Abstract:
An aesthetic treatment device uses multiple light sources, lasers or LEDs focused on the treatment area from different directions. The multiple light sources for treatment purposes could have the same wavelength or different wavelengths each optimized for a different application. Target selection is performed by a dual wavelength smart illumination system combined with an imaging system, a smart processor for target recognition and a scanning system that directs the focused light from laser sources to an automatically selected treatment area. A motorized optical system performs a dual role of: focusing the laser sources and also steering the focused light to specific locations as designated by the imaging and processing systems.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    Aspects of the invention relate to a miniature device which performs aesthetic treatments such as acne treatment, wrinkle removal, hair removal, rejuvenation and other applications based on light treatment. The system may comprise a detection system which evaluates the exact area to be treated and a multiple wavelength laser or LED sources tuned to optimally treat the unwanted aesthetic, an imaging device for discerning the targets to be treated, a computer device, such as a processor, with algorithms for automatic target recognition and a motorized dual axis device for automatically aiming the light sources&#39; focal point(s) to the selected areas. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    In known aesthetic treatment devices, treatment is performed by flooding a relatively large area of skin with light without differentiation between healthy skin and the area to be treated. A typical system for dermatological treatment is described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0054880 A1, inventor Oren Aharon, intended to perform dermatological treatment by intense pulses of light radiated over large skin areas. The treatment selection is performed by chromatic characteristics of the skin or hair follicles and selection between treated and not to be treated areas is performed by the light source wavelength selection in a process called photo thermolysis or wavelength depended light absorption. 
         [0005]    Light is absorbed by dark objects, so laser energy can be absorbed by dark material in the skin, but with higher speed and intensity. This dark target matter, or chromospheres, can be naturally-occurring or artificially introduced. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Recently, a new device designed by the same inventors as the present application, U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2013-0345685-A1, was disclosed such that a special illumination technique capitalizes on oblique illumination, thereby enhancing the image contrast. This contrast enhancement technology in conjunction with a high end imaging device allows an image quality high enough to be automatically processed for determining the areas for treatment. An aspect of the present invention may incorporate the multi-illumination system disclosed in U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2013-0345685, but in another aspect, such a multi-illumination system is not utilized. 
         [0007]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the treating source will comprise a laser or an LED, or a system of lasers or LEDS, each with an appropriate wavelength dedicated to a specific treatment application. Preferably, each light source will be a dual wavelength laser capable of performing treatment by being transmitted through the skin or by local skin penetration. The system&#39;s laser power is focused and directed to treatment areas by two XY motors, such that upon homing in on the target, the system automatically fires the light sources with enough energy to perform the treatment. 
         [0008]    According to an aspect of the present aesthetic treatment device, an aesthetic treatment device has a combination and optical design where the focusing laser optics is also a component for beam direction to selected areas of the skin for treatment. 
         [0009]    According to one aspect of the present aesthetic treatment device, this device achieves and sometimes overcomes the performance of the systems existing in the market for the above procedures, while integrating all the capabilities of aesthetic treatment in a miniature hand held automatic treatment apparatus. For treatment, according to one aspect, the apparatus is based on multiple light sources, lasers or LEDs focused on the treatment area from different directions. The multiple light sources for treatment purposes could have the same wavelength or different wavelengths each optimized for a different application. Target selection is performed by a dual wavelength smart illumination system combined with an imaging system or just the imaging system, a smart processor for target recognition and a scanning system that directs the focused light from laser sources to an automatically selected treatment area. A motorized optical system performs a dual role of: focusing the laser sources and also steering the focused light to specific locations as designated by the imaging and processing systems. 
         [0010]    Due to the above features, the aesthetic treatment device according to an aspect is potentially usable for all hair types, tattoo removal and other types of aesthetic systems with automatic treatment modes. 
         [0011]    According to an aspect, the aesthetic treatment device can be upgraded so that the automatic system is capable of treating even larger areas by adding a dual axis mirror scanning system. 
         [0012]    In addition, by coupling together several automatic scanning treatment devices, even larger areas could be treated simultaneously. 
         [0013]    Furthermore, an even larger area could be simultaneously treated by using a scanning mirror to scan, across a patient&#39;s skin, multiple treatment devices which are coupled together 
         [0014]    Many disadvantages of prior art aesthetic treatment devices are advantageously solved by aspects of the present invention. A partial list is as follows: 
         [0015]    In prior art systems, the user has to recognize and direct the laser to a specific area, which is tedious and may be tiring. 
         [0016]    Some prior art lenses for laser focusing and mirrors for scanning are expensive and increase the device&#39;s overall dimensions, wherein, according to an aspect, the present aesthetic treatment device can use the same lens for focusing and also for beam steering. 
         [0017]    Moreover, for improved operation, the focusing is performed by two perpendicular cylindrical lenses each independently activated by a respective linear scanning motor, greatly simplifying the mechanical and motors&#39; control, while the irradiated focal point is kept in focus across the skin. 
         [0018]    According to an aspect, a mechanical guidance system comprises a curved lens mounted on a dual axis motorized follicle spherical system, to focus and automatically operate the aesthetic treatment device in near spherical movements. 
         [0019]    According to an aspect, the mechanical guidance system comprises two independently motorized cylindrical lenses to focus the lasers at a point below the skin surface along two perpendicular directions. Motors to move the lenses in perpendicular directions yield XY scanning of the focused beam across a skin surface. 
         [0020]    According to an aspect, several aesthetic automatic treatment devices are coupled together to further increase the treatment area and are scanned across the skin surface by an additional mirror. 
         [0021]    According to an aspect, the aesthetic treatment device is further coupled to a dual axis mirror scanner to still further increase the treatment area of the skin surface. 
         [0022]    According to another aspect, there is a seek and treat aesthetic device comprising: a treatment aperture to be placed on a skin area to be treated; multiple treatment laser modules having wavelengths in the IR region from 670 nm to 1000 nm mounted on an optical bench circumference and focused to a treatment area; a first cylindrical lens focusing the laser modules in a direction according to its optical power and along its optical axis; a second cylindrical lens perpendicular to the first cylindrical lens, focusing the laser modules in the perpendicular direction to the first cylindrical lens; first and second motorized linear stages to respectively scan the first and second cylindrical lenses in perpendicular directions; an imaging device, sensitive to the illumination system, to discern features on or under the skin within the predetermined area of skin to be treated; a processor to perform an algorithm to recognize a target to be treated within the predetermined skin area and to direct the focused laser modules towards the target; an electronic driver to activate liner motorized stages to aim laser focused beams toward the target to be treated&#39;; and a computerized controller to guide and perform the seek and treat procedure automatically by independently moving the two perpendicular linear stages and aiming to the target to be treated. 
         [0023]    According to an aspect, the seek and treat aesthetic device immediately above, the imaging device takes two images of the treatment aperture from two different locations; and the algorithm creates a 3D image of skin surface from two images and selects features protruding above the skin area as the target to be treated. 
         [0024]    According to another aspect of the seek and treat aesthetic device above, the imaging device takes two images of the treatment aperture from two different locations; with one of the cylindrical lenses being equipped on its curved side with two prismatic elements that when shifted in front of an aperture of a camera, shifts the location of an observation point of the skin area being viewed from a first of the two different locations to a second of the two different locations. 
         [0025]    Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0026]    These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
           [0027]      FIG. 1  is a side outside view of an assembled aesthetic treatment device according to an aspect; 
           [0028]      FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of the aesthetic treatment device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 3  is a front end view of the aesthetic treatment device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 3  is a view of the outer surface of the aesthetic treatment device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the aesthetic treatment device  10  taken along line A-A of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the internal parts of the aesthetic treatment device  10  shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0033]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the optomechanical module  28  shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the aesthetic treatment device shown  1 , including front and rear covers  94  and  96 , optomechanical module  28 , the laser modules  24 , the video camera  22 , camera optics  58 , and CCD detector  60 . 
           [0035]      FIG. 8  is a blowout view of the optomechanical module of section C of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0036]      FIG. 9  is a more blownout view of the optomechanical module  28  of  FIGS. 7 and 8 ; 
           [0037]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of the video camera, camera optics and the cylindrical optical elements, with the cylindrical optical elements in a first position and a shifted second position, of the aesthetic treatment device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0038]      FIG. 11  shows a perspective view the elements shown in  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0039]      FIG. 12  shows a skin area which is searched for targets such as hairs and hair follicles; 
           [0040]      FIGS. 13A-13C  are a plane view, a perspective view and a top view drawings illustrating the automatic search and treat system using four laser modules; 
           [0041]      FIG. 14  shows a perspective exploded view of the aesthetic treatment device, including both the search mechanisms, the treatment mechanisms, and potential external processor; 
           [0042]      FIGS. 15-21  include the operation of the aesthetic treatment device shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0043]      FIG. 22  shows a perspective view of an interior of an aesthetic treatment device according to another aspect and  FIG. 23  shows a side view of the aesthetic treatment device of  FIG. 22 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0044]    Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in order to explain the present invention by referring to the figures. 
         [0045]    Aspects of the present invention disclose an aesthetic treatment device enabling application of focused light beams directly to skin hair or skin disorders, including miniature ones like hair follicles, stains, wrinkle lines, tattoo particles, miniature veins, etc., by treating the skin hair or disorder with minimal or no effect on the surrounding skin. 
         [0046]    Aspects of the present invention disclose an aesthetic treatment device enabling recognition of areas of skin to be treated. Recognition of the disorder is performed by a dual illumination system and the application of coherent or noncoherent multiple focused light sources directly to a specific recognized target for aesthetic treatments. 
         [0047]    Aspects of the present invention disclose a dual illumination system, such that an additional illumination system is provided in addition to a “regular” illumination system. The so called regular illumination system illuminates the skin from above and it is mounted around a camera lens. The configuration usually results in good illumination for the skin, but due to back reflections, hair and hair roots are not easily seen. The additional illumination system is mounted on a peripheral area of a system opening, and provides illumination on the area of the skin to be treated. (see US Patent Publ. No. 2013-0345685 to Aharon referred to later in this application) Features protruding out from the skin will be strongly illuminated while the skin will remain in relative darkness, creating an improved image emphasizing hair and outer surface features. 
         [0048]      FIG. 1  is a side outside view of an assembled aesthetic treatment device  10  with a body  12  and an aperture  14  situated at one end thereof. According to an aspect, the body comprises a front cover  94  and a rear cover  96 .  FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of the aesthetic treatment device  10  showing the body  12  and the aperture  14 .  FIG. 3  is a front end view of the aesthetic treatment device  10  showing the aperture  14  with an opening  16 , and light, such as laser beams  18 .  FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the aesthetic treatment device  10  taken along line A-A of  FIG. 3 . Light sources (lasers)  20  emit light beams  18 , and in the case the light sources are lasers, emit laser beams  18 . A video camera  22  observes a surface region of skin  26  of a subject (not shown). Laser modules  24  power the lasers  20  and are mounted on an optical bench  32  to be parallel with the video camera  22 . The laser modules  24  are mounted evenly distributed around a periphery of an optical bench  32 , the optical bench  32  having a cylindrical outline. The lasers  20  may be 4, 6 or essentially any total in number, arranged about a center axis of the aesthetic treatment device  10 . In the drawings, four (4) laser modules  24  are shown. 
         [0049]    An optomechanical module  28  has two main tasks. First, the optomechanical module  28  focuses the lasers  20  to a single point (or points) designed to be below the surface region  26  and second, the optomechanical module  28  moves the focused laser beams  18  across the surface region  26  to any point within the video image area of the video camera  22 , actually to any point just below the surface region  26 . 
         [0050]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the internal parts of the aesthetic treatment device  10  shown in  FIG. 1 , and includes the optomechanical module  28 , the optical bench  32 , and a camera base plate  34  on which the camera  22  is mounted. The camera  22  is inserted into an orifice  30  located and extending through the axis of the optical bench  32 . The laser beams  18  are focused at the designed point even though they are coming in from different directions. Moreover, after passing a focal point, the laser beams  18  will diverge, and laser emission on an optical axis after the focal point will be zero. This feature is a very positive feature in relation to aspects of laser safety. 
         [0051]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the optomechanical module  28  shown in  FIG. 5 . The laser beams  18  pass through edge regions of first and second cylindrical optical elements (cylindrical lenses)  50  and  52 . A cylindrical lens, in this example, has optical power in one direction, as opposed to a spherical lens that has optical power in all directions. The cylindrical optical elements  50  and  52  have optical power in only one direction, curvature on only one side, and their curvature resembles part of a cylinder. The cylindrical optical elements  50  and  52  are mounted in such a way that their optical power is orthogonal to each other. The curvature of the first, upper optical element  50  is on the downward side (see  FIGS. 9-11 ), and the curvature of the second, lower optical element  52  is on the upward side (see  FIGS. 9-11 ) facing the curvature of the cylindrical optical element  50 . However, the order of the cylindrical optical elements  50 ,  52  may be switched in the direction from the camera  22  to the aperture  14  (see  FIGS. 13A-14 ). The aesthetic treatment device  10  works with the cylindrical optical elements in either order (the order does not matter). The laser beams  18  passing through the first cylindrical optical element  50  will be focused in one direction and through the second cylindrical optical element  52  at an orthogonal direction. This will ensure proper focusing at the target where the laser beams  18  will be focused in both directions. The purpose of this arrangement is to allow steering of the focused laser beams  18  by two independent mechanical axes with no physical connection between optical carriages  84  and  86 . This results in a greatly simplified system operation. Actual steering will be carried out by two orthogonal linear motors  54  and  56  which respectively drive the cylindrical optical elements  50  and  52 . As noted above, the laser beams  18  pass through the edge regions of the cylindrical optical elements  50 ,  52 . 
         [0052]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the aesthetic treatment device  10 , including front and rear covers  94  and  96 , the optomechanical module  28 , the laser modules  24 , the video camera  22 , camera optics  58 , and a CCD detector  60 . The camera optics  58  fit into the orifice  30  in the optical bench  32 .  FIG. 8  is a blowout view of the optomechanical module  28  of section C of  FIG. 7 . An x-axis mechanism shown as encircled elements  80  of the optomechanical module  28 , controls movement of the laser beams  18  along an x-axis, and a y-axis mechanism, shown as encircled elements  82  of the optomechanical module  28 , controls movement of the laser beams  18  along a y-axis orthogonal to the x-axis. Moving the optical elements  50  and  52 , held by respective carriages  84  and  86 , along their respective x and y—axes will move the laser beams  18  across an image plane of the video camera  22 , and in this arrangement, the focal point of the laser beams  18  will move according to the amount of carriage movement in two dimensions. The carriage  84 , driven by the motor  54 , slides along first rails  110 , and the carriage  86 , driven by the motor  56 , slides along second rails  112 . 
         [0053]      FIG. 9  is a more blownout view of the optomechanical module  28  of  FIGS. 7 and 8 . As can be seen in  FIG. 9 , the bottom side of the cylindrical optical element  50  has a cylindrical shape with a rectangular shaped aperture  62  with its lengthwise direction being along the y-axis. The top side of the cylindrical optical element  52  (see  FIG. 11 ) has a rectangular shaped aperture  64  with its lengthwise direction being along the x-axis, perpendicular to the y-axis direction. 
         [0054]    In this embodiment, the cylindrical optical elements  50 ,  52  have the apertures  62  and  64  through which the video camera  22  can take a 2D image of the surface region  26  to detect hairs  120  or other treatment conditions on or above the surface of the skin. 
         [0055]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of the video camera  22 , camera optics  58  and the cylindrical optical element  50 , with the cylindrical optical element  50  in a first position and a shifted second position.  FIG. 11  shows a perspective view of the cylindrical optical element  50  shown in  FIG. 10 . In this embodiment, the cylindrical optical element  50  has a cylindrical shape with a pair of rhomboids  51  in the location of the aperture  62 . However, it is noted that instead of cylindrical optical element  50  having a pair of rhomboids, the cylindrical optical element  52  may instead have a pair of rhomboids  53  at the location of the aperture  64  (see  FIG. 13A ). Again, the order of the cylindrical optical elements  50 ,  52  does not matter. 
         [0056]    The rhomboids  51  or  53  enable the ability of the video camera  22  to acquire a 3D image of the surface region  26 . The optomechanical module  28  works like an eye, using parallax to determine the position of hairs or other skin conditions. The motors  54  and  56  have the cylindrical optical elements  50  and  52  in a first position to take an initial image of the surface region  26  to detect hairs  120 , as shown in the right side drawing of  FIG. 10 , and shown in  FIG. 12  as well. The initial image is viewed through the first of the two rhomboids  51  by the camera  22  and the aperture  64  of the second cylindrical optical element  52 . The motor  54  then moves the cylindrical optical element  50  along its one axis, the y-axis, until the cylindrical optical element  50  is in the second position as shown in the left side drawing of  FIG. 10 , when the video camera  22  takes an additional image of the hairs  120 . Here, the additional (second) image is viewed through the second of the two rhomboids by the camera  22  and the aperture  64 . 
         [0057]    It is possible that the aesthetic treatment device  10  also has one of the multi-illumination systems disclosed in U.S. Patent Publ. No. 2013-0345685 to Aharon to illuminate the hairs  120  that protrude from the skin surface to make them easier to see. 
         [0058]    Later, during the operation to focus the laser beams  18  at hair follicles  122 , the laser beams  18  pass through the lens parts of the cylindrical optical elements  50  and  52  along the y-axis, and the x-axis, respectively (and not the rhomboid part in this example), and based upon the positioning of the cylindrical optical elements  50  and  52 , the lasers are focused under the skin at the determined positions of the hair follicles  122 . 
         [0059]      FIGS. 13A-13C  are a plane view, a perspective view and a top view drawings illustrating the automatic search and treat system using the four laser modules  24 . The rhomboids  53  are not shown in  FIG. 13B  for ease of view during this process. 
         [0060]      FIG. 13A  illustrates the propagation of four or more laser beams  18  which are in the or near the infrared region of the spectrum, i.e., shorter than 1800 nm and above 670 nm from the circular optical bench  32 , and more specifically, in the 670-1000 nm range, a laser printed circuit board (PCB)  160  controls the lasers  20  of the laser modules  24  and the surface region of skin  26  is shown. The front and rear covers  94  and  96  are not shown (but see  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0061]    The laser beams  18  are focused by the cylindrical element  52  and cylindrical element  50 , which perform focusing in perpendicular directions to each other through the cylindrical parts (not the rhomboid parts). The combination of the two cylindrical elements  50 ,  52  focuses all of the laser beams  18  to a point(s) located just beneath the treated surface region  26 . Moving the cylindrical elements  50 ,  52  in first and second denoted directions  162  and  164  will scan the beams′ focal point across the surface region  26  in two independent directions. The second cylindrical element  52  is equipped with two rhomboidal elements  53  that when shifted along a first denoted direction, allows imaging of the surface region  26  from two offset positions taken in 2D to create the 3D image using parallax as described above.  FIG. 13C  shows a top-down view with the focal point  166  of the laser beams  18 . 
         [0062]      FIG. 14  shows the interior of the aesthetic treatment device  10  including both the detection elements and the treatment elements. A circular illumination printed circuit board (PCB)  170  is used to control light emitting diodes (LEDs)  172  (four are shown, but the number could vary) during the time that the video camera  22  is taking its images to search for the hairs  120 , to then determine the location of the hair follicles  122 . The LEDs  172  generally emit light in the visible range of about 400-700 nm. During this operation of seeking the locations of hair follicles  122  of the hairs  120 , the video camera  22  is able to view through the apertures  62  and  64  the surface region of skin  26  and the hairs  120 . An electro-optical proximity sensor comprises a specially designed light source  174 , a hollow tube  176  and a light detector  178 . The electro-optical proximity sensor detects if the aesthetic treatment device  10  is touching (or possibly immediately adjacent to) the surface region  26 , depending upon whether the light emitted by the specially designed light source  174  travels through the hollow tube  176  and reaches the light detector  178 , and is beneficial for safety reasons. The electro-optical proximity sensor may also be referred to as an electro-optical triangulation device. This sensor prevents accidental activation of the lasers  20  when the surface region  26  is not in the correct position near the aesthetic treatment device  10 . When the surface region  26  is not touching or immediately adjacent to the electro-optical proximity sensor, the light from the light source  174  is not reflected by anything to travel back up through the hollow tube  176  to the light detector  178 . Further, with separate light sources  20  for treatment and light sources  172  for illumination, there is no dependency at all between the illumination and treatment sources. As such, the light sources  20  and  172  may have the same wavelength or different wavelength depending upon the treatment application or the color of the surface region  26 . 
         [0063]    In  FIG. 14 , an electronic PCB  180 , which is an electronic driver, has a connector  182  and/or possibly an extension/electric cord  184 , which can be connected to any external processing element  186 , like a processor, a computer, a mobile device like a cell phone or tablet, a lap top, etc. A processing element, such as a microcontroller, on the PCB  180  or, alternatively, the external processing element  186 , contains the algorithms that will control the operation of the camera  22 , the laser modules  24 , the cylindrical lenses  50  and  52  and the LEDs  172 . The location of the processor to control operations for detection and treatment, whether internal to the front and rear covers  94  and  96  of the aesthetic treatment device  10  or external, is not material to the present invention. The electronic PCB  180  controls driving of the laser modules  24  and the cylindrical lenses  50  and  52 . 
         [0064]    The operation of the aesthetic treatment device  10  is described with respect to  FIGS. 15-21 . Image processing is performed in operation  300 , target selection is performed in operation  320 , input to motors  54 ,  56  to direct the focal point  166  at the target is performed in operation  340 , and firing of the lasers  20  is performed in operation  360 . 
         [0065]    First, a description will be provided of the image processing operation  300  in  FIG. 18 . Initially, the aesthetic device  10  is turned on in operation  302 . Then, the aperture  14  is placed over the surface region  26  in operation  304 . It is possible that the surface region  26  penetrates somewhat into the aperture  14  upon the aperture  14  being pressed against the surface region  26 . Then, the video camera  22  takes multiple images of the surface region  26  using the camera optics  58  and the camera  22 , in other words, the camera  22  will take pictures of the surface region  26  from two offset positions, in operation  306 . To do this, the cylindrical optical element  50  is arranged at a first position as shown in  FIG. 10 , right hand side through movement of the motor  54 . The carriage  84  slides along the first rail  110  through the rotation of the motor  54  to be at the first position. An image of the surface region  26  is taken by having the video camera  22  view the surface region  26  through the first of the two rhomboids  51 . Then, the motor  54  moves the cylindrical optical element  50  in a linear motion along the x-axis to the second position shown on the left side of  FIG. 10 . In each instance, the camera  22  views the surface region  26  through the rhomboids  51  of the cylindrical optical element  50  as set forth in operation  308 . Hairs  120  will stick out of the surface region  26  at skin level. By taking two 2D images of the surface region  26  from multiple views due to the cylindrical optical element  50  being at the first and second positions at different times, two views of the surface region  26  are generated, and the processing element/processor either on the electronic PCB  180  within the body  12  or the external processing element  186  processor, which is external to the body  12 , creates a 3-D image of the surface region  26 , as per operation  310 . As noted previously, it is possible to have a multi-illumination system propagate illumination light beams in free space across an orifice over the surface region and in a parallel direction to the surface region, whereby the hairs  120  standing up within the free space of the orifice and illuminated by the illumination light beams as proposed in U.S. Patent Pub. &#39;685 to Aharon. 
         [0066]    Now, the operation of target selection  320  will be explained in greater detail in  FIG. 19 . From the 3-D image, the processor or external processor  186  can construct the position and direction  124  of the hairs  120  using an algorithm based on parallax, similar to the operation of a human&#39;s (or any other animal&#39;s) eyes, as per operation  322 . The processor or external processor  186  assumes that a hair follicle is 2-3 mm under skin level, so that the positions of the hair follicles  122  can be determined underneath the skin, using extrapolation of the location and angle of the protruding hair  120  to estimate the location under the surface region  26  that the hair follicles  122  are actually located, as per operation  324 . This location of the hair follicles  122  is part of the target selection process  320 . This depth is based upon biology, but is adjustable in the aesthetic treatment device  10  depending upon the specific situation, subject and the type of procedure that is to be performed by the laser beams  18 . The process is repeated in operation  326  over the surface region  26 , the processor or external processor  186  processes the location data for a number of targets within the surface region  26 , and creates a bank of the targets (hair follicles  122 , for example), in preparation of treatment. 
         [0067]    Thus, the aesthetic treatment device  10  now knows the positions of the hair follicles  122 , thus automatically determining the positions of the hair follicles  122  without the user of the aesthetic treatment device  10  having to manually direct the laser beams  18  towards hair follicles  122 . The locations of the hair follicles  122  do not need to be very accurate as the laser beam focal point is larger as compared to the hair follicles  122 . 
         [0068]    Alternatively, to determine hair follicle  126  position, instead of using an algorithm based on parallax by using two images taken by the video camera  22  to generate a 3D model, it is possible to set up the aesthetic device  10  to have the video camera  22  take one image of the surface region  26  to try to find the hairs  120  and hair follicles  126  within the surface region  26 , and if successful, the taking of a second image and using parallax to determine the hair  120  and hair follicles  126  is skipped. If not successful, then the cylindrical element  50  is moved to the second position, a second image is taken, and the algorithm using parallax is performed to determine the location of the hairs  120  and hair follicles. 
         [0069]    The operation  340  is explained in greater detail as shown in  FIG. 20 . The optical elements  50  and  52  are moved so that the laser beams  18  pass through the cylindrical (curved) portions of the optical elements  50  and  52  so as to direct the laser beams  18  toward a first hair follicle  122 , then to a position to direct the laser beams  18  toward a second hair follicle  122 , and so on. 
         [0070]    More specifically, in operation  342 , the processor on the electronic PCB  180  or the external processor  186 , in response to knowing where the hair follicles  122  are located, activates (controls) the motors  54  and  56 , as shown in the input to motor process  340 , to move the carriages  84  and  86  along the first and second rails  110  and  112 , so as to move the cylindrical optical elements  50  and  52  in the x-axis and y-axis directions, wherein the focal point  166  of the laser beams  18  is moved around the surface region  26  to the various locations just underneath the skin area  26  where the hair follicles  122  have been calculated to be located (see operation  344 ). During this process, the multiple laser beams  18  are focused by the cylindrical optical elements  50  and  52 , creating multiple footprints on the skin surface where the different laser beams first contact the skin of the patient. Consequently, it is more possible to diffuse the laser power of the laser beams  18  than by focusing all of them on one spot of the skin surface, thereby causing less damage while still providing treatment under the skin. Alternatively, to automatically point the laser beams  18  to each target hair follicle  122 , it is possible to set the aesthetic device in a manual mode, where the user can manually move the laser beam  18  focal point  166 . 
         [0071]    Now, the fire process  360  will be described in greater detail as shown in  FIG. 21 . The processor or external processor  186  instructs the laser modules  24  to emit the laser beams  18  through the cylindrical optical elements  50  and  52 , in a fire process  362 , so that the cylindrical optical elements  50  and  52  direct the laser beams  18  to be under the surface region  26  at a depth under the skin, such as  2 - 3  mm, and at the location of the first hair follicle  122  and then to the next hair follicle  122  to be fired upon, and so on, until all of the hair follicles in the surface region  26  have been fired upon. Upon completion of the firing of the lasers  20  at the hair follicles  122  within the surface region  26 , a signal will be generated to alert the user that the firing process has been completed, see operation  364 . At this point, the user can hand select additional points of the surface region  26  to be treated or, alternatively, can move the aesthetic treatment device to a new, next location for searching. The actual selection can be performed on any input device, such as a touch screen, a mouse, touchpad, etc., per operation  368 . 
         [0072]      FIG. 22  shows a perspective view of an interior of an aesthetic treatment device  200  according to another embodiment.  FIG. 23  shows a side view of the interior of the aesthetic treatment device  200 . In this embodiment, there are three optomechanical modules  28  as shown in  FIGS. 1-11  which are coupled together, parallel to each other and arranged in a row to enable the scanning and treatment of a larger region of skin simultaneously, and in a shorter amount of time. Of course, two, four or more optomechanical modules  28  may be provided. A mirror  204 , rotated by a motor  205 , reflects images of three surface regions  201 - 203  back towards three ( 3 ) corresponding video cameras  22  in a process as described previously with respect to  FIG. 10 . An arrow  206  shows the mirror&#39;s  204  rotation directions initiated by the motor  205 . The surface regions  201 ,  202  and  203  are scanned in one direction by the mirror  204 , which reflects the three sets of laser beams  18  from the three respective optomechanical modules  28 , so that the regions of skin  201 ,  202  and  203  will be simultaneously or serially treated by the three parallel optomechanical modules  28  through movement of the cylindrical optical elements  50 ,  52  associated with each optomechanical module  28  to fire each hair follicle  122  found in each of the three regions of skin  201 ,  202  and  203 . 
         [0073]    In this embodiment, the motor  205  rotates so as to rotate the mirror  204  about an optical axis perpendicular to the optical axes of the three optomechanical modules  28 , thereby enabling the three video cameras  22  to view three new surface regions  201 - 203  which are linearly placed in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the mirror  204  and the search and firing procedures are repeated. In this way, instead of searching only 1 surface region  26  at a time, multiple surface regions  201 ,  202  and  203  can be searched and fired upon, and then a plurality of next surface regions  201 ,  202  and  203  can be search and fired upon automatically through the rotation of the mirror  204 , thereby potentially significantly enhancing the speed at which a large region of skin (made up of many surface regions) of a patient may be treated. 
         [0074]    Thus, based on the foregoing, aspects of this invention relate generally to an aesthetic treatment device and method to automatically detect targets such as hairs and hair follicles within a small area of skin enclosed by an aperture of the aesthetic treatment device, and to automatically direct light sources (laser beams) on the specific area (on or under the skin) without affecting, and damaging the surrounding skin area. 
         [0075]    Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in this embodiment without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.