Fast, versatile solutions for complex imaging challenges

A study by researchers at the Institute of Applied Physics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, published in Natural photonicspresents a new method for non-invasive, high-resolution imaging through highly scattering media.

The team, led by Professor Ori Katz, Omri Haim and Jeremy Boger-Lombard, presents a holography-based computational technique that addresses key challenges in the field of optical imaging and opens new doors for applications in various fields such as medical imaging, autonomous vehicle imaging and microscopy.

The study introduces a guide star-free approach that eliminates the need for traditional tools such as high-resolution spatial light modulators (SLMs) or extensive measurements, thereby enabling imaging through complex scattering media with high speed and unprecedented precision. By computationally emulating wavefront shaping experiments, this new technique simultaneously optimizes multiple “virtual SLMs,” allowing the system to reconstruct high-quality images without requiring prior information about the target or scattering patterns .

Key achievements include:

• High versatility and flexibility: This method can correct more than 190,000 scattered modes using just 25 holographically captured scattered light fields obtained under unknown random illuminations. The new technique provides flexibility in various imaging modalities, including epi-illumination, multi-conjugate diffusion layer correction, and lensless endoscopy.

• Reduced computational and memory demands: Unlike conventional techniques that require the calculation of entire reflection matrices, this innovative approach significantly reduces memory allocation and speeds up the imaging process, enabling faster and more efficient correction of the complex diffusion.

• Applications across fields: The study demonstrates the potential for application of this technique in various fields, including biological tissue imaging, multi-core fiber endoscopy and even acousto-optic tomography. The method also promises to offer solutions in areas such as geophysics, radar and medical ultrasound.

“We are excited to introduce a new approach to imaging technology that enables high-resolution imaging through highly scattering media with orders of magnitude lower than the state of the art, without the need for ‘prior knowledge of the target or expensive equipment.’ said Professor Katz. “This innovation shifts the challenge from physical hardware to computational optimization, providing a naturally parallelizable solution that can be applied in many areas.”

The research has the potential to transform key areas of scientific study and practical applications, providing a rapid, non-invasive and highly adaptable solution for imaging in complex environments. The team is already exploring future directions, including optimizing the method for continuous volumetric samples such as thick biological tissues and further reducing the number of holograms required.