An illuminator apparatus and method for illuminating an object field imaged by a rectangular image sensor having a first aspect ratio is disclosed. The apparatus includes an optical fiber having a proximal end disposed to receive a plurality of input light beams, each light beam having differing spectral properties, the optical fiber being operable to transmit the light beams along the fiber to a distal end of the optical fiber. The apparatus also includes an integrating element disposed to receive the light beams from the distal end of the fiber and combine the light beams to produce a generally homogenous illumination beam at a rectangular output face of the integrating element. The apparatus further includes an illumination projector operable to project an image of the output face of the integrating element into the object field to produce a generally rectangular illuminated region of the object field substantially corresponding to the portion of the object field imaged by the rectangular image sensor.

An image pickup apparatus for endoscope includes an image pickup device, an optical element, an optical fiber, a fiber tube, a plurality of metal cables, a cable tube, and a wire rod wound around the cable tube and the fiber tube to integrate the cable tube and the fiber tube. The plurality of metal cables are fixed to the cable tube deformed by the wire rod. The optical fiber is not fixed to the fiber tube by the wire rod.

The disclosure relates to an endoscopic light source that includes a first emitter. The first emitter may emit light of a first wavelength at a dichroic mirror which reflects the light of the first wavelength to a plurality of optical fibers. The endoscopic light source further comprises a second emitter. The second emitter may emit light of a second wavelength at a second dichroic mirror which reflects the light of the second wavelength to the plurality of optical fibers. In one embodiment, the first dichroic mirror may be transparent to the light of the second wavelength, allowing the light of the second wavelength to pass through the first dichroic mirror.

Sub-diffraction limited fluorescent images using a fiber-based stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscope are reported. Both excitation and depletion beams are transported through polarization-maintaining fiber and a lateral resolution of 100 nm has been achieved.

An optical endoluminal far-field microscopic imaging catheter comprises a light generating system, a first light delivery conduit for propagating light generated by the light generating system and a light distributor configured to redirect light propagated by the delivery conduit into a direction of an object to be imaged. A discriminator is configured for capturing light reflected from the object incident on a window of the discriminator from a particular direction and transmitting only the light captured from the particular direction to a second light delivery conduit. A drive mechanism is configured to sweep the window through a plurality of directions in a predictable pattern for matching each light capture event in the window with a direction of the window during the event. An analyzer matches the direction of the window with an associated light capture event and generate a visible image based on a mosaic of the captured light.

An apparatus for inspecting a biological tissue uses a pH-sensitive coating material to determine whether the tissue is normal or cancerous. The coating material is placed in contact with the tissue to be excited by an excitation light. The coating material is arranged to provide a response signal indicative of the pH value of the tissue. Using a fiber bundle having a plurality of optical fibers forming a linear array or a two-dimensional array adjacent the coating material, the imaging of localized surface pH in the biological tissue can be achieved using the response signal through each of the optical fibers. The fiber bundle can be arranged as a probe to examine the tissue for providing direct mapping of the tumor margin via a display, so that a surgeon can inspect the tissue in real-time.

A flexible, artifact-free, and lensless fiber-based imaging system for biological objects. This system combines image reconstruction by a trained deep neural network with low-loss image transmission through disordered glass-air Anderson localized optical fiber. High quality images of biological objects can be obtained using short (few centimeters) or long (more than one meter) segments of disordered fiber with and without fiber bending. The deep neural network can also be designed to perform image classification. The system provides the unique property that the training performed within a straight fiber setup can be utilized for high fidelity reconstruction/classification of images that are transported through either straight or bent fiber making retraining for different bending situations unnecessary. In addition, high quality image transport and reconstruction is demonstrated for cells that are several millimeters away from the fiber input facet eliminating the need for additional optical elements at the distal end of the fiber. This novel imaging system shows great potential for practical applications in endoscopy including studies on freely behaving subjects.

First illumination light having a first peak wavelength range and second illumination light having a second peak wavelength range different from the first peak wavelength range are automatically switched and emitted. Identification processing for allowing a first object to be observed and a second object to be observed to be identified in a composite display image is performed. The first object to be observed has a first absorption peak in the first peak wavelength range of the first illumination light and the second object to be observed has a second absorption peak in the second peak wavelength range of the second illumination light.

Apparatus and methods are provided for performing a medical procedure, such as a laparoscopic appendectomy or tubal ligation, using a stapler apparatus including a handle portion including a shaft include proximal and distal ends, an end effector attached to the distal end of the shaft of the handle carrying one or more staples, and an imaging sleeve carried on the shaft. For example, the end effector may include first and second jaws movable relative to one another between open and closed positions, the first jaw carrying a cartridge which includes the one or more staples. The end effector is introduced into a patient's body, tissue is positioned/locked between the jaws, and a plurality of staples are deployed into the tissue.

Multicore fibers and endoscope configurations are provided, along with corresponding production and usage methods. Various configurations include an adiabatically tapered proximal fiber tip and/or proximal optical elements for improving the interface between the multicore fiber and the sensor, photonic crystal fiber configurations which reduce the attenuation along the fiber, image processing methods and jointed rigid links configurations for the endoscope which reduce attenuation while maintaining required flexibility and optical fidelity. Various configurations include spectral multiplexing approaches, which increase the information content of the radiation delivered through the fibers and endoscope, and configurations which improve image quality, enhance the field of view, provide longitudinal information. Various configurations include fiber-based wave-front sensors. Many of the disclosed configurations increase the imaging resolution and enable integration of additional modes of operation while maintain the endoscope very thin, such as spectral imaging and three dimensional imaging.