The disclosure extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for producing an image in light deficient environments with luminance and chrominance emitted from a controlled light source.

An optical transmission module includes a light emitting device for transmitting a first optical signal, a light receiving device for receiving a second optical signal, an optical fiber for guiding a third optical signal in which the first optical signal and the second optical signal are coupled, and an optical waveguide substrate having an optical waveguide made of first resin, wherein a groove formed on the optical waveguide substrate is provided with a prism having the optical fiber and a reflective face through which the first optical signal transmit, a first side face of the prism contacts a first wall face of the groove, and a second side face thereof contacts a second wall face of the groove.

An endoscope includes at least one lens having a circular exterior shape in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis, an image sensor that has a square exterior shape in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis, and has one side whose length is same as length of a diameter of the lens, a sensor cover that has a square exterior shape in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis, and has one side whose length is same as one side length of the image sensor, a bonding resin portion that fixes the sensor cover to the lens, the optical axis of the lens coinciding with a center of the imaging area.

The endoscope includes an imaging device that is provided in a tip portion of an insertion part capable of being inserted into a body cavity. The imaging device includes an image sensor that photoelectrically converts imaging light incident on an image receiving surface thereof through an imaging lens provided in a lens barrel, and a circuit substrate including a connecting surface facing a terminal face that is a surface opposite to the image receiving surface of the image sensor. A plurality of terminals are uniformly arranged longitudinally and laterally in a two-dimensional matrix form on the terminal face of the image sensor, and the connecting surface of the circuit substrate and the terminal face of the image sensor are connected to each other through the plurality of terminals. The total area of the plurality of terminals on the terminal face occupies 10% or more of the area of an imaging area of the image receiving surface.

The disclosure extends to devices, systems and methods for connecting one or more sensors to one or more printed circuit boards (PCB) in the distal end or tip of a scope. The disclosure also extends to a connector assembly for an image sensor for protecting the sensor and conveying information from the sensor to the PCB.

An endoscope includes an imager unit loading region formed in a distal end barrel member formed of a resin material, a cable connection surface provided on a proximal end side, a wall provided to connect an opening of the imager unit loading region and an opening of the cable connection surface, a plurality of contact patterns formed on a wall surface of the imager unit loading region, and configured to be electrically connected to electric contacts of an imager unit, a plurality of wiring patterns formed on a front surface of the cable connection surface from the wall, and configured to electrically continue to the plurality of contact patterns, and a plurality of connection patterns formed on the cable connection surface with larger intervals than intervals of the plurality of wiring patterns formed on the wall, with core wires of cables being electrically connected to the plurality of connection patterns.

An endoscope includes an imager unit loading region provided on a distal end side of a distal end barrel member provided at a distal end portion of an insertion portion and formed of a resin material, a cable connection surface provided on a proximal end side, a wall provided to connect an opening of the imager unit loading region and an opening of the cable connection surface, a contact pattern formed on a wall surface, a wiring pattern formed on a front surface of the cable connection surface from the wall, and configured to electrically continue to the contact pattern, and a connection pattern formed on the cable connection surface, and configured to electrically continue to the wiring pattern, with a core wire of a cable being electrically connected to the connection pattern, in a space formed in the distal end portion by the cable connection surface.

An electronic module includes a three-dimensional wiring board including a cavity portion in which a bottom surface and four wall surfaces are formed, a plurality of electrodes being provided on the bottom surface, and a plurality of electronic components mounted on the plurality of electrodes and including a plurality of chip components and an image pickup module configured to pick up an image in an opening section direction of the cavity portion. A wall surface among the four wall surfaces that corresponds to a direction in which the plurality of chip components are arrayed is an inclined surface having an inclination with respect to the bottom surface.

An access device for accessing an intervertebral disc having an outer shield comprising an access shield with a larger diameter (˜16-30 mm) that reaches from the skin down to the facet line, with an inner shield having a second smaller diameter (˜5-12 mm) extending past the access shield and reaches down to the disc level. This combines the benefits of the direct visual microsurgical/mini open approaches and the percutaneous, “ultra-MIS” techniques.

An imaging element includes: a pixel board including a light receiver including plural pixels, each pixel being configured to generate an imaging signal; a circuit board including a functional circuit, the pixel board being layered on the circuit board; plural wiring portions configured to electrically connect the pixel board and the circuit board to each other and electrically transmit signals between respective layers; a terminal provided on the circuit board, the terminal being electrically connected to each of the plural wiring portions, the terminal being configured to output the imaging signal to an outside of the terminal or receive an external signal from the outside of the terminal; and a switch configured to output, by selective switching, at least one of the imaging signal and an internal signal generated at the circuit board, to the terminal.