Hyperspectral+Technology


 * Term:** Hyperspectral Technology


 * Description:**

This technology allows scientists and doctors to find out the composition of certain materials. This technology is used in doctor’s offices today; finding and tracking cancerous material in parts of the body is one of the main jobs conducted by hyperspectral technology. Hyperspectral imaging is different compared to viewing things from the human eye.; a human's eye can only view visible light frequencies while hyperspectral imaging allows us to view non-visible frequencies such as ultraviolet and infrared, much like multispectral imaging.

To identify different materials in the body, hyperspectral imaging can capture multiple ranges of light from the electromagnetic spectrum. When images are captured, they are then usually shown in a three dimensional manner for viewing from multiple angles. While this technology was not initially created to help people combat disease and discover new ways of diagnosing diseases and manufacturing cures for patients, it has found a big role in the healthcare industry for those reasons. Hyperspectral imaging was first created for geological purposes such as finding new material present in large rock beds where oil can be found.

Further research of this technology has helped doctors to view dangerous and abnormal material in patient’s tissue. Cancerous material is made up of a certain chemical composition in which light can pass through to a certain degree; this degree in which light passes through it is detected through hyperspectral imaging to allow doctors to pinpoint cancerous tissue. With previous technology, doctors were able view much smaller areas and can thus miss cancerous areas whereas hyperspectral imagining takes large and more in-depth images which help to improve any overlooking of malignant material in a patient's system.


 * Applications:**

Geological - Finding oil in rock beds. Medical - Finding Cancer in patients. Historical- Analyzing historical documents


 * References/Resources:**

-http://www.augsignals.com/media/hyperspectral_backgrounder.pdf -http://www.csiro.au/science/ps1cu.html -[|http://www.saic.com/] -http://www.hypermed-inc.com/tech.html


 * Graphics:**

Hyperspectral graphs, and a hyperspective image of the human retina.