Camera Can See Around Corners

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Camera Can See Around Corners

Posted by samzenpus on Wednesday March 21, 2012 @06:57AM from the no-place-to-hide dept.

ananyo writes "Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge have created a camera that is able to record images of objects hidden behind walls. They fire a pulse of laser light at a wall on the far side of the hidden scene, and record the time at which the scattered light reaches a camera. Photons bounce off the wall onto the hidden object and back to the wall, scattering each time, before a small fraction eventually reaches the camera, each at a slightly different time. The camera captures this time-of-flight information and uses it to reconstruct an image of the hidden object (abstract)."

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Prior Art by No,+I+am+Spratacus! · 2012-03-21 07:04 · Score: 2

Technology like this will make its way into first-person shooters! But really.. they should just get a wall-hack.
1. Re:Prior Art by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-21 07:14 · Score: 0
  
  Wouldn't the prior art be LIDAR?
2. Re:Prior Art by zerro · 2012-03-21 07:15 · Score: 2
  
  noclipping=1
3. Re:Prior Art by Nialin · 2012-03-21 07:17 · Score: 2
  
  Personally, I'd rather just see the technology improve so that the image is more accurate, which seems likely.
  
  The 2 picosecond resolution is obviously the limitation here; just like that of a camera with a 240p resolution, or a low Frames Per Second. The faster a camera like this is able to collect reflected data, the better the overall quality.
  
  Just think of the implications for photography and cinematography! Michael Bay would have a field day with this shit. And then someone with talent could actually make a good movie, too, but you know, whatever...
  
  The future looks rather interesting, albeit vague, with this tech. And it's just around the corner.
  
  /pun
4. Re:Prior Art by smi.james.th · 2012-03-21 07:26 · Score: 1
  
  I didn't see anything about patents in TFS or TFA... So while the concept may have arisen before (in the aforementioned FPSs), but the concept of prior art doesn't really apply.
  
  --
  One thing I know, and that is that I am ignorant...
5. Re:Prior Art by JazzLad · 2012-03-21 07:50 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  idspispopd ftw
  
  --
  "If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear." - Every fascist, ever
6. Re:Prior Art by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-21 08:06 · Score: 1
  
  The 2 picoseconds is not the limitation. The limitations are the requirement for the object to stand still long enough to collect enough photons for a decent picture and the requirement to have a correctly placed flat surface.
  In essence they are compensating for the surface not being a good mirror by using the run time of the photons and calculations.
  I guess in theory you could use curved surfaces as well, but you need to adjust the calculations accordingly. And even then you will have interference patterns because of the shape.
  Without a known reflecting surface this will not work at all until you develop the technology to also scan the surface before using it as a reflector.
7. Re:Prior Art by mcgrew · 2012-03-21 08:11 · Score: 2
  
  Two picoseconds is pretty damned quick. The fastest my old SLR would go was 1/5000th, and it needed fast film and lots of light to get an acceptable picture at that speed. Movie cameras operate at 1/24th of a second. 1/16th for a 35mm still in low light, but you need a tripod and pretty sedentary objects to film.
  I just don't see artistic uses for this, but I see lots of military uses.
  It makes me think of the computer in "Blade Runner".
  
  --
  Free Martian Whores!
8. Re:Prior Art by KhabaLox · 2012-03-21 09:19 · Score: 2
  
  Movie cameras operate at 1/24th of a second.
  Two things. Film movie cameras are quickly disappearing. I think I heard that the last manufacturer has stopped production. 2nd, film movie cameras may capture 24 frames per second, but that doesn't mean their exposure time is 1/24th of a second. It is significantly less.
  
  --
  Ceci n'est pas un sig.
9. Re:Prior Art by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-21 09:28 · Score: 0
  
  When you scan the laser across the surface for imaging, and record the response at each position, what do you think your camera sees first, before any of the indirect reflections? Oh, yes, the direct reflection from the surface, thus scanning the surface FOR FREE.
  Don't be an idiot.
10. Re:Prior Art by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-21 09:40 · Score: 0
  
  I should be more clear... they actually misalign the laser to avoid that primary reflection, presumably for dynamic range issues and/or to simplify image processing. But they split off and attenuate a secondary beam for that purpose, and subtracting the OPL difference is all you need.
11. Re:Prior Art by ArundelCastle · 2012-03-21 11:52 · Score: 1
  
  Wish I had some mod points for you good sir.
12. Re:Prior Art by mcgrew · 2012-03-22 01:12 · Score: 1
  
  Too much less and things won't move right; it will look jerky.
  
  --
  Free Martian Whores!
13. Re:Prior Art by KhabaLox · 2012-03-22 03:36 · Score: 1
  
  No it won't. Each frame is still 1/24 of a second apart in time. The object you are filming will have changed position by the same amount, regardless of how fast the shutter opens and closes.
  The shutter is only open for some time less than the time between images, perhaps 1/100 or 1/500 of a second. It's probably not quite that fast, as I'd imagine that they use a fairly low speed film to get the best quality image.
  
  --
  Ceci n'est pas un sig.
14. Re:Prior Art by mcgrew · 2012-03-23 01:40 · Score: 1
  
  The faster the shutter speed the less blurring. If an object moving on the screen doesn't blur between frames from one position to the next, it looks unnatural.
  
  --
  Free Martian Whores!
15. Re:Prior Art by KhabaLox · 2012-03-23 03:15 · Score: 1
  
  Think about what you just said, and then tell my why you're obviously wrong.
  
  --
  Ceci n'est pas un sig.
great, real-life wallhacks! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-21 07:04 · Score: 0

great, real-life wallhacks!
But I still can't read behind walls by ubergeek65536 · 2012-03-21 07:07 · Score: 1

I'd would be nice if there was a paywall warning.
1. Re:But I still can't read behind walls by Chase+Husky · 2012-03-21 07:57 · Score: 1
  
  Here's a link to the pre-published manuscript: http://web.mit.edu/~velten/www/corner/corner-prep.pdf, a related manuscript: http://web.mit.edu/~velten/www/corner/arxivoe.pdf, and a technical report: http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/67888
A camera that can see around corners? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-21 07:07 · Score: 1

So it has come to this.
1. Re:A camera that can see around corners? by JazzLad · 2012-03-21 07:53 · Score: 1
  
  You didn't know what to say, huh?
  
  --
  "If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear." - Every fascist, ever
2. Re:A camera that can see around corners? by X0563511 · 2012-03-21 08:18 · Score: 1
  
  So, you follow people around explaining jokes as they happen?
  
  --
  For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
3. Re:A camera that can see around corners? by JazzLad · 2012-03-21 08:34 · Score: 2
  
  So, it has come to this.
  
  --
  "If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear." - Every fascist, ever
4. Re:A camera that can see around corners? by BronsCon · 2012-03-21 08:47 · Score: 1
  
  You didn't know what to say, huh?
  
  --
  APK quotes people (including myself) without context and should not be trusted. Just thought you should know.
5. Re:A camera that can see around corners? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-21 08:59 · Score: 0
  
  Dental plan.
6. Re:A camera that can see around corners? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-21 09:16 · Score: 0
  
  To this it has so come...
Nice to see cool new technology. by jellomizer · 2012-03-21 07:13 · Score: 1

It makes me happy to see a new technology, that follows a basic principals that is easy to understand, and the only real reason why it never came up sooner was due to accuracy of the electronics.

--
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
This story looks familiar... by ClickOnThis · 2012-03-21 07:14 · Score: 4, Funny

Oh yeah, now I remember.

--
If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
1. Re:This story looks familiar... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-21 07:17 · Score: 1
  
  I like this one from 2005 better.
  http://tech.slashdot.org/story/05/05/10/0310241/seeing-around-corners-with-dual-photography
  Different technology, but a better overall trick.
2. Re:This story looks familiar... by Walking+The+Walk · 2012-03-21 07:45 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Silly, that one was about a system at MIT that captured scatter at 2 x 10^-15 seconds resolution. This one is a system at MIT that captures at 2 x 10^-12 seconds resolution. Clearly they should be different stories on Slashdot.
  
  --
  A recursive sig
  Can impart wisdom and truth
  Call proc signature()
3. Re:This story looks familiar... by deblau · 2012-03-21 08:06 · Score: 1
  
  *Yawn* Cameras that can see around corners aren't even new (provided you can control the light source):
  http://graphics.stanford.edu/papers/dual_photography/
  http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8237361566146405294#
  
  --
  This post expresses my opinion, not that of my employer. And yes, IAAL.
4. Re:This story looks familiar... by complete+loony · 2012-03-21 10:09 · Score: 1
  
  That's just the description of the camera they built. Now someone is publishing about something else they can do with it. If you spend all that time building a cool piece of equipment, you're going to have a small team of students writing as many related papers as possible. Not really surprised.
  
  --
  09F91102 no, 455FE104 nope, F190A1E8 uh-uh, 7A5F8A09 that's not it, C87294CE no. Ah! 452F6E403CDF10714E41DFAA257D313F.
I too have created a device... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-21 07:15 · Score: 0

...that can see through walls. Requires no power, just a one time setup. I call it a "window".
1. Re:I too have created a device... by KevReedUK · 2012-03-21 08:56 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  You dare to mention windows in this forum?
  
  --
  Just my $0.03 (At current exchange rates, my £0.02 is worth more than your $0.02)
2. Re:I too have created a device... by elgeeko.com · 2012-03-21 09:31 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  fanboy!
Mmm, paywall. by JustAnotherIdiot · 2012-03-21 07:23 · Score: 4, Insightful

Article preview Read the full article Instant access to this article: US$32
$32 for an article? Just think, a minimum wage worker has to work for over 4 hours to get access to that.
Somehow, I doubt that article is worth it.

--
What do I know, I'm just an idiot, right?
1. Re:Mmm, paywall. by nschubach · 2012-03-21 07:39 · Score: 1
  
  It's the new form of piracy/copyright infringement prevention. Charge half of what it cost to write, then hope two people buy it.
  
  --
  Every time I start to have faith in humanity, I ruin it by driving to work between 7 and 8 am.
2. Re:Mmm, paywall. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-21 07:51 · Score: 1
  
  $32 for an article? Just think, a minimum wage worker has to work for over 4 hours to get access to that. Somehow, I doubt that article is worth it.
  Or you could stop whining and spend part of that four hours looking for the paper. It's here.
3. Re:Mmm, paywall. by K.+S.+Kyosuke · 2012-03-21 08:12 · Score: 1
  
  $32 for an article? Just think, a minimum wage worker has to work for over 4 hours to get access to that. Somehow, I doubt that article is worth it.
  A minimum wage worker could easily spend much more time trying to understand the math involved.
  
  --
  Ezekiel 23:20
4. Re:Mmm, paywall. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-21 08:29 · Score: 0, Insightful
  
  A minimum wage work would likely spend it all on soda, tobacco, and named brand food products so they wouldn't be able to afford something like this anyways.
5. Re:Mmm, paywall. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-21 08:41 · Score: 0
  
  If they want it that bad, they can just ask any student to get it for them. Every university in the world is going to have a subscription to Nature.
6. Re:Mmm, paywall. by Quaoar · 2012-03-21 08:51 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  If only someone invented some sort of laser that would allow me to see behind this paywall...
  
  --
  I'll form my OWN solar system! With blackjack! And hookers!
7. Re:Mmm, paywall. by GoodNewsJimDotCom · 2012-03-21 09:12 · Score: 1
  
  Today's minimum wage worker might be college educated and never will be able to pay off their student loans.
  
  --
  God spoke to me
8. Re:Mmm, paywall. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-22 19:34 · Score: 0
  
  Stop whining, here's the link to the full article.
  http://web.mit.edu/~velten/www/corner/corner-prep.pdf
but can it be used for something useful by nonewmsgs · 2012-03-21 07:46 · Score: 0

can it be used to remove clothing?
Meanwhile at DARPA by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-21 07:48 · Score: 0

...scientists are researching how to use scattered laser light to deconstruct a hidden object.
ooohh... by Iniamyen · 2012-03-21 07:50 · Score: 1

How long until this can be miniaturized into a pair of glasses that I can wear outside of the women's locker room at the gym?
1. Re:ooohh... by omnichad · 2012-03-21 08:37 · Score: 1
  
  Considering clothing is thinner than walls, why do you need a locker room?
2. Re:ooohh... by Iniamyen · 2012-03-21 08:49 · Score: 1
  
  Because it can't see THROUGH anything. It can see AROUND stuff, because it depends on scattered light from the subject. So much for trying to make a joke.
3. Re:ooohh... by omnichad · 2012-03-21 08:55 · Score: 1
  
  Then it wouldn't work at the locker room either unless they don't have a door.
4. Re:ooohh... by Iniamyen · 2012-03-21 09:12 · Score: 1
  
  Yeah, many large gyms don't have doors on the locker rooms. They have a hallway with a U-shape.
Yeah? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-21 07:53 · Score: 0

Don't bother me with tech like this untill it can give me highres images from the Woman's locker rooms :)
That won't work by aglider · 2012-03-21 07:53 · Score: 1

If there's no "mirror like" surface to scatter the photons!
Only Superman (and a few other super heroes) can see through walls, you insensitive clod!

--
Sent as ripples into the electromagnetic field. No single photon has been harmed in the process.
It's not seeing around wall, it's using a mirror by DutchUncle · 2012-03-21 07:56 · Score: 1

A very imperfect mirror, yes, but a mirror nonetheless.
I am pervert... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-21 08:00 · Score: 0

The first application I thought of was for up-skirt shots.
Zoom. by virgnarus · 2012-03-21 08:07 · Score: 1

Enhance.
Possible Limits by calgar99 · 2012-03-21 08:08 · Score: 1

At least initially, I feel like that won't work unless you already know what the lack-of-object-around-corner returns are. In other words, if you haven't already taken a "picture" of this corner without someone or something in it, it won't do you any good. You won't be able to take a device with you to an unknown location and expect to see what's around the corner. And if you have time to set this up before something goes wrong, why not just put a camera around the corner? :)
great for in the office by Errtu76 · 2012-03-21 08:21 · Score: 1

Because you never know when the boss is evesdropping.
parascope by Cyko_01 · 2012-03-21 08:35 · Score: 1

I think I made one of these in fourth grade using an old milk carton
sounds a bit like over the horizon radar by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-21 16:00 · Score: 0

This sounds a bit like over the horizon radar, with backscattering of images and all that. Radar is all line of sight too, but if you can get it to refract on the ionisphere, you can get long range information (1400-1500 km away). There are also creeping wave and surface wave radars that do similar things (Google it). Its not exactly measuring time of flight, but it is a reflected wave that is measured.