Multi-field miniaturized micro-endoscope
A low-cost, ultra-compact multichannel micro-endoscope system is described that includes fiber bundles that can be implanted directly into the target tissue. In one example, the system includes one or more fiber bundles, where a first end of one fiber bundle is shaped as a non-flat surface for insertion into a target, allowing direct contact with a region of interest within the target. The light that travels back from varying depths of the region of interest are received at second end of the fiber bundle, is captured and the corresponding signals are processed to produce high-resolution images of the region of interest. Multiple imaging probes can be implanted into the target to simultaneously monitor neural activities in different regions and at different depths.
1. A method for producing a high-resolution image in a microscope, comprising:
mapping a region of interest of a target to obtain a shape of a region of interest within the target;
providing light to a flat end of a fiber bundle in the microscope, the fiber bundle having another end that is shaped to include a non-flat end surface, wherein the fiber bundle includes a plurality of individual optical fibers, and is selected such that the non-flat end surface of the fiber bundle matches the shape of the region of interest;
allowing the light to propagate through the fiber bundle to the non-flat end surface;
receiving by the non-flat end surface of the fiber bundle light that is emitted or reflected from varying depths of the region of interest in the target that is illuminated by the light that exits the fiber bundle through the non-flat end surface thereof; and
processing the received emitted light to produce the high-resolution image or a group of images of the region of interest.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using the high-resolution images or the group of images to simultaneously monitor neural activities in different regions and at different depths.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
providing light to a flat end of a fiber bundle includes providing excitation light to a first subset of the plurality of individual optical fibers; and
receiving the light that is emitted or reflected from varying depths of the region of interest includes receiving the light from a second subset of the plurality of individual optical fibers.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing comprises removing an imaging artifact due to a configuration of individual fibers within the fiber bundle.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the imaging artifact includes a honeycomb pattern.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing comprises producing the group of images that are captured in close temporal proximity of one another.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing comprises producing a sequence of moving images representative of images captured within a particular period of time.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
prior to providing the light to the flat end of the fiber bundle, using an excitation filter to provide the light within a first wavelength or range of wavelengths; and
processing the received emitted light includes processing the received emitted light after passing through an emission filter that only allows passage of light having a second wavelength or range of wavelengths.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing comprises using a trained neural network to produce the high-resolution image.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing comprises using a forward model to compute a maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimate of the high-resolution image from one or more low-resolution images using conjugate gradient descent.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing includes removing an imaging artifact that is a motion artifact.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing includes producing a three-dimensional (3D) image of the region of interest.