Abstract

The three fundamental properties of the light field are intensity, color and polarization. Today’s imaging sensors record the first two properties with high spatial resolution and low noise. The polarization properties of light have typically been ignored because the human visual system is blind to this modality of light. Polarization imaging techniques have proven very useful in gaining additional visual information in optically scattering environments, and in normal environmental conditions. Motivated by the potential advantages of polarization imaging, we have developed a bio-inspired spectral-polarization imaging sensors by integrating micro-polarization filters with an array of CMOS imaging elements.

© 2014 Optical Society of America