Brillouin optical eye scanner prototypes for commercialization

摘要 该STTR项目的总体目标是将一种新型光学眼睛扫描仪设备商业化， 通过布里渊光散射测量组织的生物力学特性。布里渊技术 在合作PI的实验室发明的已经显示出改善视力诊断和治疗的广泛潜力 紊乱目前实验室系统获得的临床数据显示角膜硬度变化 由圆锥角膜、胶原交联和角膜切除术引起。为了将这种有前途的 技术，这个快速通道项目通过创新工程简化了开发， 在小型化、降低成本和制造兼容性方面， 发明家的实验室和一个由眼科设备经验丰富的团队领导的分拆创业公司 行业第一阶段先前获得资金，用于开发频率稳定的激光源， 自发辐射噪声（成功完成）。第二阶段将利用这一创新来开发和 测试桌面alpha原型（Aim II-1），然后构建便携式beta原型（Aim II-2）。的 原型的功能性、可靠性和可操作性将在眼睛的临床试验中得到验证。 医院收治各种临床病例，包括圆锥角膜病例、屈光手术前后病例， 以及胶原交联前后的情况。该项目的成功完成将使 将布里渊显微镜从学术界转移到医疗器械行业，并将加速 将组织生物力学评估转化为临床实践。最终，成功的 体内布里渊成像的商业化将通过改善 各种视力问题的诊断、干预和手术治疗。

ABSTRACT The overall goal of this STTR project is to commercialize a novel optical eye scanner device capable of measuring the biomechanical properties of tissues via Brillouin light scattering. The Brillouin technology invented in the co-PI’s lab has shown broad potential for improving the diagnosis and treatment of vision disorders. Clinical data obtained with current laboratory systems revealed corneal stiffness changes caused by keratoconus, collagen crosslinking and keratectomy. For commercialization of this promising technology, this fast-track project streamlines development through innovative engineering that focuses on miniaturization, cost lowering and manufacturing compatibility, in close collaboration between the inventor’s lab and a spin-off startup that is led by an experienced team in the ophthalmology device industry. Phase-I was previously funded to develop a frequency-stabilized laser source with reduced spontaneous emission noise (successfully completed). Phase-II will take this innovation to develop and test a tabletop alpha prototype (Aim II-1) and then build portable beta prototypes (Aim II-2). The functionality, reliability and operability of the prototypes will be validated in clinical pilot trials in an eye hospital for variety of clinical cases including keratoconus cases, pre- and post- refractive surgery cases, and pre- and post- collagen crosslinking cases. The successful completion of this project will have transferred Brillouin microscopy from academia to the medical device industry, and will accelerate the translation of tissue biomechanical assessments into clinical practice. Ultimately, the successful commercialization of in vivo Brillouin imaging will have a high impact on eye healthcare by improving the diagnosis, intervention and surgical treatment of various vision problems.