If you have hard-to-find veins, donating blood or giving a blood sample can feel torturous instead of like a routine medical procedure.

New technology being tested in Australia hopes to illuminate veins to take the guesswork out of drawing blood. By using a harmless near-infrared light beam directed at the skin, the blood's hemoglobin absorbs the light and the veins are illuminated, making it easier for health care workers to identify good veins for a blood draw.

The handheld scanning device is portable, so it can be used in a variety of settings.

The Australian Red Cross is currently testing the new device at blood donation centers in Sydney.

http://youtu.be/OlsohMj_IVA

About the Author

Featured

Travelers walk around the baggage claim in the South Terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. Atlanta is among the airports where the FAA will reduce flights due to the shutdown, and airports are facing a shortage of air traffic controllers. 
(Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez