Systems and/or devices for providing diffuse light

1. A system, comprising:

a substantially cylindrical beam splitter defining a longitudinal central axis and comprising an angled first end region to reflect incident light striking from any of a first set of predefined directions and to substantially transparently convey through said beam splitter and to a camera lens incident light traveling in any of a second set of predefined directions wherein the second set of predefined directions are substantially parallel to the longitudinal central axis of said beam splitter.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a camera lens mounted to receive light conveyed by said beam splitter and traveling in any of the second set of predefined directions.

3. A system comprising:

a substantially cylindrical beam splitter defining a longitudinal central axis and comprising an angled first end region to reflect incident light striking from any of a first set of predefined directions and to substantially transparently convey through said beam splitter and to a camera lens incident light traveling in any of a second set of predefined directions wherein the first set of predefined directions are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis of said beam splitter.

4. A system comprising:

a substantially cylindrical beam splitter defining a longitudinal central axis and comprising an angled first end region to reflect incident light striking from any of a first set of predefined directions and to substantially transparently convey through said beam splitter and to a camera lens incident light traveling in any of a second set of predefined directions wherein said first end region comprises a 2-way mirrored surface.

5. A system comprising:

a substantially cylindrical beam splitter defining a longitudinal central axis and comprising an angled first end region to reflect incident light striking from any of a first set of predefined directions and to substantially transparently convey through said beam splitter and to a camera lens incident light traveling in any of a second set of predefined directions wherein said beam splitter comprises a light-absorbing outer circumferential surface.

6. A system comprising:

a substantially cylindrical beam splitter defining a longitudinal central axis and comprising an angled first end region to reflect incident light striking from any of a first set of predefined directions and to substantially transparently convey through said beam splitter and to a camera lens incident light traveling in any of a second set of predefined directions wherein a light-absorbing extended annular tube that surrounds an outer circumferential surface of said beam splitter.

7. A system comprising:

a substantially cylindrical beam splitter defining a longitudinal central axis and comprising an angled first end region to reflect incident light striking from any of a first set of predefined directions and to substantially transparently convey through said beam splitter and to a camera lens incident light traveling in any of a second set of predefined directions wherein said beam splitter is constructed from a plastic.

8. A system comprising:

a substantially cylindrical beam splitter defining a longitudinal central axis and comprising an angled first end region to reflect incident light striking from any of a first set of predefined directions and to substantially transparently convey through said beam splitter and to a camera lens incident light traveling in any of a second set of predefined directions wherein a non-end portion of said beam splitter is substantially transparent.

9. A system, comprising:

a substantially dome-shaped diffuser, said diffuser defining a camera lens hole in a top portion of said diffuser; and

a substantially cylindrical beam splitter to fit within said camera lens hole, said beam splitter defining a longitudinal central axis and comprising an angled first end region to reflect incident light striking from any of a first set of predefined directions and to substantially transparently convey through said beam splitter and to a camera lens incident light traveling in any of a second set of predefined directions wherein the second set of predefined directions are substantially parallel to the longitudinal central axis of said beam splitter.

10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:

a plurality of bright field lights mounted on said diffuser substantially adjacent said camera lens hole.

11. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:

a plurality of bright field light emitting diodes mounted on said diffuser substantially adjacent said camera lens hole.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein:

said diffuser is formed substantially in the shape of a truncated 4-sided pyramid.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein:

said diffuser is formed substantially in the shape of a truncated circular cone.

14. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:

at least one set of low angle lights mounted on said diffuser.

15. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:

at least one set of low angle lights mounted on said diffuser, each low angle light in said set mounted at a location on said diffuser adjacent a thinned diffuser wall.

16. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:

a least one set of low angle lights mounted on said diffuser, each of said low angle lights comprised of at least one light emitting diode.

17. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:

a camera lens mounted co-axially with said camera lens hole, said camera lens attached to a camera.

18. The system of claim 9 , wherein:

said diffuser is textured and diffusely reflective.

19. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:

a plurality of dome lights mounted to said diffuser and positioned to substantially face at least a portion of said diffuser.

20. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:

a lighting controller to selectively energize at least one of:

a low angle light from a set of low angle lights; and

a bright field light from a plurality of bright field lights.

21. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:

a lighting controller to, in response to machine instructions, power at least one of:

a low angle light from a set of low angle lights; and

a bright field light from a plurality of bright field lights.