CIC@20: Multispectral Imaging

A variety of multi-spectral imaging methods are discussed for acquiring spectral information from a scene. We first review conventional multispectral imaging approach. The conventional imaging systems are mostly constructed by multi-band imaging devices with different filtration mechanism at the sensor side under passive illumination. We show some imaging devices, estimation algorithms, and applications. Recently, active spectral imaging attracts much attention as promising technology. The active spectral imaging method has the possibility of recovering spectral reflectance information and estimating tristimulus values of object surface in high speed. We introduce a spectral imaging technology by synchronizing a programmable light source and a high-speed monochrome camera. Two effective applications to spectral reflectance recovery and tristimulus imager are described. Introduction Multispectral imaging technology is a useful technology that is now widespread in all fields related with visual information. So far a variety of multispectral imaging systems and methods have been proposed for acquiring spectral information from a scene. Figure 1 shows the number of papers related with multispectral imaging, presented in the CICs of the past 19 years as a function of CIC number. The first paper in CIC was entitled "Analysis multispectral image capture" by Peter D. Burns and Roy S. Berns, 1996 [1]. In the same year, "Multichannel vision system for estimating surface and illuminant functions" by the author was published in JOSA, 1996 [2]. Therefore we can consider that the year of 1996 was the starting point of multispectral imaging. The largest number of papers at 14 were presented in CIC19 of the last year, when MCS (Multispectral Color Science) joined to CIC. The session titles related with multispectral imaging in the past CICs are listed as follows: CIC6 : Input CIC7 : Image Capture CIC9 : Spectral Image Analysis CIC12 : Multi-spectral / Multi-primary Systems CIC13 : Spectral Imaging CIC14 : Multi-spectral imaging CIC15 : Spectral Color CIC17 : Spectral Color CIC19 : Multispectral Color Science (joint with 13 MCS). The research contents cover a broad range of areas, including spectral image capture, spectral reflectance estimation, illuminant estimation, spectral image compression, color reproduction system for spectral image, and computer graphics based on spectral images. The application fields of multispectral imaging look medicine, human skin, art (mainly art paintings), and wide gamut technology in the past. However, it is quite certain that application in the field is expanding. Figure 1. Number of papers related with multispectral imaging, presented in