Engineers at Northwest University have developed a powerful camera that is capable of seeing through solid and opaque objects such as human flesh and bone, fog, and corners – a device that sounds straight out of science fiction movies.
The camera depends on a light capture system named “synthetic wavelength holography,” as per a press release from Northwestern Engineering. It works by scattering laser light onto hidden objects, then bouncing it back to the camera. When the light is beamed back, an AI reconstructs the signals to show the hidden object.
Early testing results are promising
The findings of the research can be found in a paper published in the journal Nature. Since the holography method lets scientists see fast-moving objects such as cars driving around corners, or even a heart beating through a person’s chest, it can come in handy for early-warning navigation systems for cars and for medical imaging as well.
“Our technology will usher in a new wave of imaging capabilities,” Florian Willomitzer, lead author of the study, said in the release. He said the camera method “could be applied to radio waves for space exploration or underwater acoustic imaging.”
The technology is still in the prototype stage; however, early results show promise – and might help prevent car accidents in the future as autonomous cars become more common. “It can be applied to many areas,” Willomitzer said, “and we have only scratched the surface.”
Camera tech going beyond photography
Camera technology has come a long way. Previously, researchers developed a tech that can check body temperature with the help of a smartphone camera. A team of researchers developed a thermal imaging sensor that overcomes costing constraints. The device is said to operate at temperatures up to 100 degrees Celsius without requiring a cooling device.
The team believes the new tech will be cheaper than standard sensors available in the market and could be used in smartphones and autonomous vehicles. To do so, the tech has to work stably at high temperatures of 85 degrees Celsius, respectively. Existing thermal-sensing sensors need a cooling device to work in those thermal conditions.
