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Computational Imaging
Imaging Anytime Anywhere: Capturing Dynamic Scenes from Seconds to Picoseconds
David Lindell, University of Toronto
Tuesday, August 6, 2024
Abstract: The observed timescales of the universe span from the exasecond scale (1e18 seconds) down to the zeptosecond scale (1e-21). Between these extrema, specialized imaging systems can capture events only within a relatively small range of timescales. Thus, simultaneous sensing of both slow and ultrafast events, across many orders of magnitude in time, remains a challenge. Moreover, ultrafast imaging systems are typically confined to single-viewpoint capture, hindering 3D visualization of phenomena at sub-nanosecond timescales. In this talk, I discuss new computational algorithms that turn a single-photon detector into a ultra-wideband imaging system that captures phenomena "anytime", or at timescales ranging from seconds to picoseconds. I also show imaging "anywhere" at picosecond timescales—a technique that combines multi-viewpoint measurements from single-photon detectors with neural rendering to synthesize novel views of propagating light. Application of this technique enables time-resolved, 3D visualization of complex light transport effects including scattering, specular reflection, refraction, and diffraction.