Supplementary document
1. Outline and History
The development of a tool (refer to Fig. 1) has been made effort
by JAEA (Japan Atomic Energy Agency) on the cooling pipes attached
to the ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor).
The tool can access from the inner side of cooling pipes of 100mm-inner-diameter,
pass a bend and weld, cut, and make inspection of the branch-pipe
of 50mm-inner-diameter. For the procedure of piping, where welding
/ cutting takes place, the transitions of power is necessary.
Moreover, the checkups before, during and after the procedure
should be necessary. However, the procedure of visual inspection
is extremely difficult for the procedure takes place inside of
the piping. For this reason, JAEA has developed a multi-functional
optical fiber system which enables the process of welding/cutting/observation
even at such limited space of inner pipes available (shown in
Fig.2), and was successful at parallel transmission of both observation
picture and 1kw YAG laser light.
This composite-type optical fiber might be available not only
for the maintenance by remote control but also for the application
in the several field. At present, using the patent of this composite-type
optical fiber, we aim to develop a minimally invasive type laser
measuring & treatment equipment in the field of life science,
for developing to cooperate with some companies and universities.
Figure 1 - Inner access type of welding/cutting tool
Figure 2 - Developping the composite-type optical fiber system available for parallel transfer of laser light and screen image.
2. Result of this time
To Apply to our composite-type optical fiber that we have been developed in the field of life-science, JAEA cooperated with Fujita Health University and Fujikura Co., Ltd, were considered the developing of an endoscope available for the patient that had some ileus or conglutinations in their small intestane. In the development of first stage, we have acquired the prospects of developping the small intestane endoscope to insert ileus tube that had only observing function. (Figure 3)
Figure 3 - A small intestane endoscope using by ileus tube
Using developped small intestane endoscope to insert ileus tube, we observed inside of the small intestane. The result showed Figure 4 that could observe inside of the small intestane by eye.
Figure 4 - An observation image in small intestane.
For further, while we aimed to improve the quality of screen and way of operation, we should develop the new compound type optical fiber scope that arranged in the middle of this optical fiber scope by small diameter laser introduced optic core for planning to expand treatment area for photodynamic therapy (PDT) and thermal ablation treatment by laser irradiation for small intestane.
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