Photon-efficient computational imaging with single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) arrays

Single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) are highly sensitive photodetectors that enable LIDAR imaging at extremely low photon flux levels. While conventional image formation methods require hundreds or thousands of photon detections per pixel to suppress noise, a recent computational approach achieves comparable results when forming reflectivity and depth images from on the order of 1 photon detection per pixel. This method uses the statistics underlying photon detections, along with the assumption that depth and reflectivity are spatially correlated in natural scenes, to perform noise censoring and regularized maximum-likelihood estimation. We expand on this research by adapting the method for use with SPAD arrays, accounting for the spatial non-uniformity of imaging parameters and the effects of crosstalk. We develop statistical models that incorporate these non-idealities, and present a statistical method for censoring crosstalk detections. We show results that demonstrate the performance of our method on simulated data with a range of imaging parameters.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2015

Author dc:creator

• Rumbley, Sarah (Sarah E.)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Jeffrey H. Shapiro.

• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/106005

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/106005