TiMON: a real-time integrated monitor for improving the placement and wear of emergency tourniquets.

Background: The use of emergency tourniquets among military personnel has helped to dramatically reduce battlefield deaths and has recently gained popularity in the civilian sector. Yet, even well-trained individuals can find it difficult to assess proper tourniquet application. Emergency tourniquets are typically deemed sufficiently tightened through cursory visual confirmation or pulse assessment.

Noninvasive Temperature Measurements in Tissue-Simulating Phantoms Using a Solid-State Near-Infrared Sensor.

The monitoring of body temperature is a recent addition to the plethora of parameters provided by wellness and fitness wearable devices. Current wearable temperature measurements are made at the skin surface, a measurement that is impacted by the ambient environment of the individual. The use of near-infrared spectroscopy provides the potential for a measurement below the epidermal layer of skin, thereby having the potential advantage of being more reflective of physiological conditions.

Early visualization of skin burn severity using a topically applied dye-loaded liquid bandage.

Skin burns are a significant source of injury in both military and civilian sectors. They are especially problematic in low resource environments where non-fatal injuries can lead to high morbidity rates, prolonged hospitalization, and disability. These multifaceted wounds can be highly complex and must be quickly diagnosed and treated to achieve optimal outcomes.

Near-infrared autofluorescence spectroscopy of in vivo soft tissue sarcomas.

Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are a rare and heterogeneous group of malignant tumors that are often treated via surgical resection. Inadequate resection can lead to local recurrence and decreased survival rates. In this study, we investigate the hypothesis that near-infrared (NIR) autofluorescence can be utilized for tumor margin analysis by differentiating STS from the surrounding normal tissue.

Acute discrimination between superficial-partial and deep-partial thickness burns in a preclinical model with laser speckle imaging.

A critical need exists for a robust method that enables early discrimination between superficial-partial and deep-partial thickness burn wounds. In this study, we report on the use of laser speckle imaging (LSI), a simple, non-invasive, optical imaging modality, to measure acute blood flow dynamics in a preclinical burn model. We used a heated brass comb to induce burns of varying severity to nine rats and collected raw speckle reflectance images over the course of three hours after burn.

Spatial frequency domain imaging of burn wounds in a preclinical model of graded burn severity.

Frequent monitoring of early-stage burns is necessary for deciding optimal treatment and management. Both superficial and full thickness burns are relatively easy to diagnose based on clinical observation. In between these two extremes are superficial-partial thickness and deep-partial thickness burns.

Effects of motion on optical properties in the spatial frequency domain.

Spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) is a noncontact and wide-field optical imaging technology currently being used to study the optical properties and chromophore concentrations of in vivo skin including skin lesions of various types. Part of the challenge of developing a clinically deployable SFDI system is related to the development of effective motion compensation strategies, which in turn, is critical for recording high fidelity optical properties. Here we present a two-part strategy for SFDI motion correction.