Stanford University 3D Digital Sensor
It probably won’t be available in a camera anytime soon yet, but it’s interesting news nonetheless. Wired reports that researchers at Stanford University have developed a sensor which captures image in 3D. The chip uses overlapping 16×16 pixel arrays to capture the same image at slighly different angles.
Later, the relevant information can be extracted and manipulated and the news item says that one use might be to remove distracting backgrounds from images while keeping the foreground intact. CNET has a more comprehensive report.
After a photo is taken, image-processing software then analyzes the slight location differences for the same element appearing in different patches–for example, where a spot on a subject’s shirt is relative to the wallpaper behind it. These differences from one subarray to the next can be used to deduce the distance of the shirt and the wall.
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The result is a photo accompanied by a “depth map” that not only describes each pixel’s red, blue, and green light components but also how far away the pixel is. Right now, the Stanford researchers have no specific file format for the data, but the depth information can be attached to a JPEG as accompanying metadata, Fife said.
Recording photos in three dimensions is a pretty radical overhaul of the concept. Depending on your preferences, it could be anything from an exciting new frontier to the latest annoying digital gimmick.
Interestingly, the article says that the technology can also be used to reduce noise in digital images because multiple views are recorded and it can be determined what should be there and what should not. Of course, the one obvious problem with the sensor is resolution although that will undoubtedly change later. The sensor also requires heavy data processing which makes it unsuitable for small digital cameras.
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