The Physics Explained
Understanding Photon Emissions
The Science Behind What Bio-Well Actually Measures
When skeptics encounter Bio-Well technology, their first question is usually the right one: "What is this device actually measuring?" It's a fair question that deserves a precise, physics-based answer—not marketing language or vague references to "energy."
This article provides that answer. We'll walk through the exact physical mechanisms that occur when a fingertip touches the Bio-Well sensor, explain what creates the visible glow, and clarify the important distinction between what is measured and how those measurements are interpreted.
Understanding this distinction is crucial for practitioners who want to communicate with scientific precision—and for anyone seeking to evaluate the technology on its merits.
The Critical Distinction
Mechanism = the physics of what happens when electrons and photons are emitted (established science)
Interpretation = what those emissions tell us about biological states (empirically validated, ongoing research)
Part 1: The Physical Mechanism
Bio-Well technology is based on a well-documented physical phenomenon called Gas Discharge Visualization (GDV), also known as Electro-Photonic Imaging (EPI). The underlying physics involves three interconnected processes: electromagnetic field generation, electron extraction through ionization, and photon emission capture.
Let's examine each step in detail.
Electromagnetic Field Generation
When a fingertip is placed on Bio-Well's glass electrode, the device applies a precisely controlled electromagnetic field with the following characteristics:
The high voltage combined with extremely low current (microamperes) creates a strong electromagnetic field without any risk to the subject. The pulses last approximately 10 microseconds at a repetition frequency of 1024 Hz for 0.5 seconds total.
Electron Extraction & Air Ionization
When this electromagnetic field interacts with the fingertip surface, it causes electron emission from the skin. Here's what happens at the atomic level:
Step A: The high-voltage field extracts electrons from the surface of the skin through a process similar to the photoelectric effect, but induced by the electromagnetic field rather than light.
Step B: These extracted electrons collide with air molecules (primarily nitrogen and oxygen) surrounding the fingertip.
Step C: The collisions cause ionization—the air molecules lose electrons and become ionized, creating a cascade effect known as an "electron avalanche."
This ionization process creates what physicists call a gas discharge or corona discharge—the same phenomenon that creates the glow around high-voltage electrical equipment.
Photon Emission & Capture
The ionization cascade produces visible light through a well-understood quantum mechanical process:
When electrons in ionized air molecules return from excited states to their ground states, they release energy in the form of photons—discrete packets of light energy.
This is the same physics behind neon signs, fluorescent lights, and the northern lights (aurora borealis).
The emitted photons create a visible glow around the fingertip. This glow is captured by a CCD camera (Charge-Coupled Device) positioned beneath the glass electrode. The camera converts the photon pattern into a digital image that can be processed and analyzed.
The resulting image—sometimes called an "EPI-gram" or "Bio-gram"—shows the spatial distribution and intensity of the photon emissions around each fingertip.
The Complete Process in One Image
What Determines the Emission Pattern?
Here's where the science becomes particularly interesting. The pattern of photon emissions—their intensity, distribution, and characteristics—is not random. It depends on several measurable physical factors:
Electrical Conductivity
The skin's ability to conduct electricity, which varies with hydration, sweat gland activity, and circulatory conditions.
Capacitance
The fingertip's ability to store electrical charge, which affects the breakdown voltage and discharge characteristics.
Perspiration
The nature of the surrounding gases, which depends on perspiration from the skin and affects ionization dynamics.
ANS Activity
Autonomic nervous system activity influences capillary blood circulation and skin conductivity in real-time.
These factors are influenced by the autonomic nervous system, which regulates involuntary physiological processes. When you're stressed, your sympathetic nervous system activates, changing perspiration patterns, blood flow, and electrical conductivity at the skin surface. When you're relaxed, your parasympathetic system dominates, creating different electrical characteristics.
"In the disease condition, electrical activity of human body is changed as compared to electrical activity in health state, the electron communication is altered and therefore the natural electro-photonic emission of the organism is changed."
— International Journal of Biomedical Imaging
Part 2: The Science of Biophotons
To fully understand what Bio-Well measures, we need to explore a related field: biophotonics—the study of light emissions from living organisms.
Every living cell emits extremely weak light, called ultraweak photon emissions (UPE) or biophotons. This isn't metaphor or speculation—it's documented physics, studied at institutions worldwide and published in peer-reviewed journals like the Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology and Neuroscience Research.
Biophoton Emission Characteristics
Where Do Biophotons Come From?
Biophotons are primarily generated through oxidative metabolism in mitochondria—the cellular powerhouses that produce energy (ATP). As part of normal cellular function, these processes produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and trigger chemical reactions that release photons.
The Mitochondrial Connection
Research has demonstrated that biophoton production is directly related to oxidative metabolism in mitochondria. States of oxidative stress—which often accompany disease—show increased biophoton emissions, indicating metabolic imbalances and mitochondrial dysfunction.
Coherent vs. Stochastic Emissions
Here's a crucial finding from biophoton research: the quality of photon emissions differs between healthy and diseased states.
Stress/Disease State
Under conditions of cellular stress (mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation), biophoton emissions become stochastic and spectrally noisy—reflecting increased entropy and disorganization in cellular signaling.
Healthy/Coherent State
During healthy or regenerative states (meditation, post-therapy), biophoton emissions become more temporally and spectrally coherent—indicating enhanced bioenergetic order and adaptive regulation.
This dual nature of biophotons—disordered under stress, ordered under health—provides a scientific basis for understanding what Bio-Well images may reflect about physiological states.
Part 3: The Quantum Biophysical Model
The theoretical framework for understanding what Bio-Well captures at the deepest level comes from quantum biophysics. This model, developed by Dr. Korotkov and colleagues, proposes specific mechanisms through which fingertip emissions can reflect systemic health states.
The Core Principle
"The main reservoir of free energy in biological processes is electron excited states of the complex molecular system. This quantum model supports an argument that EPI techniques provide indirect judgment about the level of energy reservoir at the molecular level in structure protein complexes."
In simpler terms: the electrons in your body's protein structures hold energy. Bio-Well provides an indirect window into how much energy is stored at this molecular level.
Delocalized π-Electrons
The quantum model focuses on a specific type of electron: delocalized π-electrons in protein macromolecules. These electrons aren't bound to single atoms—they're shared across molecular structures, forming an energy reservoir for physiological processes.
Key points from the research:
Specific structural protein complexes within the skin provide channels of heightened electron conductivity.
Electrons move between separate protein molecules through quantum tunneling, crossing energy barriers.
The electromagnetic field stimulates emission from these electron systems, creating the photonic patterns captured by Bio-Well.
Part 4: Separating Mechanism from Interpretation
This is perhaps the most important section of this article. Understanding the distinction between what Bio-Well measures and what those measurements might mean is essential for scientific integrity.
What Bio-Well Measures (Mechanism)
These are established physical phenomena:
- Photon emissions from gas discharge around fingertips
- Patterns influenced by skin conductivity, capacitance, and perspiration
- Real-time changes in electrical properties of tissue
- Quantifiable parameters: area, intensity, symmetry, form coefficient
How Results Are Interpreted
These are based on empirical correlations:
- Finger sector → organ/system correlations (based on meridian theory and clinical data)
- Energy levels expressed in Joules
- Stress/balance assessments
- Chakra alignments (when using specific protocols)
The Empirical Foundation
The interpretation layer—correlating finger sectors with organs and systems—rests on two foundations:
1. Traditional Chinese Medicine Meridian System
The diagnostic map correlating fingertip sectors with organs was first proposed by Dr. Peter Mandel in Germany, based on acupuncture meridians and energy channels documented over thousands of years.
2. Clinical Validation Studies
Dr. Korotkov modified and refined these correlations based on empirical data from clinical trials conducted in Russian medical institutions, comparing Bio-Well readings against conventional diagnostic findings.
The Evidence for Correlation
Clinical studies have demonstrated correlation rates between Bio-Well findings and conventional diagnostics:
Research from the Russian National Research Medical University demonstrated that Bio-Well analysis could distinguish between healthy controls and patients with colon neoplasias, with results correlating with colonoscopy and histological findings in 80-96% of cases.
Part 5: Common Misconceptions Addressed
Understanding the science helps address common misconceptions about what Bio-Well is and isn't.
❌ Misconception: "It's just photographing moisture"
✓ Reality: While perspiration influences the readings, Bio-Well measures photon emissions from gas discharge—a distinct physical phenomenon. The pattern complexity and correlation with health states goes far beyond simple moisture detection.
❌ Misconception: "It claims to photograph the aura"
✓ Reality: Bio-Well measures stimulated photon emissions under controlled electromagnetic conditions—not ambient "auras." The images represent gas discharge patterns, not mystical energy fields.
❌ Misconception: "It's a diagnostic device for disease"
✓ Reality: Bio-Well is positioned for wellness assessment and energy analysis, not disease diagnosis. It detects energetic patterns that may correlate with health states—useful for practitioners but not a replacement for medical diagnostics.
❌ Misconception: "The physics is made up"
✓ Reality: Gas discharge visualization, photon emission from ionization, and CCD image capture are all established physics used in countless industrial and scientific applications. The novel aspect is applying these principles to biological assessment.
Part 6: Implications for Practitioners
Understanding the physics empowers practitioners to communicate with greater precision and credibility.
When Explaining Bio-Well to Clients
Say: "This captures photon emissions stimulated by an electromagnetic field—similar to how an EEG captures your brain's electrical activity."
Say: "The software analyzes emission patterns that research has correlated with different physiological systems, displayed using the chakra framework familiar to many wellness traditions."
Say: "This provides a snapshot of your current energetic state that can help us identify areas to explore and track changes over time."
The Bottom Line
Bio-Well technology rests on established physics: gas discharge visualization, photon emission from ionization, and digital image capture. These mechanisms are well-documented and reproducible.
The interpretation of those measurements—correlating patterns with organs, systems, and states—is based on empirical research with documented correlations, building on both traditional knowledge systems and modern clinical validation.
Understanding this distinction—mechanism vs. interpretation—allows practitioners to communicate with scientific precision while honoring the holistic insights the technology provides.
Ready to see the science in action?
Book a Free DemoExperience Bio-Well technology with a guided demonstration
References & Further Reading
- Korotkov K. The Principles of Bio-Well Analysis. Bio-Well Publishing.
- Korotkov K. Electro-Photonic Analysis in Medicine: GDV Bio-Electrography Research.
- Yakovleva EG, et al. Engineering Approach to Identifying Patients with Colon Tumors on the Basis of Electrophotonic Imaging Technique Data. The Open Biomedical Engineering Journal. 2016;10:72-80.
- Sá R, Pignataro Neto G. Biofield Science and Energy Medicine. EXPLORE. 2025;21:103198.
- Bista S, et al. Applications of Gas Discharge Visualization Imaging in Health and Disease: A Systematic Review. Altern Ther Health Med. 2022.
- Alexandrova R, et al. Analysis of the Bioelectrograms of Bronchial Asthma Patients. Measuring Energy Fields: Current Research. 2004.
- Popp FA. Properties of Biophotons and their Theoretical Applications. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology. 2003;41:391-402.
- Sun Y, Wang C, Dai J. Biophotons as neural communication signals demonstrated by in situ biophoton autography. Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences. 2010;9(3):315.
Share:
From Kirlian Photography to Bio-Well 3.0: 100 Years of Bioelectrographic Science
Before & After: How Practitioners Use Real-Time Data to Demonstrate Results