Compressive Imaging and Spectroscopy – Beyond the Single Pixel Camera

Abstract

The development of visible and infrared imaging systems continues to be an extremely active area of physics and engineering research despite the already considerable history of its development and accomplishments. This is due to the significant breakthroughs in the mathematics of image processing and the substantial advances in device performance over the last decade. Recently, many efforts in imaging that combine the relatively inexpensive and readily available computational power of microprocessors with new optical schemes have been undertaken to increase image resolution while decreasing acquisition time. One such approach that we have been investigating in our lab is based on compressive sensing mathematics coupled with micro-optoelectronic modulators. In essence, imaging via compressive sensing is a new strategy for imaging with a single detector in place of an imaging array. Additionally, the single detector can be replaced with a spectrometer to perform compressive hyperspectral imaging.