The goal of the work presented in this thesis is to develop a wireless, near-infrared (NIR) imaging system to provide flexibility and functionality to clinicians and researchers who require monitoring of blood profusion to tissue, muscles, or the brain. The prototype device uses a single stimulus/detection unit composed of an Epitex NIR LED with three wavelength options: 730, 805, and 850 nm, and an OPT101 photodiode detector. The device can be used to detect changes in the levels of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin in the body by measuring the amounts of absorbed and backscattered light at the wavelength associated with the correct compound. The backscattered light collected by the optical sensor is converted to a digital, serial bit stream for wireless transmission to a base station computer. The usefulness of this design may significantly change the way in which researchers and clinicians study the human body. Without the need to attach a subject to bulky equipment and confine them to a laboratory setting, the investigator can gather data unrestricted by the experimental setting. This advantage permits a vital metabolic indicator to be studied in many different and extremely difficult situations
