Researchers from the University of Bonn in Germany and the University of British Columbia in Canada have developed a camera system that can detect objects hidden by obstructions without using a mirror. The system uses diffusely reflected, time-coded light to reconstruct the shape of objects outside of the field of view. In the prototype system, a laser dot on the wall is a source of scattered light, which serves as the crucial source of information. Some of this light falls back onto the wall, into the camera, and some light come into contact with the unknown object, which brings provides information about shape and appearance. The challenge is to decode the time-of-flight data and multi-path interference. Using advanced mathematical model, the researchers developed a method that can derive information from the noise, rather than signal. The accuracy of the method has its limits; the results are still limited to rough outlines based on the mathematical models that can be improved. Similar approaches can be used in various applications including telecommunications, remote sensing, medical imaging, rescue operations, and traffic safety.
Source: University of Bonn
