Computational polarization imaging from a single speckle image

We experimentally demonstrate that imaging of the degree of polarization (DOP) can be achieved from a single intensity image acquired under coherent illumination. This computational technique is based on the analysis of the speckle characteristics in a statistically homogeneous neighborhood of the pixel. Over a variety of samples obtained experimentally, we show that a simple calibration step allows this method to quickly and simply provide correct estimated values of the DOP, with precision in agreement with theoretical predictions. It is shown that unlike linear polarimetric contrast imaging, this method remains valid on birefringent samples.     

Line-based camera calibration with lens distortion correction from a single image

Camera calibration is a fundamental and important step in many machine vision applications. For some practical situations, computing camera parameters from merely a single image is becoming increasingly feasible and significant. However, the existing single view based calibration methods have various disadvantages such as ignoring lens distortion, requiring some prior knowledge or special calibration environment, and so on. To address these issues, we propose a line-based camera calibration method with lens distortion correction from a single image using three squares with unknown length. Initially, the radial distortion coefficients are obtained through a non-linear optimization process which is isolated from the pin-hole model calibration, and the detected distorted lines of all the squares are corrected simultaneously. Subsequently, the corresponding lines used for homography estimation are normalized to avoid the specific unstable case, and the intrinsic parameters are calculated from the sufficient restrictions provided by vectors of homography matrix. To evaluate the performance of the proposed method, both simulative and real experiments have been carried out and the results show that the proposed method is robust under general conditions and it achieves comparable measurement accuracy in contrast with the traditional multiple view based calibration method using 2D chessboard target.     

图像中近圆形对象的一种识别方法

介绍了一种利用多特征联合概率的红外图像中近圆形对象检测方法,通过计算图像中诸多小段曲线的弯拱方向来获得图像中各处存在圆的概率,并用梯度强度对这些概率进行加权,再结合对象内部为空洞的概率,共同形成对图像中近圆形对象所在位置的一个判决。经与经典的Hough变换法相比较,表现出一定的优越性。对一组不同特征的红外图像进行测试实验,均能检测出近圆形对象,表现出一定的适应性,对某些应用场景中的目标检测与识别有辅助价值。     

Detecting itinerant single microwave photons

Single-photon detectors are fundamental tools of investigation in quantum optics and play a central role in measurement theory and quantum informatics. Photodetectors based on different technologies exist at optical frequencies and much effort is currently being spent on pushing their efficiencies to meet the demands coming from the quantum computing and quantum communication proposals. In the microwave regime, however, a single-photon detector has remained elusive, although several theoretical proposals have been put forth. In this article, we review these recent proposals, especially focusing on non-destructive detectors of propagating microwave photons. These detection schemes using superconducting artificial atoms can reach detection efficiencies of 90% with the existing technologies and are ripe for experimental investigations.     

由单幅图像恢复物体三维形状的应用研究

由阴影恢复物体表面形状的方法是计算机三维视觉领域中的一个重要分支。首先给出了利用多幅图像由阴影恢复物体表面三维形状算法的计算结果 ,并进行了详细分析 ,进而提出了针对单幅图像的改进算法 ,包括引入表面光滑约束、边界条件和误差的灰度加权调整等。利用合成图像验证了这种算法的准确性。最后结合实际焊接过程熔池成像特点 ,应用这种算法利用单幅焊接熔池图像成功地获取了焊接熔池表面三维形状     

Estimation precision of the degree of polarization from a single speckle intensity image

We address the problem of the estimation of the degree of polarization from a single intensity image. For that purpose, one considers the case of coherent active imagery that leads to speckle fluctuations and assumes that the measured intensity image corresponds to a fully developed speckle for each polarized component of the electric field. In particular, we determine the Cramer-Rao bound of the degree of polarization estimation and propose to illustrate this result by analyzing the variance of different simple estimators.     

Determination of skeleton and sign map for phase obtaining from a single ESPI image

A robust method of determining the sign map and skeletons for ESPI images is introduced in this paper. ESPI images have high speckle noise which makes it difficult to obtain the fringe information, especially from a single image. To overcome the effects of high speckle noise, local directional computing windows are designed according to the fringe directions. Then by calculating the gradients from the filtered image in directional windows, sign map and good skeletons can be determined robustly. Based on the sign map, single image phase-extracting methods such as quadrature transform can be improved. And based on skeletons, fringe phases can be obtained directly by normalization methods. Experiments show that this new method is robust and effective for extracting phase from a single ESPI fringe image.     

基于单幅图像大尺寸实际平面上的光点定位方法

 为满足某地面实验中视觉测量系统的研制需求,研究了一种基于单幅图像的大尺寸实际平面上光点的定位方法。通过建立关于实际平面上光点3D坐标的数学模型,结合利用图像确定的通过光点的空间光束,实现了由单幅图像确定光点的3D坐标。依据具体特点,把实际平面分为高阶曲面型、分块平面型和分块曲面型3种类型,并分别给出了相应类型的光点定位方法。仿真实验验证了所提出方法的正确性,并比较分析了方法的精确性;实际试验数据表明,所提出方法可以满足尺寸为8000mm×8000mm的大型实际平面上光点的定位需求,定位误差小于1mm。     

A new method for photoelastic fringe analysis from a single image using elliptically polarized white light

A new two-dimensional photoelastic method for the analysis of fringe order and the principal direction of birefringence from a single image combining an elliptically polarized white light and color image processing is demonstrated. To determine fringe order, a database-search approach based on the primary color analysis is employed. After determining fringe order, the principal direction of birefringence is obtained by solving a non-linear equation. The equation of emerging light intensity is derived and the theory of the proposed method is described. Then, the successful application of the method to photoelastic analysis is shown. It is emphasized that the proposed method can be applicable to time-varying phenomena since multiple exposures are not necessary for sufficient data acquisition for the completion of stress analysis.     

Forces between a single atom and its distant mirror image

An excited-state atom whose emitted light is backreflected by a distant mirror can experience trapping forces, because the presence of the mirror modifies both the electromagnetic vacuum field and the atom's own radiation reaction field. We demonstrate this mechanical action using a single trapped barium ion. We observe the trapping conditions to be notably altered when the distant mirror is translated across an optical wavelength. The well-localized barium ion enables the spatial dependence of the forces to be measured explicitly. The experiment has implications for quantum information processing and may be regarded as the most elementary optical tweezers.     

Simultaneous multicolor image formation with a single diffractive optical element

A design for a novel diffractive optical element (DOE) that can reconstruct three different intensity patterns when it is illuminated by three different wavelengths is presented. If the chosen wavelengths are red, green, and blue, full-color reconstruction capability is obtained. Reconstruction is achieved in the near field (Fresnel domain). Computer simulation results as well as experimental evidence are presented, proving the capabilities of this novel DOE design procedure.     

Analysis and synthesis of multicolored objects in a single image

We present a method with which to recover the intrinsic shading and reflectance characteristics of multicolored three-dimensional objects in a single image, with which realistic new scenes can be synthesized. A color watershed algorithm, which is based on a regularized dichromatic fitting error, is proposed for robust image segmentation. For shading recovery in small regions, a weighted interpolation is employed, whereas in large regions the reflectance and shading are calculated based on the assumption of gradual shape variation. It is demonstrated that the proposed method is promising and can be applied in image simulation.     

Velocity estimation of an airplane through a single satellite image

The motion information of a moving target can be recorded in a single image by a push-broom satellite.A push-broom satellite image is composed of many image lines sensed at different time instants.A method to estimate the velocity of a flying airplane from a single image based on the imagery model of the linear push-broom sensor is proposed.Some key points on the high-resolution image of the plane are chosen to determine the velocity（speed and direction）.The performance of the method is tested and verified by experiments using a WorldView-1 image.     

Automated phase retrieval of a single-material object using a single out-of-focus image

Phase retrieval is widely used in phase contrast microscopy. Here we present an autofocus algorithm that allows the phase of the exit wave function, from a single-material object, to be reconstructed at medium resolution from a single phase contrast image without any a priori knowledge of the imaging system or object. The algorithm is demonstrated on coherent out-of-focus electron micrographs of 30 nm latex sphere calibration standards, giving <10% RMS error over a large defocus range.     

PET image reconstruction with a system matrix containing point spread function derived from single photon incidence response

A point spread function(PSF)for the blurring component in positron emission tomography(PET)is studied.The PSF matrix is derived from the single photon incidence response function.A statistical iterative reconstruction(IR)method based on the system matrix containing the PSF is developed.More specifically,the gamma photon incidence upon a crystal array is simulated by Monte Carlo(MC)simulation,and then the single photon incidence response functions are calculated.Subsequently,the single photon incidence response functions are used to compute the coincidence blurring factor according to the physical process of PET coincidence detection.Through weighting the ordinary system matrix response by the coincidence blurring factors,the IR system matrix containing the PSF is finally established.By using this system matrix,the image is reconstructed by an ordered subset expectation maximization(OSEM)algorithm.The experimental results show that the proposed system matrix can substantially improve the image radial resolution,contrast,and noise property.Furthermore,the simulated single gamma-ray incidence response function depends only on the crystal configuration,so the method could be extended to any PET scanner with the same detector crystal configuration.     

Cutoffs and shadows in classical scattering of atoms from surfaces

A commonly used model for the scattering of atoms from crystalline surfaces is that of a classical hard sphere interacting with a hard, corrugated surface. This model is simple enough to permit the study of the effect on the scattering of variation of parameters of the model. We examine here how changes in the amplitude and symmetry of the corrugations, the size of the sphere, and the depth of an attractive well near the surface modify the scattering. We show, in particular, how edge effects due to shadowing of parts of the surface and second hits by the sphere distort the classical rainbow structure. We show the results as topological and intensity plots for special cases. The edge effects give new information on the structure of the surface. For suitable real systems, experimental measurement of the angular and energy dependence of the fraction of the scattering that is elastic may show some of the features described.     

First-order photon interference of a single photon from a single quantum dot

Photon interference indicating wave-like nature of a single photon emitted from a single quantum dot is demonstrated. Photon state as a superposition of two orthogonal linear polarization modes is prepared inside a solid-state single photon source, which causes the first-order interference analogous to the Young’s double slit experiment. The lack of which-mode information is essential for observing the single photon interference.     

Chaotic shadows of black holes: a short review

We give a brief review on the formation and the calculation of black hole shadows. Firstly, we introduce the concept of a black hole shadow and the current works on a variety of black hole shadows. Secondly, we present the main methods of calculating photon sphere radius and shadow radius, and then explain how the photon sphere affects the boundary of black hole shadows. We review the analytical calculation for black hole shadows which have analytic expressions for shadow boundary due to the integrable photon motion system. And we introduce the fundamental photon orbits which can explain the patterns of black hole shadow shape. Finally, we review the numerical calculation of black hole shadows with the backward ray-tracing method and introduce some chaotic black hole shadows with self-similar fractal structures. Since the gravitational waves from the merger of binary black holes have been detected, we introduce a couple of shadows of binary black holes, which all have eyebrowlike shadows around the main shadows with the fractal structures. We discuss the invariant phase space structures of the photon motion system in black hole space-time, and explain the formation of black hole shadow is dominated by the invariant manifolds of certain Lyapunov orbits near the fixed points.     

Walking of spider on water surface studied from its leg shadows

Different from sculling forward of water striders with their hairy water-repellent legs, water spiders walked very quickly on water surfaces. By using a shadow method, the walking of water spiders had been studied. The three-dimensional trajectories and the supporting forces of water spider legs during walking forward were achieved. Results showed that the leg movement could be divided into three phases: slap, stroke, and retrieve. Employing an effective strategy to improving walking efficiency, the sculling legs supported most of its body weight while other legs were lifted to reduce the lateral water resistance, which was similar to the strategy of water striders. These findings could help guiding the design of water walking robots with high efficiency.