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The wavelength dependence of atmospheric absorption creates range cues in hyperspectral measurements that can be exploited for passive ranging using only thermal emissions. In this work, we present fundamental limits on absorption-based ranging under a model of known air temperature and wavelength-dependent attenuation coefficient, with object temperature and emissivity unknown; reflected solar and environmental radiance is omitted from our analysis. Fisher information computations illustrate how performance limits depend on atmospheric conditions such as air temperature and humidity; temperature contrast in the scene; spectral resolution of measurement; and distance. These results should prove valuable in sensor system design.

 

The ability to form reconstructions beyond line-of-sight view could be transformative in a variety of fields, including search and rescue, autonomous vehicle navigation, and reconnaissance. Most existing active non-line-of-sight (NLOS) imaging methods use data collection steps in which a pulsed laser is directed at several points on a relay surface, one at a time. The prevailing approaches include raster scanning of a rectangular grid on a vertical wall opposite the volume of interest to generate a collection of confocal measurements. These and a recent method that uses a horizontal relay surface are inherently limited by the need for laser scanning. Methods that avoid laser scanning to operate in a snapshot mode are limited to treating the hidden scene of interest as one or two point targets. In this work, based on more complete optical response modeling yet still without multiple illumination positions, we demonstrate accurate reconstructions of foreground objects while also introducing the capability of mapping the stationary scenery behind moving objects. The ability to count, localize, and characterize the sizes of hidden objects, combined with mapping of the stationary hidden scene, could greatly improve indoor situational awareness in a variety of applications.

 

Non-line-of-sight (NLOS) imaging is a rapidly advancing technology that provides asymmetric vision: seeing without being seen. Though limited in accuracy, resolution, and depth recovery compared to active methods, the capabilities of passive methods are especially surprising because they typically use only a single, inexpensive digital camera. One of the largest challenges in passive NLOS imaging is ambient background light, which limits the dynamic range of the measurement while carrying no useful information about the hidden part of the scene. In this work we propose a new reconstruction approach that uses an optimized linear transformation to balance the rejection of uninformative light with the retention of informative light, resulting in fast (video-rate) reconstructions of hidden scenes from photographs of a blank wall under high ambient light conditions.