Abstract: An ultrasonic treatment system for a joint has an ultrasonic transducer configured to generate ultrasonic vibration at a predetermined frequency, a treatment unit configured to treat a bone or a cartilage with the ultrasonic vibration, a frequency measurement unit configured to measure the frequency of the ultrasonic vibration of the treatment unit, a calculation unit configured to calculate a tilt indicating change, in a predetermined time, of the frequency measured with the frequency measurement unit, and a controller configured to determine whether change of absolute value of the tilt is equal to or larger than predetermined absolute value of the tilt.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus, includes a first optical system and a second optical system which generate two optical images having mutual parallax; and one image sensor which captures the two optical images, wherein each of the first optical system and the second optical system has a different focusing unit, further includes a first frame which holds some of lenses in the first optical system, a second frame which holds the image sensor; and a third frame which holds lenses in the first optical system other than the lenses held by the first frame, and lenses in the second optical system, wherein the first frame is movable in a direction of optical axes with respect to the third frame, and the second frame is movable in a direction of optical axes with respect to the third frame.

Abstract: A microscope apparatus 10 includes a detection optical system 12 that captures light from a sample S and an illumination optical system 11 that radiates an illumination light onto the sample S. The illumination optical system 11 includes a cylindrical lens 5 that has a power in a first-axis direction and does not have a power in a second-axis direction that is perpendicular to the first-axis direction, a cylindrical lens 6 that has a power in the second-axis direction and does not have a power in the first-axis direction, and a scanner 4 that scans the illumination light in a width direction. The illumination optical system 11 is configured such that the first-axis direction is the width direction described above, and the cylindrical lenses 5 and 6 are arranged posterior to the scanner 4.

Abstract: A microscope includes: a light source, an objective, a varifocal optical system that is arranged on an illumination light path between the objective and the light source, a reflection optical system that deflects an illumination light axis of the illumination light toward an optical axis of the objective, and a rotator that rotates the objective and the reflection optical system around a rotation axis that is orthogonal to the optical axis of the objective.

Abstract: Quantization noise in an oversampled eddy current digital drive circuit is reduced using a noise shaping filter.

Abstract: A measurement probe is configured to be detachably connected to a bio-optical measurement apparatus and includes: an illuminating fiber configured to irradiate body tissues with illumination light; light receiving fibers configured to receive return light of the illumination light reflected and/or scattered from the body tissues; an optical element configured to transmit the illumination light and the return light and to keep distances between the body tissues and distal ends of the illuminating fiber and the light receiving fibers, constant; and a contact detecting fiber configured to receive the return light to detect contact between a distal end face of the optical element and the body tissues, and detect the return light at a detection region on the distal end face through which the illumination light and the return light pass. The detection region is located outside an illumination region of the illuminating fiber.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus including an imaging section that includes a phase difference detection element for implementing phase detection autofocus, and acquires a captured image; a phase difference calculation section that calculates a phase difference based on a signal output from the phase difference detection element; a lens position selection section that selects a lens position that is either a near point-side lens position or a far point-side lens position based on the phase difference, the near point-side lens position and the far point-side lens position being discrete lens positions set in advance; a driver section that changes a lens position of the imaging section to the lens position selected by the lens position selection section; and a control section that controls an intensity of illumination light that is applied to an object.

Abstract: A distal end portion of an endoscope including a holding portion; a prism holding frame; a cam; a traction member that applies, to the prism holing frame, a first moment of causing the prism holding frame to rotate in one direction through traction; and an elastic member including a secured portion and a pressing portion, the elastic member being configured to generate a second moment in a direction opposite to a direction of the first moment in the prism holding frame using a force applied to the prism holding frame through the pressing of the pressing portion to cause the prism holding frame to rotate in another direction.

Abstract: An observation apparatus includes: an image capturing apparatus that includes an imaging surface and captures an image of an object to be observed; an optical system that projects an optical image of the object onto the image capturing apparatus; a focusing unit that adjusts, with reference to the optical-axis direction of the optical system, the relative positional relationship between the object and a surface optically conjugate to the imaging surface; and a processor that controls at least the image capturing apparatus and the focusing unit.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an insertion portion; a first projecting portion; a second projecting portion; an illumination window disposed on an outer peripheral surface side of the first projecting portion, the illumination window being disposed about an axis along a longitudinal axis direction of the insertion portion, the illumination window having a light emitting surface from which an illumination light for illuminating an inside of a subject is emitted in a direction which includes a sideward direction of the insertion portion; and a mask configured to restrict sideward emission of the illumination light from the illumination window, wherein the mask has a shape inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis direction so as to increase a quantity of the illumination light emitted toward the second projecting portion from a distal end side toward a proximal end side of a distal end portion of the insertion portion.

Abstract: An implementation information storage stores implementation information of an examination performed by a doctor. A standard range setting unit sets a standard range for implementation information of an examination based on implementation information according to a skilled doctor stored in the implementation information storage. An implementation information acquisition unit acquires implementation information of an examination performed or being performed by a resident doctor. When the implementation information according to the resident doctor falls outside the standard range set by the standard range setting unit, an examination determination unit determines that the examination performed by the resident doctor is not performed properly. A notification processing unit gives notification regarding implementation information of an examination determined not to be performed properly.

Abstract: The disclosed technology is directed to a treatment instrument that comprises a sheath main body having opposed respective distal and proximal end regions. The sheath main body includes an outer diameter such that the sheath main body capable of being fit into the channel for insertion of the treatment instrument of the endoscope. The sheath main body includes a lumen extending along a longitudinal axis in the distal end region. A wire-shaped incising portion is configured to engage with the sheath main body so as to protrude from an outer circumferential surface of the sheath main body in the distal end region and extending along the longitudinal axis of the sheath main body. The wire-shaped incising portion is used to incise a tissue. A wire is attached to at least a portion of the sheath main body and having a region in which the wire has different bending resistances.

Abstract: A display request reception unit receives a request for display of an entry screen for entering examination information of a current examination performed on a patient, and a screen generation unit generates an entry screen. A diagnosis detail reception unit receives entry of examination information on the entry screen. An examination information storage unit stores examination information of a past examination. A notification determination unit determines whether or not to give notification regarding a past examination of the same patient after the display request reception unit receives the request for display. A notification execution unit gives predetermined notification regarding the past examination when the notification determination unit determines to give notification.

Abstract: An endoscope includes: an observation through hole which is formed in a distal end portion body, an opening shape of the observation through hole being defined by a pair of long sides which face each other and a pair of short sides which face each other; grooves for cutting machining clearance, the grooves being formed at four corners where the long sides and the short sides respectively intersect with each other during machining the observation through hole; an observation lens being inserted into the observation through hole; and an adhesive material which is circumferentially disposed between the observation through hole and the observation lens. In such an endoscope, each groove is formed in contact with the short sides, and projects toward the outside of the observation through hole from the long sides.

Abstract: An insertion portion of an endoscope includes: an image pickup unit having an observation unit and an image pickup cable; and a distal end frame member having a first hole and a second hole and having a contact surface with which a proximal end portion is brought into contact when the image pickup cable is provided in the second hole. The second hole has a shape in which the image pickup cable is rotatable together with the observation unit in a state where the image pickup cable is provided in the second hole.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes: a light source that is configured to emit primary light; plural illuminators that are configured to be irradiated with the primary light to emit plural respective illumination light generated based on the radiated primary light toward an observation object so that at least part of the plural illumination light overlap on the observation object; and an adjuster that is configured to desirably adjust a ratio of light quantities of the primary light that travels from the light source to the respective illuminators, so as to distribute the primary light to the respective illuminators.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an active bending portion that is configured to be bent in a first direction according to a bending operation of an operator, a passive bending portion that is provided on a proximal end side of the active bending portion and is passively bent by receiving an external force without being bent according to the bending operation of the operator, and a flexible tube. The passive bending portion includes a first area including two coupling portions that couple two adjacent bending pieces rotatably around two rotation axes crossing at a first angle around a central axis of an insertion portion with respect to a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and a second area including two coupling portions that couple another two adjacent bending pieces rotatably around two second rotation axes crossing at a second angle larger than the first angle with respect to the second direction.

Abstract: An optical module for endoscope includes an optical element including an external terminal, a housing in which an insertion hole into which an optical fiber is inserted is present and has a bottom and a bottom surface made of a transparent material, and a sealing plate that is bonded to the housing. The optical element is stored in an upper recess of the housing, the external terminal and a bonding electrode are connected using a bonding wire, and a wire recess in which a part of the bonding wire is stored is present in a bottom surface of the upper recess.

Abstract: A scanning confocal microscope apparatus includes: a scanning confocal microscope that includes an objective lens; a computing device that divides a range in a direction of an optical axis of the objective lens of a preliminary scanning area on which preliminary scanning has been performed into a plurality of groups, in accordance with data obtained by performing the preliminary scanning using the scanning confocal microscope; and a controller that controls the scanning confocal microscope so as to perform principal scanning in which at least a portion of the preliminary scanning area is scanned under a measurement condition determined for each of the plurality of groups.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes: a lens and an image pickup sensor; an image stabilization circuit configured to relatively shift an object image and the image pickup sensor within a predetermined movable range; an image stabilization driver configured to control the image stabilization circuit to perform image stabilization and pixel shifting, and adjust pixel shifting based on a pixel shift adjustment amount corresponding to a control state of the image stabilization circuit; and a microcomputer configured to cause the image pickup sensor to continuously pick up a plurality of images while causing the image stabilization driver to perform image stabilization in an exposure period and perform adjusted pixel shifting in a non-exposure period.

Abstract: A focus detection device, comprising an image sensor having pixel sections that subject light flux that has passed through a photographing lens to pupil division, and that are made up of pairs of pixels that respectively receive the light flux, and processors, wherein the one or more processors calculate degree of similarity between pixel signal rows that are positioned in a direction that is different to the pupil division direction, and are constituted by pixel signals of a plurality of pixels corresponding to at least one of the pairs, and if the degree of similarity is higher that a specified value, generate a spatial addition pixel signal by adding the pairs of pixel signals of the pixel signal row in a direction that is different to the pupil division direction, for each respective pair, and perform phase difference detection based on this spatial addition pixel signal that has been generated.

Abstract: A learning image automatic sorting device for sorting learning images to be stored while identifying and eliminating repeated images by discriminating the geometric deformation, changes in grayscale, the difference in noise level, and the like.

Abstract: A blood-vessel recognizing method for recognizing blood vessels present in biological tissue, the method including: obtaining real-time Doppler spectra on the basis of time waveforms data of intensities of scattered light generated in the biological tissue due to irradiation with laser light; calculating average frequencies of the real-time Doppler spectra; correcting the calculated average frequencies on the basis of peak intensities of the real-time Doppler spectra; and determining whether or not blood vessels are present in regions of the biological tissue irradiated with the laser light on the basis of the corrected average frequencies.

Abstract: An illumination unit for endoscope is provided with: a light guiding layer, an illumination lens, light guides and a positioning member; and the positioning member is provided with: a barrel body on which arrangement grooves are formed, the barrel body being configured to perform inward positioning of the light guides in the radial direction by distal end sides of the light guides being arranged in the arrangement grooves; and a cylindrical member configured to perform outward positioning of the light guides in the radial direction by covering an outer circumference of the barrel body in an intersection direction to block the distal end sides of the light guides arranged in the arrangement grooves, between the cylindrical member and the barrel body in the intersection direction.

Abstract: A treatment tool includes an elongated shaft that has a bending mechanism at a distal end thereof; a bending operation part that is connected to a proximal-end side of the shaft in order to operate the bending mechanism; a connection sleeve that is provided at a connection section of the bending operation part where the bending operation part and the shaft are connected, and that rotatably holds the shaft; a rotation operation member that is provided at the proximal-end side of the shaft and that rotates the shaft; and a stopper member that can be made to slide outside the connection sleeve along a direction of a longitudinal axis of the shaft and that is engaged with both the rotation operation member and the connection sleeve at a specific position in a range of movement thereof, thereby locking rotation of the shaft with respect to the connection sleeve.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes an endoscope in which an actuator moves a movable lens and a position sensor outputs a position detection signal, and a processor including a driver circuit configured to drive the actuator and a driving control circuit configured to subject a deviation of the position detection signal to first correction based on individual processor correction data stored in a processor memory and controls the driver circuit based on a target position and the position detection signal subjected to the first correction.

Abstract: An endoscope illumination unit includes: an incident part into which illuminating light guided via a light guide enters; a light guide body that includes an annular section having an inner peripheral surface and that guides the illuminating light having entered via the incident part and emits the illuminating light from an outer surface of the annular section; and a reflective sheet that has opposite end portions and that is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the annular section and scatters the illuminating light, having entered the light guide body, within the annular section. The opposite end portions of the reflective sheet bent in conformity to the inner peripheral surface of the annular section is positioned at a portion of the inner peripheral surface remote from the incident part.

Abstract: An ultrasound endoscope includes: an insertion portion to be inserted into a subject; an ultrasound transducer that is provided at a distal end of the insertion portion and includes plural piezoelectric element groups configured to transmit and receive ultrasound; a connector portion that is provided on a proximal end side of the insertion portion and includes plural connectors to which an external device is connected; and a cable portion including plural first coaxial lines connected to the piezoelectric element groups configured to transmit the ultrasound to a first area, and plural second coaxial lines connected to the piezoelectric element groups configured to transmit the ultrasound to a second area, the first coaxial lines being shorter in length than the second coaxial lines, the first area and the second area being where the ultrasound is transmitted.

Abstract: An observation system includes a processor. The processor manages a plurality of images acquired in time series with respect to a biological sample which is being cultured, records a first comment and a first region of interest (RoI) in a storage device in association with the images based on user's instructions, and records a second comment and a second ROI in the storage device in association with the first comment based on user's instructions.

Abstract: An elastic sealing device includes a watertight holding section that is provided between adjacent frame bodies and holds watertightness and a packing section that is projectingly provided with respect to the watertight holding section and that is arranged in a gap between the adjacent frame bodies and forms a continuous outer surface.

Abstract: A method for reconditioning an endoscope in a reconditioning apparatus, the method including: connecting an interior of the endoscope to a leakage tester of the reconditioning apparatus; supplying the interior with a fluid at a predefined pressure; carrying out a reconditioning process using a rinsing liquid; monitoring the pressure in the interior of the endoscope during the reconditioning process; and identifying the endoscope as defective if a profile of the pressure deviates from a predefined pressure profile; wherein the predefined pressure profile is determined according to process parameters of the reconditioning process.

Abstract: An endoscope including: a main body; a shaft; and an optical fiber bundle extending through the shaft from the main body to a distal end of the shaft, wherein the optical fiber bundle terminates at the distal end of the shaft at an illumination exit, and the optical fiber bundle terminates at the main body at a light-guiding connector for attachment of an optical cable, and the light-guiding connector is configured to reduce an absorption, by a material of the light-guiding connector, of light that cannot be coupled from the optical cable into the optical fiber bundle.

Abstract: An imaging device, comprising an image sensor, an imaging control circuit that controls an integration time of the image sensor, and a controller comprising a flicker component detection section that detects flicker components, and a flicker determination section that determines existence of flicker, wherein the flicker component detection section is provided with a plurality of detection regions in an imaging region of the image sensor along a scanning direction for an electronic shutter function, and detects flicker components from differences in brightness relating to the same detection region based on a plurality of imaging outputs that have been acquired by performing integrating at the same integration time with different frames, and the flicker determination section changes a determination value for determining the existence of flicker in accordance with an imaging mode, and performs determination by comparing the flicker component and the determination value.

Abstract: The shape sensor system of the present invention includes a braided structure in which small diameter bending members including two or more optical fibers, provided with detection target portions, are spirally wound around a core member as an axis in directions opposite to each other, or a braided structure in which three or more small diameter bending members including an optical fiber and a dummy optical fiber or a thin metal wire are braided, a plurality of detection target portions are distributed in the direction around the axis of the core member, the bending directions of the respective bending members are synthesized to detect a bending shape of the probe portion, a function of adjusting the fiber length in a braiding cycle is performed, and position deviation does not occur.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope removably connected to a video processor in which a predetermined gamma characteristic is set includes: an image pickup device provided at a distal end of an insertion portion configured to be inserted into a subject, the image pickup device being configured to pick up an optical image of the subject to generate an image pickup signal; a gain circuit configured to amplify the image pickup signal using a predetermined gain parameter; a gamma characteristic recognition circuit configured to recognize the gamma characteristic of the video processor; and a gain adjustment circuit configured to set the gain parameter according to the gamma characteristic.

Abstract: A Raman probe includes: a first illuminating fiber and a second illuminating fiber that are arranged in series and that are formed of different materials from each other; a coupling optical system for optically coupling the first and second illuminating fibers; a light-collecting fiber that is formed of the same material as the second illuminating fiber and that collects Raman scattered light from an examination subject; and an optical filter that is disposed between the first and second illuminating fibers and that selectively transmits a laser beam being guided by the first illuminating fiber and, of Raman scattered light of the first illuminating fiber excited by the laser beam, Raman scattered light the amount of Raman shift of which is smaller than a predetermined amount of Raman shift in a Raman spectrum of the examination subject.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a deterioration degree estimation unit, a statistical information calculation unit, a correction coefficient calculation unit, and a contrast correction unit. The deterioration degree estimation unit estimates a deterioration degree of each local region of image data. The statistical information calculation unit calculates at least a luminance of a high luminance portion in a luminance distribution of the image data from statistical information of each local region of the image data. The correction coefficient calculation unit calculates a correction coefficient to perform contrast correction. The contrast correction unit performs the contrast correction for each local region of the image data on the basis of the correction coefficient calculated by the correction coefficient calculation unit.

Abstract: An observation apparatus includes an imaging unit, a driving mechanism, and a control section. The imaging unit includes an imaging section and an illumination section. The imaging section includes an image sensor and an imaging optical system, and images a sample to output an image signal. The illumination section includes a plurality of emitting sections which are located away from an optical axis of the imaging optical system and configured to emit illumination light toward the sample. The driving mechanism moves the imaging unit. The control section controls operations of the imaging section, the illumination section, and the driving mechanism. The control section determines a lighting emitting section of the emitting sections and causes the lighting emitting section to light based on the image signal, when the imaging unit is moved by the driving mechanism.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an image forming optical system which includes an aperture stop that determines an axial light beam, and one cemented lens, and an image pickup section which is disposed on an image side of the image forming optical system, and which has a surface which is not flat and is curved to be concave toward the image forming optical system, wherein the cemented lens includes in order from an object side, a first lens having a negative refractive power, a second lens, and a third lens having a positive refractive power.

Abstract: This endoscope objective optical system is capable of acquiring images of high resolution and wide angle of observation field, maintaining low invasiveness and appropriately correcting various aberrations. This optical system has at least a first cemented lens which has a positive lens and a negative lens, in which the cemented lens satisfies the following conditional expressions: (1) 15.0<?A?ndA<15.75 and (2) ?0.2>rdyA1/ih>?20, wherein ?A is an Abbe number of the negative lens, ndA is a refractive index of the negative lens at the d-line, rdyA1 is a curvature radius of a joining surface of the negative lens, and ih is an image height.

Abstract: An imaging unit includes: an imaging element including a light receiver and a connection terminal formed on a back surface of the imaging element; a flexible printed circuit board including a connection electrode forming region, a cable connection electrode forming region, and a bent portion provided between the connection electrode forming region and the cable connection electrode forming region; and sealing resin filled around a junction between the imaging element and the flexible printed circuit board. The bent portion includes: a first bent portion that is bent toward the imaging element from the connection electrode forming region located parallelly to the light receiver of the imaging element; and a second bent portion that is provided continuously with the first bent portion and lets the cable connection electrode forming region extend in a direction opposite to a direction toward the imaging element.

Abstract: A linear actuator for endoscope includes: a movable frame made of a magnetic material; a fixed frame in which the movable frame is provided so as to be movable forward and backward, the fixed frame being made of a non-magnetic material; two coils formed by being wound on an outer surface of the fixed frame, the two coils being disposed side by side in a longitudinal axis direction; a permanent magnet disposed in a manner stacked and superimposed on the two coils; and two yokes respectively disposed at a front and a back of the permanent magnet and the two coils.

Abstract: A control method for an endoscope reprocessor is a control method for an endoscope reprocessor that includes a treatment tank, a circulation conduit that links a circulation opening and a discharge opening opened in the treatment tank to each other, a first pump that feeds liquid from the circulation opening towards the discharge opening, an atmospheric open conduit including a first end portion open to an atmosphere and a second end portion connected between the circulation opening and the first pump in the circulation conduit, a filter that filtrates a liquid flowing from the treatment tank through the circulation opening into the circulation conduit, and a sensor that detects a liquid feeding state in the circulation conduit, where the liquid feeding state in the circulation conduit is measured by the sensor during operation of the first pump in a state where the inside of the atmospheric open conduit is closed.

Abstract: An electrode for high-frequency medical device, has a substrate; an intermediate layer laminated on the substrate, wherein the intermediate layer has a top layer formed on the outermost part of the intermediate layer and the top layer is formed from a metal layer having a higher thermal conductivity than that of the substrate; and a coating layer laminated on the intermediate layer, wherein the coating layer is configured such that a plurality of metal particles having a thermal conductivity equal to or larger than 250 W/(m·K) are distributed in a nonmetal material.

Abstract: An optical unit includes: an objective lens unit arranged on a distal end side; an image pickup unit arranged on a proximal end side of the objective lens unit; an optical frame; an image pickup device frame; a proximal-end-side outer circumferential face provided on a proximal end side of the optical frame; an inner circumferential face of a distal-end-side frame body provided on a distal end side of the image pickup device frame; a plurality of notches provided apart in a circumferential direction on an outer circumferential face of one of the frames, the plurality of notches having opening portions on end faces where the optical frame and the image pickup device frame face each other; and holding portions provided on an outer circumferential face of the other frame different from the one frame, the holding portions passing through the opening portions and being accommodated in the notches.

Abstract: An image pickup module includes a plurality of semiconductor devices laminated via a sealing layer a signal is transmitted via a signal cable connected to a rear surface of the image pickup module, a first semiconductor device has a semiconductor circuit portion in a central area on a first principal plane, through wires in an intermediate area and first electrodes connected to the through wires in the central area on a second principal plane, the second semiconductor device has second electrodes in the central area on a third principal plane, and an external connection terminal to which the signal cable is connected, on a rear surface, and the sealing layer includes a first sealing layer arranged in the central area and a second sealing layer disposed in an outer circumferential area surrounding the intermediate area and with a Young's modulus smaller than a Young's modulus of the first sealing layer.

Abstract: A single-focus optical system includes a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, and a third lens unit having a positive refractive power. The first lens unit includes either a first sub unit, a second sub unit, and a third sub unit, or one positive lens component in addition to the first sub unit, the second sub unit, and the third sub unit. The first sub-unit includes one negative lens component or a plurality of negative lens components, the second sub-unit includes two meniscus lens components, and the third sub-unit includes a plurality of positive lens components. The third lens unit includes a front side sub-unit and a rear side sub-unit. The front side sub-unit includes only a positive lens component.

Abstract: A detector-equipped treatment tool including: a distal-end treatment portion that applies a force to and treats biological tissue; a proximal-end portion that supports the distal-end treatment portion so as to be relatively movable; a detector that is disposed in a cavity provided inside of the distal-end treatment portion and detects the force; wiring that is connected to the detector; and a duct that is connected to the distal-end treatment portion and guides the wiring led out of the distal-end treatment portion from the detector in the cavity to the proximal-end portion.