Optimized biophotonic sensors

A device comprising:

• a light source for illuminating a target tissue through an external body surface and an intervening tissue between the external body surface and the target tissue, wherein the target tissue comprises a portion of subsurface vasculature;
• a light sensor for detecting light emitted from the target tissue through the intervening tissue and the external body surface in response to illumination by the light source;
• optics coupled to the light source and light sensor;
• and
• a controller, wherein the controller is programmed to:
• detect a thickness of the intervening tissue;
• select an operational mode of the device, wherein the selected operational mode is a specified configuration or operation of the light source, light sensor, and/or optics for detecting an optical property of the target tissue through the intervening tissue, wherein selecting the operational mode of the device comprises using a calibration curve or look-up table that relates the detected thickness of the intervening tissue to the specified configuration or operation of the light source, light sensor, and/or optics;
• and
• operate the device in the selected operational mode to detect an optical property of the target tissue, wherein operating the device to detect the optical property of the target tissue comprises operating the light source to emit light through the external body surface and the intervening tissue to illuminate the target tissue according to the selected operational mode and operating the light sensor to detect light emitted from the target tissue through the intervening tissue and the external body surface in response to the illumination according to the selected operational mode.