SBIR-STTR Award

This project is aimed at investigating the feasibility of the design of a family of versatile new image sensors. A typical such sensor can (i) have an infinite depth of field, (ii) provide a panoramic images of up to 360-degree wide visual fields, (iii) provide an estimate of the depth of each visible point in the scene, (iv) preserve the image resolution across the panoramic image, and (v) image a dynamic scene, and (vi) offers a trade off between cost and performance measured in terms of the quality of focus (resolution of the depth of field), reliability of depth estimates and the width of the visual field. A progressive design that will offer 5 such tradeoffs will be investigated. Two designs add new capabilities to a prototype developed under a previous SBIR award and being commercialized by a major company. Two additional designs examine the feasibility of a new approach to further extend the capabilities. The feasibility of the final design, which provides all aforementioned capabilities in a single system, is proposed as an option along with the analysis of the acquired images for object motion detection and estimation, and 3D modeling. All proposed designs appear integrable and commercially viable

Benefit:
Imaging pervades all walks of everyday life - business, industry, education and homes alike. Since the proposed new imaging technology will introduce hitherto unavailable capabilities as well as lead to significant strides in existing capabilities, it is expected to have a major commercial impact. Potential Commercial Applications include: Surveillance of buildings, compounds, homes and stores; Wide-scene studio photography; Outdoor nature photography; Endoscopic and neurosurgery; Television broadcasting; 3D scene modeling; 3D object modeling for computer aided manufacturing; Virtual reality using omnifocused 3D display; Advertising; Visual art; Monitoring of hazardous environments; Visualization; Interactive video games.

Keywords:
cameras, cameras, Panoramic Images, Focused Images, high resolution, Range Images, surveillance, Photography, 3D models

The central objective of the proposed Phase II is to develop an advanced prototype implementing the designs developed in Phase I. A typical such design can (i) have an infinite depth of field, (ii) provide a panoramic images of up to 360-degree wide visual fields, (iii) provide an estimate of the depth of each visible point in the scene, (iv) preserve the image resolution across the panoramic image, (v) image a dynamic scene, and (vi) acquire the entire image from a single viewpoint, and it can achieve this performance while (vii) offering a trade off between cost and performance measured in terms of the quality of focus (resolution of the depth of field), reliability of depth estimates and the width of the visual field. Phase I has allowed us to evaluate the feasibility of many important attributes. The objective of Phase II is to implement many of these attributes for the first time and robustly test others. A commercialization ready prototype of Phase I design 1, the omnifocus nonfrontal imaging camera, will be produced and the remaining designs tested. The proposed commercialization prototype is characterized by technical reliability, readyness for practical applications, operability by an ordinary person and production friendliness.

Benefit:
The proposed imaging technology is versatile and currently nonexistent. Since imaging is central to many activities, the proposed technology is expected to have a major impact on everyday life. Commercial applications: Monitoring of buildings, compounds, homes and stores; Studio photography; Outdoor nature hotography; Endoscopi and nerusurgery; Television broadcasting; 3D modeling for computer aided manufacturing; Virtual reality using omnifocused 3D display; Advertising; Visual art; Monitoring of Hazardous environments; Visualization; Interactive video games.

Keywords:
cameras, 3D models, Range Images, Focused Images, surveillance, Photography, Panoramic Images, high resolution