Biophotonics for all: light transport through tissue

Graham M. Gibson; Akhil Kallepalli

doi:10.1117/12.2664775

Biophotonics for all: light transport through tissue

Graham M. Gibson^*, Akhil Kallepalli^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Biomedical Engineering

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution book

Abstract

Biophotonics is becoming increasingly prominent in value and visibility. What was predominantly an advanced field of research is now being included increasingly in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. To increase biophotonics-related STEM awareness, we developed a simple demonstration kit using LEDs and a camera that allows visualising of the blood vessels beneath the skin (specifically the blood vessels in the fingers). The kit uses inexpensive blue, green, red and near-infrared LEDs to show the absorption of shorter wavelengths and transmission of longer wavelengths in the skin. As an outreach and educational tool, this demonstration kit will illustrate the potential of using light for diagnostics.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Seventeenth Conference on Education and Training in Optics and Photonics, ETOP 2023
Editors	David J. Hagan, Mike McKee
Place of Publication	Bellingham, Washington
Number of pages	6
ISBN (Electronic)	9781510666719
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2664775
Publication status	Published - 18 May 2023
Event	17th Conference on Education and Training in Optics and Photonics, ETOP 2023 - Cocoa Beach, United States Duration: 15 May 2023 → 18 May 2023

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume	12723
ISSN (Print)	0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)	1996-756X

Conference

Conference	17th Conference on Education and Training in Optics and Photonics, ETOP 2023
Country/Territory	United States
City	Cocoa Beach
Period	15/05/23 → 18/05/23

Funding

This work was made possible through the support and contributions of the Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship, seed grants from the IEEE Photonics Society and Institute of Physics Optical Group, EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) awards [EP/R511705/1, EP/X5257161/1] and EPSRC Funding to QuantIC [EP/M01326X/1].

Keywords

cameras
educational
LEDs
outreach
photonics
STEM

Access to Document

10.1117/12.2664775

Spatio-temporal techniques for multi-dimensional imaging
Kallepalli, A. (Principal Investigator)
1/01/23 → 31/12/25
Project: Research Fellowship

Data for: "Biophotonics for All: Light transport through tissue"
Kallepalli, A. (Creator) & Gibson, G. (Creator), Zenodo, 19 Apr 2024
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7869025, https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/link_gateway/2023SPIE12723E....M/doi:10.1117/12.2691518
Dataset

Optics and diagnostics for the clinic
Kallepalli, A. (Invited speaker)
25 Nov 2025
Activity: Talk or Presentation › Invited talk
Light in Daily Life and Using Light for Medicine (Education Outreach)
McGurk, N. (Participant), Ul Islam, N. (Participant) & Kallepalli, A. (Contributor)
12 Jun 2025
Activity: Public Engagement and Outreach › Education Outreach
IOP: Girls into Physics and Engineering
Eadie, F. (Contributor), Naveed Ul Islam, N. (Contributor) & Kallepalli, A. (Contributor)
26 Mar 2025
Activity: Public Engagement and Outreach › Education Outreach

Cite this

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title = "Biophotonics for all: light transport through tissue",

abstract = "Biophotonics is becoming increasingly prominent in value and visibility. What was predominantly an advanced field of research is now being included increasingly in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. To increase biophotonics-related STEM awareness, we developed a simple demonstration kit using LEDs and a camera that allows visualising of the blood vessels beneath the skin (specifically the blood vessels in the fingers). The kit uses inexpensive blue, green, red and near-infrared LEDs to show the absorption of shorter wavelengths and transmission of longer wavelengths in the skin. As an outreach and educational tool, this demonstration kit will illustrate the potential of using light for diagnostics.",

keywords = "cameras, educational, LEDs, outreach, photonics, STEM",

author = "Gibson, \{Graham M.\} and Akhil Kallepalli",

year = "2023",

month = may,

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doi = "10.1117/12.2664775",

language = "English",

series = "Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering",

editor = "Hagan, \{David J.\} and Mike McKee",

booktitle = "Seventeenth Conference on Education and Training in Optics and Photonics, ETOP 2023",

note = "17th Conference on Education and Training in Optics and Photonics, ETOP 2023 ; Conference date: 15-05-2023 Through 18-05-2023",

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Gibson, GM & Kallepalli, A 2023, Biophotonics for all: light transport through tissue. in DJ Hagan & M McKee (eds), Seventeenth Conference on Education and Training in Optics and Photonics, ETOP 2023., 1272303, Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, vol. 12723, Bellingham, Washington, 17th Conference on Education and Training in Optics and Photonics, ETOP 2023, Cocoa Beach, United States, 15/05/23. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2664775

Biophotonics for all: light transport through tissue. / Gibson, Graham M.; Kallepalli, Akhil.
Seventeenth Conference on Education and Training in Optics and Photonics, ETOP 2023. ed. / David J. Hagan; Mike McKee. Bellingham, Washington, 2023. 1272303 (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 12723).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution book

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T1 - Biophotonics for all

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AU - Gibson, Graham M.

AU - Kallepalli, Akhil

PY - 2023/5/18

Y1 - 2023/5/18

N2 - Biophotonics is becoming increasingly prominent in value and visibility. What was predominantly an advanced field of research is now being included increasingly in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. To increase biophotonics-related STEM awareness, we developed a simple demonstration kit using LEDs and a camera that allows visualising of the blood vessels beneath the skin (specifically the blood vessels in the fingers). The kit uses inexpensive blue, green, red and near-infrared LEDs to show the absorption of shorter wavelengths and transmission of longer wavelengths in the skin. As an outreach and educational tool, this demonstration kit will illustrate the potential of using light for diagnostics.

AB - Biophotonics is becoming increasingly prominent in value and visibility. What was predominantly an advanced field of research is now being included increasingly in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. To increase biophotonics-related STEM awareness, we developed a simple demonstration kit using LEDs and a camera that allows visualising of the blood vessels beneath the skin (specifically the blood vessels in the fingers). The kit uses inexpensive blue, green, red and near-infrared LEDs to show the absorption of shorter wavelengths and transmission of longer wavelengths in the skin. As an outreach and educational tool, this demonstration kit will illustrate the potential of using light for diagnostics.

KW - cameras

KW - educational

KW - LEDs

KW - outreach

KW - photonics

KW - STEM

U2 - 10.1117/12.2664775

DO - 10.1117/12.2664775

M3 - Conference contribution book

AN - SCOPUS:85171152135

T3 - Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

BT - Seventeenth Conference on Education and Training in Optics and Photonics, ETOP 2023

A2 - Hagan, David J.

A2 - McKee, Mike

CY - Bellingham, Washington

Y2 - 15 May 2023 through 18 May 2023

ER -

Biophotonics for all: light transport through tissue

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Projects

Spatio-temporal techniques for multi-dimensional imaging

Datasets

Data for: "Biophotonics for All: Light transport through tissue"

Activities

Optics and diagnostics for the clinic

Light in Daily Life and Using Light for Medicine (Education Outreach)

IOP: Girls into Physics and Engineering

Cite this