• Current Optics and Photonics
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• 제5권4호
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• pp.351-361
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• 2021

Speckle imaging is capable of dynamic data acquisition at high spatiotemporal resolution, and has played a vital role in the functional study of biological specimens. The presence of various optical scatterers within the tissue causes alteration of speckle contrast. Thus structures like blood vessels can be delineated and quantified. Although laser speckle imaging is frequently used, an optimization process to ensure the maximum speckle contrast has not been available. In this respect, we here report an experimental procedure to optimize speckle contrast via applying different combinations of varying polarization of the illuminating laser light and multiple analyzer angles. Specifically, samples were illuminated by the p-polarization, 45°-polarization, and s-polarization of the incident laser, and speckle images were recorded without and with the analyzer rotated from 0° to 180° (Δ = 30°). Following the baseline imaging of a solid diffuser and a fixed brain sample, laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) was successfully performed to visualize in vivo mouse-brain blood flow. For oblique laser illumination, the maximum contrast achieved with p-polarized and s-polarized light was perpendicular to the analyzer's axis. This study demonstrates the optimization process for maximizing the speckle contrast, which can improve blood-flow estimation in vivo.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제42권3호
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• pp.116-124
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• 2021

It is important to differentiate between the target tissue (or organ) and the rest of the tissue before incision during surgery. And when it is necessary to preserve the differentiated tissues, the blood vessels connected to the tissue must be preserved together. Various non-invasive medical imaging methods have been developed for this purpose. We aimed to develop a medical imaging system that can simultaneously apply fluorescence imaging using indocyanine green (ICG) and laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) using laser speckle patterns. We designed to collect images directed to the two cameras on a co-axial optical path and to compensate equal optical path length for two optical designs. The light source used for fluorescence and LSCI the same 785 nm wavelength. This system outputs real-time images and is designed to intuitively distinguish target tissues or blood vessels. This system outputs LSCI images up to 37 fps through parallel processing. Fluorescence for ICG and blood flow in animal models were observed throughout the experiment.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.88-93
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• 2016

Recently laser speckle contrast (LSC) imaging has become a widely used optical method for in vivo assessment of blood flow in the animal brain. LSC imaging is useful for monitoring brain hemodynamics with relatively high spatio-temporal resolution. A speckle contrast imaging system has been implemented with electrical sensory stimulation apparatus. LSC imaging is combined with optical intrinsic signal imaging in order to measure changes in cerebral blood flow as well as neural activity in response to electrical sensory stimulation applied to the hindlimb region of the mouse brain. We found that blood flow and oxygen consumption are correlated and both sides of hindlimb activation regions are symmetrically located. This apparatus could be used to monitor spatial or temporal responses of cerebral blood flow in animal disease models such as ischemic stroke or cortical spreading depression.

• 대한전자공학회논문지SP
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• 제47권6호
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• pp.91-96
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• 2010

간섭성을 가진 레이저 빛을 산란체에 주사하였을 때 반사되는 정보의 간섭현상에 의해 생기는 불규칙한 무늬를 레이저 스펙클이라 한다. 레이저 스펙클 시스템은 동물의 특정부분의 기능적인 측면 관찰이 가능하고, 상대적으로 저렴하고 간단한 시스템으로 구성된다. 레이저 스펙클 시스템의 가장 큰 특징은 스펙클 이미지를 영상처리 과정을 통해 미세혈관 관찰이 가능하다는 것이다. 기존의 연구는 주로 영상처리를 통한 화질개선에 대해 연구가 많이 진행되었지만 본 논문에서는 레이저 스펙클 시스템을 소형화 하여 상용화시키기 위한 단계로서 레이저 스펙클 내시경을 제작하였다. 제작된 내시경의 성능테스트를 위해 동물실험으로 성능을 입증할 것이다. 피실험체로서 꼬리부분에 미세혈관을 가진 금붕어를 사용하였고 일반 자연광 이미지와 영상처리된 스펙클 이미지를 비교함으로써 내시경 시스템의 가능성을 보일 것이다.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.392-396
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• 2007

In this paper, we develop a new system to visualize the blood flow map in skin tissue, using the technique of Laser Speckle Flowgraphy (LSFG). The measuring unit consists of the laser diode, imaging system, line sensor, scanning mirror, and one-board microcomputer. The speckle signal is analyzed and sent to a PC, where the blood flow in a tissue area of $14mm{\times}26 mm$ is evaluated and displayed in a 2-D color map. It is demonstrated that the new LSFG instrument is useful to evaluate the degree of allergic reaction in patch test.

• 대한전자공학회논문지SP
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• 제47권1호
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• pp.97-102
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• 2010

레이저 스펙클이란 간섭성을 가진 레이저 빛을 산란체에 쏘았을 때 반사되는 정보를 레이저 스펙클이라 한다. 이 레이저 스펙클의 가장 큰 특징은 현재 의학 기술로는 볼 수 없는 미세혈관 관찰이 가능하다는 것이다. 미세혈관 관찰을 위해서 레이저 스펙클 장치로 얻은 이미지를 영상처리 하는 과정이 필요하다. 이 논문은 공간적 방향으로 다양한 크기의 윈도우를 적용시키는 새로운 영상처리법을 제안하였다. 기존의 영상처리법 LASCA에서는 고정된 크기의 윈도우를 적용시켜 영상처리 하였다. 하지만 작은 크기의 윈도우를 적용하였을 경우 이미지의 공간 해상도가 좋아 혈관이 잘 보이는 장점이 있지만 스펙클 노이즈의 영향을 많이 받게되는 반면 큰 크기의 윈도우를 적용하였을 경우 노이즈 제거에는 큰 효과를 보지만 해상도가 낮아져 영상이 흐릿해지는 현상을 발견할 수 있다. 그래서 우리는 이 두가지 방법의 장점만 살리는 적응 윈도우 기법을 소개한다. 우리는 적응 윈도우 기법과 기존의 라스카 이미지를 비교하여 보일 것이며 적응 윈도우 기법을 이용해 영상의 화질을 높인 것을 보일 것이다.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.396-400
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• 2016

Laser speckle patterns were used to monitor variations of thermal voltages of a cathode during a battery discharge. Discharge voltages measured with an oscilloscope were utilized as a figure of merit of thermal voltages in Zn metal. Using an optical imaging system, speckle patterns were taken for zinc metal surface over a time period of 3 minutes. Pixel sum distribution functions (PSDFs) were extracted from speckle patterns. Accumulated pixel sums quantified from PSDFs over an optimized grayscale range strongly correlated with discharge voltages. This suggested that dark matter or particles may have the capability of both absorbing and radiating thermal energies simultaneously. The black body-like properties were able to be validated by identifying coincidences with distinct features of a black body spectrum. The pixels belonging to the grayscale range were confirmed to represent dark matter of a speckle pattern. It was clear that dark matter was part of surface plasmon carriers. The proposed sensing system can be applied to monitor thermal energy variations in any material.

• 한국정밀공학회지
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.65-73
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• 1990

Speckle photography is a simple non-contacting method for analysing surface displacement. In its basic form, the object to be studied is illuminated with a beam of laser light from any convenient direction, and a double exposure photography of the surface recorded on the fine-grain film, the object is undergone the displacement to be measured between exposures. Like this, it allows the strain field to be evaluated in two dimensions. A direct experimental comparison of speckle photography with theoretical value on a notched tensile test specimen showed that serious errors could, however, occur due to local surface tilting and due to aberra- tions of the imaging lens. Methods of minimising these effects and those of the speckle de-correlation which occurs by the various conditions are discussed.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• 제5권4호
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• pp.362-369
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• 2021

Absolute position sensors are widely used in machine tools and precision measuring instruments because measurement errors are not accumulated, and position measurements can be performed without initialization. The laser speckle-based absolute position sensor, in particular, has advantages in terms of simple system configuration and high measurement accuracy. Unlike traditional absolute position sensors, it does not require an expensive physical length scale; instead, it uses a laser speckle image database to measure a moving surface position. However, there is a problem that a huge database is required to store information in all positions on the surface. Conversely, reducing the size of the database also decreases the accuracy of position measurements. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a new method to measure the surface position with high precision while reducing the size of the database. We use image stitching and approximation methods to reduce database size and speed up measurements. The absolute position error of the proposed method was about 0.27 ± 0.18 ㎛, and the average measurement time was 25 ms.

• 한국자동차공학회논문집
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.125-133
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• 1993

Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry(ESPI) using a CW laser, a video system and image processor was applied to the rotating displacement of rigid body. ESPI require no special surface preparation or attachments and displacements between any two arbitrary points on the surface can be measured. The characteristic speckle pattern formed when imaging a scattering surface illuminated by laser light retains phase information, which can be used for interferometric measurement of surface displacement. The application of this principle to measuring in-plane displacement resolved in one direction is described, together with the novel use of television equipment to detect and process the information contained in the speckle pattern. This is faster, and more convenient and versatile than customary photographic methods.