New High-Speed Camera Is So Fast It

New High-Speed Camera Is So Fast It Can See Neurons Firing

By Charles Q. Choi, Live Science Contributor | July 6, 2016 06:34am ET


One of the fastest cameras in the world can now take better pictures than ever, even capturing neurons as they fire, according to a new study.

This upgrade could help researchers learn more about how the brain works and how to improve combustion-engine fuel efficiency, the scientists said.

The researchers previously developed a "streak camera" that could image at speeds of 100 billion frames per second in a single exposure — quick enough to capture pulses of light zipping through space. This device was the fastest receive-only camera in the world, meaning it needed only available light for imaging, as opposed to additional illumination from a source such as a laser.

The scientists have now improved on this technique, called compressed ultrafast photography, boosting its resolution "by about 2.4 times," said study senior author Lihong Wang, an applied physicist at Washington University in St. Louis. "This is a step above something that was already exciting."

In their latest work, the researchers started with a streak camera — an extremely fast type of camera that measures how the intensity of a pulse of light varies over time. They next added a standard digital camera to their streak camera. Merging the data from the digital camera and the streak camera helped enhance image reconstruction, producing images with higher resolution, improved contrast and cleaner backgrounds, Wang said.

With the upgraded system, the scientists captured images of laser pulses each just picoseconds or trillionths of a second long as they traveled through the air. They also imaged the laser pulses as they swept across a printout of a toy car.

This camera technology could be coupled with microscopes or telescopes, Wang said. He and his colleagues are especially interested in using it to watch neurons fire.

"Neural signals can propagate along nerves at speeds of over 100 meters per second (223 mph)," Wang told Live Science. "That kind of speed is too high for any current cameras to capture. We hope we can use our system to study neural networks to understand how the brain works."

The researchers also hope to use their upgrade to analyze ultrafast biochemical reactions that occur within cells, and to study combustion "in order to optimize fuel efficiency," Wang said. Washington University has applied for a patent for the technology and is looking for companies to commercialize it, he added.

The scientists detailed their findings online June 30 in the journal Optica.

Результаты (английский) 1:

New High-Speed Camera Is So Fast It Can See Neurons FiringBy Charles Q. Choi, Live Science Contributor | July 6, 2016 06:34am ET One of the fastest cameras in the world can now take better pictures than ever, even capturing neurons as they fire, according to a new study.This upgrade could help researchers learn more about how the brain works and how to improve combustion-engine fuel efficiency, the scientists said.The researchers previously developed a "streak camera" that could image at speeds of 100 billion frames per second in a single exposure — quick enough to capture pulses of light zipping through space. This device was the fastest receive-only camera in the world, meaning it needed only available light for imaging, as opposed to additional illumination from a source such as a laser.The scientists have now improved on this technique, called compressed ultrafast photography, boosting its resolution "by about 2.4 times," said study senior author Lihong Wang, an applied physicist at Washington University in St. Louis. "This is a step above something that was already exciting."In their latest work, the researchers started with a streak camera — an extremely fast type of camera that measures how the intensity of a pulse of light varies over time. They next added a standard digital camera to their streak camera. Merging the data from the digital camera and the streak camera helped enhance image reconstruction, producing images with higher resolution, improved contrast and cleaner backgrounds, Wang said.With the upgraded system, the scientists captured images of laser pulses each just picoseconds or trillionths of a second long as they traveled through the air. They also imaged the laser pulses as they swept across a printout of a toy car.This camera technology could be coupled with microscopes or telescopes, Wang said. He and his colleagues are especially interested in using it to watch neurons fire."Neural signals can propagate along nerves at speeds of over 100 meters per second (223 mph)," Wang told Live Science. "That kind of speed is too high for any current cameras to capture. We hope we can use our system to study neural networks to understand how the brain works. "The researchers further also hope to use their upgrade to analyze ultrafast biochemical reactions that occur within cells and to study combustion in order to optimize fuel efficiency, "Wang said. Washington University has applied for a patent for the technology and is looking for companies to commercialize it, he added.The scientists detailed their findings online March 30 in the journal Optica.

Результаты (английский) 2:

The High-Speed the New the Camera Is the Fast for So the Can See It Neurons Firing

By of Charles Q. The to Choi, the Live Science the Contributor | July 6, 2016 am the ET 06:34


the One of the fastest cameras in the world CAN now! Just to take better pictures than the ever, is even capturing as with neurons for They of fire, according to a new study.

This upgrade Could Researchers to help learn more about how of the brain works and to Improve the combustion how of engine fuel-efficiency, the Scientists Said.

of the Previously Researchers developed a "streak camera" That Could AT SPEEDS image of 100 billion frames per second in a single exposure - quick enough to capture pulses of light zipping through space. This device WAS the fastest the receive-only camera in the world, Meaning IT needed only available light for imaging, as with Opposed to Additional illumination from a-source such as with a laser.

Of The Scientists have now! Just improved version on the this technique, Called compressed ultrafast photography A, boosting its resolution "by about 2.4 times, " said study senior author Lihong Wang, an applied physicist at Washington University in St. Louis. "This is a step the above something That WAS Already the most exciting."

With In Their latest work, the Researchers the Started with a streak camera - an Extremely of fast of the type of camera That the Measures how of the intensity of the pulse of a light Varies over time. They next added a standard digital camera to their streak camera. Merging the the data from the digital is camera and the streak camera Helped Enhance image Reconstruction, producing of the images with Higher resolution, improved version contrast and cleaner The backgrounds, by Wang Said.

With the upgraded system, the Scientists Captured the images of laser Pulses each just picoseconds or trillionths of a second long as they traveled through the air . Also the imaged the for They laser for They Pulses as with the swept across the a printout of a of toy-car.

This camera technology Could the BE coupled with microscopes or Telescopes, by Wang Said. A His colleagues and the He are Especially interested is in using the IT to the watch neurons of fire.

"The Neural signals propagate CAN AT SPEEDS Along nerves of over 100 meters per second (223 mph)," Wang told Live Science . "That kind of speed is of too the high for the any current cameras to capture. For We hope we CAN use Our system to study neural networks to Understand how of the brain works."

Of The Researchers Also hope to use Their upgrade to an analyze ultrafast Biochemical Reactions That On occur Within cells, and to study combustion "in order to optimize fuel efficiency," Wang said. University then has an applied Washington You for a patent for the technology and is looking for to commercialize companies' to IT, he added.

Of The Scientists Their detailed The Findings of online June 30 in the journal Optica.