Multi-Prism Camera Separating Wavelengths for Clear Fluorescence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imaging devices struggle to produce clearer near-infrared fluorescent images during surgeries or examinations due to inadequate light reception by imaging elements, leading to difficulties in understanding affected parts.
Innovation Solution
A three-plate or four-plate camera system that includes IR, visible, and specific wavelength prisms, along with image sensors and a video signal processing unit, which separates and combines light signals to generate clearer fluorescence and visible images, enhancing the understanding of affected parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If light is distributed to multiple color separation prisms, then the imaging device can capture multiple wavelength ranges, but the light amount received by each imaging element is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the imaging system into multiple independent imaging elements, each dedicated to a specific wavelength range (visible light, near-infrared light, and specialized infrared light). This segmentation allows each imaging element to receive sufficient light for its designated wavelength range without competing with other channels, thereby resolving the contradiction between wavelength coverage and light amount received.
2Device complexity
If a conventional three-plate camera is used, then the device complexity is manageable, but it cannot generate clear fluorescent images with specialized wavelength ranges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the specialized near-infrared imaging function from the conventional visible light imaging path by introducing a dedicated near-infrared imaging element and corresponding optical path. This extraction allows the system to maintain the simplicity of the conventional camera structure while adding the capability to capture clear fluorescent images in specialized wavelength ranges.
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
The camera system effectively generates and outputs clearer fluorescent images, improving the understanding of affected parts by combining IR, visible, and specific wavelength signals, thereby supporting better medical practices.
Implementation Method 1
an IR prism that causes an IR image sensor to receive incident IR light of light from an observation part
Implementation Method 2
a visible prism that causes a visible image sensor to receive incident visible light of light from the observation part
Implementation Method 3
a specific prism that causes a specific image sensor to receive incident light of a specific wavelength band of light from the observation part
Implementation Method 4
indocyanine green (ICG) is administered as a fluorescent reagent into a subject, ICG is excited by irradiation with excitation light or the like, and a near-infrared fluorescent image presented by ICG is imaged
Data Source
AI summary
A three-plate camera includes an IR prism that causes an IR image sensor to receive incident IR light of light from an observation part, a visible prism that causes a visible image sensor to receive incident visible light of light from the observation part, a specific prism that causes a specific image sensor to receive incident light of a specific wavelength band of light from the observation part, and a video signal processing unit that generates an IR video signal, a visible video signal, and a specific video signal of the observation part based on respective imaging outputs of the IR image sensor, the visible image sensor, and the specific image sensor, combines the IR video signal, the visible video signal, and the specific video signal, and outputs a combined video signal to a monitor.