What are Fiber Scopes?
Fiber scopes are pieces of equipment that allow the user to see into tight spaces. Typically, fiber scopes contain a long, narrow bundle of extremely flexible fiber optic wires that allow them to fit into opening as small as one-quarter inch (6.4 mm) in diameter. At the beginning of these wires is a single eyepiece, much like that found on a microscope. The end of the fiber optic wires is usually bound with a metal strip to keep the wires from coming loose. Brian O’Brien and Narinder Kapany invented fiber scopes in the 1950’s. O’Brien worked for the American Optical Company, while Kapany worked closely with a number of colleagues at the Imperial College of Science and Technology in London. Using their knowledge of fiber optics, they created a way to use the technology to see into tight spaces. In the original fiber scopes, the fiber optic strands were individually coated to ensure light did not leak. The image to be viewed was placed at one end seen in its enlarged form on the other en
