Abstract:
This PhD project is a basic research and it concerns with how human’s
physiological features, such as tissue oxygen saturation (StO2), can be
captured from a stand-off distance and then to understand how this remotely
acquired physiological feature can be deployed for biomedical and other
applications.
This work utilises Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI) within the diffuse optical
scattering framework, to assess the StO2 in a contactless remote sensing
manner. The assessment involves a detailed investigation about the wavelength
dependence of diffuse optical scattering from the skin as well as body tissues,
under various forms of optical absorption models. It is concluded that the threechromophore
extended Beer Lambert Law model is better suited for assessing
the palm and facial tissue oxygenations, especially when spectral data in the
wavelengths region of [516-580]nm is used for the analysis.
A first attempt of using the facial StO2 to detect and to classify people’s
emotional state is initiated in this project. The objective of this work is to
understand how strong emotions, such as distress that caused by mental or
physical stimulations, can be detected using physiological feature such as
StO2. Based on data collected from ~20 participants, it is found that the
forehead StO2 is elevated upon the onset of strong emotions that triggered by
mental stimulation. The StO2 pattern in the facial region upon strong emotions
that are initiated by physical stimulations is quite complicated, and further work
is needed for a better understanding of the interplays between bodily physique,
individual’s health condition and blood transfusion control mechanism. Most of
this work has already been published and future research to follow up when the
author returns back to China is highlighted.
