Abstract: A system and method for depositing a sample of a threat agent onto a substrate. A single illumination source illuminates the threat agent deposited on the substrate with a plurality of photons to thereby produce elastic scattered photons and Raman scattered photons. The threat agent on the substrate is identified. The system and method operate in a trigger mode that detects the presence or absence of the threat agent, and an identification mode that identifies the threat agent.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to Method and Apparatus for Super Montage Large area Spectroscopic Imaging. In one embodiment of the disclosure, a method for producing a spectroscopic image of an object includes the steps of (a) irradiating the object with light to thereby produce from the object scattered and/or emitted (interchangeably “scattered”) light for each of a plurality of wavelengths; (b) producing separately for each of the plurality of wavelengths a plurality of substantially contiguous sub-images of the object; (c) compensating for spatial aberrations in ones of the sub-images for a select one of the plurality of wavelengths; (d) compensating for intensity aberrations between ones of the substantially contiguous sub-images for one of the plurality of wavelengths; and (e) combining the sub-images for the select one wavelength to thereby produce said spectroscopic image of the object.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to Method and Apparatus for Super Montage Large area Spectroscopic Imaging. In one embodiment of the disclosure, a method for producing a spectroscopic image of an object includes the steps of (a) irradiating the object with light to thereby produce from the object scattered and/or emitted light for each of a plurality of wavelengths; (b) producing separately for each of the plurality of wavelengths a plurality of substantially contiguous sub-images of the object; (c) compensating for spatial aberrations in ones of the sub-images for a select one of the plurality of wavelengths; (d) compensating for intensity aberrations between ones of the substantially contiguous sub-images for one of the plurality of wavelengths; and (e) combining the sub-images for the select one wavelength to thereby produce said spectroscopic image of the object.

Abstract: A system and method for depositing a sample of a threat agent is deposited onto a substrate. A first optical collection device collects at least one of the following: elastic scattered light produced by the threat agent, and Raman scattered light produced by the threat agent. A second optical collection device collects Raman scattered light produced by the threat agent, wherein the second optical collection device comprises a two dimensional non-linear array of optical fibers drawn into a one dimensional fiber stack that converts a non-linear field of view into a linear field of view, wherein the one dimensional fiber stack is coupled to an entrance slit of a Raman imaging spectrometer. The threat agent deposited on the substrate is identified.

Abstract: A system and method for depositing a sample of a threat agent onto a substrate. The deposition of the threat agent onto the substrate is visually observed by analyzing the elastic scattered photons produced by the threat agent using elastic scatter imaging to form an image of the threat agent on the substrate, wherein depositing of the threat agent is substantially coincident in time with visually observing of the deposition of the threat agent. A system and method for depositing a sample of a threat agent onto a substrate. A single illumination source illuminates the threat agent on the substrate with a plurality of photons to thereby produce elastic scattered photons. Deposition of the threat agent onto the substrate is visually observed by analyzing the elastic scattered photons produced by the threat agent using elastic scatter imaging to form an image of the threat agent on the substrate.

Abstract: A system and method of correlating Raman measurements with digital images of a sample so to classify the sample's disease state. A spectroscopic data set is obtained for the sample positioned in the field of view of a spectroscopic device. With the sample removed from the field of view, the sample is treated with a contrast enhancing agent. The treated sample is repositioned in the spectroscopic device's field of view and a digital image of the treated sample is obtained. The spectroscopic data set is linked with the digital image by defining a transformation to map the image spatial coordinates of the digital image to the spectral spatial coordinates of the spectroscopic data. For the spectroscopic data set of the sample, a database is searched to identify a spectroscopic data set, of a known sample having well characterized pathology, which matches the sample's spectroscopic data set.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting aerosol threats comprising electrostatic collection and deposition of a threat agent onto a substrate. The threat agent deposited on the substrate is illuminated with a plurality of photons to thereby produce Raman scattered photons. The Raman scattered photons are analyzed in order to identify the threat agent.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting aerosol threats comprising electrostatic collection and deposition of a threat agent onto a substrate. The threat agent deposited on the substrate is illuminated with a plurality of photons to thereby produce Raman scattered photons. The Raman scattered photons are analyzed in order to identify the threat agent.

Abstract: A system and method for depositing a sample of a threat agent onto a substrate. The deposition of the threat agent onto the substrate is visually observed by analyzing the elastic scattered photons produced by the threat agent using elastic scatter imaging to form an image of the threat agent on the substrate, wherein depositing of the threat agent is substantially coincident in time with visually observing of the deposition of the threat agent. A system and method for depositing a sample of a threat agent onto a substrate. A single illumination source illuminates the threat agent on the substrate with a plurality of photons to thereby produce elastic scattered photons. Deposition of the threat agent onto the substrate is visually observed by analyzing the elastic scattered photons produced by the threat agent using elastic scatter imaging to form an image of the threat agent on the substrate.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a method for determining illumination parameters for a stained sample, the method may include providing a stained sample and obtaining an absorption band of the sample; obtaining an emission band of the sample and determining the illumination parameters for the sample as a function of the absorption band and the emission band of the sample.

Abstract: A method of ablating a viable biological pathogen in a sample. A viable biological pathogen in a portion of the sample is identified by irradiating the sample; assessing radiation scattered from the sample for radiation that exhibits a Raman shift characteristic of the viable biological pathogen, and delivering an ablating agent to the identified portion.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a portable system having a fiber array spectral translator (“FAST”) for obtaining a spatially accurate wavelength-resolved image of a sample having a first and a second spatial dimension that can be used for the detection of hazardous agents by irradiating a sample with light, forming an image of all or part of the sample using Raman shifted light from the sample, and analyzing the Raman shifted light for patterns characteristic of one or more hazardous agents.

Abstract: Raman scattering of radiation applied to a water sample is used to assess occurrence of a pathogen in the sample. The method is useful for detecting pathogens that are difficult to detect using other methods, such as protozoa. Examples of organisms that can be detected in water samples using these methods include protozoa of the genus Cryptosporidium and the genus Giardia. The methods described herein have important applications, such as for detection of Cryptosporidium organisms in municipal water systems.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and devices for assessing one or more components of a selected tissue in an animal. The present invention permits non-invasive assessment of tissue components in a body structure containing multiple tissue types by assessing multiple regions of the animal's body for an optical characteristic of the tissue of interest and separately assessing one or more optical (e.g., Raman or NIR) characteristics of the tissue component for one or more regions that exhibit the optical characteristic of the tissue of interest.

Abstract: A system method for depositing a sample of a threat agent is deposited onto a substrate. The threat agent is illuminated via an illumination source along an optical path with a plurality of photons to thereby produce photons transmitted, reflected, emitted or Raman scattered by the threat agent. An optical system collects elastic scatter photons produced by the threat agent and at least one of photons transmitted, reflected, emitted or Raman scattered by the threat agent, wherein said illumination source is located along an optical path, and said substrate is located along a plane wherein the optical path is at an angle other than 90° with respect to the substrate plane. The depth of field of the optical system is extended by passing at least one of the following through a phase mask: elastic scattered photons, and photons transmitted, reflected, emitted or Raman scattered by the threat agent.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a method for determining illumination parameters for a stained sample, the method may include providing a stained sample and obtaining an absorption band of the sample; obtaining an emission band of the sample and determining the illumination parameters for the sample as a function of the absorption band and the emission band of the sample.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and devices for assessing one or more components of a selected tissue in an animal. The present invention permits non-invasive assessment of tissue components in a body structure containing multiple tissue types by assessing multiple regions of the animal's body for an optical characteristic of the tissue of interest and separately assessing one or more optical (e.g., Raman or NIR) characteristics of the tissue component for one or more regions that exhibit the optical characteristic of the tissue of interest.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and devices for assessing one or more blood components in an animal. The present invention permits non-invasive assessment of blood components in a body structure containing blood and other tissue types by assessing multiple regions of a tissue surface for an optical characteristic of blood and separately assessing one or more optical (e.g., Raman or NIR) characteristics of the blood component for one or more regions that exhibit the optical characteristic of blood.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting dynamic changes that occur in a sample between a first time interval and a second time interval using a series of at least first and second sequential chemical images of the sample. During the first time interval: (i) the sample is illuminated with a plurality of photons to thereby produce photons scattered or emitted by the sample; (ii) a two-dimensional array of detection elements is used to simultaneously detect scattered or emitted photons in a first predetermined wavelength band from different locations on or within the sample; and (iii) the two-dimensional array of detection elements is thereafter used one or more further times to simultaneously detect scattered or emitted photons in one or more further predetermined wavelength band(s) from different locations on or within the sample. The outputs of the two-dimensional array of detection elements during the first time interval are then combined to generate the first chemical image of the sample.

Abstract: In one embodiment the disclosure relates to a method and a system for determining the corrected wavelength of a photon scattered by a sample. The method includes the steps of determining a wavelength of a photon scattered from a sample exposed to illuminating photons and passed through a tunable filter and correcting the determined wavelength of the photon as a function of the temperature of the tunable filter and as a function of the bandpass set point of the tunable filter. The step of correcting the determined wavelength can further include determining an offset and adding the offset to the determined wavelength of the photon.