Top Photonics News: Biophotonics and Blood—August 30, 2013

This week, photonics is out for blood—and that's a good thing. These recent news items show how health-related blood analysis and research relying on spectroscopy, microscopy, and other photonic techniques aim to improve health for all.

1. A novel "smart watch" monitors health but does not, after all, predict your death.
Laser wristwatch indicates vascular health; 'death test' status hyped (Laser Focus World)

2. A different technique (using laser-fluorescence microarray analysis) can apparently predict a certain type of death.
Suicide can be predicted using blood biomarkers (spectroscopynow.com)

3. Fluorescent tagging can help reveal how blood vessels grow and repair themselves.
Microscopy, molecular methods look at how blood vessels stay healthy (BioOptics World)

4. Near-IR spectroscopy helps monitor how well ultrasound works in healing blood-blocking venous ulcers.
Ultrasound patch heals venous ulcers in human trial (Medical Xpress)

5. More near-IR spectroscopy: this version penetrates the skull to check for brain injuries.
NIR spectroscopy instrument assists in monitoring brain injuries (BioOptics World)