A tip section of a multi-camera endoscope includes a front-pointing camera on a planar surface of a distal end of the tip section and two side-pointing cameras positioned on a cylindrical surface in proximity to the planar surface such that the side field of view provided by the two side-pointing cameras partially overlaps with the front field of view provided by the front-pointing camera. The tip section further includes a working channel configured for insertion of a surgical tool; and a pathway fluid injector for inflating and/or cleaning a body cavity into which the endoscope is inserted.

A control device includes: a processor configured to obtain a first picture signal and a second picture signal, calculate first ranging information based on the first picture signal, calculate second ranging information based on the second picture signal, estimate a first subject distance corresponding to the first ranging information, estimate ranging information corresponding to a second focal position, perform arithmetic processing to determine degree of reliability of the first ranging information, and output a result of the arithmetic processing.

An inspection system is provided and includes a camera and controller. The camera can acquire at least one image of a target including opposed first and second surfaces. The controller can be in communication with the camera and receive the at least one image. The controller can also detect, using at least one computer vision algorithm, a geometry of the target including the first target surface and the second target surface of the target within at least one image. The at least one image can be acquired at a respective time under respective operating conditions. The controller can additionally segment erosion within the at least one image using the at least one computer vision algorithm. The controller can also generate an erosion depth profile for the at least one image. The erosion depth profile can characterize a depth of erosion of the target between the first and second surfaces.

An endoscope has a cannula, one and only one translucent or transparent cover at a distal end of the cannula, a light source and imaging system, both inside the cannula. The light source delivers light into the cover. At least some of that light passes through the cover to illuminate an inspection site inside the patient's body; some of that light is internally reflected at an outer surface of the cover to travel back toward an inner surface of the cover. The imaging system receives the light that has been reflected off the inspection site and returned to the endoscope through the cover. The components are configured such that none of the light that is internally reflected at the outer surface of the cover reaches an optical input of the imaging system directly (e.g., without being further reflected).

An optical module for endoscope includes a light emitting element, an optical fiber, a ferrule to which the light emitting element is bonded, a wiring board to which the ferrule is bonded, and a resin disposed between the ferrule and the wiring board, wherein the ferrule has a first principal surface made of a transparent material, a second principal surface, and a side surface, the second principal surface has an opening of an insertion hole, the second principal surface has an opening of a groove communicating with the insertion hole, the side surface has an opening of the groove, and a first distance between the opening of the groove on the side surface and the first principal surface is greater than a second distance between the bottom surface of the insertion hole and the first principal surface.

An endoscope processor includes a processor that can be connected to an endoscope including a moving mechanism of a focusing lens included in an objective optical system and an image pickup apparatus. The processor is configured to determine whether or not a transition has been made from a screening state to a proximity state based on positional information of the focusing lens and an image in a proximity determination mode when a variation in an image height in an effective image range with control of the moving mechanism is 1% or less, and when it is determined that a transition has been made to the proximity state, the processor is configured to end the proximity determination mode and control the moving mechanism in an autofocus mode.

Disclosed is an endoscope system, which comprises an endoscope, the endoscope having at its distal end multiple cameras each having a different field of view (FOV). The system also comprises an image processing box adapted to receive images of different FOVs from the multiple cameras and process the image to form a consolidated image covering 360-degree view of areas surrounding the distal end using the received images of different FOVs and image-stitching techniques.

An endoscope includes a shaft having proximal and distal ends and a longitudinal axis therebetween. A handle is coupled to the proximal end of the shaft, and an image sensor is carried on the distal end of the shaft. A channel extends through at least a distal shaft portion and has a channel diameter, and a section of the channel is re-configurable between a constricted shape and a non-constricted shape to accommodate tools introduced therethrough. The combined diagonal dimension and channel diameter is usually greater than the outer shaft diameter. The image sensor may be connected to a connector on the housing by a first slack flex circuit and a lights source on the shaft may be connected to a connector on the housing by a second slack flex circuit.

An apparatus includes a shaft, an imaging head, and a processor. The shaft includes a distal end sized to fit through a human nostril into a human nasal cavity. The imaging head includes an image sensor assembly, a plurality of light sources, and a plurality of collimators. At least some of the light sources are positioned adjacent to the image sensor assembly. Each collimator is positioned over a corresponding light source of the plurality of light sources. The processor is configured to activate the light sources in a predetermined sequence. The image sensor assembly is configured to capture images of a surface illuminated by the light sources as the light sources are activated in the predetermined sequence.

A tip part (2) for forming a tip of a disposable insertion endoscope (1), the tip part comprising an exterior housing (9) having an open proximal end (9a) for connection to other parts of the endoscope, the housing further having a distal front wall (11) and a circumferential housing wall (12), the circumferential housing wall extending a total housing length H in a proximal direction from the distal front wall to the proximal end of the housing, the distal front wall and the circumferential housing wall enclosing an interior spacing (24) of the tip part; a camera assembly able to provide an image from light received from an object to be investigated; and a tube insertion sleeve (38) provided within the interior spacing and fixed in relation to the distal front wall, the tube insertion sleeve being formed by a circumferential tube sleeve wall (39) that extends a total tube sleeve length S from the distal front wall of the housing to a proximal end of the tube insertion sleeve so that the tube insertion sleeve comprises an open proximal end; wherein the distal front wall has a fluid opening (10, 16a, 16b, 17) which is aligned with a distal end of the tube insertion sleeve, a proximal surface of the distal front wall surrounding the fluid opening to provide a tube abutment surface (40); whereby a tube (13, 21, 22, 23) can be inserted through the proximal end of the tube insertion sleeve until a distal end of the tube abuts the tube abutment surface, whereby the distal end of the tube is positioned to allow fluid flow through the tube to and through the fluid opening. Furthermore a method of manufacture of the tip part is disclosed.