Abstract


Ashley Cummings, Peter Letendre
Joe Pow, Dmitry Vorobiev
Rochester Institute of Technology High School Internship
July 17 2017
Abstract
The purpose of our research is to find a new method of detecting skin cancer using polarized light. In order to detect cancer, we will measure skin cell birefringence; a property where refraction in skin depends on the polarization state and direction of incoming light. When subjected to circularly polarized light, healthy skin cells will have a high birefringence, reflecting linear polarized light, while cancerous skin will have negligible birefringence and will reflect circularly polarized light. Using a polarization-sensitive CCD, we will capture the backscatter of circularly polarized light projected onto skin with varying degrees of incidence. Through finding the optimal angle of polarized light projection, we will be able to determine which areas in the skin sample are healthy or cancerous.

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