Detecting objects behind scattering media using vortex beams and deep learning

Abstract

Reconstructing objects behind scattering media is a challenging issue with applications in biomedical imaging, non-distractive testing, computer-assisted surgery, and autonomous vehicular systems. Such systems’ main challenge is the multiple scattering of the photons in the angular and spatial domain, which results in a blurred image. Previous works try to improve the reconstructing ability using deep learning algorithms, with some success. We enhance these methods by illuminating the set-up using several modes of vortex beams obtaining a series of time-gated images corresponding to each mode. The images are accurately reconstructed using a deep learning algorithm by analyzing the pattern captured in the camera. This study shows that using vortex beams instead of Gaussian beams enhances the deep learning algorithm’s image reconstruction ability in terms of the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) by ~ 2.5 dB and ~1 dB when low and high scattering scatterers are used respectively.