Imaging Systems Laboratory

Mission…

“Telecommunication by radio shrank the world to a global village, and the satellite and computer have made imagery the language of that village,” observed the late Professor Ronald Bracewell of Stanford University. The images are captured by various imaging systems; our goal here at the Imaging Systems Laboratory of the University of Hong Kong is to advance the theory and practice of imaging.

Our View…

We see there are two trends in imaging: the plethora and diversity of cameras, and the increasingly important role of computation to complement optics in image formation. Together they allow the reconstruction and synthesis of images, as well as the extraction of information from images, that are not possible otherwise. Our research parallels our view here: on one hand, we study and model different imaging systems, and explore their use in different applications. On the other hand, we develop image reconstruction algorithms, combining them with innovations in the optics for new imaging system designs.

Our Work…

Research in our laboratory has focused on the following systems /applications:

• Computation lithography: This crucial step in semiconductor manufacturing is essentially an imaging process, and we seek to apply computation to increase the resolution in the printed circuits, allowing more densely-packed features and improving circuit performances.

• Digital holography: Our objective is to develop a viable holographic microscopy technique for biophotonic applications, increasing in particular the axial resolution through computational means.

• Optical tomography: We are currently developing image reconstruction schemes for Fourier-domain Optical Coherence Tomography.

• Computational photography: Our current focus is on the development of the right mathematical tool for studying computational cameras.
  

Our People…

We currently have two post-docs and six graduate students in the lab. Short-term visitors are also welcome; at present we have two from MIT. Let us know if you are interested to spend some time with us!

Collaborators and Financial Support…

The Lab is supported mainly by funding from the Hong Kong Research Grants Council and the University of Hong Kong.

We have research collaborations internationally; these include Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cornell University (Methodist Hospital), Rice University, Virginia Tech, and Chinese Academy of Sciences in academia, as well as ASM Assembly Automation and Magma Design Automation in industry.

“Theory is to practice as rigor is to vigor.”    -- Donald E. Knuth