Engineers Design Imaging Microchip That Can See Through Obstacles
The terahertz imager microchip can enable devices to detect objects and create images through obstacles like fog, smoke, dust, and snow.
Engineers from the University of Texas at Dallas and Oklahoma State University have developed a terahertz imager microchip capable of detecting objects and creating images through obstacles such as fog, smoke, snow, and dust. Although the chip is designed for industrial applications, the team states the chip could be used in vehicles to help navigate while driving in adverse conditions.
“The technology allows you to see in vision-impaired environments. In industrial settings, for example, devices using the microchips could help with packaging inspections for manufacturing process control, monitoring moisture content or seeing through steam. If you are a firefighter, it could help you see through smoke and fire,” explains Dr. Kenneth K. O, professor of electrical and computer engineering at the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science.
The CMOS-based imager functions by emitting radiation beams in the terahertz range (430 GHz) of the electromagnetic spectrum with pixels no larger than a grain of sand. The beams can pass through fog, dust and other particles and bounce off objects, which are reflected back to the microchip. Those pixels then use those signals to create images. Instead of lenses, the terahertz imager utilizes a reflector, which increases the imaging distance and quality while reducing power consumption.
The researchers believe that their imaging breakthrough paves the way for improved, raw angular resolution imagers that consume less power than array-based systems that can be manufactured cheaply and easily integrated into multiple systems.