A medical diagnostic apparatus includes a controller; a user interface; a platform having a horizontal surface; and at least one visible light image sensor positioned below the horizontal surface that is capable of producing a diagnostic visible light image of a bottom portion of a foot or feet positioned on the horizontal surface. At least a portion of the horizontal surface is transparent to visible light. The apparatus may further include at least one infrared image sensor positioned below the horizontal surface that is capable of producing a thermal image of the first target area. The apparatus may further include sensors positioned above the platform capable of producing diagnostic visible light images or thermal images of a top portion of the user's foot or feet. The apparatus may further include a weight measurement system coupled to the platform.

Provided is an image-capturing device including: a visible light signal generating unit that extracts a visible light signal from a pixel signal from an image-capturing element; a light source color estimating unit that estimates a color temperature of a light source from the visible light signal; a white-balance adjusting unit that performs white balance correction on the visible light signal according to an estimation result; a non-visible light signal generating unit that extracts a non-visible light signal from the signals from the image-capturing element; and an image composing unit that combines and outputs the visible light signal on which the white balance correction was performed and the non-visible light signal.

An interactive object system includes an interactive object and a source of electromagnetic radiation, e.g., an external source. A power harvesting device of the interactive object receives and harvests power from the electromagnetic radiation to power a special effect system of the interactive object. In an embodiment, the interactive object includes a retroreflective material that reflects electromagnetic radiation, which may be of a same or different wavelength as the electromagnetic radiation from which power is harvested. The interactive object system detects the reflected electromagnetic radiation, which may be used to trigger one or more additional actions related to the interactive object.

A detection device for detecting approaching hazards includes a housing with a camera assembly that is positioned to face outwardly of the housing. A control circuit is electrically coupled to the camera assembly. The control circuit is programmed to identify objects that are approaching the detection device based on a video stream generated by the camera assembly. The control circuit activates a transmitter to transmit an alert signal to a personal electronic device when an object approaching the detection device is detected.

A system for simultaneously acquiring images in color and in the near-infrared comprising a single matrix sensor comprises a first, second and third type of pixels sensitive to respective visible colors and a fourth type of panchromatic pixel, these pixels being also sensitive in the near-infrared; and a signal processing circuit configured to: reconstruct a first set of monochromatic images from signals generated by the pixels of the first, second and third type, respectively; reconstruct a panchromatic image from signals generated by the pixels of the fourth type; reconstruct a second set of monochromatic images from signals generated by the pixels of the first, second and third types, and from the panchromatic image; reconstruct an image in colors from the images of the first set and from the panchromatic image, and reconstruct at least one image in the near-infrared from the images of the second set and from the panchromatic image. A visible-near-infrared bispectral camera comprises such an acquisition system and method implemented by means of such a camera.

Systems are provided including night vision goggles and up-conversion circuits for converting short wave infrared (SWIR) light into near infrared (NIR) light or other visible light in low-light environments. An array of electrically coupled photodiodes, amplifiers, and NIR light emitters generate and amplify a current in response to SWIR, powering the light emitters to generate NIR light. The NIR can then be directed into a photomultiplier tube to amplify the light and allow an operator to see in low-light environments.

A near-infrared sensitive video camera comprises a control unit configured to: dynamically detect a setting of the camera, the setting being one or more of: a zoom level, a focus setting and a setting of an IR-illuminator of camera. The control unit dynamically acquires a gain setting map for an image sensor, the acquired gain setting map being associated with the dynamically detected setting of the camera and comprising individual gain settings of the image sensor. Dynamically acquiring the gain setting map comprises accessing a database of gain setting maps associated with specific settings of the camera and on the dynamically detected setting of the camera; and dynamically adjusting a gain setting of the image sensor based on the acquired gain setting map.

The invention provides apparatuses and methods relevant to image sensors configured for dual mode operation. The invention comprises an image sensor having an image sensor substrate having an array of pixels formed thereon. The array of pixels comprises (i) a first pixel region comprising a first array of pixels, which first array of pixels comprising pixels configured for peak sensitivity to wavelength(s) below 700 nm, and (ii) a second pixel region comprising a second array of pixels, which second array of pixels comprising pixels of a first pixel type and pixels of a second pixel type. Pixels of the first pixel type may be configured for peak sensitivity to wavelength(s) between 700 nm and 1000 nm. Pixels of the second pixel type may be configured for peak sensitivity to wavelength(s) below 700 nm. The invention additionally provides apparatuses incorporating the image sensor and methods for fabricating said image sensor.

A detection method executed by a computer, the detection method includes detecting a plurality of pupil candidates from a face image region in an image of a subject based on specific shape information, and identifying at least one pupil candidate as a pupil from among the plurality of pupil candidates based on brightness information related to an image region outside of the face image region and learning information indicating a relationship between the brightness information and a size of the pupil.

A biometric sensor apparatus for authenticating a user using images (1) of patterns of blood vessels (30) of the user, comprising: a wrist strap (12); a clasp (4); a camera (3) arranged for capturing said images; a mechanism for detecting an opening of said clasp (4); a module programmed for authenticating said user when said images match reference images of said user, and for revoking said authentication when an opening of the clasp has been detected.