Moire topographic measurement

An apparatus for determining topography of a living structure, comprising:

• means for generating and directing an optical beam along a projection pathway;
• means for spatially modulating said optical beam;
• means for projecting the optical beam through a projection lens onto the structure;
• means for collecting reflected light from the structure in a detector along a detecting optical pathway;
• viewing optics disposed along a viewing optical pathway separate from said detecting optical pathway, wherein the reflected light impinges the viewing optics to be viewed by an operator;
• and
• means for generating topography of the structure from the reflected light collected by the detector.

A method of observing a tympanic membrane, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) generating and directing an optical beam along a projection path;
• b) projecting the optical beam through a projection lens onto the membrane;
• c) collecting reflected light from the membrane in a first collecting lens along a detecting optical pathway;
• d) directing the reflected light from the first collecting lens to a detector;
• e) generating data from the membrane from the reflected light received by the detector;
• f) sending the data from the detector to an image processing system;
• g) converting the data into an image of a topographic map of the surface of the membrane;
• and
• h) diagnosing a condition of the ear by tracking changes in the tympanic membrane over time;
• wherein the tympanic membrane is in a living organism.

An apparatus for observing a tympanic membrane, the apparatus comprising:

• means for generating and directing an optical beam along a projection path;
• means for projecting the optical beam through a projection lens onto the membrane;
• means for collecting reflected light from the membrane in a first collecting lens along a detecting optical pathway;
• means for directing the reflected light from the first collecting lens to a detector;
• means for generating data from the membrane from the reflected light received by the detector;
• means for sending the data from the detector to an image processing system;
• means for converting the data into an image of a topographic map of the surface of the membrane;
• and
• means for facilitating diagnosis of a condition of the ear by tracking changes in the tympanic membrane over time;
• wherein the tympanic membrane comprises the tympanic membrane of a living human.

A moire topographic device for characterizing a condition of an object, said device comprising:

• an illumination source, said illumination source generating an optical beam;
• means for creating a spatially modulated optical beam;
• a first gradient index lens responsive to said spatially modulated optical beam, said gradient index lens being positioned to direct said spatially modulated beam onto the object;
• a detector responsive to reflected light from the object along a detecting optical pathway, said detector providing data for characterization of the object from the reflected light;
• and
• viewing optics, positioned along a viewing optical pathway separate from said detecting optical pathway, wherein said reflected light impinges said viewing optics to be viewed by an operator.

A method of characterizing a condition of an object, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) generating an optical beam from an illumination source;
• b) spatially modulating the optical beam;
• c) projecting the modulated optical beam onto the object by a first gradient index lens;
• and
• d) employing a camera comprising an array of charge coupled devices defining individual pixels positioned to form an image of the object, wherein the camera converts intensity distributions of the reflected light beam into electrical signals to form the image of the object, thereby providing data for characterization of the object from reflected light via a detector responsive to the reflected light from the object along a detecting optical pathway.

A device for determining contour of a living structure, said device comprising:

• an illumination source, said illumination source generating and transmitting an optical beam along a projection path to impinge the structure;
• a grating positioned along said projection path and being responsive to said optical beam, said grating creating a modulated optical beam that produces light and dark fringe patterns on the structure;
• a detector positioned along a detection path, said detector responsive to a reflected light beam from the structure and providing electrical signals of intensity variations of said reflected beam, said detector comprising a camera comprising an array of charge coupled devices defining individual pixels to form said image of the structure, said camera converting intensity distributions of said reflected light beam into electrical signals to form said image of the structure;
• and
• a processor responsive to electrical signals from said detector indicative of an image of the structure, said processor including moire topography processing means that convert said electrical signals from said detector into a contour map of a surface shape of the structure.

A method for determining contour of a living structure, the method comprising:

• a) generating and transmitting an optical beam along a projection path to impinge the structure, via an illumination source;
• b) creating a modulated optical beam that produces light and dark fringe patterns on the structure, via a grating positioned along the projection path and being responsive to the optical beam;
• c) providing electrical signals of intensity variations of a reflected beam, via a detector positioned along a detection path, the detector responsive to the reflected light beam from the structure, by providing a camera comprising an array of charge coupled devices defining individual pixels to form the image of the structure, the camera converting intensity distributions of the reflected light beam into electrical signals to form the image of the structure;
• and
• d) employing a processor responsive to electrical signals from the detector indicative of an image of the structure, the processor including moire topography processing means that convert the electrical signals from the detector into a contour map of a surface shape of the structure.