An inspection camera, or borescope, is an instrument that functions like a camera, microscope, or telescope: it enables you to observe areas that are too cramped, too far away, or entirely out of reach. An inspection camera has a black-and-white or color display \u2014 some of which are detachable for remote viewing \u2014 that attaches to a flexible shaft with a camera at the end. The camera often has several LED lights to illuminate the work area. Once the camera shaft is maneuvered into position, you can observe what the camera \u201csees\u201d on the inspection camera\u2019s display.<\/p>\n
British physicist Harold Horace Hopkins invented the rod lens endoscope, the ancestor of the modern\u00a0inspection camera<\/a>. Hopkins\u2019 invention enabled surgeons to conduct less invasive procedures by way of so-called keyhole surgery. Since such borescopes allowed one to see bones, muscles, and internal organs, sizable incisions could be avoided, making certain surgeries easier and speeding up recovery times for patients.<\/p>\n