3D Through Single Pixels

Scientists from the University of Glasgow have devised a way to make complex 3D images without using conventional digital cameras. For this purpose they used simple and cheap detectors with single pixel.

The technology that researchers developed could be used to create 3D images in an affordable manner. The detectors capable of sensing frequencies beyond visible light could open new possibilities in other fields including medicine and geography.

According to lead researcher, Professor Miles Padgett, “Four detectors give images, each of which contain shadows, giving us clues about the 3D shape of the object. Combining the four images using a well-known technique known as 'shape from shade' allows us to create a full 3D image of the object.” The technique used by the team is called 3D computational imaging, or 'ghost' imaging’, and the system that they created can produce a detailed image in just a few seconds.