Direct method of three-dimensional imaging using the multiple-wavelength range-gated active imaging principle.

Abstract

The tomography executed with mono-wavelength active imaging systems uses the recording of several images to restore a three-dimensional (3D) scene. Thus, in order to show the depth in the scene, a different color is attributed to each recorded image. Therefore, the 3D restoration depends on the video frame rate of the camera. By using a multiple-wavelength range-gated active imaging system, it is possible to restore the 3D scene directly in a single image at the moment of recording with a video camera. Each emitted light pulse with a different wavelength corresponds to a visualized zone at a different distance in the scene. The camera shutter opens just once during the emission of light pulses with the different wavelengths. Thus, the restoration can be executed in real time with regard to the video frame rate of the camera. From an analytical model and from a graphical approach, we demonstrated the feasibility of this new method of 3D restoration. The non-overlapping conditions between two consecutive visualized zones are analyzed. The experimental test results confirm these different conditions and validate the theoretical principle to directly restore the 3D scene in a color image with a multiple-wavelength laser source, an RGB filter, and a triggerable intensified camera.