A new computer algorithm will allow the camera to “look around corners”

As the rapid development of modern video technology, the concept of “all-seeing eye of Big Brother” ceases to be something abstract: every day millions of people become the subjects of numerous covert surveillance cameras. Unfortunately, soon to hide from them will be even harder.

The fact that the researchers lab at Boston University under the leadership of Vivek Goyal developed a computer algorithm that enables any camera to literally “see around corners”.

Method is called “computational periscope”. It is based on the analysis of the shadows that the objects cast on the wall, which was developed by the powerful decoding algorithms. While the resulting image is not perfect, but quite distinct.

It would have been much easier in the presence of mirrored walls, but because of their matte surface, scattering light in all directions, the reflected image is a blur.

To obtain the original image located in the corner of the object, the program needs a picture of the wall on which it falls reflected from the shadows. It is necessary to clarify the object should not be transparent. In fact, the algorithm using complex calculations like decrypts the light.

One of the main advantages of technology is its use in the determination of the image captured on any digital camera. Now to recreate the image “around the corner” program using a conventional computer is 48 seconds. For computers with high capacity of time it will take even less.

In practical terms, the new technology may be required to create unmanned vehicles and Autonomous robots operating in natural disaster areas.

techcult.ru