In their laboratory at the Énergie Matériaux Télécommuni­cations Research Centre of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), Jinyang Liang and his colleagues are developing a new ultrahigh-speed single-pixel camera. This new single-pixel imaging accelerated via swept aggregate patterns (SPI-ASAP) is capable of streaming video at 12,000 frames per second using light modulation, giving it great flexi­bility. “This new camera is an inno­vative prototype with potential benefits for the photonics industry in Quebec and the rest of Canada,” says Liang.

For several years, Jinyang Liang has focused his research on laser modulation techniques in new optical imaging devices. Single-pixel imaging (SPI) has emerged as a powerful technique using light modulation and a single-point detector instead of a two-dimen­sional sensor. However, most SPI systems are limited by the sole use of digital micro­mirror devices (DMDs) which means that the speed at which the single-pixel camera can record images is only a few tens of hertz. Other methods use fast-moving physical encoding masks for light modulation. Although fast, these masks also fix the resolution, making such systems inflexible to be adapted to different experi­mental parameters.

In contrast to these approaches, the new camera combines a digital micro­mirror device with laser scanning for fast and recon­figurable pattern projection. This allows the system to operate at different spatial reso­lutions, as well as at different imaging speeds and modes. As a result, it is capable of streaming real-time video at 100 frames per second (fps), and up to 12,000 fps offline. “The ability to image in real-time at 100 fps surpasses existing technologies and sheds light on many industrial appli­cations where on-site analysis and online feedback are needed,” says doctoral student Patrick Kilcullen. Another feature is that the system is very generic and can be easily adapted to many configura­tions.

Scientifi­cally, the device could have broad applications, especially in the non-visible spectrum, as there is no suitable camera. Very high-speed imaging allows the capture of transient events, such as the analysis of combustion phenomena, the detection of hazardous gases and the charac­terization of semi­conductor materials. The team, consisting of Patrick Kilcullen, Tsuneyuki Ozaki and Jinyang Liang, has patented the technique and is currently seeking colla­borations to commercialize it. (Source: INRS)

Reference: P. Kilcullen et al.: Compressed ultrahigh-speed single-pixel imaging by swept aggregate patterns, Nat. Commun. 13, 7879 (2022); DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35585-8

Link: Centre Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique INRS, Université du Québec, Varennes, Canada