Miniaturized pulsed laser source for time-domain diffuse optics routes to wearable devices

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Optics
• Laser Technology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Time-domain (TD) diffuse optics systems are valuable for non-invasive tissue analysis.
• Current TD systems are often limited by the size and cost of their pulsed laser sources.
• Miniaturization of TD diffuse optics is crucial for widespread clinical adoption and portability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate a miniaturized pulsed laser source for TD diffuse optics applications.
• To assess the performance of a TD optical system utilizing this compact laser.
• To demonstrate the potential for in vivo measurements and biomedical applications.

Main Methods:

• Characterization of a compact pulsed laser (100 ps, 0.5 nJ, 1 MHz) for diffuse optics suitability.
• Development and testing of a TD optical system with the miniaturized laser source.
• Evaluation of system performance using tissue-mimicking phantoms and in vivo human studies.

Main Results:

• The miniaturized laser source meets the requirements for TD diffuse optics.
• The developed TD system accurately recovered optical properties of homogeneous phantoms.
• The system successfully detected localized absorption perturbations and in vivo hemodynamic changes during venous occlusion.

Conclusions:

• A miniaturized pulsed laser source effectively enables compact TD diffuse optics systems.
• This technological advancement removes a bottleneck, paving the way for cost-effective and portable TD devices.
• The validated system shows promise for advanced biomedical monitoring and diagnostics.