Image stitching using an electrowetting-based liquid prism with a fabrication method

In this paper, we propose a new method for image stitching using an electrowetting-based liquid prism. Several images were obtained by adjusting the voltages applied to four sidewalls of the liquid prism, and a panoramic image was achieved through an image stitching algorithm. The relationship between the tilting angle of the liquid prism and the normal vector of the liquid-liquid interface was presented. Novel fabrication method has been proposed to improve the performance of the liquid prism, including the addition of a new structure to prevent oil isolation, plastic chamber material, plastic laser cutting, and oil selection. The fabricated liquid prism has a size of 5 × 5 × 8 mm, a maximum beam steering angle of ±10.5 °, a response time of 19.1 ms, and a resolution of 14.25 lp/mm. The required number of images according to the overlapping area was presented through the simulation, and the image stitching using two or three images was demonstrated.