Integral three-dimensional image capture equipment with closely positioned lens array and image sensor

Abstract

We have developed a compact integral three-dimensional (3D) imaging equipment that positions the lens array and image sensor in close proximity to each other. In the conventional scheme, a camera lens is used to project the elemental images generated by the lens array onto the image sensor. In contrast, the imaging equipment presented here combines the lens array and image sensor into one unit and makes no use of a camera lens. This scheme eliminates the resolution deterioration and distortion caused by the use of a camera lens and improves, in principle, the quality of the reconstructed 3D image. We captured objects with this imaging equipment and displayed the reconstructed 3D images using display equipment consisting of a liquid crystal panel and a lens array. The reconstructed 3D images were found to have appropriate motion parallax.

Optical microscopy with flexible axial capabilities using a vari‐focus liquid lens

“…EDOF helps to extend the imaging range near the working plane of a microscope, however when samples are placed far from the focus plane, clear images cannot be formed. 3DI methods or applications can resolve 3D structures of samples by means of optical sectioning (Conchello & Lichtman, ), 3D imaging with axially distributed sensing (Schulein et al ., ), shape‐from‐focus (SFF) algorithms (Nayar, ), light‐field microscopy (Levoy et al ., ), 3D imaging with positioned lens array (Arai et al ., ) and digital holographic microscopy (Kemper et al ., ), some of which are expensive since the device structure is sophisticated and complex. However, these three methods only increase the axial capabilities of a microscope near its working plane, which only extends the axial capabilities of a microscope in a limited depth‐of‐field range.…”

Compact integral three-dimensional imaging device

“…Additionally, resolution deterioration and distortion caused by the use of a camera lens lead to a quality degradation of the reconstructed 3D image. We have previously reported on the prototype construction of a small lens array similar in size to the image sensor and the development of imaging equipment that unites the lens array and image sensor [2]. The basic layout of this imaging equipment is shown in Fig.…”

Real-time integral imaging system for light field microscopy

“…Visualizing a real object in three-dimensional (3D) space has been one of the main issues in 3D industries [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. It is possible to extract 3D information from objects using a multicamera [3], a time of flight camera [15], a structured light method [16], or a lens array [17].…”

“…However, if the captured image is used as the set of elemental images without post-processing, the reconstructed 3D image is pseudoscopic [1,[8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. In the past decades, several methods have been proposed for solving the pseudoscopic problem, but most cannot satisfy real-time conditions [8], cannot provide a real 3D image [1] or they have a need of special optical devices [6,7]. Recently, a simple pixel mapping algorithm was proposed, which can be used to produce real and orthoscopic 3D images in real-time [9][10][11].…”