An experimental camera could grant rescue teams and motorists the ability to see moving objects around blind objects while in their car.
The newly developed camera comes from scientists at the Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. The way the camera works is that it can scatter laser light round corners, and then detect its bounce back at 20 billion frames a second to track movement like a sonar echo.
A PhD researcher in Heriot-Watt University’s extreme light group, Genevieve Gariepy, explained more about how the tech works. She said: “The light hits the floor, scatters and travels in every direction, like a growing sphere of light. The light then bounces off the object, like an echo, and is sent back to the camera.
“By measuring the time it takes to return to the camera, we know how far away the object is. By recording the shape of the laser 'echo', we know what direction it's coming from. It takes only a second for the camera to record all of this: so if the object is moving, we can follow it.”
It’s believed that this technology could one day be installed in cars. It would allow drivers to be notified about moving objects, such as other cars and motorcycles, which are normally hidden from view by things like walls and lorries.
Separately, this laser camera technology could also help rescue teams in assessing whether it’s safe to enter a particular room or building.
The research into this laser camera technology will be published in the journal Nature Photonics later this week.
