Study on Optical Swap Computational Imaging Method

Abstract

A novel framework of optical SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power/Price) computational imaging method is proposed to solve the problem of large size, heavy weight, and high power consumption in traditional military optoelectronic weapon equipment. The key point of traditional optical system design is focused on the various geometrical aberration correction through adding the number of lenses, which leads to a complex structure. However, optical SWaP computational imaging method, established a geometrical aberration correction physical model by the optical system design and image processing theory, which was adopted to optimize the optical imaging system. In this study, the difficulty to correct different kinds of geometric aberrations by image processing is analyzed, providing the possibility for correcting easily corrected aberrations by image processing. Furthermore, a simple lens imaging system was designed by the proposed method and the objective evaluation criterion is employed to analyze the final imaging performance. The result shows that optical SWaP computational imaging method can get an excellent imaging performance compared with the result of traditional method. And it is also feasible for correction of optical system aberration through image processing algorithm. Due to the great possibility of fewer lenses needed, higher transmittance efficiency, simpler implementation, and cost-effectiveness, optical SWaP computational imaging method exhibits a great potential.