I-Corps: MySkinTone: A breakthrough technology and product for skin melanin evaluation

MySkinTone是一种基于光调制的新仪器和产品概念，用于检测和测量人体皮肤中的黑色素或色素沉着水平。美国国家科学基金会I-Corps的这项提案将重点关注一个创业团队的核心，该团队将制定一个商业计划，以推广MySkinTone的想法，并创建一个示范原型。新仪器中固有的技术是通过先前的NSF支持获得的结果的直接延伸。黑色素是皮肤的重要组成部分，因为它可以保护皮肤免受有害的紫外线辐射，它的密度决定了皮肤的颜色。最初的产品概念应用于黑色素水平的测量有利于与客户匹配护肤产品或需要安全设置光处理产品或晒黑床的地方。该团队的计划是首先瞄准化妆品行业。MySkinTone将根据客户的皮肤进行廉价而准确的测量，为每位客户选择最好的化妆品。日光浴沙龙等二级市场也将受益于这种设备，因为它们可以根据顾客的黑色素水平（与一个人晒黑或晒伤的能力有关）更好地调整日光浴时间。这一努力将导致更好地理解如何部署强度调制光来检测黑色素。该方案将提供高特异性和灵敏度的测量，因为该特征是黑色素独有的（多光子阶跃激发），并且完全消除了背景干扰，这是现有黑色素测量产品的缺点。另一个更广泛的影响将包括使用MySkinTone创新来解决对普通人群进行皮肤癌筛查的需求。目前，美国每年确诊的皮肤癌病例超过350万例，其中包括12万例新发黑色素瘤（最严重的皮肤癌）；美国每年用于皮肤癌诊断和治疗的社会费用超过15亿美元。

MySkinTone is a new instrument and product concept, based on light modulation, for detecting and measuring the melanin or pigmentation level in human skin. This NSF I-Corps proposal will focus on the nucleation of an entrepreneurial team leading to a business plan to promote the MySkinTone idea, coupled with the creation of a demonstration prototype. The technology inherent in the new instrument is a direct extension of results obtained through prior NSF support. Melanin is an important component in the skin since it provides protection against harmful UV radiation and its density defines skin color. The initial product concept has applications where the measurement of melanin level is advantageous for the matching of skincare products to the client or where safely setting light treatment products or tanning beds is required. The team's plan is to initially target the cosmetic industry. MySkinTone will take the guesswork out of selecting the best cosmetics for every customer based on an inexpensive and accurate measurement taken on that customer's skin. Secondary markets such as tanning salons would also benefit from such a device, since they can do a better job adjusting the tanning session according to the customer's melanin level (which correlates to a person's ability to tan or sunburn). This effort will result in a better understanding of how to deploy intensity-modulated light to detect melanin. This scheme will provide measurements of high specificity and sensitivity since the signature is unique to melanin (multi-photon step-wise excitation) and completely eliminates the background interference, a shortcoming of existing melanin measurement products. Another Broader Impact will include the use of the MySkinTone innovation to address the need to screen the general population for skin cancer. Currently, there are over 3.5 million cases of skin cancer diagnosed annually in the United States, including 120,000 new cases of melanoma (the most serious form of skin cancer); the annual U.S. societal cost of skin cancer diagnosis and treatment is more than $1.5 billion.