New '5D' imaging system may soon find applications in healthcare

Medical imaging may reach a higher dimension with the development of a compact hyperspectral imaging system able to measure an object’s shape and light reflection properties through so-called "5D," high-speed imaging.  

Specifically, the imaging system can capture multiple light wavelengths and x, y and z coordinates as a function of time without requiring direct contact with an object, according to research published in the September issue of Optics Express.  

Additionally, the technology may be used to create detailed digital archives of images while allowing researchers to study of an object’s material composition, explained lead author Stefan Heist, PhD, of Friedrich Schiller University and the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering in Germany. 

“State-of-the-art systems that aim to determine both the shape of the objects and their spectral properties are based on multiple sensors, offer low accuracy or require long measurement times,” Heist said in a prepared statement.  

“In contrast, our approach combines excellent spatial and spectral resolution, great depth accuracy and high frame rates in a single compact system.”