Those who fear needles are not likely to want to experience the prick more than once. And even experienced medical professionals can miss a vein sometimes, so it helps to have a little guidance. The VeinViewer uses harmless, near-infrared light to show precisely where veins are located and take the guesswork out of the process.

Designed by Memphis-based company Christie Medical Holdings, the device can find the veins and then project them onto the arm in real time. The special light can be either absorbed by the hemoglobin in the blood, or reflected back by the skin, and it finds veins up to 0.4 inches deep. A "fine detail" mode ups the contrast to show more detailed patterns and help practitioners locate the best place to put the needle.

"Only VeinViewer can provide pre-, during and post-access benefits throughout the entire vascular access procedure," said Christie Medical Holdings' president, George Pinho.

With the tool, giving blood can become a much simpler (and less worrisome) process. Here is a look at it in action:

[h/t: Daily Mail, Lost at E Minor]