Optical Technologies for Improving Healthcare in Low-Resource Settings: introduction to the feature issue.

This feature issue of Biomedical Optics Express presents a cross-section of interesting and emerging work of relevance to optical technologies in low-resource settings. In particular, the technologies described here aim to address challenges to meeting healthcare needs in resource-constrained environments, including in rural and underserved areas. This collection of 18 papers includes papers on both optical system design and image analysis, with applications demonstrated for ex vivo and in vivo use. All together, these works portray the importance of global health research to the scientific community and the role that optics can play in addressing some of the world's most pressing healthcare challenges.

[1]  Taeyoon Son,et al.  Trans-pars-planar illumination enables a 200° ultra-wide field pediatric fundus camera for easy examination of the retina. , 2019, Biomedical optics express.

[2]  G. Cincotti,et al.  Geometrical-optics approach to measure the optical density of bacterial cultures using a LED-based photometer. , 2019, Biomedical optics express.

[3]  Ruikang K. Wang,et al.  Hyperspectral imaging enabled by an unmodified smartphone for analyzing skin morphological features and monitoring hemodynamics. , 2020, Biomedical optics express.

[4]  Xuenan Liu,et al.  Detail-preserving pulse wave extraction from facial videos using consumer-level camera. , 2020, Biomedical optics express.

[5]  Nicholas J. Durr,et al.  Development of a low-cost imaging system for remote mosquito surveillance. , 2020, Biomedical optics express.

[6]  Christian Brand,et al.  Smartphone epifluorescence microscopy for cellular imaging of fresh tissue in low-resource settings. , 2019, Biomedical optics express.

[7]  Imran S. Vohra,et al.  In vivo imaging of cervical precancer using a low-cost and easy-to-use confocal microendoscope. , 2020, Biomedical optics express.

[8]  Nicholas J. Durr,et al.  Visualization of blood cell contrast in nailfold capillaries with high-speed reverse lens mobile phone microscopy. , 2020, Biomedical optics express.

[9]  Vittorio Bianco,et al.  Compact off-axis holographic slide microscope: design guidelines. , 2020, Biomedical optics express.

[10]  Ji-Woong Choi,et al.  Prefrontal functional connectivity analysis of cognitive decline for early diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study. , 2020, Biomedical optics express.

[11]  Zhihong Huang,et al.  Fluorometric optical sensor arrays for the detection of urinary bladder cancer specific volatile organic compounds in the urine of patients with frank hematuria: a prospective case-control study. , 2020, Biomedical optics express.

[12]  Jeremy J. Baumberg,et al.  Robotic microscopy for everyone: the OpenFlexure microscope , 2020, Biomedical optics express.

[13]  Daniel J. McDuff,et al.  Simple and affordable imaging of multiple physiological parameters with RGB camera-based diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. , 2020, Biomedical optics express.

[14]  Tathagato Rai Dastidar,et al.  Whole slide imaging system using deep learning-based automated focusing. , 2019, Biomedical optics express.

[15]  René Vidal,et al.  Generative optical modeling of whole blood for detecting platelets in lens-free images. , 2020, Biomedical optics express.

[16]  Helen E. Parker,et al.  Frugal filtering optical lenses for point-of-care diagnostics , 2020, Biomedical optics express.

[17]  Y. Hu,et al.  Cell phone digital microscopy using an oil droplet. , 2020, Biomedical optics express.

[18]  Mildred S. Cano-Velázquez,et al.  Fiber optic interferometric immunosensor based on polydimethilsiloxane (PDMS) and bioactive lipids. , 2020, Biomedical optics express.