Um, this doesn't avoid the light collection issue though, right? Which means your sensor array is limited by flat panel packing constraints, and this probably needs to be monolithic, so roughly limited to payload fairing diameter still? I wonder if this could be combined with the MOIRE project's membrane lens to improve light collection?
They intend to combine many low resolution images in post processing to a single high resolution image? I have my doubts that will work.
Very good infographic pdf;https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/Ben_Yoo_LowMassPlanarPhotonicImagingSensor.pdfA more in depth write up;http://www.amostech.com/TechnicalPapers/2013/Space-Based_Assets/KENDRICK.pdfYes, it will work except some light loss do to design but probable will be correct once the design is improved.Good possibility that correction for atmospheric turbulence is easily done because of the small size of sensors.The big deal is the system should be scalable and the PIC can be mass produced, in fact Vice President Biden was at the launching of a new lab and manufacturing facility for producing these photonic devices - Military Money big time!
Quote from: Hanelyp on 01/30/2016 02:19 pmThey intend to combine many low resolution images in post processing to a single high resolution image? I have my doubts that will work.It's not in post processing, it's with interferometry. They combine light waves (phase and amplitude), not just images (amplitude only). That's why it can work.
Quote from: gosnold on 01/30/2016 03:43 pmQuote from: Hanelyp on 01/30/2016 02:19 pmThey intend to combine many low resolution images in post processing to a single high resolution image? I have my doubts that will work.It's not in post processing, it's with interferometry. They combine light waves (phase and amplitude), not just images (amplitude only). That's why it can work.It can definitely could work in post, that's exactly how lightfield cameras work. (Interferometry is obviously superior for scientific observations though)http://imgur.com/atZr9IC
... The big deal is the system should be scalable and the PIC can be mass produced, in fact Vice President Biden was at the launching of a new lab and manufacturing facility for producing these photonic devices - Military Money big time!
My guess is that the aperture is similar to diffractive lenses, but using interferometry to fold it up so that the depth isn't to big. I don't think it is designed to work at more than one wavelength, and it likely has significant drawbacks compared to regular optics. ...
Phone cameras are about to get a lot better