PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 04 T5.01-9922 |
RESEARCH SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Understanding and Utilizing Gravitational Effects on Molecular Biology and for Medical Applications |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Polarization Imaging Apparatus for Cell and Tissue Imaging and Diagnostics |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (SBC) | RESEARCH INSTITUTION (RI) | ||
NAME: | BOSTON APPLIED TECHNOLOGIES, INC. | NAME: | The Catholic University of America |
ADDRESS: | 150H New Boston St. | ADDRESS: | 620 Michigan Ave., NE, |
CITY: | Woburn | CITY: | Washington |
STATE/ZIP: | MA01801-6204 | STATE/ZIP: | DC20061-0001 |
PHONE: | (781)935-2800 | PHONE: | (202)319-5244 |
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER
(Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Kevin Zou
kzou@bostonati.com
150H New Boston St.
Woburn, MA 01801-6204
(781)935-2800
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
In recent years there has been an increasing interest in the propagation of polarized light in randomly scattering media. The investigation of backscattered light is of particular interest since most medical applications aimed at the in-vivo characterization of biological tissue rely on backscattered light. By recording the spatially dependent response of a medium to a polarized point source, one may obtain information about the scattering particles that are not accessible to mere intensity measurements. In this program, Boston Applied Technologies Incorporated (BATI), together with the Catholic University of America (CUA) proposes an innovative NIR polarization imaging solution based on high performance fast tunable phase retarder and novel algorithm. It will have the ability to record both scattering images and Stokes polarization imaging. It allows very fast recording the polarization images at the speed limit of a CCD. It contains no moving parts and can accommodate to most of the existing CCD cameras. The unique measurement procedure allows efficient, accurate sensing of the polarization imaging. A computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) software will be developed for the proposed polarization imaging system.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 100 WORDS)
Application of the proposed high performance polarization imaging system would find tremendous applications in NASA mission. The development effort of this program will result a space applicable instrument. Potential application of the proposed technology will allow microscopic imaging and biophysical measurements of cell functions, effects of electric or magnetic fields, photoactivation, and testing of drugs or biocompatible polymers on live tissues. The proposed portable device can also be a powerful and convenient tool for non-biological studies during the NASA mission.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 100 WORDS)
The potential for this device in commercial clinical practice is also enormous, from early detection of skin cancers, to microscopic tissue analysis. It also can be used as an analysis tool for material research and industrial processing.