Vision sensor apparatus for medical diagnostic applications

A vision sensor apparatus comprising:

• a housing, including a plurality of transmit apertures for emitting illumination directed toward a medical specimen and a receive aperture for capturing reflected light from the medical specimen;
• a plurality of light sources disposed in spaced-apart locations within the housing so as to be aligned with the plurality of transmit apertures, individual light sources of the plurality of light sources operating at wavelengths selected with respect to absorption or reflection of areas within the medical specimen;
• focusing optics disposed between each light source of the plurality of light sources and its associated transmit aperture of the plurality of transmit apertures;
• an image sensing array positioned in alignment with the receive aperture;
• control activation elements disposed on the exterior of the housing and utilized to energize the plurality of light sources and control the functioning of the image sensing array;
• and
• a computer port formed on the exterior of the housing and coupled to the plurality of light sources, image sensing array and control activation elements in a manner that provides bidirectional communication between the vision sensor apparatus and an exterior computer system via a bus cable connection.