Image Sensors

Aim

After the course the student should be able to design and use systems that include image sensors, for example digital cameras or or other types of image sensors. This means to be able to:

• describe the geometric image formation process and electronic measurement process related to various light sensors.
• describe the general design, applications, and limitations or various non-light sensors which produce images.
• solve computational problems during camera calibration.

Content

The course is focused on digital cameras (for still and video images) and describes the process which from the light flow into the camera generates pixel values that can be output in the form of an image. This includes optics, geometry and electronics. The course also presents special types of cameras such as infrared cameras and range cameras. Main topics of the course are:

• The digital camera: sensor structure, bayer patterns, noise sources, lens effects, etc.
• Camera geometry: the pinhole camera, projective geometry, homogeneous coordinates, homography
• Camera calibration and an application: panorama stitching
• Infrared and multispectral cameras
• 3D visualization: simulation of the light source interaction with surfaces and volumes
• Range cameras and point clouds
• Specialized cameras, e.g. high dynamic range (HDR), coded aperture