Continuing a sequence of lensless light-field imaging camera patents beginning 1999, the present invention adds light-use efficiency, predictive-model design, distance-parameterized interpolation, computational efficiency, arbitrary shaped surface-of-focus, angular diversity / redundancy, distributed
image sensing,
plasmon surface propagation, and other fundamentally enabling features. Embodiments can be fabricated entirely by printing, transparent / semi-transparent, layered, of arbitrary size / curvature, flexible / bendable, emit light, focus and self-illuminate at zero-separation distance between (planar or curved) sensing and observed surfaces, robust against damage / occulation, implement color sensing without use of filters or
diffraction,
overlay on provided surfaces, provided color and enhanced multi-
wavelength color sensing,
wavelength-selective imaging of near-
infrared / near-
ultraviolet, and comprise many other fundamentally enabling features. Embodiments can be thinner, larger / smaller, more light-use efficient, and higher-performance than recently-popularized
coded aperture imaging cameras. Vast ranges of diverse previously-impossible applications are enabled: credit-card cameras / phones, in-body monitoring of healing /
disease, advanced
biomarker analysis systems, perfect eye-contact video conferencing, seeing fabrics /
skin / housings, and manufacturing-monitoring, wear-monitoring, and
machine vision capabilities.