Scientists Developed A Thin And Flexible Camera; Captures A 360-Degree Views

The researchers from Columbia University invented a new camera (shown in the video below) that would likely be the camera of the future. It is so thin and flexible that it can be enfolded around in objects such as cars, street poles, clothing, desks, and furniture to film seamless and wide images with unusual fields of view.

Printed Electronics World reports that the study was led by Shree K. Nayar, T.C. Chang Professor of Computer Science at Columbia Engineering. The team of researchers also includes Yonghao Yue, postdoctoral researcher and Daniel Sims, a research engineer.

The scientists said that the new discovery may lead to card-size cameras that can bend in order to heighten their field of view, according to CBS. It can capture images utilizing a flat grid miniature camera as well as create high-quality images with a wide range of sheet deformations.

Nayar said that you can imagine wrapping it around a pole to get a 360-degree view of the world for security purposes. She further said that if this device can work into clothing, it could aid people who have impaired vision aware of their surroundings.

The new device has an elastic sheet that is made of flexible lenses. Though the sheet is bent, there will be no gaps between the lenses, according to the scientists. The researchers created a flexible array that composes of nearly 1,100 lenses that are formulated of silicone rubber. It can create high-quality images even though it is bent and twisted.

The researchers also examined how well the flexible lens sheet produced images by centering the light from all it lenses onto a single regular camera. Nayar said that there is a need for future research to invent a pliable grid of light-detecting image sensors to supplement every lens and create the camera.

They also stated that it is possible to make a lens array with the size of a credit card that is made of millions of lenses. It is also feasible to print both the lens and the sensor arrays together, said Nayar.