Ultrafast Imaging using Quantum Technologies (ULTRA-IMAGE)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Edinburgh
Department Name: Sch of Engineering
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Robert Henderson (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Gariepy G
(2015)
Detection and tracking of moving objects hidden from view
in Nature Photonics
Clerici M
(2016)
Observation of image pair creation and annihilation from superluminal scattering sources
in Science Advances
Warburton R
(2017)
Observation of laser pulse propagation in optical fibers with a SPAD camera.
in Scientific reports
Wilson K
(2017)
Slow light in flight imaging
in Physical Review A
Al Abbas T
(2018)
A CMOS SPAD Sensor With a Multi-Event Folded Flash Time-to-Digital Converter for Ultra-Fast Optical Transient Capture
in IEEE Sensors Journal
Lyons A
(2019)
Computational time-of-flight diffuse optical tomography
in Nature Photonics
| Description | We have supplied our partners at Heriot-Watt University with single photon sensitive cameras enabling them to see light in flight and moving objects round corners. This has resulted in high profile Nature papers and YouTube videos achieving around 300k hits. Our current research focusses on developing cameras with 50x more pixels capable of ranging at greater distances and operating outdoors. A number of other high profile papers were generated subsequently from the project. The interaction with Heriot-Watt that this project established grew into much larger collaborations in the UK Quantum Hub in Quantum Enhanced Imaging and more recently in a Programme Grant (SPEXS) on SWIR LIDAR. |
| Exploitation Route | The findings of the project have already generated considerable commercial interest from the defence industry which are being pursued. A LIDAR startup company has established in Edinburgh (Sense Photonics) addressing the automotive sector. STMicroelectronics is now a developer on CMOS SPAD LIDAR receivers. The sensors and methods used in the project are being used for prototyping of LIDAR systems by a number of research and commercial partners. |
| Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Agriculture, Food and Drink,Electronics,Security and Diplomacy,Transport |
| Description | We have been employing SPAD sensors in novel ways to look at distance and velocity. The results are documented in a number of journals and conference proceedings. In particular these findings are informing applications in defence (looking round corners) generating strong interest in DSTL, Qinetiq, Leonardo and related partnership projects (particularily for Heriot-Watt). Other aspects of our work on the study of fast velocity capture is feeding into current interest in LiDAR for driverless cars and is of particular interest to STMicroelectronics (a PhD student has been sponsored in this area). Our work on high resolution SPAD timing cameras has shown pathways towards small SPAD pixels for 3D image capture (a topic of key interest to STMicroelectronics and feeding into advanced technology development in the recent ENIAC-POLIS project). A LIDAR startup company has now been established in Edinburgh (Sense Photonics) hiring 15 people and using some related SPAD devices and image processing methods for prototyping. STMicroelectronics is now active in the automotive LIDAR space and is sponsoring a number of research students in this area. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
| Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Agriculture, Food and Drink,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Electronics,Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology,Transport |
| Impact Types | Societal,Economic |
| Description | Single Photons - Expanding the Spectrum (SPEXS) |
| Amount | £5,265,567 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/S026428/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2019 |
| End | 09/2024 |
| Description | UK Quantum Technology Hub in Quantum Enhanced Imaging |
| Amount | £23,061,154 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/M01326X/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 12/2014 |
| End | 02/2020 |
| Description | University of Edinburgh |
| Amount | £4,595,366 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/K00042X/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2012 |
| End | 09/2016 |
| Company Name | SENSE PHOTONICS LTD |
| Description | The UK design office of Sense Photonics was created in 2018 following a meeting with the PI and the CTO at an international workshop on SPAD devices. The company office was established in Edinburgh through initial hiring of two members of the PI's research team and a consultancy and later secondment of the PI. SPAD devices developed in EPSRC research projects (UK Quantum Hub Quantic) were used in initial proof of concept studies. The company obtained $26M round A investment with £2M from Scottish Enterprise. The team has grown to around 15 people (2021) with further expansion underway. The company develop flash LIDAR sensors using single photon detectors for automotive applications. |
| Year Established | 2018 |
| Impact | The company has raised $26M in round A funding from leading venture capitalists and large corporations. In January, they presented initial results from the first 200m flash LIDAR using their proprietary SPAD/VCSEL technology and are engaged in round B fund-raising. Currently the company employs around 70 people worldwide in San Francisco USA, Edinburgh UK and North Carolina USA. |
| Website | https://sensephotonics.com/ |