272 results about "Structured illumination" patented technology

A method for reconstructing 3D surface structure of an object uses a two stage approach. In the first stage, a first set of images is obtained, and a spatial coding technique, such as a random grid, is used for correspondence mapping of coordinates from a first image to a second image of an object, and the images are obtained at different angles with respect to the object. In the second stage, a second structured illumination, typically comprising a striped grid, is used to obtain a second set of images, typically comprising two further images of the object. The mapping provided by the first stage provides proper labeling of the grid between these two images of the second set, and enables accurate matching of elements between these images. Triangulation or epipole methods can then be used for obtaining the 3D coordinates of the surface being reconstructed.

An apparatus for wide-field functional imaging (WIFI) of tissue includes a spatially modulated reflectance / fluorescence imaging (SI) device capable of quantitative subsurface imaging across spatial scales, and a laser speckle imaging (LSI) device capable of quantitative subsurface imaging across spatial scales using integrated with the (SI) device. The SI device and LSI device are capable of independently providing quantitative measurement of tissue functional status.

A structured light source comprising VCSEL arrays is configured in many different ways to project a structured illumination pattern into a region for 3 dimensional imaging and gesture recognition applications. One aspect of the invention describes methods to construct densely and ultra-densely packed VCSEL arrays with to produce high resolution structured illumination pattern. VCSEL arrays configured in many different regular and non-regular arrays together with techniques for producing addressable structured light source are extremely suited for generating structured illumination patterns in a programmed manner to combine steady state and time-dependent detection and imaging for better accuracy. Structured illumination patterns can be generated in customized shapes by incorporating differently shaped current confining apertures in VCSEL devices. Surface mounting capability of densely and ultra-densely packed VCSEL arrays are compatible for constructing compact on-board 3-D imaging and gesture recognition systems.

A method and an apparatus for noninvasively and quantitatively determining spatially resolved absorption and reduced scattering coefficients over a wide field-of-view of a food object, including fruit or produce, uses spatial-frequency-domain imaging (SFDI). A single modulated imaging platform is employed. It includes a broadband light source, a digital micromirror optically coupled to the light source to control a modulated light pattern directed onto the food object at a plurality of selected spatial frequencies, a multispectral camera for taking a spectral image of a reflected modulated light pattern from the food object, a spectrally variable filter optically coupled between the food object and the multispectral camera to select a discrete number of wavelengths for image capture, and a computer coupled to the digital micromirror, camera and variable filter to enable acquisition of the reflected modulated light pattern at the selected spatial frequencies.

A method of noncontact imaging for performing qualitative and quantitative analysis of wounds includes the step of performing structured illumination of surface and subsurface tissue by both diffuse optical tomography and rapid, wide-field quantitative mapping of tissue optical properties within a single measurement platform. Structured illumination of a skin flap is performed to monitor a burn wound, a diabetic ulcer, a decubitis ulcer, a peripheral vascular disease, a skin graft, and / or tissue response to photomodulation. Quantitative imaging of optical properties is performed of superficial (0-5 mm depth) tissues in vivo. The step of quantitative imaging of optical properties of superficial (0-5 mm depth) tissues in vivo comprises pixel-by-pixel demodulating and diffusion-model fitting or model-based analysis of spatial frequency data to extract the local absorption and reduced scattering optical coefficients.

A monitoring system monitors and / or predicts drowsiness of a driver of a vehicle or a machine operator. A set of infrared or near infrared light sources is arranged such that an amount of the light emitted from the light source strikes an eye of the driver or operator. The light that impinges on the eye of the driver or operator forms a virtual image of the signal sources on the eye, including the sclera and / or cornea. An image sensor obtains consecutive images capturing the reflected light. Each image contains glints from at least a subset or from all of the light sources. A drowsiness index can be determined based on the extracted information of the glints of the sequence of images. The drowsiness index indicates a degree of drowsiness of the driver or operator.

Methods and systems are provided for suppressing speckle and / or diffraction artifacts in coherent structured illumination sensing systems. A coherent radiation pattern forms an interference pattern at an illumination image plane and illuminates an object. Radiation scattered or otherwise emitted by the object is detected to produce a signal, which is integrated in time. Coherent artifact suppression is attained by using a spatial modulator, such as an acousto-optic device, to vary a phase gradient at the illumination image plane during the signal integration time. Various embodiments are provided for purposes including without limitation: preserving the depth of field of the coherent illumination; using the same acousto-optic device for pattern generation and coherent artifact suppression; electronically controlling the effective spatial coherence of the illumination system; and reducing errors due to coherent artifacts in a laser-based three dimensional imaging system.

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a multimodal optical sectioning microscope (200, 400, 600) for full-field imaging of a volumic and scattering sample comprising:—a full-field OCT system for providing an image of a first section in depth of the sample comprising an illumination sub-system (201, 401, 601) and a full-field imaging interferometer with a detection sub system (208, 408, 608) and an optical conjugation device for optically conjugating the sample and said detection sub system, wherein said optical conjugation device comprises a microscope objective (203, 403, 603),—a supplementary full-field optical sectioning imaging system for providing a fluorescent image of a second section in depth of said sample comprising a structured illumination microscope with an illumination sub system (623), means (421, 422) for generating at the focal plane of said microscope objective of said full-field imaging interferometer a variable spatial pattern illumination and a detection sub system (624), optically conjugated with said focal plane of the microscope objective.

Periodic spatial patterns of x-ray illumination are used to gather information about periodic objects. The structured illumination may be created using the interaction of a coherent or partially coherent x-ray source with a beam splitting grating to create a Talbot interference pattern with periodic structure. The object having periodic structures to be measured is then placed into the structured illumination, and the ensemble of signals from the multiple illumination spots is analyzed to determine various properties of the object and its structures. Applications to x-ray absorption / transmission, small angle x-ray scattering, x-ray fluorescence, x-ray reflectance, and x-ray diffraction are all possible using the method of the invention.

A structured illumination surgical system is disclosed, one embodiment comprising: a light source for providing a light beam; an optical cable, comprising an optical fiber, optically coupled to the light source for receiving and transmitting the light beam; a handpiece, operably coupled to the optical cable; an optical element, a proximal end of the optical element optically coupled to a distal end of the optical fiber, for receiving the light beam and scattering the light beam to illuminate an area (e.g., a surgical site), wherein the surface area of the proximal end of the optical element is greater than the surface area of the distal end of the optical fiber; and a cannula, operably coupled to the handpiece, for housing and directing the optical fiber and the optical element.

A multi-layered arrangement according to the invention provide emission of polarized light. At least one of the interfacing surfaces between the layers is provided with a microstructure. In one embodiment, a first layer in the form of a lightguide substrate (401) receives unpolarized light from a lamp (420). A birefringent second layer (402) is provided with a microstructure (410) in the form of parallel grooves. On top of the birefringent layer a third layer (403), i.e. a coating layer, is located. Light is outcoupled by way of selective Total Internal Reflection, TIR, at the micro-structured surface of the birefringent layer, yielding a highly linearly polarized emission at near normal angles. The polarized light may be emitted out through the coating or in an opposite direction through the lightguide, which in an advantageous manner allow any configuration of transmissive (backlight), transflective (backlight) or reflective (frontlight) display arrangement.

Illumination with a pattern of light allows for subsurface imaging of a turbid medium or tissue, and for the determination of the optical properties over a large area. Both the average and the spatial variation of the optical properties can be noninvasively determined. Contact with the sample or scanning is not required but may be desired. Subsurface imaging is performed by filtering the spectrum of the illumination in the Fourier domain but other filtering approaches, such as wavelet transform, principle component filter, etc may be viable as well. The depth sensitivity is optimized by changing the spatial frequency of illumination. A quantitative analysis of the average optical properties and the spatial variation of the optical properties is obtained. The optical properties, i.e. reduced scattering and absorption coefficients are determined from the modulated transfer function, MTF.

Methods and systems are described herein for high-speed observation and recognition of an object which is within or passes through a designated area using 3D image data and tomography, stereo-photogrammetry, range finding and / or structured illumination. Such a security system may comprise multiple pairs of 3D sensors surrounding the designated area such as a portal or doorway. Alternatively, it may comprise a 3D sensor which is capable of acquiring 3D image data of an object that is situated in front of it. Using at least one 3D sensor and a 3D data collection technique such as structured illumination and / or stereo-photogrammetry, 3D image data of the object is acquired. 3D image data representing the object's surface may be determined based on the acquired data and may be compared to data representing known objects to identify the object. Methods for fast processing of 3D data and recognition of objects are also described.

A diffraction grating produces the first diffraction light in a symmetrical direction with respect to the 0-th diffraction light and the optical axis. Each light flux forms two flux interference patterns on a sample surface through a second objective lens and a first objective lens, and a sample is illuminated by spatially modulated illumination light. Fluorescence is generated on the sample by structured illumination light as excitation light. The fluorescence caught by the first objective lens forms a modulated image of the sample on a sample conjugate surface through an objective optical system comprised of the first objective lens and the second objective lens. The modulated image is further modulated through the diffractive grating. Fluorescence from the further modulated image passes through a lens and a dichroic mirror, enters into a single light path of an observation optical system, passes through a fluorescent filter, and forms an enlarged image of the further modulated image through a lens.

There is provided a diffractive waveguide device comprising: a light source, at least one light detector, an SBG device comprising a multiplicity of separately switchable SBG elements sandwiched between transparent substrate to which transparent electrodes have been applied. The substrates function as a light guide. Each SBG element encodes image information to be projected on an image surface. Each SBG element when in a diffracting state diffracts light out of the light guide to form an image region on an image surface. The light detector detects light scattered from an object disposed in proximity to the image surface and illuminated by said image region.

What is disclosed is a system and method for estimating minute ventilation by analyzing distortions in reflections of structured illumination patterns captured in a video of a thoracic region of a subject of interest being monitored for respiratory function. Measurement readings can be acquired in a few seconds under a diverse set of lighting conditions and provide a non-contact approach to patient respiratory function that is particularly useful for infant care in an intensive care unit (ICU), sleep studies, and can aid in the early detection of sudden deterioration of physiological conditions due to detectable changes in chest volume. The systems and methods disclosed herein provide an effective tool for non-contact minute ventilation estimation and respiratory function analysis.

Frequent monitoring of early-stage burns is necessary for deciding optimal treatment and management. Superficial-partial thickness and deep-partial thickness burns, while visually similar, differ dramatically in terms of clinical treatment and are known to progress in severity over time. The disclosed method uses spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) far noninvasively mapping quantitative changes in chromophore and optical properties that may be an indicative of burn wound severity. A controlled protocol of graded burn severity is developed and applied to 17 rats. SFDI data is acquired at multiple near-infrared wavelengths over a course of 3 h. Burn severity is verified using hematoxylin and eosin histology. Changes in water concentration (edema), deoxygenated hemoglobin concentration, and optical scattering (tissue denaturation) are statistically significant measures, which are used to differentiate superficial partial-thickness burns from deep-partial thickness burns.

Methods and apparatus are presented for obtaining high-resolution 3-D images of a sample over a range of wavelengths, optionally with polarisation-sensitive detection. In preferred embodiments a spectral domain OCT apparatus is used to sample the complex field of light reflected or scattered from a sample, providing full range imaging. In certain embodiments structured illumination is utilised to provide enhanced lateral resolution. In certain embodiments the resolution or depth of field of images is enhanced by digital refocusing or digital correction of aberrations in the sample. Individual sample volumes are imaged using single shot techniques, and larger volumes can be imaged by stitching together images of adjacent volumes. In preferred embodiments a 2-D lenslet array is used to sample the reflected or scattered light in the Fourier plane or the image plane, with the lenslet array suitably angled with respect to the dispersive axis of a wavelength dispersive element such that the resulting beamlets are dispersed onto unique sets of pixels of a 2-D sensor array.

This invention discloses a method and apparatus for x-ray techniques using structured x-ray illumination for examining material properties of an object. In particular, an object with one or more regions of interest (ROIs) having a particular shape, size, and pattern may be illuminated with an x-ray beam whose cross sectional beam profile corresponds to the shape, size and pattern of the ROIs, so that the x-rays of the beam primarily interact only with the ROIs. This allows a greater x-ray flux to be used, enhancing the signal from the ROI itself, while reducing unwanted signals from regions not in the ROI, improving signal-to-noise ratios and / or measurement throughputThis may be used with a number of x-ray measurement techniques, including x-ray fluorescence (XRF), x-ray diffraction (XRD), small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS), x-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy (XAFS), x-ray near edge absorption spectroscopy, and x-ray emission spectroscopy.

A method for creating three-dimensional models of intra-oral scenes and features. The intra-oral scene is illuminated by a two-dimensional array of structured illumination points, with anti-aliasing achieved by using stored two-dimensional patterns of pixels for anti-aliasing. Using a single camera to form images reduces the amount of apparatus necessary to introduce into the patient's mouth. Three-dimensional models are obtained from the single image by triangulation with a stored image of the structured illumination onto a reference surface such as a plane. Alternative methods include the use of “bar-coded” one-dimensional patterns.

What is disclosed is a system and method for estimating tidal chest volume using 3D surface reconstruction based on an analysis of captured reflections of structured illumination patterns from the subject with a video camera. The imaging system hereof captures the reflection of the light patterns from a target area of the subject's thoracic region. The captured information produces a depth map and a volume is estimated from the resulting 3D map. The teachings hereof provide a non-contact approach to patient respiration monitoring that is particularly useful for infant care in a neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU), and can aid in the early detection of sudden deterioration of physiological condition due to detectable changes in respiratory function. The systems and methods disclosed herein provide an effective tool for tidal chest volume study and respiratory function analysis.

A head section includes: a light projecting part for projecting incident light as structured illumination of a predetermined projection pattern; the image capturing part for acquiring reflected light that is projected by the light projecting part and reflected on an inspection target, to capture a plurality of pattern projected images; a distance image generating part capable of generating a distance image based on the plurality of pattern projected images captured in the image capturing part; a head-side storage part for holding the distance image generated in the distance image generating part; and a head-side communication part for transmitting the distance image held in the storage part to the controller section. The controller section includes: a controller-side communication part for communicating with the head-side communication part; and an inspection executing part for executing predetermined inspection processing on the distance image received in the controller-side communication part.

A biometric identification or authentication images an ear of the user. A source of near-infrared structured light illuminates the ear with at least one structured pattern and an image acquisition device captures a near-infrared image of an ear illuminated with a structured pattern of near-infrared light. An analysis area of the near-infrared image is processed to extract identifying features and it is determined if the identifying features correspond to an authorized user. The analysis area of the near-infrared image is processed to determine a reflectivity of the ear and it is determined if the reflectivity corresponds to an ear of a living person. The user is authenticated if the classified identifying features correspond to an authorized user and the reflectivity corresponds to an ear of a living person.

A system and method for locating and identifying unknown samples. A targeting mode may be utilized to scan regions of interest for potential unknown materials. This targeting mode may interrogate regions of interest using SWIR and / or fluorescence spectroscopic and imaging techniques. Unknown samples detected in regions of interest may be further interrogated using a combination of Raman and LIBS techniques to identify the unknown samples. Structured illumination may be used to interrogate an unknown sample. Data sets generated during interrogation may be compared to a reference database comprising a plurality of reference data sets, each associated with a known material. The system and method may be used to identify a variety of materials including: biological, chemical, explosive, hazardous, concealment, and non-hazardous materials.

The invention relates to a comprehensive ocular surface analyzer based on an expert system. The comprehensive ocular surface analyzer comprises a comprehensive ocular surface analyzer hardware module, an image processing module and an expert system module, wherein the comprehensive ocular surface analyzer hardware module comprises a controller, a structured illumination module and an imaging module; the image processing module comprises a tear meniscus height measuring module, a red eye detection module, a tear film stability detection module, a meibomian gland morphology detection module and a corneal topography analysis module; and the expert system takes information acquired though image processing as the input, performs objective and correct judgment on common diseases of the human ocular surface and provides therapeutic measures.

A flaw and foreign object debris (FOD) detection system (11) for use during fabrication of a structure (12) includes an illumination device (13). The illumination device (13) is configured to be in proximity with a fabrication system (10) and illuminates a portion (18) of the structure (12). The illumination device (13) directs light rays (16) at acute angles relative to the portion (18). A detector (14) monitors the portion (18) and detects FOD in the portion (18) during fabrication of the structure (12) in response to the reflection of the light rays (16) off of the portion (18).