Single-pixel camera creates affordable 3D images
20 May 2013
Single-pixel technique could be used in the process industries to detect gases.
Glasgow University physicists have found a way to make sophisticated 3D images without using conventional digital cameras.
Their system uses simple, cheap detectors which have just a single pixel to sense light instead of the millions of pixels used in the imaging sensors of digital cameras.
By using detectors capable of sensing frequencies beyond visible light, it could even open new possibilities in other fields including oil & gas and the chemicals industry.
The technique is called 3D computational imaging, or ‘ghost’ imaging, and the system can produce detailed images of objects in just a few seconds.
One of the primary benefits of using the new technique over more conventional 3D imaging techniques is that there exist single-pixel detectors that can ‘see’ wavelengths far beyond those digital cameras are currently capable of.
Lead author on the paper Baoqing Sun, said: “It might seem a bit counter-intuitive to think that more information can be captured from a detector which uses just a single pixel rather than the multi-megapixel detectors found in conventional digital cameras.
“However, digital camera sensors have a very limited sensitivity beyond the spectrum of visible light, whereas a single-pixel detector can easily be made to capture information far beyond the visible, reaching wavelengths from X-ray to TeraHertz.
“This means that single-pixel detectors which cost just a few pounds each are now capable of producing images across a far wider spectrum than 3D imaging systems currently on the market which cost tens of thousands of pounds.”
The system’s unique capabilities and low cost could make it a valuable tool for a wide range of industries.
Research assistant Matthew Edgar, who contributed to the paper, said: “A more portable version of the system could be created quite easily, making it much more practical to use outside the lab. It could be used to look for the telltale gases which leak from the ground where oil can be found.”
“We plan to continue working on the system and perhaps working with commercial partners to bring a version to market in the future.”
