Computational Photography

Computational Photography applies computer vision and pattern recognition technologies to the field of digital imaging. The Pattern Recognition Company provides several algorithms for

• active imaging,
• time-of-flight sensors as well as
• light-field cameras.

Further information are given at computationalphotography.org.

Active Imaging (AIM)

New ideas for computational photography emerge but often require substantial hardware development. PRC is involved in R&D projects that investigate what can be done today with available hardware and intelligent, innovative algorithms to increase image quality and user value in digital photography.

With active imaging (AIM) technology one takes a series of images with different imaging parameters and then synthesizes one final image from the series of images. The final image will have a quality that could not be achieved by taking just one image. Active imaging can thus be used to exploit the potential of fast cameras such as to create images of superior quality.

3D Time-of-Flight Sensors

3D diplays and TV sets are becoming popular. Professional photographers and consumers demand cameras that can generate 3D content. A very promising novel 3D technology is based on time-of-flight (TOF) sensors. Unlike a conventional camera, the TOF camera delivers not only a light-intensity image but also a range map that contains a distance measurement at each pixel, obtained by measuring the time required by light to reach the object and return to the camera (time-of-flight principle).

In collaboration with Nik Software Inc. and producers of TOF cameras PRC is exploiting the potential of 3D TOF sensors for photography.

4D Light-Field Camera

PRC collaborates with the Raytrix GmbH Kiel in the area of light-field cameras. Raytrix is the first company worldwide to offer light-field cameras, a new kind of imaging device with up to six times the field of depth of a standard camera at same aperture and resolution the highest ever achieved effective resolution ratio for a plenoptic camera real time refocusing on arbitrary focal surface from a single snapshot.

The cameras developed and marketed by Raytrix open new opportunities for optical inspection and digital photography, a potential that is now enhanced by PRC´s pattern recognition expertise.