High-speed 3-D imaging

Converting optical systems

This technology aims to convert any ordinary CCD camera (from microscopes to surveillance cameras) into a 3-D imaging system that can be used for wide-ranging applications from endoscopy, identifying terrorists, quality control, and entertainment applications, and of course home photography With funding from the Deshpande Center, this project has already demonstrated a new imaging technology capable of converting 2D optical systems such as cameras, microscopes, and endoscopes into highly accurate, quantified 3D imaging instruments. There are numerous applications for 3D imaging, including medical procedures, industrial inspection, facial recognition and entertainment Using a compact, low-cost optical module and novel image-processing algorithm, the new imaging system can produce quantified 3D surface renderings at video rates from a single camera connected to a PC. The project has generated significant commercial interest and competed successfully in both the MIT $50K Entrepreneurship Competition and the Harvard Business Plan competition.