Imaging of a plurality of types of images based on light of a plurality of wavelength bands

An imaging apparatus comprising:

• an optical filter that allows light to be transmitted therethrough, a wavelength of the light which is transmitted through the optical filter depending on voltage applied to the optical filer, wherein
• the optical filter comprises
• a pair of polarization means that allows the light to be transmitted therethrough when i) the light has a wavelength band which is equal to or more than a first wavelength regardless of an oscillation direction of the light, the wavelength band including a wavelength of infrared light and ii) the light has a wavelength band which is less than the first wavelength and is linearly polarized, and
• optical rotation control means that is disposed between the paired polarization means and allows the light to be transmitted therethrough during which optical rotation of the light is changed selectively between presence or absence of the optical rotation depending on application or non-application of the voltage to the optical rotation control means;
• imaging means that acquires the light that has been transmitted through the optical filter;
• and
• control means that controls the application and the non-application of the voltage to the optical rotation control means.

An image processing apparatus which detects edge components from a plurality of types of images acquired in response to incidence of light waves whose wavelength bands are different from each other, the apparatus comprising:

• first image acquiring means for acquiring a first acquired image from an imaging apparatus which performs imaging with the incident light waves changed in the wavelength bands, the imaging performed by the imaging apparatus being based on a light wave having a wavelength band which is less than a predetermined wavelength;
• first image processing means for detecting the edge components from the first acquired image;
• second image acquiring means for acquiring a second acquired image from the imaging apparatus, the imaging performed by the imaging apparatus being based on a light wave whose wavelength excludes the wavelength band less than the predetermined wavelength;
• second image processing means for detecting the edge components from the second acquired image;
• and
• switchover means for commanding the imaging apparatus to perform a switchover between acquiring the first acquired image and acquiring the second acquired image, every time the first and second image acquiring means acquire the first and second acquired images respectively,
• wherein the imaging apparatus comprising:
• an optical filter that allows light to be transmitted therethrough, a wavelength of the light which is transmitted through the optical filter depending on voltage applied to the optical filer, wherein
• the optical filter comprises
• a pair of polarization means that allows the light to be transmitted therethrough when i) the light has a wavelength band which is equal to or more than a first wavelength regardless of an oscillation direction of the light, the wavelength band including a wavelength of infrared light and ii) the light has a wavelength band which is less than the first wavelength and is linearly polarized, and
• optical rotation control means that is disposed between the paired polarization means and allows the light to be transmitted therethrough during which optical rotation of the light is changed selectively between presence or absence of the optical rotation depending on application or non-application of the voltage to the optical rotation control means;
• imaging means that acquires the light that has been transmitted through the optical filter;
• and
• control means that controls the application and the non-application of the voltage to the optical rotation control means.