Veinviewer Sees Veins Under Skin For Simpler Blooddraw

The Wired Nextfest is currently underway in NYC (report and photos coming!).   One product featured is the VeinViewer from Luminetx.  This amazing device uses near infrared light to image blood vessels under the skin’s surface.  A projector then projects an image onto the skin providing a roadmap for blood-draws that will eliminate the need for multiple pokes and fishing around.  Not only a very needed development for phlebotomy it has implications for future disease detection and vascular therapies.  A biometric device (Snowflake) is also under development which maps and idividual’s unique vein patterns for ID. 

I am very interested in the development of alternative and future imaging devices.  Augmented reality will be breakthrough technology in the future of medicine and this is one of the first applications commercialized.  Many modalities of energy can be coupled to this to target the vascular system.  Combinations with HMD’s or integrated OR’s allow incorporation  into the OR.  Once this technology enters the OR the potenetial for intrabdominal or internal organ use opens up and ultimately it could be incorporated into remote self-contained internal robotic devices…