Spatial Awareness Around Corners

Time of flight imaging allows for the analysis of multi bounce light transport for scene reconstruction and spatial awareness beyond the line of sight, effectively "looking around corners". We propose to develop time of flight imaging and enhance its capabilities using ultrafast illumination and detection, and demonstrate its utility towards more challenging and army relevant scene reconstructions. To augment the capabilities of our imaging system we will use quantum dot materials for wavelength conversion and tagging of objects out of the line of sight. Finally multibounce light transport analysis will enable us to identify materials directly and around corners by probing their angular reflectance properties. The ability to look around corners will greatly benefit our soldiers in close combat and for short and mid-range reconnaissance. Using quantum dots for frequency conversion and tagging will allow detection, localization and identification of soldiers and objects inside buildings, caves or under collapsed structures and with eye-invisible wavelengths.