Research
G. V. Shustakova (group leader), E. Yu. Gordiyenko, Yu. V. Fomenko
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INFRARED IMAGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Our team has 30 years of experience in the development of infrared thermal imaging systems and technologies. Since 1992, 12 original models of thermal imagers have been developed, and more than 30 devices have been prototyped for solving various tasks of thermal analysis. We also have significant experience in the development of thermal imaging techniques necessary for using the thermal imaging method in various areas of human activity, including science and medicine. The main directions of our scientific activity today are:
Development of infrared image converters based on superconductors
We study of bolometric, noise and other properties of various superconducting thin-film structures, as well as the mechanisms of formation of a response to electromagnetic radiation in order to create efficient infrared images in a wide spectral range on their basis. The imager operation principle is based on the original idea of controlling the coordinate sensitivity of a superconducting bolometric structure using an external (current, magnetic, thermal, etc.) action. The method for controlling the coordinate sensitivity of an HTSC bolometer has been experimentally implemented using a laser scanning beam that forms areas sensitive to IR radiation on the surface of a HTSC thin-film meander. The developed highly efficient HTSC bolometric multi-element IR imager with electrodeless readout of the thermal field distribution is an alternative to IR thermal imaging systems based on multi-element matrices. [1,2]
Design of various original models of IR systems
We design and prototype various models of IR thermal imaging systems capable for simultaneously solving both standard tasks of thermal imaging analysis and various atypical tasks of scientific research (for example, very high or low temperature processes, phenomena accompanying non-thermal radiation, etc.) Such tasks cannot be solved when using serial thermal imagers, in which the hardware and software parts are not available for changes and upgrades. A distinctive feature of our models is the "open architecture" and modular design of hardware and software parts, which allows to change the parameters and functionality in accordance with the specific task being solved, to combine our device with other scientific or medical equipment, etc. [3,4]
Study of the thermal field dynamics
We study of the distribution and dynamics of abnormal thermal fields on the skin surface of cancer patients treated with radiotherapy for early non-invasive tumor diagnosis, as well as for predicting and monitoring the individual level of side local toxic reactions that occur during treatment. (The Agreement on scientific collaboration with the S.P.Grigoriev Institute for Medical Radiology and Oncology of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine "Development of new thermal imaging methods for early diagnostics of malignant tumors and control of the radiotherapy". - Continuation of research on the topic of the innovative project of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine "Development of a thermographic complex for medical use and thermal imaging methods of quantitative analysis of the dynamics of abnormal human thermal fields", No. 0114U002775). [5,6]
We use the active (dynamic) thermal imaging to measure the amplitude and temporal changes of excess temperature fields on the surface of aircraft elements or other products made of composite materials in order to detect internal defects and quantitatively estimate their parameters such as shape, size, depth, material, etc. (Continuing research after the ending of innovative project "The development of the infrared diagnostic complex and the method of detecting defects in composite material aircraft elements", supported of the NAS of Ukraine, No. 0116U005049). [7]
We study the thermal field distribution on the skin of patients with the problems of the musculoskeletal system for early non-invasive diagnosis of adolescent kyphosis, detection of osteochondrosis in various parts of the spine, non-invasive control of recovery processes after knee arthroplasty, etc. (Agreement on scientific collaboration with the Sytenko Institute of Spine and Joint Pathology of the NAMS of Ukraine "Development of methods for diagnostics of the pathology of the spine and joints").
We study the dynamics of temperature fields on the skin surface during short-term cryo-exposure of various duration and subsequent warming of biological tissues in vivo to develop a thermal imaging technique for intraoperative control of the growth of the primary tissue necrosis zone. (The agreement on scientific collaboration with the Institute for Problems of Cryobiology and Cryomedicine of the NAS of Ukraine "Development new thermal imaging methods for diagnostics of pathological conditions in the body and control of the biological tissues freezing and warming"). [8][9]
We study the dynamics of thermal fields on the skin of patients with skin and soft tissue lesions (wounds, burns, frostbite, neoplasms, etc.) to detect and analyze necrosis zones, impaired blood and lymph flow, inflammation and other concomitant pathological processes. (Innovative project "Development of thermal imaging equipment and methods for controlling the temperature fields on human skin in the treatment of skin and soft tissue pathologies", №0121U108515). [10]