Computational Lensing

Abstract: From the cameras in our phones to the lenses in head-mounted displays, optics shape both how we capture the world and how we experience virtual reality. Most conventional lenses are designed to bring a single plane into focus. In this talk, we will discuss a new class of computational lens--referred to as a Split-Lohmann lens--that provides spatially varying control over focal length. This capability is achieved by combining a phase-only spatial light modulator with the cubic phase plates used in Lohmann/Alvarez focus-tunable lenses. The resulting computational lens enables new imaging and display capabilities, including the ability to (i) make a flat display appear to have three-dimensional shape, and (ii) capture all-in-focus images of highly non-planar scenes.