Ultraviolet Communication for Medical Applications
Abstract
Under the Phase I Option of the awarded SBIR contract, Imaging Systems Technology (IST) investigated the efficacy of short range, medium data rate non-line-of-sight (NLOS) optical communication using ultraviolet (UV) light in the solar blind region (200 280 nm). The application is wireless transfer of medical data for battlefield combat casualty care. IST improved components of the Phase I test bench hardware in order to experimentally demonstrate feasibility of medium-rate NLOS data communication up to 50 m. To this end, effort was directed towards increasing optical output power. The output power of IST's proprietary UVC-emitting Plasma-shells was increased from 36 W at the end of Phase I to 70 W per device at the end of the Phase I Option. An improved pulsed LED emitter source was constructed that increased pulse power from 2.6 mW in Phase I to 124 mW with 12 beam width. The improved LED light source was evaluated outdoors using the test bench system at a range of 50 m, and received photon counts were consistent with medium data rate communication. Future Phase II efforts will develop theory and prototype hardware to achieve the full set of performance goals outlined in the solicitation topic, eliminating the need for wires in battlefield casualty care and many other military applications.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA601962
Entities
People
- Lee W. Cross