Hyperspectral Funduscopic Imaging Device with Wavelength Selective Illumination

To address the Air Force need for a hyperspectral funduscopic imager to study changes in the spectral reflectance of the retina due to lesion formation associated with laser exposure, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Hyperspectral Funduscopic Imaging Device with Wavelength Selective Illumination (FIDSI). The proposed FIDSI is based on a standard ophthalomoscope with wavelength selective illumination achieved by the use of a liquid crystal tunable filter (LCTF). The innovation in combining an LCTF with a standard ophthalmoscope and applying spectral-matching filters to enhance lesion contrast and detectability will enable FIDSI to detect and characterize various types of laser-induced lesions better than techniques currently employed. As a result, FIDSI is a novel analytical instrument that directly addresses the mission of the Optical Radiation Branch at the Human Effectiveness Directorate to predict and mitigate the harmful effects of directed energy on personnel and mission performance, and to exploit these effects for non-lethal weapon applications. In Phase I, POC will demonstrate the feasibility of FIDSI by developing a proof-of-concept prototype. In Phase II, we plan to develop a pre-production prototype, and demonstrate it can be utilized as a research and in-field diagnostics tool. BENEFIT: Potential commercial applications of FIDSI will include diagnostics of retinal diseases that affect the spectral reflectance of the retina, and biometric identification systems. It can be incorporated into the standard equipment list of ophthalmic photography laboratories.