At just 20 years old, Steffen Strobel has developed an innovative system that uses near-infrared technology to visualize veins beneath the skin. His project, titled “Blick in die Blutbahn” (Looking Inside The Bloodstream), earned him first place and a Chancellor Prize at the renowned Jugend Forscht (Youth Research) competition.

Steffen’s creation is a compact near-infrared CCD system that employs a monochrome FireWire camera from The Imaging Source—specifically, the DMK 21AF04 model—and an IR filter to achieve its remarkable results. This technology allows medical professionals to see through the skin, making it easier to locate veins for injections without repeated attempts or unnecessary pain.

The need this addresses is clear: doctors often struggle with finding accessible veins, especially in patients with thin skin or difficult-to-access areas. Each failed attempt can cause frustration and discomfort. Steffen’s system changes that by providing a real-time view of the vascular network directly on a monitor connected to the device. The sophisticated software he developed processes the infrared data captured from beneath the skin.

This project demonstrates impressive technical skill combined with practical application. By leveraging off-the-shelf components like cameras from The Imaging Source, Steffen created an affordable and effective solution that could potentially improve medical procedures worldwide.

To understand how this technology works in practice, you can view a photo of Steffen along with his award-winning system below. For more details about the camera hardware used in this project, please refer to our coverage on:

  • The Imaging Source FireWire Cameras

Last Updated: 2025-09-05 01:54:59