# Multi-spectral Physiologic Visualization Imaging For Non-contact, Real-time Capture of Cardiovascular Vital Signs Using a Novel Optical Engineering Design

> **NIH NIH R43** · PERFUSIO CORP. · 2021 · $259,590

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
All aspects of healthcare delivery have been disrupted by the Covid pandemic. In this emerging era of new
pathogens and drug-resistance, even mundane and standard-of-care practices must now account for the
safety of the patient / provider interaction. This safety requirement is an immediate unmet need in
clinical medicine. An example is the process of capturing cardiovascular Vital Sign data using the Conventional
Interactive Monitoring (CIM) tools of a wristwatch, a single-point pulse oximeter, and a sphygmomanometer at
the beginning of the clinic visit. This data capture encounter now puts patients and providers at risk.
RFPi’s groundbreaking Multi-spectral Physiologic Visualization (MSPV) is an entirely non-contact, non-
invasive, and non-ionizing medical imaging technology that provides: 1) Blood Flow Distribution (flow in
vessels AND perfusion in tissues) in the Field of View (FOV); 2) 2D peripheral oxygen saturation (2D SpO2) in
tissues in the same FOV; and 3) cardiovascular physiologic status parameters of heart rate, blood pressure,
rate-pressure product, perfusion variation, and others from the metadata of the BFD imaging. This analysis
display is presented in immediate real-time from 10-14 seconds of coherent NIR laser and Visible light
imaging. The first clinical form factor of MSPV, called iCertainty™, is FDA-approved for open surgical use.
Prior studies have indicated that the MSPV data meet or exceed current clinical practice data standards for
consistency, variability, and accuracy. A clinic-appropriate form factor of the MSPV technology would
eliminate this encounter risk while capturing better quality cardiovascular Vital Sign data for better decision-
making and care delivery.
This Phase I proposal objective is to re-engineer the MSPV patient optics-tissue interface into a 1.5-2.5 cm
working distance (camera lens to tissue surface distance). This presents a number of optics engineering and
design challenges, so RFPi has brought together two outstanding Collaborating Organizations: INOV INC, a
30-year optics design and engineering firm (over $500 M in revenue generated by clients from INOV’s product
designs), and Nocturnal Product Development, LLC, a leading medical device design company in Durham, NC.
The two Specific Aims of the proposal are to: 1) Develop the optics solutions to optimize the Illumination and
Reflectance Image Capture challenges resulting from this short WD; and 2) Prototype Build of a Medical Grade
Physiology Determination (MGPD) device, with clinical proof-of-concept testing in 50 adult volunteer subjects
in the MSPV-NOED Study to determine consistency, variability and accuracy vs. the CIM tools currently in use.
These Phase I data and this Collaborating Organization team will quickly move to a Phase II application
designed to build and test a clinical MGPD form factor for FDA submission. This highly innovative technology
approach has the potential to impact patient and provider safety, as well as Vi...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10324829
- **Project number:** 1R43HL160285-01
- **Recipient organization:** PERFUSIO CORP.
- **Principal Investigator:** Thomas Bruce Ferguson
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $259,590
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-21 → 2023-06-20

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10324829

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10324829, Multi-spectral Physiologic Visualization Imaging For Non-contact, Real-time Capture of Cardiovascular Vital Signs Using a Novel Optical Engineering Design (1R43HL160285-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10324829. Licensed CC0.

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