We developed a polarimetric imaging drone for field inspections of CSP Heliostats. By utilizing the polarization pattern of the skylight calculated with the Rayleigh scattering model, the difficult scenarios for visible images show a good enhancement in the contrast of features, such as edges and cracks of the heliostat mirror facets. Analysis of the test results carried out at Sandia NSTTF validated the feasibility of applying this method and system to the CSP fields. Future work is desired for image fusion of high-resolution visible images and polarization images with well-designed angles.

We design large aperture, all-silicon meta-optic doublets for unidirectional and synergistic imaging at a wavelength of 4 μm. When illuminated by a plane wave in the forward mode, our unidirectional imager generates an intense spot on its optic axis at a predefined focal length. In the reverse mode, the imaging performance is significantly reduced, accompanied by a dramatic reduction in light intensity on the focal plane. On the other hand, our synergistic imager is optimized to focus an incoming plane wave only when its constituent meta-optics are used in conjunction with each other. We envision our devices to provide new avenues for the development of metamaterial imaging platforms for applications in defense and data security.

This work presents an innovative approach to simulating image formation in the human eye by developing a bionic eye model. Commercial software is employed to create an accurate model of the human eye for simulating eye images. Accordingly, A physical bionic human eye model is crafted to explore the imaging properties of eye images and validate the image quality of the eye model, with a liquid lens embedded as the crystalline lens for accommodating the eye at different object distances. To comprehensively assess the performance of the bionic eye model, digital holography is utilized to measure and analyze the wavefronts of the eye model to understand the aberrations of the bionic human eye and their impact on image quality. This study provides a thorough evaluation of the performance of the proposed eye model to enhance the accuracy of bionic eye imaging.

This talk examines the potential of polarized microscopy techniques utilizing Mueller Matrix formalism and image decomposition in detecting skin melanoma. Unlike the "gold standard" dermoscopy technique which has low accuracy in detecting melanoma and is unable to reveal collagen structure in the skin extracellular matrix, our system is simple, portable, allowing real-time screening in the physician’s office, and can highlight collagen features.

ROCS microscopy, a label-free super-resolution technique, provides high spatial (150nm) and temporal (10ms) resolution, ideal for live-cell imaging. By rotating a blue laser beam at large angles, ROCS captures interference patterns, yielding high-contrast images without post-processing and minimal laser power. This method allows rapid acquisition of thousands of images of live cell dynamics. In the ROCS Bright-field (BF) mode, coherent amplification of scattered light enables imaging at lower optical powers, facilitating prolonged tracking of cellular interactions. Utilized for Fibroblast-born tunneling nanotubes (TNTs), which play a vital role in cardiac cell communication, ROCS employs total internal reflection (TIR) and dark-field (DF) modes to measure TNT growth with exceptional contrast. With the capability to reach depths of up to 5 micrometers in Non -TIR mode, ROCS effortlessly switches between modes, establishing itself as a versatile tool to study biological samples.

Abstract awaiting AFRL opsec release.

Abstract pending OPSEC review

Pending OPSEC review

A wave-optics-based numerical simulation analysis of the impact of speckle-beacon size on the performance of an adaptive optics (AO) system operating in volume atmospheric turbulence is presented. For clarity, the speckle beacon was represented by a laser beam of a super-Gaussian profile, scattered off an extended flat target with Lambertian surface roughness. The control loop of the AO system included a high-resolution scintillation-resistant multi-aperture phase contrast wavefront sensor (MAPCO WFS), an ideal (infinite-resolution) wavefront corrector, and phase-conjugation (PC) type controllers utilizing either conventional PC or advanced speckle-average (SA) PC control algorithms. The results obtained show that the use of the advanced control algorithms makes it possible to partially mitigate the target-induced speckle effects and turbulence-induced wavefront aberrations for extended beacons, the size of which is comparable to or even exceeds the diffraction-limited beam spot size of the corresponding laser beam projection system.

Imaging-based particle localization and tracking measurements can be subject to significant measurement errors if the measurement is performed through a temporally varying air-water interface. This situation occurs in a huge variety of technical energy conversion processes like bubble formation in electrolysis, droplet formation in fuel cells, or film flows. An actuator-free approach for the correction of time-varying low-order aberrations is presented. It is based a multiple-input deep convolutional neural network that uses an additional wavefront sensor input. Application is demonstrated by means of a flow measurement through an open, oscillating water surface. We show that the measurement error of the flow velocity induced by the fluctuating aberrations can be reduced up to 82 % if the correction is applied. This actuator-free approach has a potential to correct distortions in real-time which are uncorrectable for traditional AO systems which are limited by the performance of available actuators.

Pending public release approval

Pending public release approval.

Abstract awaiting public release review from AFRL/RD. Will update abstract with approval is received.

Event-Based Shack-Hartmann Wavefront Sensor for Adaptive Optics Development and Testing

We introduce the Spatiotemporal Illumination Microscope (STIMscope) designed for cellular-resolution, large field-of-view imaging and patterned illumination for neuroscience applications. Integrated with a centralized control and processing unit, the STIMscope features a closed-loop real-time analysis pipeline tailored for neural dynamic imaging and manipulation. We demonstrate its versatility by creating application-dependent versions of the platform and evaluating their performance. Additionally, we highlight its efficacy in large field-of-view neural imaging and targeted optogenetics of cortical organotypic cultures.