Psc Inc.

Lucid, Inc.

Caliber Imaging and Diagnostics, Inc.

Lucid Technologies, Inc.

Vital Motion Inc.

Scott R Grodevant

Jay M Eastman

William J Fox

Christopher C Distasio

John A Boles

Anna M Quinn

James M Zavislan

Edward P Coleman

Zachary M Eastman

A confocal microscope having a scanning head in the form of a hand piece () which may be placed at selected locations on the body of a patient. A laser beam is scanned in orthogonal (horizontal and vertical) directions by scanners () which drive scan mirrors (a,a), which are closely adjacent to each other. The optics include an objective lens () and a single telescope lens (). The telescope provides sufficient magnification to overfill the entrance pupil of the objective lens () over the entire scan angle produced by the scan mirrors (a,a). The telescope images the entrance pupil of the objective in the beam path between the mirrors of the scanners. Scanner () represents a pulse driven resonant scanner (). The pulse duration is controlled to vary the scan angle and obtain dynamic, electronic image zooming without changing the positional relationship of the telescope lenses.

Handheld confocal scanning optical microscope systems having oscillating mirrors with varying scan angle to zoom

A device for stimulating the Meissner's Corpuscles along the front plantar portion of the foot or feet of a person is provided. The device has a platform disposed upon motion guides for movement up and down with respect to a base. The platform has a shaped surface for ease of placement of at least the front plantar portion of at least one foot of a person seated in front of the device in which the back or heel portion of the foot is disposed away from the device. One or more inertial actuators are attached to the platform underneath its surface. A controller controls operation of the actuator(s), via signals to a driver, to move the platform with respect to the base in a sinusoidally varying motion at a user selectable stimulation level. The stimulation level may be set wirelessly via an external device, or by manually tilting the device.

Device for applying stimulation to the foot or feet of a person

A confocal microscope having a scanning head in the form of a hand piece () which may be placed at selected locations on the body of a patient. A laser beam is scanned in orthogonal (horizontal and vertical) directions by scanners () which drive scan mirrors (), which are closely adjacent to each other. The optics include an objective lens () and a single telescope lens (). The telescope provides sufficient magnification to overfill the entrance pupil of the objective lens () over the entire scan angle produced by the scan mirrors (). The telescope images the entrance pupil of the objective in the beam path between the mirrors of the scanners. Scanner () represents a pulse driven resonant scanner (). The pulse duration is controlled to vary the scan angle and obtain dynamic, electronic image zooming without changing the positional relationship of the telescope lenses.

Confocal scanning microscope having optical and scanning systems which provide a handheld imaging head

A confocal microscope having a scanning head in the form of a hand piece which may be placed at selected locations on the body of a patient. A laser beam is scanned in orthogonal (horizontal and vertical) directions by scanners which drive scan mirrors, which are closely adjacent to each other. The optics include an objective lens and a telescope lenses that image the objective lens entrance pupil between the scan mirrors. Scanner is a pulse driven resonant scanner which is feed back controlled to maintain scanning rate and can change the scan angle and obtain dynamic, electronic image zooming without changing the positional relationship of the telescope.

Automatic gain control is provided for a confocal imaging system to improve the quality of images produced by the system. The confocal imaging system utilizes an illumination source, such as a laser, to produce illumination which enables imaging of an object. The automatic gain control is provided by an automatic gain controller which operates in accordance with the counted number of pixels which are too bright, the counted number of pixels which are too dim, and the counted total number of pixels, or in accordance with the average value of pixels, of each two-dimensional frame of the images from the confocal imaging system to control the intensity of the illumination source. The automatic gain controller may be operative over either the entire frame, or a region thereof.

Automatic gain control for a confocal imaging system

A confocal imaging microscope, especially for the cellular imaging of the skin at selected locations, is ergonomic in use, compact, and positionable at the locations thereby providing for patient comfort during imaging. The head () contains an integrated assembly of the optical and mechanical components of the microscope. The assembly includes a main chassis plate (). The optical components are mounted principally on one side of the plate while a PC board () is mounted on the opposite side of the plate. The board () mounts the electronic components, including interfaces, a microprocessor (), and drivers () for motors () which control scanning and may also control fine positioning of the locations being imaged. The head () is detachable from the arm for manual disposition which is useful when imaging, not only the skin but other tissues, especially for research in investigating living processes at the cellular level.

Confocal microscope for imaging of selected locations of the body of a patient

A confocal imaging microscope, especially for the cellular imaging of the skin at selected locations. An imaging head () is gimble mounted on a multi-axis compound arm () to allow for precise placement of a confocal objective () extending from the head at selected locations against the skin of the patient. The arm () attaches the head to an upright station () which may be movable along the floor on which the station is disposed. The station () has a platform () on which a keyboard () and a display () for monitoring the images is supported. The head () contains an integrated assembly of the optical and mechanical components of the microscope, which control scanning and may also control fine positioning of the locations being imaged. The head () is detachable from the arm for manual disposition.

Automatic gain control is provided for a confocal imaging system to improve the quality of images produced by the system. The confocal imaging system utilizes an illumination source, such as a laser, to produce illumination which enables imaging of an object. The automatic gain control is provided by an automatic gain controller which receives a raster scan video of two-dimensional frames of images from the confocal imaging system, converts the raster scan video into pixels, where each pixel has a brightness value, and then counts, in each frame, the number of pixels which are too bright, the number of pixels which are too dim, and the total number of pixels. After each frame is received, the laser of the confocal imaging system is controlled in accordance with signal(s) produced by the automatic gain controller, whereby the power to the illumination source is reduced when the number of pixels too bright exceeds a number representing a first percentage of the total pixels of the frame, and the number of pixels too dim is greater than a number representing a second percentage of the total pixels of the frame, and the power of the illumination source is increased when the number of pixels too dim is less than the number representing the second percentage of the total pixels of the frame, and the number of pixels too bright in the image is less than the number representing the first percentage of the total pixels of the frame. The automatic gain controller may be operative over either the entire frame of the image, or a rectangular region in the image.

An electro-optical sensor senses marks on a sheet which travels longitudinally with respect to a printed circuit board, carrying linear arrays of light sources (LEDs) and photodetectors and optics which define zones displaced laterally across the width of a sheet of paper, longitudinal columns of which can contain marks, the presence and absence of which marks is detected by the sensor. The sensor is especially adapted for use in detecting marks which indicate votes on paper ballots in electronic, computerized vote counting apparatus.

Electro-optical sensor circuitry

A system for bar code reading and scanning is provided having automatic bar code signal size control. In the first embodiment of the system, a processor selects on successive scans of a bar code one of a plurality of different optical power levels from a laser diode which provides a light beam illuminating the bar code. This selection is responsive to the size of the signal from a photo-detector which receives returned light from the bar code during scanning. The signal size is detected by a signal size detecting circuit, and is measured by the processor during scanning. In a second embodiment of the system, the processor calculates an optical power level after every two consecutive scans across the bar code. The laser power level is calculated differently for alternative scans occurring in different orders (even or odd counting from the first scan). For even scans, the power is calculated based upon signal size and power level on one of the prior two scans of the bar code, while for odd numbered scans (except the first scan), the power level is in a proportionately opposite relationship to the power level on the prior scan about an average power level. In a third embodiment of the system, the processor calculates the power for the next scan after each scan across the symbol. This calculation is responsive to the power level and the detected signal size of the preceding scan. In both the second and third embodiments, the laser is set to a starting power level on the first scan of the bar code.

Bar code scanning system for automatically maintaining constant the

A unitary hand-held bar code scanner and reader produces an elliptical beam, oriented with its major axis along the direction of the bars, utilizing optics employing far field diffraction effects to shape the beam and maintain its elliptical aspect (length to width ratio) constant over a distance in front of the scanner were bar codes may be located. The optics eliminates parallax even though the photodetector and light source (preferably a laser diode) are located offset from each other on a board on which the optics are mounted. A housing assembly has channels which mount the board therein without shock absorbing devices. A digital microcomputer controller and peripheral devices regulate the optical power output from the laser diode and prevents catastrophic failure, if the electrical current through the laser diode exceeds safe limits. Digital control of the gain of the electronic circuits which provide the signals from which bar code information can be decoded and for the operation and control of a motor for oscillating a deflector which scans the beam across the code are also provided utilizing the microcomputer. The microcomputer also controls interface circuits to provide compatibility with auxiliary equipment and host computers which generate commands and requires data inputs of various polarity and format.

Optical system for scanning and reading bar codes which is adapted to be

A computerized control system for driving an rotor which can carry a laser or a beam deflecting mirror and is actuated by a coil thereon electromagnetically coupled to a fixed magnet or a stepper motor coil. The rotor can be part of an electromechanical oscillatory system supported by flexures or the stepper motor can be electrically biased to produce, electrodynamically a restoring force. The back EMF of the coil is sensed, translated into successive digital signals which are processed in accordance with programs in firmware of the computer to generate driving pulses which are applied to the coil to obtain desired displacement motion of oscillation suitable for scanning the beam.

System for driving and controlling the motion of an oscillatory

Optical system for scanning and recording bar codes which is adapted to

An improved photodetector integrator circuit is provided having a photodetector, such as a photodiode, which produces photocurrent responsive to incident illumination. The photodetector is coupled to an integrator stage which converts the photocurrent into voltage and integrates the voltage over an integration period to provide an output signal. A window comparator in the circuit receives the output signal from the integrator stage and compares the output signal to a first threshold and a second threshold to provide, as a measurement signal, a pulse having a width which corresponds to the time interval over which the output signal increases from the first threshold to the second threshold. In the window comparator, the second threshold is greater than the first threshold. The integrator stage has two inputs coupled across the photodetector which are biased by a bias voltage below the first threshold, and a switch, preferably a mechanical relay, coupled to the integrator stage which when enabled resets the integrator stage to provide its output signal substantially equalling the bias voltage. A programmed microcontroller may also be provided for controlling the switch to reset the integrator stage, determining the time interval corresponding to the width of the pulse, and measuring the photocurrent produced by the photodetector responsive to the determined time interval. The circuit can be used in an optical analyzing instrument, such as spectrophotometer, to increase accuracy for measuring photocurrents.

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Hilton, NY, United States of America

Scott R Grodevant