Color information with higher sensitivity than color information in a primary color system is detected. A laser scanning observation apparatus includes at least three light sources, a multiplexer, and a controller. The at least three light sources emit pulsed laser light with different wavelengths within the visible light spectrum. The multiplexer combines the laser light emitted from the at least three light sources. The controller causes different combinations of two light sources among the at least three light sources to emit laser light in sequence and periodically.

An endoscope system includes a video processor device that performs signal processing on an image, and an external device that is removably connected to the video processor device and can record light source correspondence information that corresponds to multiple light sources. The video processor device acquires light source correspondence information from the external device and performs signal processing that corresponds to the light source correspondence information.

The present invention relates to an optical element for use in a camera system for the inspection of passageways, a camera system for the inspection of passageways and a method of illuminating a passageway during inspection with a camera. An optical element for use in a camera system for the inspection of passageways comprises a first optical portion arranged to transmit light into a camera, a second optical portion arranged to transmit light emitted from a light source, the second optical portion located adjacent the first optical portion, and barrier means arranged to prevent light being transmitted from the second optical portion into the first optical portion.

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 endoscopic system includes a left optical system having a first focal position, a right optical system having a second focal position that is different from the first focal position. An image capturing device generates a first image and a second image respectively from images of a subject that are obtained by the left optical system and the right optical system. A display device displays the first image or the second image. A proper image determiner determines the magnitude relationship between the position of the subject in a predetermined area displayed on the display device and at least one threshold value Th is established between the first focal position and the second focal position. A video signal processor switches to the first image or the second image depending on a determined result from the proper image determiner and displays the image on the display device.

An assist device includes: a connecting section communicatively connected to the channel; a holding section attached to an outer side of either the insertion section of the endoscope or an operation section connected to the insertion section; and a flexible section forming an insertion path through which the treatment instrument is inserted, and including an expansion-and-contraction section including a more deformable structure than any other parts in an entire length between one end and another end of the flexible section. The flexible section is connected to the connecting section at the one end and connected to the holding section at the another end.

An endoscope illumination device includes: an illumination optical system including an entrance surface disposed along a circumferential direction centered on a predetermined axis and provided at one-end side in the direction of the predetermined axis, an emission surface positioned at an outermost side in a radial direction with respect to the predetermined axis and radially emitting illumination light entering from the entrance surface, a diffusion surface disposed at an intermediate position of an optical path of the illumination light between the entrance surface and the emission surface and transmitting and diffusing the illumination light; and a light emitting portion disposed closer to the one-end side than the entrance surface is and emitting, toward the entrance surface, the illumination light substantially in the direction of the axis.

An image pickup apparatus includes an image forming optical system which includes an aperture stop that sets an axial light beam, and a diffracting optical surface disposed at a position different from a position where the aperture stop is disposed, and an imager which is disposed on an image side of the image forming optical system, and has a light-receiving surface which is not flat and is curved to be concave toward the image forming optical system, wherein the diffracting optical surface satisfies the following conditional expression (1).

0.1<|DSD/TL|≦1.0  (1) where, TL denotes an actual distance on an optical axis of the image forming optical system, from a surface of incidence of the image forming optical system up to the light-receiving surface, DSD denotes an actual distance on the optical axis of the image forming optical system, from a position of the aperture stop up to the diffracting optical surface, and when a focal length of the image forming optical system is variable, conditional expression (1) is a conditional expression in a state at a wide angle end.

A medical imaging device includes: a spectroscopic unit that separates light into a first light component of a wavelength band and a second light component; a first imaging element that includes a plurality of first pixels configured to receive the first light component and convert the first light component into electric signals; and a second imaging element that includes a plurality of second pixels and includes a first color filter on which first filters configured to transmit the light component of the wavelength band of one color in the light components of the wavelength bands of two colors that are contained in the second light component and second filters configured to transmit light components of a plurality of wavelength bands including at least the wavelength band of another color in the light components of the wavelength bands of the two colors are arranged.

Internal components of power generation machinery, such as gas turbine engines, are inspected with a spherical, optical-camera inspection system, mounted within a camera housing on a distal end of a compact diameter, single-axis inspection scope. The inspection scope includes nested, non-rotatable telescoping tubes, which define an extension axis. Circumscribing, telescoping tubes have anti-rotation collars, which are in sliding engagement with extension tracks on a circumferential surface of an opposing, nested tube, for ease of extension and retraction of the camera during visual inspections of power generation machinery. The camera is advanced and/or retracted along a scope extension axis by nested, drive tubes, which incorporate at least one external drive screw on a circumscribed drive tube and corresponding female threads formed in a circumscribing drive tube. The spherical camera has a 360-degree field of view, and captures images without rotation about the scope extension axis.