SBIR Phase II: Extended depth imaging with optical coherence tomography (OCT)

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力在于开发新的光学成像技术，用于评估皮肤、牙齿和牙床的健康。光学成像使用光而不是X射线来产生组织的详细图像。它还没有被广泛应用于牙科和皮肤科应用，因为光不能穿透到足够深的组织中发挥作用，而且这些设备的制造成本高得令人望而却步。该项目将开发一种新的成像方案，允许更深地渗透到组织中，提供更有用的诊断信息；利用目前的3D制造技术，它的成本可能比目前的替代方案低大约十分之一。这项技术将使新的安全、负担得起的成像过程成为可能。这项小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目推动了一种用于皮肤和牙齿临床成像的新光学技术--双轴深度成像光学相干断层扫描(OCT)的转化。OCT的翻译在视网膜成像方面是先进的，但在其他应用中并没有获得同样的成功。该项目将创建牙科和皮肤科的新仪器，展示：1)双轴OCT如何使用为每种应用设计的仪器更深入地渗透到生物组织中；以及2)使用3D制造和系统设计的经济可行性。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is in the development of new optical imaging techniques for evaluating the health of skin, teeth and gums. Optical imaging uses light instead of X-rays to produce detailed images of tissues. It has not yet been widely applied for dental and dermatology applications because the light does not penetrate deeply enough into tissues to be useful, and these devices are prohibitively expensive to manufacture. This project will develop a a new imaging scheme that allows deeper penetration into tissues, providing more useful diagnostic information; and with current 3D manufacturing techniques, it could cost roughly ten times less than the current alternatives. This technology will enable new safe, affordable imaging processes.This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project advances translation of a novel optical technique, dual axis deep imaging optical coherence tomography (OCT), for clinical imaging of skin and teeth. Translation of OCT is advanced for retinal imaging but has not enjoyed the same success in other applications. This project will create new instruments for dentistry and dermatology by demonstrating: 1) how dual axis OCT can penetrate more deeply in biological tissues using instruments designed for each application; and 2) the economic feasibility using 3D manufacturing and system design.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.