SBIR-STTR Award

The Small Innovation Research Phase I program will develop a design of a portable confocal laser microscope for high contrast images and small depth of view of thick specimens. This would produce blur-free, crisp images of thick specimens at various depths. This microscope is particularly suited for biological investigations. It is intended for the observation of objects embedded within transparent or translucent bodies in three dimensions, such as nerve cells in an intact brain. Specific aims of the phase I study are to: 1) develop a design of a portable confocal microscope by a using a proprietary laser device, 2) obtain the 14X14 image from laser device with high magnification and contrast, and 3) exploring the possibility of digital imaging for Internet data transmission. Completion of these phase I tasks will demonstrate the technical feasibility of the proposed portable microscope and lay the necessary foundation for subsequent Phase II development efforts. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION The proposed low costs, portable confocal laser/microscope for high contrast images and small depth of view of thick specimens will be an extremely useful tool for pathologists and scientists to view the specimen in three dimensions. This portable scope could be incorporate into endoscope, which will have wide application in cancer detection and diagnosis of diseases.

Thesaurus Terms:
bioengineering /biomedical engineering, biomedical engineering, confocal scanning microscopy, image processing biomedical equipment development, laser, semiconductionNational Center for Research Resources (NCRR)

New Dimension Research Inc. is developing an innovative portable confocal scanning laser microscope (PCSM) by using a matrix-addressable laser/detector array chip (MALD). Unlike conventional confocal laser scanning microscopes, this instrument has no moving parts or bulky optics. Its low cost, portability and fast image acquisition make it ideal for biological research, and for the diagnosis of cancers and other diseases requiring microscopy. There currently exists no fast-imaging instrumentation that is compact and readily deployable in clinical or research laboratories. This system provides a high efficient, high output for the real-time cell imaging. This capability is essential in order to reap the benefits of the ongoing biomedical revolution. Our objective is to further the development of the technology demonstrated in Phase I which produced confocal scanning imaging by using a two-dimensional micro-laser/detector array. Phase ll will also address the technical issues required for Phase III commercialization and production of the two-dimensional matrix-addressable laser/detector array with control circuits, bilens and accessory electronics. The goal of the Phase II is to demonstrate that confocal imaging can be obtained by using a matrix-addressable laser/detector array, and the optical-sectional imaging of the biological tissue, as well as to develop a prototype of a portable microscope. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: We foresee that the applications of confocal microscopy can range from biomedical research to clinic diagnosis, from pharmaceutical to semiconductor manufactures.

Thesaurus Terms:
computer system design /evaluation, confocal scanning microscopy, digital imaging, image processing, portable biomedical equipment bioengineering /biomedical engineering, computer program /software, cytology, laser, microprocessor /microchip, miniature biomedical equipment, semiconduction bioimaging /biomedical imagingNATIONAL CENTER FOR RESEARCH RESOURCES