The State University of New York (SUNY) has announced that a handheld terahertz three-dimensional spectral scanner has received seed funding through the SUNY Technology Accelerator Fund (TAF), which provides grants to faculty inventors and scientists.
The technology is designed to address limitations in portable terahertz imaging and support faster, objective assessment of burn wounds. Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy has shown potential for biomedical imaging and burn diagnosis, while current burn assessment continues to rely on subjective clinical examination.
Handheld Scanner Enables 3D Terahertz Imaging
The inventors have developed a portable handheld spectral reflection (PHASR) scanner capable of acquiring three-dimensional spectroscopic images in the terahertz range of 0.1–3 THz.
The alignment-free device uses an asynchronous optical sampling system to achieve short scan times. It is connected only by an umbilical, allowing the scanning device to be used in clinical settings where previous portable terahertz imaging systems faced limitations related to size, scanning motion stages or image-acquisition alignment.
The technology is intended to provide an objective assessment of burn wounds while enabling fast image acquisition through a portable system.
Technology Addresses Burn Assessment Challenges
Burn depth and affected surface area are important factors in therapeutic decision-making. However, clinical diagnosis can be delayed for days while physicians determine whether a burn has reached its maximum depth.
The PHASR scanner is being developed as a high-speed diagnostic tool that could provide objective information on burn injuries. The device has already been used to characterize burn injuries in animal studies, while a human clinical trial is planned to further evaluate its use in diagnosing burn wounds and predicting wound-healing outcomes.
NDT Included Among Potential Applications
The technology's listed applications include biomedical imaging, burn wound diagnosis and non-destructive testing (NDT). Its ability to acquire three-dimensional spectroscopic images in the terahertz range provides the basis for its proposed use across these applications.
The technology is currently at the Human Data stage of development and is available for licensing. Its licensing potential includes development partnerships, commercial partnerships and licensing arrangements.
The intellectual property portfolio includes US Patent US12146790, along with published patent application WO2020185886.
Reference: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1143880
