For industries such as food and healthcare, these seals must be completely airtight to prevent contamination, spoilage, or leaks. The system uses a technique called optical coherence tomography, or OCT, to inspect seals without opening or damaging the package. OCT is an imaging technology that uses harmless near-infrared light to look beneath the surface of materials. One of the biggest achievements of the project was integrating the OCT system directly into a commercial packaging machine. Although the first application focuses on packaging, the researchers believe the technology has much broader potential.