Researchers at the University of Arizona have developed a gamma-ray photon counting device that works similarly to PET, but with a novel architecture that improves the accuracy and speed in determining the location of the biological targets, and is less costly to manufacture. 

Background: 
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a common and reliable medical imaging technology, able to monitor metabolism or the presence of certain biological molecules in body tissues. The sensitivity is several orders of magnitude higher than MRI, CT, or SPECT; however, there remain artifacts in determining the precise location of the biological targets within a sample, caused by the positron range and non-collinearity effect. Furthermore, the cost of manufacturing the required pixelated crystals for PET is high.

Advantages:

• No positron range or non-collinearity artifacts
• Greater accuracy for location of biological targets
• Lower manufacturing costs; no need for pixelated crystals
• No pixel decoding required

Applications:

• Medical imaging of biological targets
• Locating target molecules
• Monitoring metabolism

Status: issued U.S. patent #11,385,362 and #11,819,346

This technology is an optical system consisting of a right angle prism, or thin parallel plate, in conjunction with water, an index matching fluid, or some other liquid, that completely reflects acoustic waves to and from an array ultrasound transducer while being optically transparent. The geometry allows simultaneous direct illumination, with high-energy laser pulses, of the region imaged by the ultrasound transducer array.  This extends the existing capabilities of an ultrasound transducer with the ability to acquire photoacoustic data.

This device addresses the challenge of illuminating thick samples with relatively large transducer arrays impeding the direct illumination of the imaging area. This is the first known method of directly illuminating thick media for imaging with array transducers without redirecting the light around the transducer or custom designing the transducer.

Background:
The photoacoustic effect is a conversion between light and acoustic waves due to absorption and localized thermal excitation. When rapid pulses of light are incident on a sample of matter, they can be absorbed and the resulting energy will then be radiated as heat. This heat causes detectable sound waves due to pressure variation in the surrounding medium.

Advantage: 

• Simple design
• Potentially enables the development of low cost photoacoustic probes built upon existing ultrasound probes
• Simplifies setup for medical imaging and biomedical research

Application:

• Medical diagnostic applications, potentially ranging from cancer detection to aiding in the early diagnosis of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s

Status: issued U.S. Patent #8,879,352 - Ultrasonic/photoacoustic imaging devices and methods and U.S. Patent #10,241,199 - Ultrasonic/photoacoustic imaging devices and methods

This technology is a new method to produce hydrophone and acoustic detectors based on the acoustoelectric effect, rather the piezoelectric effect to create an electrical signal. The manufacturing method uses photolithographic techniques, offering finer control of the design and scale of the device. In order to produce detectors or hydrophones for ultrasound imaging and therapy, it is necessary to manufacture them on a fine scale (sub-millimeter to a few microns) by means of, for example, photolithographic techniques, which permit a much smaller feature size than previous acoustoelectric hydrophones. Techniques include: deposition of thin films by electron-beam deposition or electrolysis; spin-coating with photoresist, water-proofing agents, or other substances; exposure of photo-reactive agents under ultraviolet light through a mask; and etching of surfaces with layer-specific etchants. Previous publications have demonstrated proof-of-concept with relatively crude devices created with artisanal techniques, but none so far have reported actual results from an acoustoelectric hydrophone with this level of resolution, attributable to sub-millimeter feature sizes made in a clean-room environment.

Applications:

• Mapping for any type of ultrasound or sound transducer
• Detection of sound signals of any kind
• Potential applications non-destructive testing and leak detection industries
• High frequency ultrasound imaging
• Applications where piezoelectric devices are not optimal

Advantages: 

• Compared to a piezoelectric device, the invention is relatively inexpensive and robust and requires only a conductive material (rather than piezoelectric ceramic).

This patented system (U.S. Patent 9,952,157) uses a combination of green and blue fluorescence with reflectance, aimed at simple but effective contrast improvements through division, multiplication, subtraction and additions of individual images. To the best of our knowledge no other formulaic images system based on three or more components uses near-UV or mid-UV excitation.

Observation is conducted at one or multiple wavelength bands ranging from 300-800 nm. Signal is related to emission of native fluorophores such as tryptophan, NADH, collagen, elastin and FAD and light that is reflected and/or has undergone multiple scattering and absorption events on native chromophores and scatterers. The formulaic computations are conducted based on a single, two and more images recorded at different optical configuration and named here A, B, C for illustration of three different images. In particular formulas based on ratios (A/B), three components ratios (A/B/C or A*B/C) and ratio with additions such as 1/(A+B) or A/(B+C), or subtractions such as 1/(A-B) and A/(B-C) are most useful. Fluorescence images obtained at excitation/emission ranges: (250-300)/(300-400), 320/(350-450), (340-360)/(400-500), (400-450)/500-600 are sensitive to protein synthesis, protein content, extracellular proteolysis, cellular metabolism, as well as the structure and content of the extracellular matrix, including collagen and elastin contained therein. Reflectance images at 350-400 nm, 400-440 nm, 450-500 nm, 530-600 nm, and longer wavelengths as they are related to vascularity and proliferation, which is important in that vascularity changes in disease processes such as cancer and inflammation.

Background
Formulaic video rate or still imaging provides maximal contrast between diseased tissue (lesions) and surrounding normal tissues, or between two different disease processes (such as cancer and inflammation), or between different grades of disease such as cancer, high grade dysplasia and low grade dysplasia (pre-cancer).

Synthetic formulaic images are computed with the goal to provide maximized contrast between lesions and surrounding normal tissue. Lesion refers to diseased tissue that includes but is not limited to cancer, pre-cancer, fibrosis, inflammation and ischemia. When implemented in endoscopy such computed formulaic images provides optimized lesion contrast, exceeding the contrast for normal white light visual observation without the need for labeling or manipulation of the tissue in a real-time manner.

Application:

• Detection of precancerous lesions of the cervix and oral cavity
• Visualization of adenocarcinoma in colon specimens

Advantages:

• Not dependent on use of dyes
• Formulaic images computed in real time
• Easily integrated into endoscopes
• Improves imaging of flat lesions that are easily missed
• Well define lesion borders

Status: issued U.S. patent #9,952,157.
Further investigations will determine the efficacy of our methods in comparison to existing techniques. Investigators seek funding for instrument development as the current imager can only measure excised tissue as well as larger clinical study to obtain more data on small as well as flat lesions. This will extend their image library and help further optimize the image formula towards one that is most sensitive to small and flat lesions but also has high specificity.

This project proposes three improvements to a falloposcope under development. This falloposcope was designed with optical elements selected for detection of early stage ovarian cancer in fallopian tube epithelium. The data collected by the falloposcope is grounded in a growing body of medical research.

Falloposcopes were used in the 1990s to treat infertility through cannulation of tubal occlusions. However, use waned because devices were fragile and required greater training to use. Plus, IVF was gaining popularity and generally the preferred method for treating infertility. Pregnancy rates from IVF and falloposcopic tuboplasty (FT) were similar though, and better quality images might improve the diagnosis of tubal patency (health of lumen and mucosa) which is a factor for understanding infertility.

Background:
Although rare, ovarian cancer is often deadly because it is detected late. Pelvic ultrasounds and the CA-125 blood test are generally accurate for detecting late stage III-IV ovarian cancer, but the survival rates are less than 30%, compared with > 90% survival rates for cancer detected in early stages, I-II. Therefore, there is strong interest in developing better early detection screening procedures, particularly for high risk women with the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutation. A reliable early detection procedure would provide an option other than removal of all reproductive organs after 40 for high risk women.

Research includes examining early stage lesions on the surface of ovaries and fallopian tube epithelium. Access to the fallopian tubes through the cervix is an attraction option because it does not involve surgery; instead, falloposcopic examination can be done in a clinic with mild sedation. However, to be effective, a falloposcope must be small enough to pass through the narrow 1mm opening from the uterus to the proximal portion of the fallopian tube but it must have sufficient resolution and field of view to image the 4cm wide fimbral portion of the tube approximately 10cm away.

Applications:

• Falloposcopic tuboplasty
• Detection of early stage ovarian cancer

Advantages:

• Small diameter
• Sophisticated optics
• Able to collect variety of data

This project is one of the three improvements to a falloposcope under development described in UA19-249. This falloposcope was designed with optical elements selected for detection of early stage ovarian cancer in fallopian tube epithelium. The mode scrambler improvement in this project acts to widen and brighten the illumination profile to better serve imaging the fallopian tube lumen. This is particularly important at the farther ends of the tubes, where the tubes branch into fingers. Cancer research has focused on the transfer of pre-cancerous lesions from the fallopian tube epithelium to the ovary surface at this interface.

Background:

Although rare, ovarian cancer is often deadly because it is detected late. Pelvic ultrasounds and the CA-125 blood test are generally accurate for detecting late stage III-IV ovarian cancer, but the survival rates are less than 30%, compared with > 90% survival rates for cancer detected in early stages, I-II. Therefore, there is strong interest in developing better early detection screening procedures, particularly for high risk women with the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutation. A reliable early detection procedure would provide an option other than removal of all reproductive organs after 40 for high risk women. Current research includes examining early stage lesions on the surface of ovaries and fallopian tube epithelium. Access to the fallopian tubes through the cervix is an attractive option because it does not involve surgery; instead, falloposcopic examination can be done in a clinic with mild sedation. However, to be effective, a falloposcope must be small enough to pass through the narrow 1mm opening from the uterus to the proximal portion of the fallopian tube but it must have sufficient resolution and field of view to image the 4cm wide fimbral portion of the tube approximately 10cm away.

Other companies using fiber optics have employed similar methods for achieving changed illumination profiles though not in the field of endoscopic examination of the fallopian tubes for early cancer screening.

Applications:

• Falloposcopic tuboplasty
• Detection of early stage ovarian cancer

Advantages:

• Easy to manufacture and implement in falloposcope prototype
• Inexpensive

This invention is a multi-camera-based system that can produce 3-dimensional (3D) images of human respiratory gas patterns, volume, rate and carbon dioxide (CO2) content through two complementary imaging techniques, combined with 3D computerized models of gas flow.

Background:
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a major complication in patients with severe COVID-19 pulmonary disease that can manifest shortly after the onset of difficulty breathing. As ARDS onset can occur very quickly after the appearance of mild respiratory symptoms of COVID-19, it is essential to have a means to monitor and quickly identify respiratory decline before it reaches a critical level.

Current evaluation of respiratory distress and failure uses cumbersome and relatively invasive pulmonary function tests (e.g. spirometry, lung volume, lung diffusion capacity, etc.). However, patients with severe ARDS may be unconscious or too weak to effectively perform these tests and cannot be transported to testing equipment. Furthermore, administering these tests requires close contact of healthcare personnel with patients, which increases the risk for healthcare personnel contracting a viral infection. This invention has the ability to safely monitor COVID patients for ARDS before major complications set in that can be fatal.

Applications:

• ARDS detection
• Breathing complication diagnosis
• Modeling gas flows
• COVID-19

Advantages:

• Safe/remote
• Noninvasive
• 3D modeling ability

COVID, COVID-19, COVID19, Coronavirus

This technology is a calibration method that could be a game changer for adoption of photon counting-based imagery. It solves long-standing challenges in the calibration of detectors used in medical imaging devices and is also useful for security screenings and other imaging photon counting detectors. The method is simple to use, requires less time than conventional calibration methods, and is easy to implement, while also pushing the current state of the art into additional applications.

Background:
The calibration process for photon counting-based imagery has been a hindrance to its broader adoption. The relative signal strengths of the light sensors within the photon counting detectors are used to estimate the position and energy attributes of each gamma-ray interaction. Several methods consisting of simple linear combinations of signals are conventionally used to estimate gamma-ray interaction position for monolithic crystal gamma-ray detectors. In order to apply these methods, detector calibration is necessary to determine the detector sensors response as a function of gamma-ray interaction position. However, each of these methods has significant disadvantages, such as being very time consuming or being unable to calibrate depth of interaction information. Accordingly, what is needed is an improved method for calibrating gamma-ray and photon counting detectors.

Applications:

• Diagnostic imaging instruments, imaging centers and software providers
• Hospitals and contract research organizations (CROs)
• Medical research laboratories
• Academic medical centers and universities
• Security screening

Advantages:

• Reliable
• Easy to use
• Efficient and precise
• Allows for use of the whole camera frame
• 3D calibration
• Improves imaging accuracy

Status: issued U.S. patent #11,531,126

This system monitors ultrafine particulate matter and pollution in the air using compact, inexpensive, and portable devices, which enable time-resolved measurements particle sizes. It could be used to implement a dense network of devices, which provide ultra-precise real-time monitoring of air content and quality levels.

Background:
Particulate matter 100 nm and smaller is “ultrafine” particulate matter, which is particularly hazardous to human health despite not being widely monitored like “fine” particulate matter, which is less than 2.5 um in size. Lensfree microscopes have advantages over conventional microscopes due to their cost-effective hardware, compact and light-weight form factor, and high-space bandwidth product, which is the field of view divided by the area of the smallest resolvable spot. A high space-bandwidth product allows many objects to be imaged simultaneously within a large field of view (FOV).

Applications:

• Research
• Healthcare
• Internet of things
• Energy and utilities 
• Industrial monitoring
• Consumer electronics
• Environmental monitoring

Advantages: 

• Cost-effective hardware
• Light-weight form factor
• Ultrafine particulate matter sensing
• High-space bandwidth product for simultaneous object imaging in large FOVs

This invention consists of the design and embodiments of a statically optical see through head mounted displays (OST-HMDs) in which the angular pixel density decreases with the increase of the filed eccentricity according to a specified angular pixel density function. 

To facilitate the head mounted display capability to simultaneously see the image rendered by a display and the view go the real-world scene, a freeform prism is utilized as the optical combiner to merge the optical paths of the virtual image display and real-world view. The implementation of the described features creates minimally perceivable image artifacts and image resolution discontinuity and may further eliminate or limit the need for an eye tracker or scanning mechanism.

Background: 
Head-mounted displays (HMDs) have been created for numerous effective purposes, including training, medical education, navigation, and various other applications. Traditional HMD configurations utilize the widely accepted rectilinear sampling approach, which is primarily employed in 2D display and imaging systems. As a result of using such configurations, conventional HMD are subject to the inherent trade-off between field of view (FOV) and resolution.

To alleviate the trade-off between FOV and resolution, a foveated display, inspired by the foveation properties of the human eye, can be generally defined as a method that identifies a user's region of interest (ROI) and allocates limited resources, such as a finite number of pixels or data processing and transmission bandwidth, differently between the ROI and the peripheral area outside the ROI region.

Applications: 

• Training
• Medical education
• Navigation
• Entertainment

Advantages: 

• Can realize a large FOV and high resolution in a display system at the same time
• Can achieve a spatially varying angular pixel density distribution for the virtual display path

Raspberry Pi is a card-sized mini-computer, which acts as a data processing center that replaces the prior commercial frequency locking system. It greatly reduces the size and the weight of the FLOWER system, making it possible for the FLOWER system to be carried by people or mounted on a drone.

This optical technology has remote sensing capabilities that can be used in biomedical research for COVID-19.

Background:

FLOWER (frequency locked optical whispering evanescent resonator) is a patented system, which can measure low concentrations of biological and chemical molecules down to the single molecule limit. Although FLOWER is able to sense low concentrations of molecules, it occupies a large footprint and currently fits on a 4’ x 6’ optical table in the lab. This technology miniaturizes FLOWER, making it lightweight and portable.  

Applications:

• An instrument to detect individual biomedical nanoparticles
• Remote sensing capabilities

Advantages:

• More portable
• Higher processing capability
• Ability to connect to the internet
• Ability to share data
• Less expensive

COVID, COVID-19, COVID19, Coronavirus

This invention outlines a new way of preparing a microtoroid optical resonator for the purpose of detecting amyloid-β plaque. Traditional ways of surface functionalization leave roughness on the optical resonator, making it difficult to achieve a higher Q-factor. This invention provides a new way of smoothing the surface of a resonator so that ultrasensitive detection can be achieved, providing high Q-factors as well as reduced scattering loss, which is important when detecting key biomarkers such as amyloid-β.

This has potential application in biomarker detection for patients with COVID-19, as well as vaccine research.

Background:

Optical resonators are a key component of biosensors that are used in many different applications. However, the resonator has to have a smooth surface to allow the capture of light at different wavelengths. The ability of a resonator to capture light effectively is referred to as its Q-factor (quality factor). Traditional ways of smoothing the surface of a resonator still leave too much residual roughness that leads to a lower q-factor, and thus less accurate detection of biomarkers.

Applications:

• Biomarker detection for healthcare diagnostics and drug development
• Defense/security applications to detect explosives, chemical weapons, drugs
• Environmental biosensors for air/water quality
• Detection of disease in agricultural/food products

Advantages:

• Achieves better surface smoothness for an optical resonator
• Better Q-factor, longer wavelengths
• Better for the detection of biomarkers
• Validated in Alzheimer's use case 

COVID, COVID-19, COVID19, Coronavirus

This invention uses a photothermal spectroscopy method to detect and identify individual molecules/particles without the use of fluorescent tags or radioactive ligands. Whispering gallery optical sensor technologies are on the cutting edge of biosensing technology. Photothermal microscopy has found applications in diverse fields, including materials science, nanotechnology, biology, and medicine, offering valuable insights into thermal transport phenomena, photothermal interactions, and thermal properties of complex structures.

Background: 
Traditional methods of optical microscopy require fluorescent tags and radioactive ligands to detect and identify the molecules or particles being studied. This invention enables the ability to capture both spatial and temporal information makes it a powerful tool for studying thermal dynamics and exploring heat-related phenomena at the micro and nanoscale.

Applications: 

• Medical diagnostics
• Nanotechnology
• Biology 
• Materials science

Advantages: 

• Label-free imaging
• High sensitivity and specificity
• Generative 3D imaging

Researchers at the University of Arizona have developed a method to replicate holographic optical elements (HOEs) in a manner that eliminates the problems with contact copy techniques, and introduces additional functionalities not possible to achieve with those techniques. UArizona's novel process replicates volume HOEs based on optical contact with the master HOE. Unlike common industry variants, no physical contact is required between the master HOE and the copy HOE.

Background:
Hologram replication is an important topic when considering mass-production of volume holographic optical elements (HOEs) of all shapes and sizes. The current standard is the replication technique known as contact copy, which involves making direct contact with the copy HOE is order to create the master HOE. Contact copy and variant methods face issues with the fabrication process, complexity of design, speed of systems and sensitivity problems due to mechanical vibration.

Applications:

• Photovoltaic applications
• Augmented/virtual reality
• Security 

Advantages:

• Ease of use
• Improves alignment
• Preserves quality of master hologram
• Reduces sensitivity to manufacturing speed
• Accommodates HOEs of complex shapes

Status: issued U.S. patent #11,714,382

This invention is a bidirectional isolator that can be a stand-alone component, or used to stabilize the output of a bi-directional ultra fast fiber laser. The use of the isolator in such a laser allows the various modes to oscillate with fixed phases with respect to one another and constructively interfere with one another, producing an intense burst or pulse of light. 

Background: 
Polarization effects can cause unwanted power and frequency modulation in laser systems generally.  In bi-directional lasers, this can cause the lasers to become unstable. Conventional means of isolating the polarization state of the light within the bidirectional laser are expensive and difficult to align.

Applications:

• Bi-directional ultra fast pulsed lasers
• Spectroscopy
• Precision range-finding
• Pump-probe experiments using asynchronous sampling

Advantages:

• Inexpensive and compact
• Easier to align, and keep aligned
• Accommodates self-starting
• Low insertion loss, high extinction ratio

Status: issued U.S. patent #11,715,925

This invention is a method and apparatus that can measure the mechanical resonance and mode shape of a mechanical structure. The apparatus can provide important information regarding the structure of an object under different loading and operating conditions. This can help designers and engineers to create a robust mechanical design, to verify the results from their frequency analysis with the final design of the structure, and to monitor change during different operating conditions.

Background:
Resonance is a property that is found on all mechanical structures. Resonance can be described as the sensitivity of a mechanical system to a specific vibration frequency (Vogel). Excessive vibrations can cause a mechanical structure to suffer of poor reliability, premature failure, and increased cost of maintenance and parts.

The importance of ensuring and knowing the resonance frequency is high as by knowing at what frequencies a mechanical structure starts to oscillate at its maximum amplitude can ensure that the structure’s functionality, performance, and lifecycle (Blatter). The invention aims to measure the mechanical resonance and mode shapes of a mechanical structure to prevent any possible issues in the structure.

Applications: 

• Imaging of mechanical structures
• Design validation from analysis
• Process monitoring in a manufacturing environment

Advantages: 

• Can be used in a manufacturing environment
• Gives direct feedback of a mechanical structure under different loading and operating conditions

This invention is a new class of hybrid inorganic-organic polymer chemistry for synthesizing high refractive index optical polymers.  Monomers for these materials comprise vinylic groups linked to a protecting group capable of being cleaved upon application of an external stimulus.  The refractive index of the polymer may be changed during the process of polymerization by the external stimuli.  This invention provides an attractive and low cost alternative for polymeric optical devices that require variable and high refractive index materials and allows for facile fabrication of polymer waveguide devices, including for use as optical interconnects.  The material may be used in a wide range of IR applications, including for short-wave infrared and mid-wave infrared.

Background:
There is a need for polymeric optical materials which possess ultra high indices of refraction and are cheap and easy to process for use in optical mirrors and reflectors, including waveguides, in the infrared spectrum.

Applications:

• Mirrors
• Reflectors
• Waveguides
• Bragg gratings
• Interconnects
• Optical devices for infrared transmission or reflection
• SWIR
• MWIR

Advantages:

• Low cost ultra high refractive index
• Refractive index is tunable during the polymerization process
• Polymeric infrared waveguides

US Patent Granted No. 11,685,797

Researchers at the University of Arizona have designed a paradigm-shifting space telescope technology. The technology produces ultra-lightweight, transmissive lenses that are fabricated economically in segments. The novel aspects of the technology facilitate quick assembly with very high precision alignment.

Background: 
Improvements in space telescope technology are needed. For example, mirror systems may be heavy, costly, and may comprise transmission loss and reduction in light throughput. Also, segmented mirror system has very sensitive alignment and assembly tolerance, which increases the overall system complexity and budget.

Advantages: 

• Quick assembly
• Excellent alignment among segments
• Lightweight
• Very large aperture

Applications:

• Space-based astronomy
• Ground-based astronomy

This technology is a new alignment, co-phasing and assembly approach called KEYS (Kinematically Engaged Yoke System) that uses intrinsic surface profiles of multiple order diffraction (MOD) optical segments. The technology is composed of a harness that has negatively shaped semi-kinematic “keys” which fits the MOD-side-step-like mechanical profile that is manufactured with high optical precision.

Background: 
Improvements in space telescope technology are needed. For example, mirror systems may be heavy, costly, and may comprise transmission loss and reduction in light throughput. Also, segmented mirror system has very sensitive alignment and assembly tolerance, which increases the overall system complexity and budget.

Applications: 

• Space-based astronomy 
• Ground-based astronomy 

Advantages: 

• Excellent alignment
• High optical precision
• Align, co-phases, and locks optics for space or ground-based telescopes
• Quick assembly
• Very large aperture

Status: issued U.S. patent #11,204,509

This patented smartphone-based ophthalmic examination device is coupled with accessories and software applications for ocular diagnosis. This multi-operative device/system possesses many capabilities for preliminary ocular examinations namely; (bio-) microscope or opthalmoscope function, ophthalmic slit-lamp, a pupillometer, fundoscope, scheimpflug camera, and stereo imaging (stereo-photo) device. This device/system is intended to be portable and handheld as well as compatible with telemedicine.

Background: 
Ensuring clinical access to health care requires that mobile approaches be explored. Researchers at the University of Arizona are developing a comprehensive smartphone-based ophthalmic examination device that is coupled with accessories and software applications for ocular diagnosis in remote or austere locations where ophthalmic or optometric support is unavailable.

Applications:

• Glaucoma testing
• Fundoscopy/fundus camera
• Pupillometry
• Macro- and micro- imaging of ocular surfaces and interior structures
• Slit-lamp
• Scheimpflug imaging of the eye
• In-situ (early) diagnosis via smartphone
• Space, military, or sea-based operations
• Disaster areas and/or humanitarian missions
• Sporting events

Advantages:

• Portable and handheld
• Ability to use outside the clinical setting
• In-situ diagnosis of ocular conditions
• Compatible with telemedicine

Status: issued U.S. patent #10,842,373