Led variable light source

1. A LED variable light source, comprising: a super luminescent LED for generating a light signal; a light lens for receiving and focusing the generated light signal; and a controller for controlling the light signal's intensity via a driver interface, constructed and arranged to allow a user to input LED variable light source control inputs; wherein the LED is driven by a pulsed signal, and the controller controls the intensity of the light signal generated by the LED by changing the duty cycle of the pulsed signal.

2. The LED variable light source as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a light attenuator, controlled by the controller, for attenuating of the focused light signal.

3. The LED variable light source as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a collimator for collimating the light signal.

4. The LED variable light source as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a light guide for carrying the collimated, focused, attenuated light signal.

5. The LED variable light source as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a diffuser for maintaining the coherence of the light signal.

6. The LED variable light source as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a heat sink and heat sensor, controlled by the controller, which together support maintaining the superluminescent LED in a fixed temperature range.

7. The LED variable light source as set forth in claim 6 , further comprising a photodiode, in communication with the controller, for receiving some portion of the light signal and generating a feedback signal to be used by the controller to moderate both a frequency and intensity of the light signal.

8. The LED variable light source as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a computer processor, in communication with and for controlling the controller, and providing a driver interface in a form of a graphical user interface (GUI) in a display associated with the computer processor, constructed and arranged to allow a user to input LED variable light source control inputs.

9. The LED variable light source as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising: a collimator for collimating the focused, attenuated light signal; a light guide for carrying the collimated, focused, attenuated light signal; and a diffuser for maintaining the coherence of the collimated, focused, attenuated light signal.

10. The LED variable light source as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a tunable filter for reducing a bandwidth of the generated continuous light signal output from the lens.

11. The LED variable light source as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of super luminescent LEDs for generating a multiple continuous light signals, each LED driven by a pulsed signal, and the intensity of the light signal generated by each LED controlled by changing the duty cycle of the pulsed signal.

12. The LED variable light source as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each of the continuous light signals are separately controllable.

13. The LED variable light source as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of a dichroic mirrors, each dichroic mirror reflects a specific continuous light signal towards at least one attenuator.

14. The LED variable light source as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of filters positioned between each super luminescent LED and a dichroic mirror for adjusting the intensity of a specific continuous light signal.

15. The LED variable light source as set forth in claim 14 , wherein the filters are a neutral density filter.

16. The LED variable light source as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said light source generates light in a wave length from UV to infra-red.

17. The LED variable light source as set forth in claim 16 , wherein said light is deliverable in a 5 nm bandwidth.

18. The LED variable light source as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the frequency of the pulsed signal is greater than about 1 MHz.

19. A visual stimulator for stimulating retinal responses, comprising: a LED variable light source for providing and moderating a continuous light signal to best suit an intended retinal examination; a controller for controlling the LED variable light source to moderate and direct the light signal into the retina; and a retinal response recorder for recording retinal responses to said moderated light signal; wherein the LED variable light source comprises: a light lens for focusing the generated light signal; a collimator for collimating the focused, attenuated light signal; a light guide for carrying the collimated, focused, attenuated light signal; and a diffuser for maintaining the coherence of the collimated, focused, attenuated light signal, wherein the controller controls the intensity of the light signal provided by the LED by changing the duty cycle of a pulsed signal driving the LED.

20. The visual stimulator as set forth in claim 19 , further including a processor for receiving and processing the signal response.

21. The visual stimulator as set forth in claim 20 , further comprising a photodiode for receiving some portion of the light signal and generating a feedback signal therefrom for use by the controller in moderating both a frequency and an intensity of the light signal.

22. The visual stimulator as set forth in claim 20 , wherein the frequency of the pulsed signal is greater than about 1 MHz.

23. The visual stimulator as set forth in claim 20 , further comprising a light attenuator for attenuating of the focused light signal.