Austrian Researchers Create Hyperspectral Camera with PVC and Duct Tape

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A group of imaging specialists over at Vienna University of Technology has come up with a hyperspectral camera using materials that are easily accessible, including duct tape. The project, called Computer Tomography Image Spectrometer (CTIS), attaches a hyperspectral camera lens made of stock SLR glass, a gel diffraction filter, PVC pipe, and duct tape, into an ordinary DSLR camera.

For the uninformed, hyperspectral imaging is a photography method that captures a significantly greater amount of electromagnetic spectrum compared to a regular photo. It is used for a variety of purposes, including night vision as well as identifying mineral deposits from long distances. However, developing a hyperspectral imager does not come cheap, thus this project provides an inexpensive alternative.

The CTIS takes hyperspectral images by slipping light rays into spectral bands using a diffuser and recording them into a camera in HDR mode, in this case the Canon EOS 5D Mark I. The prototype can capture a spectral resolution of up to 4.89nm in a 120 x 120 pixel area, but it requires a longer exposure time compared to its commercial counterparts. The research team is in the process of reducing its weight while increaing the aperture for a shorter exposure time.

Source: Vienna University of Technology, via Engadget