Variable polarization and skin depth analysis methods and apparatuses

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for capturing and analyzing images of tissue, such as human skin, using variable polarization. Exemplary devices are described having a detection polarizer via which an area of tissue is imaged and one or more light sources whose emitted light is polarized with one or more source polarizers. In a first such device, one or more of the detection polarizer and a source polarizer is rotatable so as to allow the angle between their polarizations to be varied. An area of tissue can be imaged as the angle is varied. Another device has multiple fixed source polarizers of different polarization orientations, each source polarizer polarizing the light emitted by a corresponding group of light sources which can be selectively activated, thereby enabling the device to illuminate an area of tissue with polarized light of different orientations relative to the orientation of the detection polarizer. Images of an area of tissue captured with different polarizations provide information from different depths, allowing visualization of superficial as well as subsurface features.