6967results about "Building rescue" patented technology

A reduced area imaging device is provided for use in medical or dental instruments such as an endoscope. In a first embodiment of the endoscope, connections between imaging device elements and between a video display is achieved by hard-wired connections. In a second embodiment of the endoscope, wireless transmission is used for communications between imaging device components, and / or for transferring video ready signals to a video display. In one configuration of the imaging device, the image sensor is placed remote from the remaining circuitry. In another configuration, all of the circuitry to include the image sensor is placed in a stacked fashion at the same location. The entire imaging device can be placed at the distal tip of an endoscope. Alternatively, the image sensor can be placed remote from the remaining circuitry according to the first configuration, and control box is used which communicates with the image sensor and is placed remotely from the endoscope. Further alternatively, the imaging device can be incorporated in the housing of a standard medical camera which is adapted for use with traditional rod lens endoscopes. In any of the configurations or arrangements, the image sensor may be placed alone on a first circuit board, or timing and control circuits may be included on the first circuit board containing the image sensor. The timing and control circuits and one or more video processing boards can be placed adjacent the image sensor in a tubular portion of the endoscope, in other areas within the endoscope, in the control box, or in combinations of these location.

An endoscope system comprises a scope and a processor. The scope has an imaging sensor, a first image-processing unit that performs primary image processing, a first memory, and a second memory. The first and second memories are non-volatile. The processor has a second image-processing unit that performs secondary image processing, and a processor memory that is non-volatile. The first memory stores an system data that includes parameters for the primary and secondary image processing. The processor memory stores the system data. The second memory is used for storing the system data stored in the processor memory when it is determined that the system data stored in the first memory is older than the system data stored in the processor memory. The system data stored in the second memory is overwritten onto the first scope memory after the system data is stored in the second memory.

A portable intra-oral capture and display system, designed for use by a dental practitioner in connection with a patient seated in a dental chair, includes: a handpiece elongated for insertion into an oral cavity of the patient, where the handpiece includes a light emitter on a distal end thereof for illuminating an object in the cavity and an image sensor for capturing an image of the object and generating an image signal therefrom; a monitor interconnected with the handpiece, where the monitor contains electronics for processing the image for display and a display element for displaying the image, where the interconnection between the monitor and the handpiece includes an electrical connection for communicating the image signal from the image sensor in the camera to the electronics in the monitor; and a receptacle on the dental chair for receiving the monitor, wherein the receptacle conforms to the monitor such that the monitor may be withdrawn from the receptacle in order to allow the display element to be seen by the dental practitioner or the patient.

A system for automatically setting video signal processing parameters for an endoscopic video camera system based upon characteristics of an attached endoscope, with reduced EMI and improved inventory tracking, maintenance and quality assurance, and reducing the necessity for adjustment and alignment of the endoscope and camera to achieve the data transfer.

The present invention provides a system and method for obtaining in vivo images. The system contains an imaging system and an ultra low power radio frequency transmitter for transmitting signals from the CMOS imaging camera to a receiving system located outside a patient. The imaging system includes at least one CMOS imaging camera, at least one illumination source for illuminating an in vivo site and an optical system for imaging the in vivo site onto the CMOS imaging camera.

A system and method for improving a surgeon's vision by overlaying augmented reality information onto a video image of the surgical site. A high definition video camera sends a video image in real time. Prior to the surgery, a pre-operative image is created from MRI, x-ray, ultrasound, or other method of diagnosis using imaging technology. The pre-operative image is stored within the computer. The computer processes the pre-operative image to decipher organs, anatomical geometries, vessels, tissue planes, orientation, and other structures. As the surgeon performs the surgery, the AR controller augments the real time video image with the processed pre-operative image and displays the augmented image on an interface to provide further guidance to the surgeon during the surgical procedure.

A navigation system includes a display monitor, a CPU, and a camera, wherein the camera is mounted to a back side of the display monitor to form a monitor unit. One or more reference units are placed on a body while acquiring an image data set, and are tracked during a surgical operation by the monitor unit to register and correlate a position of a visual image of an exterior surface of the body with the image data set including information concerning internal structures of the body. The image data set is displayed on the display monitor superimposed in registration over the visible image of the exterior of the body with an angle of view and aperture in accordance with the actual position of the camera, whereby the display monitor displays the internal structures corresponding to the line-of-sight of the camera and the observer.

A system and associated method for delivering to an internal body site a selected one of a plurality of instruments. An instrument storage chamber is providing having passages for separately accommodating a plurality of instruments. An outlet guide tube couples from the instrument storage chamber and receives a selected one of these instruments for delivery to an internal operative site. An indexing mechanism is provided associated with the chamber for causing relative displacement between the instruments and the outlet guide tube. An instrument driver displaces the registered instrument from the chamber into the outlet guide tube for delivery to the internal operative site.

An electronic endoscope includes an objective lens system in which chief rays directed toward the maximum image height are inclined outwardly with respect to the optical axis and a solid-state image sensor which has a light-receiving surface on which many pixels are arrayed and which provides a light beam inclined outwardly with respect to the optical axis and incident on the light-receiving surface with a higher power, in separating from the center of the light-receiving surface, than a light beam incident perpendicularly on the light-receiving surface. In doing so, distortion is favorably corrected and shading can be prevented.

An endoscope includes an imaging device, a first polarizing filter disposed in front of the imaging device, a light source, and a second polarizing filter disposed in front of the light source. The planes of polarization of the first and second polarizing filters are at a substantially 90° angle.

A system configured provided with a continuously captured image sequence forming means for continuously capturing side surfaces of rows of teeth to form an image sequence, a side surface tooth row image forming means for combining sequences of images which were formed by the continuously captured image sequence forming means as partial tooth row images from an image forming the center of the overall composite so as to form a plurality of partial tooth row images, and a side surface tooth row image combining means for linking and combining a plurality of partial tooth row images which were formed by the side surface tooth row image forming means based on images farming the centers of the overall composite so as to form overall rows of teeth. By configuring the system in this way, it is possible to use a handheld type intraoral video camera to form a panoramic image of the side surface tooth rows for display on a computer monitor and propose a broad range of dental diagnosis and treatment to a patient and to secure participation of the patient in proactive dental diagnosis and treatment.

A video camera system is provided in which the camera head is powered at least in part by electrical energy converted from optical energy provided by a light source. In one implementation, communication between the camera head and control circuitry thereof occurs by means of a wireless communications interface.

A rope is disclosed that is firm for climbing purposes and in which the end of the rope can be spliced. The rope includes a core of a plurality of strands; a first braided tubular sheath disposed about the core; and a second braided tubular sheath disposed about the first braided tubular sheath. The plurality of strands fill at least a length of a center void formed in the first braided tubular sheath. The plurality of core strands are formed in an un-braided manner in at least one of twisted and non-twisted strands. At the splice the splice tucks fill the center void while the core strands fill only center void outside of the splice.

An imaging system for acquisition of NIR and full-color images includes a light source providing visible light and NIR light to an area under observation, such as living tissue, a camera having one or more image sensors configured to separately detect blue reflectance light, green reflectance light, and combined red reflectance light / detected NIR light returned from the area under observation. A controller in signal communication with the light source and the camera is configured to control the light source to continuously illuminate area under observation with temporally continuous blue / green illumination light and with red illumination light and NIR excitation light. At least one of the red illumination light and NIR excitation light are switched on and off periodically in synchronism with the acquisition of red and NIR light images in the camera.

An endoscope includes an insertion tube having an end, and an imaging catheter assembly. The imaging catheter assembly includes a tubular body, an imaging device, and a shape memory link that connects the imaging device to the tubular body.

A modular remote video inspection system for inspecting the interior of a living thing or of an inanimate object, such as a machine. The system comprises a base module connected by way of an interconnection module to a handset comprising a unitary display module and control module. The system makes observations by generating light that is caused to impinge on a surface of the interior of the object of interest. An inspection module attached to the handset comprises both a light guide for providing the light to the area of interest, and a selected one of a sensor and a light receiver. The inspection module comprises a steerable tip configured to be located adjacent the area of interest. The handset includes both controls for operating the system, and a display for providing a view of the region being inspected, as well as status information for the user of an operator.

This invention relates to a stereo imaging system for use in telerobotic systems. A method of imaging a target site in a stereo imaging system is provided. The method typically includes capturing a right and a left optical image of the target site and transforming the right and the left optical images preferably into digital information. The method further includes converting the digital information into opposed images of the target site displayed on a stereo display of the stereo imaging system, one of the opposed images being associated with the right optical image and the other of the opposed images being associated with the left optical image. The method further includes regulating the digital information to cause the positions of the target site displayed on the opposed images to change relative to each other. The invention further provides for a method of aligning the opposed images, to a method of adjusting the stereo working distance of an image capture device, such as an endoscope and to a stereo imaging system.

An improved fall protection system has been developed. The system functions by: (1) arresting the fall of such users, thereby protecting them from impact with the ground which could cause serious injury or death; (2) providing a method of recovery and escape from a fall-arresting device by providing a user with a controlled descent back to the ground or to a lower place of safety at a safe and gradual rate of descent; (3) providing greater simplicity and wearer comfort in fall-arresting and self-recovery devices; and (4) incorporating gear storage capability into such protective devices, in order to eliminate the need to wear a separate gear storage pack, vest, tool belt, or other such garment or accessory.

A capsule endoscope system includes a capsule endoscope, swallowable in a body, for forming an image. A receiver is positioned on the body, for wirelessly receiving the image from the capsule endoscope, to store the image. A workstation as information manager operates for image filing of the image from the receiver. A first wireless interface is incorporated in the receiver, for wirelessly transmitting the image during imaging with the capsule endoscope. A second wireless interface is positioned on the workstation, for wirelessly receiving the image from the first wireless interface. Furthermore, an image selector selects the image for image filing in the workstation among plural images received by the receiver. The first wireless interface transmits the selected image to the workstation. The receiver includes an image compressor for reducing a data size of the image received from the capsule endoscope before transmission in the first wireless interface.

The distal end of an inserted portion, having a simple structure, is reduced in diameter, loss of light incident from a body cavity is reduced, and light from two different directions is observed simultaneously and in a separated fashion. Provided is an endoscope apparatus (1) including an inserted portion (2) to be inserted inside a body cavity; a first dichroic mirror (8), disposed in a distal end portion of the inserted portion (2), that transmits light (L4) in a first wavelength band, which is incident from a longitudinal axial direction and that deflects light (L2) in a second wavelength band, which is incident from a radial direction, in the longitudinal axial direction, thereby multiplexing it with the light (L4) in the first wavelength band; a second dichroic mirror (13) that splits the light (L2, L4) multiplexed by the first dichroic mirror (8) into each wavelength band; and two image-acquisition units (16, 17) that respectively acquire the light (L2, L4) in the first and second wavelength bands split by the second dichroic mirror (13).

An electronic endoscope system, which is adapted to observe a fluorescence image of autofluorescence emitted from a body cavity wall irradiated with excitation light as well as a normal image of the body cavity wall illuminated with white light on a display device, includes a display controller whereby the aspect ratio of at least one of a plurality of images to display is converted so that the plurality of images are displayed in conformity with the shape of a display area of the display device when the plurality of images including the normal image and the fluorescence image are displayed on the display device. In the electronic endoscope system, the display controller converts the aspect ratio of at least one of the plurality of images by cutting both horizontal ends of the image to convert.

A system for automatically setting video signal processing parameters for an endoscopic video camera system based upon characteristics of an attached endoscope, with reduced EMI and improved inventory tracking, maintenance and quality assurance, and reducing the necessity for adjustment and alignment of the endoscope and camera to achieve the data transfer.

A system and method for automated image analysis which may enhance, for example, capsule endoscopy diagnosis. The system and methods may reduce the time required for diagnosis, and also help improve diagnostic consistency using an interactive feedback tool. Furthermore, the system and methods may be applicable to any procedure where efficient and accurate visual assessment of a large set of images is required.

A system for measuring a pulse and respiratory rate from passive thermal video includes contour segmentation and tracking, clustering of informative pixels of interests, and robust dominant frequency component estimation. Contour segmentation is used to locate a blood vessel region to measure, after which all pixels in the nearby region are aligned across frames based on the segmentation's position, and scale in each frame. Spatial filtering is then performed to remove noise not related to heart beat and then non-linear filtering is performed on the temporal signal corresponding to each aligned pixel. The signal spectrum of each pixel is then feed to a clustering algorithm for outlier removal. Pixels in the largest cluster are then used to vote for the dominant frequency, and the median of the dominant frequency is output as the pulse rate.

In an insertion support system according to the present invention, on the basis of the rotation angle data of the VBS images stored in the memory, an image processing unit rotates and corrects the VBS image and the thumbnail VBS images to generate the insertion support screen.

A battery self-containing body, which self-contains a battery or a battery accommodating body, which accommodates a battery removably is attached to a capsule body including a drive circuit for driving an imaging device and an illuminating device. Thus, the power supply can be turned ON easily. In addition, the inside portion is sealed water-tightly. Thus, the battery self-containing body or a battery can be exchanged easily, which allows the easy reuse. The direction of the visual field of the imaging device is diagonal with respect to the axis of the capsule body. Furthermore, spiral-shape projections are provided on the peripheral surface of the cylinder form. Thus, the rotation allows the surface of canal cavity wall to be examined easily.

An endoscope system has a camera which picks up an image in a body cavity, and a needle portion which is an electrode for transmitting a signal picked up by the camera, and which is pierced through a body wall, to transmit the signal from the camera to the outside of the body cavity.

A pipe inspection system employing a camera head assembly incorporating multiple local condition sensors, an integral dipole Sonde, a three-axis compass, and a three-axis accelerometer. The camera head assembly terminates a multi-channel push-cable that relays local condition sensor and video information to a processor and display subsystem. A cable storage structure includes data connection and wireless capability with tool storage and one or more battery mounts for powering remote operation. During operation, the inspection system may produce a two- or three-dimensional (3D) map of the pipe or conduit from local condition sensor data and video image data acquired from structured light techniques or LED illumination.