Advantageous instruments, assemblies and methods are provided for undertaking imaging techniques (e.g., microscopic imaging techniques). The present disclosure provides improved imaging techniques, equipment and systems. More particularly, the present disclosure provides advantageous microscopy/imaging assemblies with rapid sample auto-focusing (e.g., microscopy/imaging assemblies having instant focusing for rapid sample imaging with auto-focusing). The present disclosure provides for high-throughput whole slide imaging with instant focal plane detection. A whole slide imaging platform/assembly that uses instant focusing systems/methods for high-speed sample autofocusing is provided. Such exemplary platforms/assemblies can be used for digital pathology or the like, and can provide improved, faster and cheaper diagnosis/prognosis of ailments/diseases. At least two exemplary rapid-focus systems for whole slide imaging are provided, a first system including two pinhole-modulated cameras mounted on the eyepiece ports of a microscope platform/assembly, and a second system including one pinhole-modulated camera mounted on the epi-illumination arm for auto-focusing.

Both visible and IR cameras are integrated without an increase in an optical stack height of a surgical microscope used for ophthalmic surgery. The IR camera may be used to directly and intraoperatively capture a scanning OCT measurement beam, which uses NIR light that is invisible to the human eye. An IR image from the IR camera taken from the same surgical field as displayed intraoperatively to a user of the surgical microscope may be displayed in an ocular to the user, enabling visualization of a location of an OCT scan along with actual visible images of the surgical field.

A scanning electron microscopy system is disclosed. The system includes a multi-beam scanning electron microscopy (SEM) sub-system. The SEM sub-system includes a multi-beam electron source configured to form a plurality of electron beams, a sample stage configured to secure a sample, an electron-optical assembly to direct the electron beams onto a portion of the sample, and a detector assembly configured to simultaneously acquire multiple images of the surface of the sample. The system includes a controller configured to receive the images from the detector assembly, identify a best focus image of images by analyzing one or more image quality parameters of the images, and direct the multi-lens array to adjust a focus of one or more electron beams based on a focus of an electron beam corresponding with the identified best focus image.

An embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a fluorescence wheel, a projection light source, a projector and its control method. The fluorescent wheel includes a substrate having a reflecting surface; and a fluorescent layer disposed on the reflecting surface of the substrate. The fluorescent layer includes a high color gamut region and a low color gamut region.

A surgical retractor includes a plurality of cameras integrated therein. One such retractor includes a tubular retractor and an insert supporting said plurality of cameras can be disposed within a tubular retractor.

A surgical retractor includes a plurality of cameras integrated therein. One such retractor includes a tubular retractor and an insert supporting said plurality of cameras can be disposed within a tubular retractor.

A variable-magnification optical system (ZL) comprises: a first lens group (G1) having a positive refractive power; and a rear group (GR) including a plurality of lens groups. When changing the magnification, the gap between each adjacent pair of lens groups changes. The plurality of lens groups in the rear group (GR) include a second lens group (G2) having a positive refractive power and disposed nearest to the object side in the rear group (GR). The variable-magnification optical system (ZL) satisfies the following conditional expression: 0.15<f2/f1<0.80, where f1 is the focal length of the first lens group (G1), and f2 is the focal length of the second lens group (G2).

An optical member is provided including a substrate, and a plurality of sub-regions two-dimensionally arranged on the substrate. Each of the sub-regions includes a plurality of unit lenses. The sub-regions and unit lenses are configured to spatially divide an incident light flux into a plurality of light fluxes according to the arrangement of the sub-regions while partially superimposing said divided light fluxes onto one another. Also, each of the sub-regions includes a plurality of the unit lenses arranged in a two-dimensional array, and each of the unit lenses has shape anisotropy.

An observation optical system has an objective system and an eyepiece system in the order from the object side. The objective system includes, in the order from the object side, a first group having a positive power, a second group having a positive power, and a third group having a negative power. The objective system has an inverting optical system. The eyepiece system includes, in the order from the object side, a fourth group having a positive power and a fifth group having a positive power. The third group and the fourth group move in directions separating from each other along an optical axis to thereby perform variable power from a low magnification to a high magnification, and also the following conditional expression is satisfied:
0.28<HL/f0.55 (1).

An observation optical system has an objective system and an eyepiece system in the order from the object side. The objective system includes, in the order from the object side, a first group having a positive power, a second group having a positive power, and a third group having a negative power. The objective system has an inverting optical system. The eyepiece system includes, in the order from the object side, a fourth group having a positive power and a fifth group having a positive power. The third group and the fourth group move in directions separating from each other along an optical axis to thereby perform variable power from a low magnification to a high magnification, and also the following conditional expression is satisfied:
0.28<HL/f0.55 (1).