The ENLIGHTEN - European Non-Line-of-Sight Optical Imaging project aims at developing disruptive technologies for next-generation electro-optical (EO) sensing devices which enable vision of scenes hidden behind obstacles. With this future sensing approach, the proposal pushes the development of advanced concepts, promising technologies and innovations to the benefit of operational effectiveness.
ENLIGHTEN overcomes the current limitations to the line-of-sight (LOS) of EO imaging by providing the capability to sense around obstacles onto scenes hidden from direct view. This non-line-of-sight (NLOS) technology is a game-changing capability with the potential to improve the competitiveness, endurance, and survivability in different operational scenarios. ENLIGHTEN improves NLOS technology from a laboratory-demonstration level to demonstration in scenes of practical relevance, advancing the state of the art in accessibility of building block technologies (sensor, laser source), data processing (algorithms) and demonstration setup.
To achieve this vision, NLOS technology requires advances in precise time-of-flight (ToF) measurements, detection of very low light signatures, new laser sources and time-to-digital converters, single photon counting detectors and computational analyses and simulation algorithms. The main technical challenges include developing new NLOS algorithms and technology such as a SPAD camera and laser sources that work in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) regime.
In detail, the Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering will contribute to the development of the first European single photon counting camera based on InGaAs/InP SPAD arrays specifically tailored for NLOS imaging in the SWIR range. The first step will be the development of the technological platform for InGaAs/InP SPAD fabrication. Then, the first single SPADs will be fabricated and tested, followed by the first small arrays, needed to investigate all the issues (particularly, the optical crosstalk between pixels) that a SWIR SPAD array will have. Finally, the full SPAD arrays will be fabricated. At the same time, the development of read-out electronics, in the form of integrated circuits, also requires a similar number of evolution steps. Finally, the SPADs and the corresponding read-out integrated circuits will be integrated, and a single photon counting camera will be assembled for being integrated in NLOS experimental setups.
