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A Single Pixel Camera

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the high-tech-pointilism dept.

BuzzSkyline writes "Scientists at Rice University have developed a one pixel camera. Instead of recording an image point by point, it records the brightness of the light reflected from an array of movable micromirrors. Each configuration of the mirrors encodes some information about the scene, which the pixel collects as a single number. The camera produces a picture by psuedorandomly switching the mirrors and measuring the result several thousand times. Unlike megapixel cameras that record millions of pieces of data and then compress the information to keep file sizes down, the single pixel camera compresses the data first and records only the compact information. The experimental version is slow and the image quality is rough, but the technique may lead to single-pixel cameras that use detectors that can collect images outside the visible range, multi-pixel cameras that get by with much smaller imaging arrays, or possibly even megapixel cameras that provide gigapixel resolution. The researchers described their research on October 11 at the Optical Society of America's Frontiers in Optics meeting in Rochester, NY."

12 of 190 comments (clear)

  1. 101 by Timesprout · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is me with Natalie Portman at a Star Wars convention (I'm the second 1).

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    1. Re:101 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Sorry but due to the lossey process it is impossible to tell if hot grits were present,
      Please take another photo and maybe the randomness of the process will enlighten us.

    2. Re:101 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      The '0' was a hot grit you blind fool!!

    3. Re:101 by TempeTerra · · Score: 5, Funny

      Nice try, doofus, but that's clearly photoshopped.

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  2. that's one big pixel by macadamia_harold · · Score: 5, Funny

    Scientists at Rice University have developed a one pixel camera.

    The camera's one pixel, but when you print it out full size, you get a mega pixel.

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  3. Re:I don't get it... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sure it's expensiverest at the moment. But with economisationalisation from upscalifying the process you could see it cheapifying quickly.

  4. photo album by chowdy · · Score: 5, Funny

    . here's me at the grand canyon . oh man, here's where i got drunk off of my ass . here's me apologizing for this terrible joke

  5. Had to be said... by tonigonenstein · · Score: 5, Funny

    One pixel should be enough for anybody.

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  6. Hold still, dammit!!! by Harmonious+Botch · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm trying to take apicture one pixel at a time!

  7. can't wait by zoefff · · Score: 5, Funny

    can't wait for the first four pixel camera. Imagine the resolution of that one! ;-P

  8. it's probably been said.. by catwh0re · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...but it'd suck to have a dead pixel.

  9. Re:Already done better in 1999 by megaditto · · Score: 4, Funny

    Even better, use your scanner as a camera:
    http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/text-demo-scanner-cam.h tml

    Should give you an idea of how to do it yourself to get gigapixel sized pictures.

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