Imagine a high-tech flashlight that doesn't just light up a room, but tells you exactly what every object is made of by looking at colors the human eye can't see. This tool helps surgeons see the exact boundary between a brain tumor and healthy tissue in real-time. It's like having a live, high-definition map that prevents the surgeon from accidentally removing healthy parts of the brain.
Neurosurgeons struggle to distinguish between tumor and healthy brain tissue in real-time, often relying on static preoperative images or invasive stimulation that lacks quantitative accuracy.
A handheld, all-optical hyperspectral imaging system and AI algorithms for molecular fingerprint recognition and image reconstruction.
If you are a surgical imaging provider dealing with the lack of real-time functional data during brain surgery — this project developed a handheld hyperspectral imaging system that provides quantitative molecular fingerprints. This allows for better delineation of pathological areas compared to healthy tissue.
If you are a software developer dealing with the difficulty of reconstructing complex spectral data in the OR — this project developed AI-based methods for image reconstruction and biomarker quantification. This enables the transformation of raw light data into actionable surgical maps.
If you are a biotech firm dealing with the inability to validate biomarkers in live human brain tissue — this project developed an all-optical probe that maps and monitors biomolecules of interest. This provides a way to validate new biomarkers during actual neuro-oncological interventions.
Based on available project data, the specific commercial price is not mentioned, though the EU provided a contribution of EUR 3,360,825 for development.
The project is currently focused on developing a laboratory version and providing proof-of-principle in surgery, suggesting it is not yet at industrial scale.
Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not provided, but the project involves a consortium of 9 partners including universities and industry.
The project period runs from 2022-10-01 to 2027-09-30, with validation planned in phantoms, in vivo, and finally during brain tumor surgery.
The system is designed to be handheld and user-friendly, acting as a functional-guided neuronavigational tool to complement existing MRI or PET-CT preoperative plans.
The consortium is heavily weighted toward research and academia, with 4 universities and 3 research institutions. However, it includes 1 industry partner and 1 SME, resulting in an 11% industry ratio. This structure suggests the project is primarily focused on high-risk technical validation and scientific discovery rather than immediate commercial rollout.
Contact the Universita degli Studi di Firenze research office regarding the HyperProbe project.
Contact us to identify potential licensing opportunities for hyperspectral surgical probes.
