Breakthrough helps us see into the unknown

SCIENTISTS AT St Andrews University have made a breakthrough in fibre optic research which could lead to advances in medicine.

For the first time, they have worked out how to transmit accurate images along a single strand of fibre optic cable.

Although yet to be clinically tested, the discovery by DrTomas Cizmar and Professor Kishan Dholakia could one day allow doctors to see inside some of the hardest-to-reach parts of the body, such as the brain.

The breakthrough could lead to the development of new, inexpensive and minimally invasive imaging devices and scopes, opening the door to improved diagnosis and understanding of a range of diseases.

Until now, clear images have only been possible with thicker fibre optic cables. However, the scientists at St Andrews have managed to achieve clear results using a single strand no thicker than a human hair.

The problem with using a single strand is that images become distorted as the light travels down the cable.

Dr Cizmar, a research fellow at the university’s school of medicine and Professor Dholakia, from the physics and astronomy department, have worked out how to reverse the “randomisation” of the light to reveal the original image.

Dr Cizmar said: “Holographic control of randomised light signals is a young but very progressive discipline.

“It is only a few years since the experiments. However, we have already witnessed number of immensely promising

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first achievements, some of them originating in St Andrews.

“Our new contribution represents a further extension of this branch to the bio-medical community and we are looking forward to see what a further advancement of these techniques may bring in the future. It is a very exciting time.”

St Andrews University hopes to build on this research and is fundraising to support biomedical research as part of its 600th anniversary campaign.

Above left, the St Andrews fibre optic cable and above right, Dr Tomas Cizmar of the town’s university.