Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for positioning electrodes within a body. In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus for slidably moving multiple features relative to a sheath inserted into a body and positioned relative to a reference point includes a primary actuator configured to move a primary electrode, a secondary actuator configured to move a secondary electrode, and a control mechanism. The control mechanism is configured to selectively prevent movement of at least one of the primary actuator based on a position of the secondary actuator and of the secondary actuator based on a position of the primary actuator and lock positions of the primary actuator and the secondary actuator.

A guidewire holding device comprises a sheath including a lumen, a holder disposed at a distal end of the sheath and configured to be switchable between holding a guidewire and releasing the guidewire, a treatment tool inserted in the lumen to perform an intended treatment, and a wire connected to the treatment tool and configured to move the treatment tool between a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the treatment tool is contained insider the lumen, and, in the second configuration, the treatment tool is protruded from the distal end of the sheath.

This present invention proposes new methods of designing single-use endoscopes with built-in optical fibers and operating fixtures. As compared to conventional endoscopes, a separate lumen is reserved for integrating a laser fiber along the insertion tube of the proposed endoscope, and an optical fiber placement device (OFPD) is correspondingly added in the endoscope handle for controlling the movement of the laser fiber. By sliding the slider or dialing the wheel of OFPD, a surgeon can conveniently control movement of the laser fiber. By pressing a retractable control stick in the OFPD, the surgeon can either push the laser fiber out from the endoscope's distal-end or pull back the laser fiber, further unlocking or locking the power switch of the laser fiber to avoid mis-operations. All these above operations can be performed by the surgeon's one-hand, including the routine deflections and rotations of the endoscope. Four implementations of the OFPD are introduced in this invention. In addition, an ultra-small optical fiber based pressure sensor can be added at the distal end of the endoscope upon applications.

An insufflating system (201) comprises an insufflator (204) and an endoscope (205). The insufflator (204) comprises a flow control valve (217) for supplying insufflating gas to a cavity of a subject, and an isolating valve (222) for applying a vacuum to the cavity, both of which are connected to an instrument channel (208) of the endoscope (205) through a tube set (230). A pressure sensor (224) monitors cavity pressure through the instrument channel (208). The insufflator (201) is operable in a first operating mode in which a microprocessor (221) operates the flow control valve (217) to maintain the cavity pressure at a set pressure, and on the cavity pressure exceeding a predefined upper pressure, the microprocessor (221) operates the isolating valve (222) for applying vacuum to the cavity, and for further second time periods until the cavity pressure returns to the set pressure. The insufflator (204) is operable in a second operating mode in which the microprocessor (221) alternately and sequentially operates the flow control valve (217) and the isolating valve (222) to apply sequential pressure/vacuum cycles to the cavity in order to withdraw smoke generated in the cavity, while maintaining the cavity pressure within plus or minus 1 mmHg or 2 mmHg of the set pressure.

The dial unit includes a dial including a shaft and being rotatable around the shaft, a detector to detect a rotation amount of the dial, a rotator engaged with the dial and rotatable together with the dial. The dial unit includes a rotation transmission member to keep the dial and the rotator separated from each other before the rotation angle of the dial reaches a first angle and to transmit rotation of the dial to the rotator when the rotation angle exceeds the first angle. The dial unit includes an elastic member which is shaped as a coil-shaped portion and contains the rotator inside the coil-shaped portion. The elastic member applies to the rotator a torque in an opposite direction to a rotational direction of the rotator when the rotator rotates.

A dental imaging system includes a dental tool having an end effector adapted to interact with an object. An optical imaging device is engaged with the dental tool or the end effector, and arranged such that a field-of-view thereof includes the interaction between the end effector and the object. A display is in communication with the optical imaging device and is arranged to display a real-time image of the interaction between the end effector and the object received from the optical imaging device. Associated dental robotic systems implementing the dental imaging system are also provided.

An optical unit includes: a fixing part including a front frame portion, a rear frame portion, and a fixing part main body; a movable part arranged slidably relative to the fixing part main body; and a voice coil motor including a magnetic portion, and a coil arranged at the fixing part main body and positioned on a radially outer side of the fixing part main body with respect to the magnetic portion, the voice coil motor being capable of moving the movable part relative to the fixing part main body along a direction of the optical axis. A maximum dimension of the fixing part main body in a first direction parallel to a magnetization direction of the magnetic portion is greater than a maximum dimension of the fixing part main body in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and the direction of the optical axis.

The flexible tube includes a plurality of spiral tubes fitted with each other, and each spiral tube is formed by winding a band-like element and includes a densely wound portion and a loosely wound portion. The loosely wound portion of a first spiral tube is covered with the densely wound portion of a second spiral tube, so that the flexible tube has uniform hardness and resiliency. The flexible tube is suitably applied to an insertion device.

An image pickup apparatus includes: an image pickup device including a light receiving surface, an opposite surface, and an inclined surface inclined at a first angle, and provided with light receiving surface electrodes on the light receiving surface; a cover glass; and a wiring board including a first main surface and a second main surface, and including wires each connected with each of the light receiving surface electrodes, back surfaces of the light receiving surface electrodes are exposed to a side of the opposite surface, distal end portions of the wires are flying leads bent at a second angle in a relation of a supplementary angle to the first angle and connected with the light receiving surface electrodes, and the second main surface at a distal end portion of the wiring board is directly fixed to the opposite surface arranged in parallel with the second main surface.

Methods and systems for image-based guidance in deep-brain stimulation. An endoscope system includes a waveguide tube, a right-angle prism, a light source, and a photoacoustic transducer. Light from the light source propagates along the length of the waveguide tube via internal reflection within the wall. The right-angle prism is positioned to redirect light emitted at a distal end of the waveguide tube in a direction perpendicular to the length of the waveguide tube. Light emitted in the perpendicular direction causes soundwaves to be generated by the surrounding tissue via photoacoustic effect. Those soundwaves are then conducted through the interior channel of the waveguide tube from the distal end of the waveguide tube to a proximal end of the waveguide tube where the soundwaves are detected by the photoacoustic transducer, which is acoustically coupled to the interior channel of the waveguide tube at the proximal end of the waveguide tube.