Near-Infrared Light Might be Least Invasive Way to Diagnose and Treat Cancer

San Francisco startup Openwater is aiming to prove that there must be better technology than MRI. Headed by Mary Lou Jepsen, a holography researcher and former lead developer at a number of top tech companies, Jepsen suffered from a hidden tumor for months before it was detected by an MRI. Drawing upon her experiences, she created Openwater to rely on the power of red light to make parts of the body translucent, a revolutionary kind of holography system.

The Openwater optical imaging systems are so small that they could fit in a skull cap or under a small patch. As an optical imaging system, these devices work by dispersing and then catching near-infrared light inside our bodies. This process creates actual holograms that reveal our internal organs, and possibly more.

But the Openwater technology isn’t only capable of showing us any malignant abnormalities that may have taken shape in our bodies. It could even prevent or cure such diseases in the first place.  “Because of the photodynamic quality of cells, you could cure all kinds of diseases or reduce chemotherapy doses by 25 times,” Jepsen told Wired.

Science fiction lovers out there will be intrigued by one potential side effect that Jepsen said the imaging products could offer: the ability to read not only what’s going on in our bodies, but our minds as well.

The small wavelength given off by near-infrared light is even tinier than the smallest neuron, Jepsen said. The resolution of such technology is minsicule enough to make even our thoughts visible in hologram form - all for the price of a smartphone.