Disclosed is a peroral endoscopic apparatus of a swallowable type, the peroral endoscopic apparatus including: at least one imaging unit configured to perform imaging of a human body digestive system and output image data; at least one ultrasonic unit configured to output ultrasonic data on a submucosal region of the digestive system and a peripheral organ located therearound; a magnetic unit configured to adjust a position, a posture, and a proceeding direction of the peroral endoscopic apparatus in response to an external magnetic force; a transceiving unit configured to transmit the image data and the ultrasonic data to an external device or receive an external control signal; a control unit configured to control the imaging unit and the ultrasonic unit to perform imaging of the digestive system and the submucosal region simultaneously or individually; and a power supply unit configured to supply power.

A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes a plurality of element arrays, a signal-processing circuit, and a comparison-voltage generation circuit. Each element array is selectively connected to a vertical signal line and includes an amplification transistor configured to output a first analog signal on the basis of an input analog voltage and an actual value of variation of a characteristic value of each element array included in the plurality of element arrays. The comparison-voltage generation circuit is configured to output a gradually increasing or gradually decreasing comparison voltage. The signal-processing circuit includes a storage circuit and is configured to compare the first analog signal with the comparison voltage and store a timing at which the comparison voltage and a value of a second analog signal generated by adding a predetermined absolute value to the first analog signal match each other onto the storage circuit.

Provided are a capsule endoscope apparatus for supporting a lesion diagnosis and a lesion diagnosis supporting method using the same. The capsule endoscope apparatus for supporting lesion diagnosis includes an imaging unit configured to capture one or more images of an inside of a body, a control unit configured to detect a suspected lesion region in the images and perform a precision diagnosis procedure when a suspected lesion region corresponding to a value equal to or greater than a certain threshold is detected, an image processing unit configured to process the images in the precision diagnosis procedure, and a communication module configured to transmit and receive processed images to another capsule endoscope apparatus or a terminal by using a wireless communication method.

An endoscope apparatus includes a compression processing control unit configured to carry out a compression processing of compressing image data by using a compression parameter to generate compressed data, a monitor that is a display unit configured to display a display image corresponding to the image data, an information quantity detection unit configured to detect a quantity of information on an object contained in the image data, and a judgement unit configured to carry out a judgement processing of judging whether or not a judgement value corresponding to the quantity of information is smaller than a predetermined threshold. The image pickup of the object and the generation of the image data are continuously performed multiple times, and the judgement processing is carried out whenever the image data is generated. The compression parameter and the display image are determined based on a result of the judgement processing.

A probe includes an articulating member with at least two vertebrae elements sequentially arranged along a long axis of the elongate ultrasound imaging probe. The articulating member includes pivots located between the at least two vertebrae elements. The pivots are disposed off-center relative to the at least two vertebrae elements. The pivots are spatially oriented to provide a pivot point for a different articulation direction of a vertebra element. The probe further includes a plurality of guides, including at least one guide for each of the respective different pivot directions. The probe further includes an actuator with a set of controls, each control configured to actuate a different pair of the plurality of guides for controlling opposing articulation directions, wherein the actuator reduces stress induced on at least one of a pushed guide or a non-activated guide, wherein the stress is induced in response to the actuator pulling a guide.

This method is for calibrating an optical scanning apparatus that includes an optical fiber with a tip supported to allow vibration and an actuator that drives the tip of the optical fiber in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical fiber. The method includes arranging a position sensitive detector that detects a position of emitted light from the tip of the optical fiber (step S02) and detecting the position of the emitted light with the position sensitive detector while supplying light to the optical fiber and driving the tip of the optical fiber (step S03). The step of detecting (step S03) is performed using an interference fringe reducer that reduces interference fringes occurring along an optical path reaching the position sensitive detector.

Provided is a biological observation apparatus including: illuminating portions that irradiate biological tissue with illumination light including light in R, G, and B regions, respectively; an image acquisition portion that acquires image signals from reflected light of the illumination light coming from the biological tissue; narrow-band-light generating portions that are disposed in the illuminating portions or the image acquisition portion and that, in wavelength bands of the illumination light, generate two narrow-band beams for at least one of the R, G, and B wavelength bands constituting the illumination light, on either side of a central wavelength of that wavelength band; and an image-generating portion that generates an image on the basis of two or more types of the image signals obtained from the reflected light including two or more narrow bands acquired by the image acquisition portion.

A scanning observation apparatus (10) deflects illumination light with an actuator (25) through an illumination optical system (26) to scan an object (32), subjects light from the object (32) to photoelectric conversion with an optical detector (44), performs processing with an image processor (46), and displays an image of the object (32) on a display (60). A memory (35) stores information on optical characteristics related to chromatic aberration of magnification of the illumination optical system (26) relative to light of predetermined colors. A scanning pattern calculator (45) calculates a scanning pattern, on the object (32), of light of each color using the information. Using the scanning pattern, the image processor (46) calibrates a plot position yielded by a photoelectric conversion signal from the optical detector (44) for light of each color and generates an image of the object (32), thereby more easily correcting the chromatic aberration of magnification.

A method and an apparatus for setting driving conditions applied in an optical scanning apparatus. The method for setting driving conditions includes attaching a scanning pattern detector and adjusting a scanning pattern detected by the scanning pattern detector by changing a drive signal applied to an actuator (steps S03 to S06). The step of adjusting includes setting a first drive signal value of the drive signal applied to the actuator and a target amplitude of the scanning pattern (step S03) and determining a frequency of the drive signal applied to the actuator by comparing an amplitude of the scanning pattern detected by changing the frequency of the drive signal applied to the actuator with the target amplitude while vibrating the actuator at the first drive signal value (step S04).

A capsule endoscope configured to be introduced into a subject is provided. The capsule endoscope includes: a magnetic switch configured to operate depending on a magnetic field externally applied; a first device including an inductor and configured to execute a predetermined function; a second device including no inductor and configured to execute a function different from that of the first device; and a controller configured to drive the second device without driving the first device when the magnetic field is applied to the magnetic switch.