Three dimensional moving pictures with a single imager and microfluidic lens

Abstract

A method and system for determining depth of an image using a single imager and a lens having a variable focal length is provided. The system comprises a microfluidic lens having a variable focal length controlled by a lens controller and an imager receiving an image of an object from the lens, wherein the imager is configured to receive a first image comprising a first plurality of pixels from the lens at a first focal length and a second image comprising a second plurality of pixels from the lens at a second focal length, the second focal length being different than the first focal length, non-volatile memory, wherein the first image and the second image are stored in the non-volatile memory, a depth module configured to determine a distance between the lens and the object based by a comparison of the first image of the object and the second image of the object.