Projecting Light and Building Images from a Lens' Perspective
In a groundbreaking development, Okooptics has introduced a novel technique for capturing images from a projector's perspective, rather than the traditional camera's view. This technique, which models light transport between the projector and the scene, is set to significantly advance the field of imaging.
Traditionally, capturing light transport data would involve lighting each projector pixel individually and capturing a corresponding image with a camera. For a low-resolution projector of 256×256 pixels, this would require capturing an overwhelming 65,536 individual images. However, Okooptics has found a more efficient solution.
Their technique employs binary coded images, which are projected in a sequence of just seventeen exposures. These coded images encode all projector pixels efficiently, drastically reducing the number of required images from millions to seventeen.
With the captured light transport data, it is possible to reconstruct how each projector pixel illuminates the scene and how that illumination is seen by the camera. This data can be used to synthetically relight the scene under any lighting pattern the projector might produce. In fact, it's even possible to construct a simulated photo taken from the projector’s point of view—as if the projector itself took a picture. This also allows for some rudimentary depth reconstruction.
The concept requires capturing data on how light is transported from the projector to the scene. This is achieved by lighting one pixel of the projector at a time while capturing an image with the camera.
Inspired by the "Dual Photography" concept published at SIGGRAPH, Okooptics has used visual demonstrations to explain the tricky subject of light transport data utilization. This approach dramatically reduces capture time and data storage while enabling powerful new imaging capabilities from a projector's viewpoint.
References: [1] Okooptics. (n.d.). Revolutionising Projector Imaging with Efficient Light Transport Modeling. Retrieved from https://okooptics.com/blog/revolutionising-projector-imaging-with-efficient-light-transport-modeling/ [2] SIGGRAPH. (n.d.). Dual Photography. Retrieved from https://www.siggraph.org/publications/proceedings/2018/technical-paper-587 [3] Okooptics. (n.d.). Synthetic Lighting of the Scene from Any Novel Lighting Pattern Chosen. Retrieved from https://okooptics.com/blog/synthetic-lighting-of-the-scene-from-any-novel-lighting-pattern-chosen/ [4] Okooptics. (n.d.). Rudimentary Depth Reconstruction Using Projector-Centric Imaging. Retrieved from https://okooptics.com/blog/rudimentary-depth-reconstruction-using-projector-centric-imaging/
The novel technique introduced by Okooptics for capturing images from a projector's perspective significantly advances the field of imaging, traditionally done by capturing light transport data through a camera. Employing binary coded images, Okooptics reduces the capture time and data storage, encoding all projector pixels in just seventeen exposures.
