Endoscope Beam Splitter for NIR-SWIR Spectral Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional endoscopes are limited to capturing images only in the visible spectrum, which restricts their applications in medical and industrial settings, as they fail to provide information in other electromagnetic spectrum ranges like near NIR/SWIR, essential for enhanced diagnostics and inspections.
Innovation Solution
An endoscope equipped with a beam splitter that separates incoming light into distinct wavelength ranges, allowing for separate imaging or analysis in the visible and near NIR/SWIR spectra, combined with AI-based systems for data fusion and abnormality detection, and topographical image interpolation for enhanced visualization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a beam splitter is added to separate light into multiple wavelength ranges, then the spectral imaging capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The beam splitter divides the incoming light into multiple wavelength ranges (visible and NIR/SWIR), creating separate imaging paths for each spectral band. This segmentation allows the endoscope to capture multiple spectral ranges simultaneously while keeping each imaging channel relatively simple and manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The beam splitter acts as an intermediary optical element that separates the combined visible and NIR/SWIR light paths into distinct channels. This mediator component enables spectral separation without requiring complex multi-lens systems or multiple separate light sources, thus improving versatility while controlling complexity.
2Loss of information
If multiple imaging sensors for different wavelength ranges are integrated, then the diagnostic information is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The endoscope system integrates multiple imaging sensors (visible and NIR/SWIR) that can simultaneously capture different spectral ranges through a single optical path. This multi-functionality allows comprehensive diagnostic information collection without requiring multiple separate endoscope devices, thereby reducing the cumulative precision requirements compared to multiple independent systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The visible and NIR/SWIR imaging channels are merged into a single endoscope device with a shared optical path up to the beam splitter. This consolidation allows both imaging modalities to be coordinated from a common platform, simplifying alignment and calibration requirements compared to integrating multiple completely separate systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables capturing and analyzing images in multiple spectral ranges, providing additional diagnostic information, improving detection accuracy, and facilitating more comprehensive inspections and surgeries through real-time feedback and 3D representations.
Implementation Method 1
a beam splitter, which separates incoming light into different wavelength ranges
Implementation Method 2
The beam splitter separates incoming light into two or more distinct wavelength ranges, allowing for separate imaging or analysis of different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope has a light source, a first lumen configured for delivering illumination from the light source to a target area, and a second lumen including a lens and a fiber-optic imaging system configured for providing real-time, images from the target area; a sleeve attached to an end of the endoscope. A beam splitter is positioned within the sleeve in front of the lens, wherein the beam splitter is configured to separate incoming light into two or more distinct wave length ranges whereby to separate imaging or analysis of different regions in the electromagnetic spectrum to separate incoming light into the visible light spectrum and the near infrared/shortwave infrared (NIR/SWIR) wavelengths. The endoscope also includes a processor configured to process and analyze light data captured by the endoscope and provide a composite image of the target area.