Robust real-time 3D imaging of moving scenes through atmospheric obscurant using single-photon LiDAR

Abstract

Recently, time-of-flight LiDAR using the single-photon detection approach has emerged as a potential solution for three-dimensional imaging in challenging measurement scenarios, such as over distances of many kilometres. The high sensitivity and picosecond timing resolution afforded by single-photon detection offers high-resolution depth profiling of remote, complex scenes while maintaining low power optical illumination. These properties are ideal for imaging in highly scattering environments such as through atmospheric obscurants, for example fog and smoke. In this paper we present the reconstruction of depth profiles of moving objects through high levels of obscurant equivalent to five attenuation lengths between transceiver and target at stand-off distances up to 150 m. We used a robust statistically based processing algorithm designed for the real time reconstruction of single-photon data obtained in the presence of atmospheric obscurant, including providing uncertainty estimates in the depth reconstruction. This demonstration of real-time 3D reconstruction of moving scenes points a way forward for high-resolution imaging from mobile platforms in degraded visual environments.

Custom-Technology Single-Photon Avalanche Diode Linear Detector Array for Underwater Depth Imaging

“…In an outdoor underwater environment, there will be a contribution from the solar background which will add uncorrelated background events to the histogram. However, the optical setup of the transceiver can be modified in order to include optical bandpass filters to reduce the detection of ambient light in the receive channel, as demonstrated in previous work in free space single-photon lidar performed in high ambient light levels in the near and short-wave infrared [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 49 ].…”

“…With an appropriate photon return, depth resolution in the sub-millimeter range is possible, allowing for better distinction between closely spaced surfaces, such as depth profiling of camouflaged targets [ 20 ] or objects partially hidden by foliage [ 21 ]. The high optical sensitivity and excellent depth resolution make this technique particularly suitable for imaging in challenging conditions, such as depth imaging through smoke or fog [ 22 , 23 ], and kilometer range depth imaging [ 24 , 25 ].…”

Perception and Sensing for Autonomous Vehicles Under Adverse Weather Conditions: A Survey

“…Histogram of oriented gradient (HOG) and autocorrelation loss are used to facilitate the orientation consistency and repress repetitive rain streaks. They trained the network all the way from drizzle to downpour rain Fusion [110] LiDAR [152] LiDAR [76] LiDAR [153] Others [154] LiDAR [155] LiDAR [156] Camera [157] Camera [158] Camera [159] Camera [160] Camera [161] Camera [162] Camera [163] Camera [164] LiDAR [165] LiDAR [166] LiDAR [128] LiDAR [29] Fusion [129] LiDAR [167] Fusion [168] LiDAR [169] LiDAR [170] Fusion [171] LiDAR [172] Camera [173] Camera [174] Camera [175] Camera [176] Camera [177] Camera [178] Camera [179] Camera [180] Camera [181] Camera [182] Camera [183] Camera [184] Camera [185] Camera [186] Fusion [187] Fusion [188] LiDAR [189] Camera [190] Camera…”

“…They evaluated the 3D depth images performance using FWL in a fog chamber at a 41 m distance. This type of LiDAR can be classified as a single-photon LiDAR and 1550 nm wavelength, which Tobin et al [170] also used to reconstruct the depth profile of moving objects through fog-like high level obscurant at a distance up to 150 m. The high sensitivity and high resolution depth profiling that single-photon LiDAR offers make it appealing in remote, complex and highly scattering scenes. But again, that brings us back to the old question of 1550 nm wavelength and OPA manufacturing difficulties [30].…”

Comparison of super-resolution and noise reduction for passive single-photon imaging

“…Typically, SPAD sensors are used in conjunction with an active light source (e.g., a pulsed laser) to record the photon timestamps in synchronization with the pulsed illumination source. Each pixel thus observes the photon impingement time which is correlated to the scene response such as in fluorescence lifetime microscopy, 7 range imaging LiDAR, [8][9][10][11] super-resolution ranging, 12 transient, 13,14 and nonline-of-sight sensing. [15][16][17][18] The focus of this work is different.…”