Star Trek fans: prepare to be amazed. A research team out of Tel Aviv University (TAU) has developed technology that resembles the famous “Tricorder” device used in the sci-fi series.
The Starship Enterprise crew summoned the one-of-a-kind device to sense, compute and record date. The new technology serves a similar function. It would essentially allow smartphones to work as hyperspectral sensors that can identify an object’s chemical component from a distance.
The device features two crucial components: an optical part and image processing software. "A long list of fields stand to gain from this new technology," said David Mendlovic, a professor at TAU’s School of Electrical Engineering. "We predict hyperspectral imaging will play a major role in consumer electronics, the automotive industry, biotechnology, and homeland security."
Developing the real-life Tricorcer
Mendlovic and his doctoral student, Ariel Raz, teamed up with researchers at Unispectral Technologies to patent an optical component using microelectromechanical or "MEMS" technology that’s already out there. MEMS describes the technology of small devices, such as phones and game controllers.
According to Mendlovic, each and every object comes with a unique chemical fingerprint (also known as a hyperspectral signature). His camera is capable of analyzing that data and extracting the hyperspectral content.
The researchers say their optical component and software differ from traditional smartphone cameras. The key difference is that their device boasts hyperspectral imaging capabilities, in addition to superior images.
"The optical element acts as a tunable filter and the software — an image fusion library — would support this new component and extract all the relevant information from the image," says Mendlovic. The imaging works in both video and still photography.”
What’s next for the TAU researchers?
The researchers say a prototype of the device should be ready by June. "We unveiled the demonstration system at the MWC Barcelona conference this month and received excellent feedback," adds Mendlovic.
The researchers believe their technology has a number of applications. For example, it could be used for health monitoring purposes and for industrial quality control. "Agricultural applications may also benefit because hyperspectral imaging could be used to identify properties of crops, vegetables, and other types of foods," says Raz.
Mendlovic says Unispectral is currently in talks with smartphone companies, automakers and wearable device manufacturers.
Source: Tel Aviv University.