Optiscan Pty Ltd.

Other

Pentax Corporation

Beijing University of Technology

Martin Russell Harris

Peter Maxwell Delaney

Gavan Edmund Rosman

James Rudge

Roger Graham King

A microscope or endoscope, comprising a light condenser (such as an objective lens), and an array of micro-lenses (such as supported on a transparent plate), wherein the micro-lenses are arranged spatially to correspond in enlarged form to respective sub-resolution objects or point observational fields on or within a specimen that are separated from one another by an optically resolvable distance and to receive light from the sub-resolution objects or point observational fields, and each of the micro-lenses is arranged to converge light from the respective corresponding sub-resolution object or point observational field to a diffraction limited spot at an image plane.

Structured illumination microscopy apparatus and method

A fluid transmission that employs a fluid to transmit a force, comprising a conduit for the fluid made from heat shrink polymer tubing, wherein at least a portion of the heat shrink polymer tubing is shrunken, whereby the force can be transmitted by the fluid from a first or proximal end of the conduit to a second or distal end of the conduit. Also, an actuator and methods for manufacturing the transmission and actuator.

Fluid transmission

A fiber bundle confocal microscope or endoscope (), comprising a light source () for providing a beam of light (), a coherent fiber bundle of optical fibers (), a scanner () for receiving the beam and scanning the beam over a proximal end of the bundle (), so that the beam is launched into a plurality of the fibers sequentially, a plurality of the fibers thereby acting sequentially as an at least one delivery fiber (), a spatial filter (), and a photodetector () operatively associated with the spatial filter to receive return light from one or more of the fibers. The return light from the delivery fiber is excluded from the photodetector by the spatial filter.

Fibre bundle confocal endomicroscope

The present invention provides a confocal endoscope, microscope or endomicroscope including a light source of coherent light for illuminating a sample, a beam splitter and light receiving means, wherein an incident beam of light from the light source is directed onto the beam splitter and hence onto the sample, and light returning from the sample and incident on the beam splitter is deviated or displaced by the beam splitter by a small angle or distance relative to the incident beam, and received by the light receiving means located to receive the returning light and near the light source. The invention also a method for performing confocal endoscopy or microscopy including illuminating a sample by means of an incident or excitatory beam of coherent light, and deviating or displacing light returning from the sample by a small angle or distance relative to the incident beam.

Compact confocal endoscope and endomicroscope method and apparatus

The invention provides a confocal microscope or endoscope, having a source of coherent light for illuminating a sample, and an imaging optical fibre bundle () for receiving return light, whereby the fibre bundle () provides a return channel for fluorescent return light (). The optical fibre bundle () preferably preserves, between entry and exit ends of the bundle, the relative spatial coordinates of the cores of individual fibres constituting the bundle.

Laser scanning confocal microscope with fibre bundle return

The invention provides a light scanning device for scanning light from a light source, the light scanning device having: a pivotably mounted mirror for receiving light from the light source; a counterbalance; and a drive for oscillatorily pivoting the mirror and the counterbalance simultaneously in opposite directions to reduce uncoupled forces.

Light scanning device

An electrically operated tuning fork apparatus includes a tuning fork having a base and a pair of tines. The tines have tips remote from the base, and are formed of or include material in which a magnetic field can be induced. The tuning fork apparatus also includes an electrical coil configured to receive at least a portion of both tines of the tuning fork. At least one of the tines can be vibrated relative to the other of the tines by passing a varying current through the coil to induce mutually repulsive magnetic fields in the tines.

Electrically operated tuning fork

The invention provides a scanning microscope comprising: optical fiber for transmitting a light beam to an exit end of the optical fiber proximate light focusing optics, the light focusing optics focusing the light emerging from the exit end to illuminate a point observation field on or within an object to be examined; and a scanner mounted in an optical head casing with the light focusing optics, to cause the illuminated point observation filed to scan over a two-dimensional cross-section of the object such that an image of the object emanated light over the cross-section is constructible. The scanner comprises a forwardly extending vibratable member and a counterbalance coupled thereto, the point observational field is forward the vibratable member, the vibratable member is coupled to the exit end of the optical fiber to provide the fast scan, the counterbalances reactive forces associated with vibration of the vibratable member and the exit end of the optical fiber during operation, and the light focusing optics is mounted in the optical head casing separately from the vibratable member whereby the light emanating from the exit end of the optical fiber is, during operation, scanned across the light focusing optics.

Scanning microscope with miniature head

A method and apparatus for image sharpening in confocal microscopy or endoscopy observation, the method comprising: collecting true confocal return light from an observational field of an object; focussing the true confocal return light into a core of a fiber wave-guide; collecting near confocal return light from a volume partially overlapping the observational field; focussing the near confocal return light so as to be transmitted principally in a cladding of the fiber wave-guide; separately detecting the true confocal return light and the near confocal return light to produce a true confocal output signal and a near confocal output signal; and adjusting the true confocal output signal on the basis of the near confocal output signal to substantially eliminate from the true confocal output signal a component due to the near confocal output signal; whereby the effective volume of the observational field is reduced and the resolution is effectively increased.

Growing community of inventors

Windsor, Australia

Martin Russell Harris