An optical measurement probe for capturing a spectral response through an intervening material emitting unwanted background radiation includes: a first lens configured to receive light and collimate the light into a collimated excitation beam defining a first aperture; an objective element for focusing the collimated excitation beam to a point or region in a sample through the intervening material, wherein the objective element also receives light scattered by the sample and the intervening material and collimates the scattered light into a collimated collection beam defining a second aperture; and a blocking element within the collimated collection beam for removing the light scattered by the intervening material from the collimated collection beam received from the sample, wherein the second aperture defined by the collimated collection beam is at least two times greater than the first aperture defined by the collimated excitation beam.

An optical measurement probe for capturing a spectral response through an intervening material emitting unwanted background radiation includes: a first lens configured to receive light and collimate the light into a collimated excitation beam defining a first aperture; an objective element for focusing the collimated excitation beam to a point or region in a sample through the intervening material, wherein the objective element also receives light scattered by the sample and the intervening material and collimates the scattered light into a collimated collection beam defining a second aperture; and a blocking element within the collimated collection beam for removing the light scattered by the intervening material from the collimated collection beam received from the sample, wherein the second aperture defined by the collimated collection beam is at least two times greater than the first aperture defined by the collimated excitation beam.

A flexible light guide that has a homogeneous light emission with high luminance is provided. The flexible light guide is provided by a side-emitting light guide. The side-emitting light guide includes a light-guiding fiber designed as a side-emitting fiber so that light guided in the fiber is scattered out along a longitudinal direction in a distributed manner. The guide also includes a tube that surrounds the fiber. The tube is designed to be light-scattering and translucent so that light emitted from the fiber can traverse the tube with scattering. The tube is surrounded by a cladding. The tube and cladding are made of plastic.

A flexible light guide that has a homogeneous light emission with high luminance is provided. The flexible light guide is provided by a side-emitting light guide. The side-emitting light guide includes a light-guiding fiber designed as a side-emitting fiber so that light guided in the fiber is scattered out along a longitudinal direction in a distributed manner. The guide also includes a tube that surrounds the fiber. The tube is designed to be light-scattering and translucent so that light emitted from the fiber can traverse the tube with scattering. The tube is surrounded by a cladding. The tube and cladding are made of plastic.

An optical fiber protective unit includes: a reticulated tube having openings that are reticulately formed, the reticulated tube being configured to accommodate a plurality of optical fibers inserted through the reticulated tube; a tubular member disposed inside the reticulated tube, the tubular member being configured to accommodate the plurality of optical fibers through the tubular member; and a cylindrical member attached to an end part of the reticulated tube. The cylindrical member has an inner diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of the tubular member.

An optical fiber protective unit includes: a reticulated tube having openings that are reticulately formed, the reticulated tube being configured to accommodate a plurality of optical fibers inserted through the reticulated tube; a tubular member disposed inside the reticulated tube, the tubular member being configured to accommodate the plurality of optical fibers through the tubular member; and a cylindrical member attached to an end part of the reticulated tube. The cylindrical member has an inner diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of the tubular member.

An apparatus installed in a head-mounted display (HMD) has a coupling prism formed by packing diagonally-reflective (DR) prisms together. Each DR prism has an internal diagonal plane that is at least partially reflective. A captured image of eye or environmental scene received by a DR prism is reflected to an image-leaving end surface thereof. Image-leaving end surfaces of all DR prisms are oriented along a same direction to optically multiplex the captured images to create a multi-channel image. An imaging sensor on the coupling prism images the multi-channel image, avoiding inter-channel interference caused by spillover of captured-image signals while allowing one imaging sensor instead of multiple ones to image the captured images. A micro display displays a visible image to one DR prism, whose internal diagonal plane reflects the visible image along a direction towards an eye. Hence, the apparatus also enables image displaying to a HMD wearer.

An apparatus installed in a head-mounted display (HMD) has a coupling prism formed by packing diagonally-reflective (DR) prisms together. Each DR prism has an internal diagonal plane that is at least partially reflective. A captured image of eye or environmental scene received by a DR prism is reflected to an image-leaving end surface thereof. Image-leaving end surfaces of all DR prisms are oriented along a same direction to optically multiplex the captured images to create a multi-channel image. An imaging sensor on the coupling prism images the multi-channel image, avoiding inter-channel interference caused by spillover of captured-image signals while allowing one imaging sensor instead of multiple ones to image the captured images. A micro display displays a visible image to one DR prism, whose internal diagonal plane reflects the visible image along a direction towards an eye. Hence, the apparatus also enables image displaying to a HMD wearer.

An apparatus for concentrating light from a light source includes a plurality of fibers that are substantially parallel with one another. Each fiber includes a light-receiving end and a light-transmitting end. The light-receiving end is configured to receive the light from the light source. The light-transmitting end is configured to transmit the light from the fiber. The light-receiving ends the fibers extend different distances from a plane that is perpendicular with respect the fibers.

An apparatus for concentrating light from a light source includes a plurality of fibers that are substantially parallel with one another. Each fiber includes a light-receiving end and a light-transmitting end. The light-receiving end is configured to receive the light from the light source. The light-transmitting end is configured to transmit the light from the fiber. The light-receiving ends the fibers extend different distances from a plane that is perpendicular with respect the fibers.