Apparatus for mapping an object includes an illumination assembly, which includes a single transparency containing a fixed pattern of spots. A light source transilluminates the single transparency with optical radiation so as to project the pattern onto the object. An image capture assembly captures an image of the pattern that is projected onto the object using the single transparency. A processor processes the image captured by the image capture assembly so as to reconstruct a three-dimensional (3D) map of the object.

Depth mapping using projected patterns

A display system for providing a two dimensional image includes an essentially one dimensional light valve array. The diffractive light valve array includes modulator elements which diffract or reflect light incident thereon to an extent determined by an image element to be represented. The display system is arranged such diffracted light from the light-valve array passes through a magnifying lens and is separated from the reflected light from the array. A magnified virtual image of the array formed by the diffracted light is viewed through the magnifying lens. A scanning arrangement between the viewer and the magnifying lens scans the image of the light-valve array across the field of view of the viewer sufficiently quickly that the viewer perceives the scanned image as a two-dimensional image. In another arrangement a printer is formed by scanning a real image of the diffractive light valve array over a printing or recording medium.

Display device incorporating one-dimensional grating light-valve array

The symmetric self-electrooptic-effect device (S-SEED), a structure consisting of two p-i-n diodes electrically connected in series and acting as an optically bistable set-reset latch, is discussed. Applications and extensions of this device are also discussed. The devices do not require the critical biasing that is common to most optically bistable devices and thus is more useful for system applications. They have been optically cascaded in a photonic ring counter and have been used to perform different NOR, OR, NAND, and AND logic functions. Using the same device, a differential modulator that generates a set of complementary output beams with a single voltage control lead and a differential detector that gives an output voltage dependent on the ratio of the two optical input powers have been demonstrated. >

Symmetric self-electrooptic effect device : optical set-reset latch, defferential logic gate and differential modulator/detector

Mapping apparatus includes a transmitter, which emits a beam comprising pulses of light, and a scanner, which is configured to scan the beam, within a predefined scan range, over a scene. A receiver receives the light reflected from the scene and to generate an output indicative of a time of flight of the pulses to and from points in the scene. A processor is coupled to control the scanner so as to cause the beam to scan over a selected window within the scan range and to process the output of the receiver so as to generate a 3D map of a part of the scene that is within the selected window.

Scanning depth engine

The present invention is directed to a method of integrating information, including real-time information, into a virtual thematic environment using a computer system, including accessing the stored information from a database or downloading the real-time information from a source external to the thematic environment; inserting the real-time information into the thematic environment; and displaying the information to a user within the thematic environment. In one embodiment, the computer system is connected to a holographic projection system such that the images from the thematic environment can be projected as holographic projections. The computer system includes an interactive software application platform having at least one thematic/publishing logic module which contains thematic environment rules; at least one digital content library module which provides content management on the thematic environment; and at least one quantum imaging environment (QIE) module which interprets content such that the content is manipulated and accessed by any device.

Interactive virtual thematic environment

A hologram preparing method, wherein an object light including a plurality of images displayed on a spatial light modulation element (6) is beamed together with a reference light onto a recording surface (11) via a lens array (7) consisting of a plurality of lenses disposed in conjunction with individual images (s) included in the object light and reduction optical systems (9, 10) for reducing the object light emitted from the lens array (7), and interference light between the object light and the reference light is recorded on the recording surface (11). Partitions (15) provided between the spatial light modulation element (6) and the lens array (7) to isolate individual images from each other reduces noise.

Hologram preparing method

We have improved the stability and temporal response of the laser speckle strain gauge that detects strain from speckle displacement caused by surface deformation. In the gauge, a narrow laser beam is incident on a diffuse surface, and speckle patterns appearing in the light scattered through the symmetrical angles are detected by a pair of linear image sensors. Speckle displacement is derived by a real-time correlator as the peak of the cross correlation between the current frame and a reference frame of the sensor driven at 1000 frames per second. The reference frame is fixed until the correlation peak becomes lower than a threshold. Using a pair of image sensors, followed by the correlators, and a laser of output power of a few tens of milliwatts, we could measure dynamic strain of polymer films at the frequency between a fraction of hertz and 100 Hz. The resolution of the gauge, which only depends on geometry of the optical system and the sensor pitch, is a few tens of microstrains. The upper limit of the measurement can be extended arbitrarily because small incremental strain is integrated.

Stabilized and accelerated speckle strain gauge

A laser processing apparatus for piercing a workpiece and cutting the pierced workpiece by irradiating the workpiece with a laser beam. The apparatus includes: a laser beam projection unit for projecting the laser beam onto the workpiece with the focus position thereof set to lie within the workpiece and in the vicinity of the surface of the workpiece at least when piercing is started; and a laser oscillator that emits the laser beam as a pulsed laser having a frequency at which plasma is generated when the workpiece is irradiated with the laser beam at the focus position set through the laser beam projection unit when the piercing is started.

Laser processing apparatus and laser processing method

An object is typically illuminated by laser light, and reflected light carrying a speckle pattern is amplified by an image intensifier. First and second speckle patterns representing the object before and after its deformation, respectively are written by double writing into a ferroelectric liquid crystal spatial light modulator (FLC-SLM). The double-written image is read out from the FLC-SLM, and converted by a Fourier transform optical system into an output optical image, i.e., Young's fringe. The output optical image is detected by a photoelectric converter, and analyzed by an image processing device to determine a deformation of the object.

Optical deformation measuring apparatus by double-writing speckle images into a spatial light modulator

We have improved stability and temporal response of the laser speckle strain gauge. In the gauge a narrow laser beam is incident on a diffuse surface and speckle patterns appearing in the light scattered to certain directions are detected by linear image sensors. The correlator computes the correlation peak between the current frame and a reference one of the sensor which is driven at 1000 frames per second. The reference frame is fixed until the correlation peak becomes lower than a threshold. By employing a pair of the correlators and a laser of output power of a few tens of mW, we could measure dynamic strain of polymer films, between a fraction of Hertz and one hundred Hertz. The resolution of the gauge which only depends on geometry of the optical system and the sensor pitch, is a few tens of microstrains. The upper limit of the measurement can be extended arbitrarily much because small incremental strain is integrated.

Tamiki Takemori

Papers

Hologram preparing method

Stabilized and accelerated speckle strain gauge

Laser processing apparatus and laser processing method

Optical deformation measuring apparatus by double-writing speckle images into a spatial light modulator

Stabilized And Accelerated Speckle Strain Gauge