Simulation of ultra-fast structured illumination in single-photon sensitive single-pixel lidar

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Computer Vision
• Lidar Technology

Background:

• Conventional lidar systems face limitations in speed and surface detail.
• Digital Micromirror Devices (DMDs) limit modulation rates in structured illumination.
• Accurate surface normal estimation often requires dense point clouds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a high-speed single-pixel imaging lidar system.
• To leverage VCSEL arrays for enhanced structured illumination.
• To achieve accurate range and reflectance measurements using local angle of incidence.

Main Methods:

• Utilized individually addressable Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (VCSEL) arrays as spatial light modulators.
• Employed single-photon detection for high-speed structured illumination.
• Developed a measurement model and inverse rendering workflow, validated via ray tracing simulations.

Main Results:

• Achieved millimeter-level precision in range measurements.
• Enabled accurate reflectance estimation by leveraging local angle of incidence.
• Demonstrated significantly higher modulation rates compared to DMD-based systems.

Conclusions:

• The novel lidar system offers superior speed and accuracy for 3D imaging.
• Local angle of incidence information is key for precise surface property estimation.
• The system shows potential for advanced applications in 3D sensing and material analysis.