a sideward direction of the insertion portion; and a mask configured to restrict sideward emission of the illumination light from the illumination window, wherein the mask has a shape inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis direction so as to increase a quantity of the illumination light emitted toward the second projecting portion from a distal end side toward a proximal end side of a distal end portion of the insertion portion.

A cooling device includes: a casing including an air intake port and an air exhaust port; a single heat releaser including a plurality of fins arranged in a gas flow path from the air intake port to the air exhaust port; a first heat diffuser arranged in the casing, connected to a first heat generation body generating heat at time of driving and the single heat releaser in a heat-transferable manner, and arranged at a position forming a part of the gas flow path passing through a space between the plurality of fins; and a second heat diffuser arranged in the casing, connected to a second heat generation body generating heat at time of driving and the single heat releaser in a heat-transferable manner, and arranged at a position forming a part of the gas flow path passing through the space between the plurality of fins.

An assistant device includes a processor configured to: generate a first image including one or more characteristic regions requiring excision by a surgical operator; generate a second image including one or more cauterized regions cauterized by an energy device; generate information regarding presence or absence of a first region that is included in the characteristic regions and that is not included in the cauterized region based on the first image and the second image; and output information indicating the presence of the characteristic regions that requires to be cauterized when the first region is present.

In this patent disclosure, a machine-learning-based system for automatically turning on/off a light source of an endoscope camera during a surgical procedure to ensure the safety of the surgical staff is disclosed. The disclosed system can receive a real-time video image captured by the endoscope camera, wherein the real-time video image is captured either inside the patient's body or outside of the patient's body. The system next processes the real-time video image using a first statistical classifier to classify the real-time video image as either being inside the patient's body or being outside of the patient's body. If the real-time video image is classified as being outside of the patient's body, the system next determines if the light source is turned on. If so, the system generates a control signal to immediately turn off the light source. Otherwise, the system continues receiving and processing real-time video images captured by the endoscope camera.

An endoscope camera assembly includes a focus group having one or more lenses. The focus group is movable along a light path. The camera assembly also includes a sensor configured to receive light and to capture an image. The camera assembly further includes a controller configured to determine a region of interest in the image, compute contrast of the region of interest, and move the focus group to optimize contrast of the region of interest.

An endoscope camera assembly includes a housing having an opening configured to couple to an endoscope and to receive a combined light entering the housing along a combined light path. The combined light includes visible light and infrared fluorescence light. The camera assembly includes a cold mirror configured to split the combined light into the visible light along a visible light path and the infrared fluorescence light along an infrared light path. The camera assembly also includes a visible light sensor configured to receive the visible light and to generate visible light image data. The camera assembly further includes an infrared sensor configured to receive the infrared fluorescence light and to generate infrared fluorescence image data.

A method of manufacturing a laryngoscope may include forming a blade being straight and having a handle side and a non-handle side, the blade including a structure that extends from a proximal end to a distal end, and configured to connect to a handle at the proximal end. A first channel may be formed through the structure. The first channel may be configured to enable optical signals to pass therethrough. The first channel may include (i) a first aperture disposed at the proximal end of the first channel and (ii) a second aperture disposed at the distal end of the first channel. The second aperture may be oriented at an offset angle toward the handle side such that images captured via the second aperture are at the offset angle.