Recipient: Dresden University of Technology
Funding: Go-Bio initial (01/10/2022 to 30/09/2023, EUR 119,724)

Project description:

Imaging techniques are essential for the examination and diagnosis of patients and animal models. The scattering and absorption of light in the tissue is a hurdle. Therefore, endoscopes are needed for visual examinations. Existing endoscopes work with lens optics that ensure that their diameter is significantly larger than one millimetre. This can result in damage to sensitive tissue. Furthermore, complex and expensive measuring heads are used and often only 2D imaging is available, which then prohibits many applications.

In the fibre endoscope project an innovative, sub-millimetre-thin and flexible endomicroscope for in-vivo applications is to be developed. Technically, commercial image waves are to be expanded for this purpose – from conventional components for the pure transmission of images or light intensity to components for the transmission of complete light information consisting of light intensity and light phase. For this purpose advances in optical manufacturing technology are used, so that lens optics can be dispensed with. The realised fibres are monolithic, which means that they are inextricably linked and therefore very robust. They can be used for a wide range of applications in biomedical research as well as in everyday clinical practice. In the exploratory phase a market analysis is to be carried out, the feasibility is to be examined and the target markets and target products are to be defined in order to be able to optimally exploit the broad application potential of the innovative endoscope.