Intelligent Optical Systems, Inc. (IOS) proposes to design and fabricate an entirely new type of spectrograph for the analysis of burned skin depth. This innovative spectrograph, which will allow the collection of optical information in precisely those regions of the visible and near-infrared spectrum associated with burn-induced discoloration, will be coupled to an advanced signal processing software package developed exclusively for this application. The objective of this project is to develop a compact, imaging, noncontact, burn wound scanner. Phase I will concentrate on the design and fabrication of a working model of our novel spectrograph and a demonstration of its application to burn spectrum acquisition and burn skin depth analysis on animal models. Currently, the results of burn depth diagnosis performed by an experienced expert are only about 50 percent accurate. Burn analysis using expensive laser doppler techniques can improve the accuracy to approximately 70 percent. IOS s burn analyzer is expected to have much higher accuracy (greater than 90 percent), will cost less, and will be user-friendly.
In 1996, there were 1,250,000 burn cases. Among them, 51,000 were hospitalized and 23,000 were treated at specialized burn treatment centers. The proposed noncontact, noninvasive, real- time, accurate, portable, and affordable burn analyzer can be used in hospitals, emergency rooms, trauma centers, emergency vehicles, doctors offices, and burn units, and also at ambulatory centers, or accident sites. Currently, burn diagnosis is an 800M dollars/year market. The proposed intelligent burn analyzer has great commercial potential not only in burn market, but also in the markets of skin wound and disease analysis.
