The company compares hyperspectral imaging to television. If you were to view the leaves of a tree on a black-andwhite television, you might not observe colors that indicate disease. But if you were able to view the leaves on a color television, which displays variations of red, green, and blue, you might easily be able to pick out brown spots or other telltale signs of disease.

Taking the analogy one step further, if you were able to view the leaves in hundredsof colors — not just red, green, and blue — you might be able to pick out minute or faint color differences that indicate disease. The analogy carries over to looking at eyes and other parts of the human body. “You can look at the eye and you can find different colors associated with different types of diseases that might be starting on the eye,” said a Kestrel researcher.

Kestrel’s use of hyperspectral imaging also promises time savings. The company said that other researchers have attempted, through various means, to produce more detailed images of the retina, almost always requiring several minutes of observation and therefore many flashes of light onto the retina. Such an approach is not only annoying to the patient, but also does not account for saccades, the tiny almost imperceptible movements of the eye that constantly occur.

Where it Stands

Kestrel seeks new opportunities that will allow the company to commercialize the technology without deviating from its core business, which is research and development.

More Information

For more information on Kestrel’s hyperspectral imaging technology for eye disease diagnosis, click here. (Source: MDA TechUpdate, Missile Defense Agency, National Technology Transfer Center Washington Operations.)