Making active use of multiple light sources for image shape evaluations, current research targets methods for determining the orientation and shape of objects based on differences in the brightness detected when surfaces are illuminated by strobe light sources from various directions. In one example, this method can be applied to measure the size of an affected area, a task that would normally be difficult to determine through an endoscope, thereby increasing the reliability and safety of medical diagnoses. This method also promises various benefits in industrial and disaster rescue applications.