An imaging apparatus in an embodiment includes lens optical systems each including a lens whose surface closest to the target object is shaped to be convex toward the target object, imaging regions which respectively face the lens optical systems and output a photoelectrically converted signal corresponding to an amount of light transmitting the lens optical systems and received by the imaging regions, and a light-transmissive cover which covers an exposed portion of the lens of each of the lens optical systems and a portion between the lens of one of the lens optical systems and the lens of another one of the lens optical systems adjacent to the one of the lens optical systems, the cover having a curved portion which is convex toward the target object. The optical axes of the lens optical systems are parallel to each other.

An optical member that has excellent antireflection properties and that can maintain antifogging properties over a long term, and a method for manufacturing an optical member are provided. The optical member includes, in sequence, a substrate, a porous layer, and a multilayered antireflection layer. The ratio n/n.sub.0 is 0.85 or more and 0.95 or less, where n represents a refractive index of a layer having the highest refractive index among layers included in the antireflection layer and n.sub.0 represents a refractive index of a compound constituting the layer having the highest refractive index at a theoretical density.

A device for use with a vehicle-mounted image acquisition unit includes a main body. The main body includes a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The main body further defines an interior cavity extending between the first end and the second end, and a plurality of apertures therethrough between the first end and the second end. The first end of the main body is configured to be disposed at or near the vehicle-mounted image acquisition unit. The vehicle-mounted image acquisition unit has a field of view extending through the interior cavity and through the second end to an outside environment surrounding a vehicle.

A sensing apparatus is provided. The sensing apparatus may include: a casing; a sensor assembly mounted in the casing; and a wiper assembly removing an outside material attached to the sensor assembly. The sensor assembly includes a sensor module and a sensor housing surrounding the sensor module, and the sensor housing is made of a transparent material. The sensor housing is rotatably mounted in the casing. The sensor housing is rotatably supported with respect to a hollow shaft in the casing, and the hollow shaft is mounted in the casing.

An apparatus including a cover, an actuator and a processor. The cover may be configured to enable light to reach an image sensor. The actuator may be configured to cause a vibration of the cover at a particular frequency. The processor may be configured to generate image frames from pixel data generated by the image sensor and present a control signal to the actuator in response to an input. The input may activate the vibration at the particular frequency. The particular frequency of the vibration may cause debris to be removed from the cover.

A device for realizing surface cleaning of an optical element by ion wind and electrostatic coupling, comprising a fixing support, an optical element, an ion wind system, an electrostatic adsorption system, and a particle contaminant storage box; the ion wind system comprises an air knife, an ion bar, an ion bar support, a connecting sheet, and a three-degree-of-freedom combined displacement stage; the electrostatic adsorption system comprises rod-shaped electrodes, electrode fixing supports and a manual displacement stage; the particle contaminant storage box is connected to a working surface by means of storage box supports, and an included angle between the particle contaminant storage box and the storage box supports is 135 degrees.

A cleaning device according to an embodiment is a cleaning device that cleans a light transmission member provided on a camera. The cleaning device includes a filamentary member configured to contact the light transmission member and a rotation member configured to rotate the filamentary member such that the filamentary member moves along the surface of the light transmission member with the filamentary member in contact with the light transmission member.

A method for in situ protection of a surface (7a) of an aluminum layer (7) of a VUV radiation reflecting coating (6) of an optical element (4), arranged in an interior of an optical arrangement, against the growth of an aluminum oxide layer (8), including carrying out an atomic layer etching process for layer-by-layer removal of the aluminum oxide layer from the surface. The etching process includes a surface modification step and a material detachment step. At least one boron halide is supplied as a surface modifying reactant to the interior in pulsed fashion during the surface modification step. A plasma is generated at a surface (8a) of the aluminum oxide layer, at least during the material detachment step. The atomic layer etching process is performed until the aluminum oxide layer reaches a given thickness (D), or the aluminum oxide layer is kept below that thickness (D) by the process.

The disclosure relates to a cleaning control device and cleaning control method. Specifically, according to the disclosure, a cleaning control device may comprise a shield divided into a plurality of regions, a moving actuator moving the shield, a sensor detecting an object by transmitting and receiving a detection signal through some regions of the plurality of regions of the shield, and a controller generating and outputting a cleaning control signal to spray a cleaning liquid to a signal transmission region placed side-by-side with the sensor among the plurality of regions if a foreign body is present in the signal transmission region and generating and outputting a moving control signal to move a signal non-transmission region placed non-side-by-side with the sensor among the plurality of regions to a position of the signal transmission region.

An assembly includes a housing defining a chamber and having an air inlet. The assembly includes a blower in the chamber and in fluid communication with the air inlet. The assembly includes a sensor defining a field of view and supported by the housing. The housing has an outlet vent of variable size. The outlet vent is in communication with the blower and aimed across the field of view of the sensor.