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.

An image pickup apparatus includes an image forming optical system which includes an aperture stop that determines an axial light beam, and one cemented lens, and an image pickup section which is disposed on an image side of the image forming optical system, and which has a surface which is not flat and is curved to be concave toward the image forming optical system, wherein the cemented lens includes in order from an object side, a first lens having a negative refractive power, a second lens, and a third lens having a positive refractive power.

Medical imaging camera head devices and methods are provided using light captured by an endoscope system or other medical scope or borescope. Afocal light from the scope is manipulated and split. The resulting first and second beams are passed through focusing optics to a single sensor. To take better advantage of the available number image sensor pixels, the beam may pass through lens elements (or prisms) to generate an anamorphic aspect ratio prior to being split, increasing the resolution of the image in one dimension. The afocal anamorphic beam is then split, and both images are focused on the image sensor. The anamorphism is compensated for in image processing, permitting higher resolution in one dimension along the image sensor. The manipulation of the beams prior to being split (and in some cases after or while being split) can take several forms, each offering distinct advantages over existing systems.

An ocular device for a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument having an optical window frame and an optical assembly arranged in an interior space of the surgical instrument, the ocular device including: an ocular window separated from the optical assembly by a space; a holder configured to be connected to the ocular window frame; and at least one elastic element, wherein in a connected state, the at least one elastic element transmits a clamping force from the holder to bias the ocular window towards the space.

A circuit board design uses CMOS sensors for the tip section of a multi-viewing element endoscope. Side sensors and their optical assemblies are assembled to a common base board to save space. Individual base boards are separately constructed, inserted into grooves of a main base board, and are further connected to the main base board by means of flexible circuit boards.

A signal processing apparatus 6 includes a mode selection unit 6124 that selects any operational mode from among a plurality of operational modes that include a regular operational mode in which a video signal for display is output, and are hierarchically organized in a tree form, the mode selection unit 6124 causing the signal processing apparatus 6 to operate in the selected operational mode. The operational modes include a plurality of lower-level operational modes as lower-level operational modes having a parent-child relation with the regular operational mode. The mode selection unit 6124, after the signal processing apparatus 6 has started up, selects any operational mode from among same-level operational modes for each level from an upper level toward a lower level and, when having selected any of the lower-level operational modes, can select an upper-level operational mode relative to the selected lower-level operational mode on condition that the signal processing apparatus 6 has again started up.

Medical imaging camera head devices and methods are provided using light captured by an endoscope system or other medical scope or borescope. Afocal light from the scope is manipulated and split. The resulting first and second beams are passed through focusing optics to a single sensor. To take better advantage of the available number image sensor pixels, the beam may pass through lens elements (or prisms) to generate an anamorphic aspect ratio prior to being split, increasing the resolution of the image in one dimension. The afocal anamorphic beam is then split, and both images are focused on the image sensor. The anamorphism is compensated for in image processing, permitting higher resolution in one dimension along the image sensor. The manipulation of the beams prior to being split (and in some cases after or while being split) can take several forms, each offering distinct advantages over existing systems.

A circuit board design uses CMOS sensors for the tip section of a multi-viewing element endoscope. Side sensors and their optical assemblies are assembled to a common base board to save space. Individual base boards are separately constructed, inserted into grooves of a main base board, and are further connected to the main base board by means of flexibal circuit boards.

An endoscope including: a shaft; a main body arranged at a proximal end of the shaft; an eyepiece arranged at a proximal end of the main body; an eyepiece system tube, in which the eyepiece is arranged; an eyepiece cone arranged at a proximal end of the eyepiece, wherein the eyepiece cone comprises at least two parts; and an electronic component arranged between the at least two parts of the eyepiece cone; wherein the electronic component is connected to an electronic circuit arranged inside the endoscope and outside the eyepiece system tube.

In a measurement support device according to an aspect, since information indicating a movement trajectory of a spot when an imaging distance is changed is displayed, it is easy to move the spot to be in the vicinity of a measurement target by changing the imaging distance by operating a head and an imaging unit forward or backward, and the measurement can be swiftly and easily performed. In addition, since an indicator figure (circular marker) having a size set according to the position of the spot is displayed, distance measurement is not necessary, the configuration is simple, and the processing load is low. Further, since the indicator figure and the information indicating the trajectory are displayed in the vicinity of the spot, the difference between the spot position and the position of the indicator figure is small and thus the indicator figure is accurate as an indicator, and since the indicator figure is not displayed in a wide range, the processing load is low.