Advancing Fluorescence-Guided Surgery with the FAR-Pi System: A Novel, Wearable, and Cost-Effective Solution

Innovative FAR-Pi System Revolutionizes Fluorescence-Guided Surgery

A groundbreaking new technology, the FAR-Pi system, is set to transform fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) with its open-hardware inspired design. This fully wearable, head-mounted, battery-powered system is not only easy to build but also significantly smaller, lighter, and more affordable than existing FGS solutions. By incorporating features such as ambient light subtraction and optical alignment of imaging module cameras with the surgeon’s view, the FAR-Pi system offers improved reliability and capability, bringing the goal of globally accessible FGS within reach.

One of the key advantages of the FAR-Pi system is its modular design, which makes it highly customizable. For example, the core FAR-Pi FGS module, capable of detecting coaligned white light and NIR fluorescence, can be modified to be compatible with implementations beyond AR glasses. This innovative approach opens up possibilities for a range of novel, low-cost FGS implementations beyond goggle-based systems.

Future studies will focus on validating the FAR-Pi system in real-world surgical settings and conducting comparative studies with existing FGS systems. Further development of the FAR-Pi system holds the potential to improve human health by making the benefits of FGS available to patients worldwide.

The FAR-Pi system addresses key technical challenges in FGS, such as working distance between surgical field and components, laser diode array characterization, RPiV2 camera resolution and depth of focus, dual visible and NIR imaging, and NIR fluorescence sensitivity. In addition, the system incorporates innovative methods for synchronizing laser excitation with camera frame capture to remove ambient NIR and implementing FGS with an augmented reality heads-up display.

By combining FAR-Pi components with off-the-shelf AR glasses and ensuring surgeon comfort and ease of use, the system provides a seamless and efficient solution for fluorescence-guided surgery. Surgeons can now benefit from real-time, high-resolution imaging with minimal latency, enhancing their ability to perform precise and accurate surgical procedures.

Overall, the FAR-Pi system represents a significant advancement in the field of fluorescence-guided surgery, offering a cost-effective, customizable, and globally accessible solution that has the potential to revolutionize surgical practices and improve patient outcomes.