Rotating Patterned Disk for High-Speed Video Reconstruction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current high-speed image capture systems are expensive, prone to destruction during events, and fail to characterize images in time or sequence, limiting their applicability and effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A high-speed video system using a rotating absorbing disk with a complex pattern at the image plane, synchronized with the camera's frame rate, which allows for image reconstruction using algorithms like TWIST to create a time sequence of images, enabling cheaper, more robust imaging across various radiation types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If traditional high-speed camera systems are used, then high frame rate image capture is achieved, but the system becomes expensive and fragile
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the high-speed function into a simple mechanical rotating disk with patterned apertures, while the camera sensor operates at standard speeds. The disk segments the image capture into multiple temporal snapshots within a single exposure, achieving high effective frame rate without requiring a high-speed camera
Solution Approach 2:
A rotating patterned disk is introduced as an intermediary element between the scene and the camera sensor. This disk modulates the light reaching the sensor, encoding temporal information into spatial patterns that can be decoded to reconstruct high-speed sequences from standard-speed camera footage
2Speed
If expensive high-speed cameras are used, then high speed imagery is captured, but the camera may be destroyed during destructive events
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a standard, inexpensive camera that can be easily replaced if damaged, combined with a simple rotating disk mechanism. This approach accepts that the camera might be destroyed in extreme events but mitigates the loss by using affordable equipment rather than expensive high-speed cameras
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating disk introduces dynamic motion into an otherwise static imaging system. The disk rotates at controlled speeds to capture multiple temporal moments, providing high-speed capture capability through mechanical dynamics rather than through expensive high-speed sensor electronics
3Device complexity
If standard cameras are used, then the system is cost-effective, but images cannot be characterized in time or sequence
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating disk is pre-patterned with specific aperture arrangements that encode temporal information. By controlling the disk rotation speed and pattern, the system preliminarily structures the light reaching the sensor to preserve temporal sequence information that can be recovered during image processing
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the known disk rotation speed and pattern geometry to decode the captured images. The processing algorithm uses the predetermined disk characteristics to separate and reconstruct individual temporal snapshots from the composite image, recovering temporal characterization information
4Speed
If a moving patterned disk is added to achieve high-speed imaging, then frame rate increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating disk operates with periodic motion at controlled speeds, creating repeating patterns of light and shadow that encode temporal information. This periodic action allows the system to capture multiple time points in a single exposure and reconstruct them through processing, achieving high effective frame rate with simple periodic mechanics
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution provides efficient, cost-effective high-speed imaging capable of capturing a higher frame rate than traditional systems, suitable for diverse radiation types, including infrared, visible light, UV, x-rays, and potentially gamma-rays, with the potential for disposable applications and robustness in high-radiation environments.
Implementation Method 1
a moving absorbing disk at an image plane, with the disk having a complex or random pattern
Data Source
AI summary
A high-speed video system is disclosed that includes a moving image absorbing disk at an image plane. The disk has a pattern that passes and blocks image data. The disk is located between an event and an image sensor, or reflects an image to the image sensor. The disk is rotated at a speed that matches the desired reconstructed image frame rate. The image sensor frame data is processed using image reconstruction techniques, such as the D-AMP or TWIST algorithm, to recover a time sequence of reconstructed images. Additional images can be reconstructed for each image sensor frame if some spatial resolution is sacrificed. For continuous video, the disk speed is adjusted to the sensor frame rate. For burst mode, a single sensor image is acquired and a short image sequence is reconstructed. This image capture system works with a variety of radiations, including infrared, light, UV and X-rays.