The thesis presents a defocusing technique to extract bubble depth information. Typically, when a bubble is out of focus in an image, the bubble is ignored by applying a filter or thresholding. However, it is known that a bubble image becomes blurred as the bubble moves away from the focal plane. Then, this technique is applied to determine the bubble distance along the optical path based on the blurriness or intensity gradient information of the bubble. Using the image processing algorithm, images captured in three different experiments are analyzed to develop a correlation between the bubble distance and its intensity gradient. The suggested models to predict the bubble depth are also developed based on the measurement data and evaluated with the measured data. When the intensity gradient of the bubble is lower or when a bubble is located farther from the focal plane, the model can predict the distance more accurately. However, the models show larger absolute and relative error when the bubble is near the focal plane. To improve the prediction in that region, another model should be considered. Also, depth of field analysis is introduced in order to compare three experimental results with different imaging setups. The applicability of the approach is analyzed and evaluated. / Master of Science / Gas and liquid measurements of two-phase flow are very challenging, but it has become more important because of many industrial applications such as chemical, petroleum, and energy industries. Many two-phase flow measurement techniques have been developed and utilized for different flow conditions such as fiber optic probe, multi-sensor conductivity probe, wire-mesh sensor, as x-ray densitometry, particle image velocimetry (PIV), and optical imaging. With the development of the technology, the imaging technique can provide better spatial and temporal resolutions as well as image processing speed has improved greatly. In this study, the imaging and defocusing techniques are combined and used to extract bubble depth information. An image processing algorithm has been developed to process bubble images captured by high speed cameras. By measuring the blurriness or intensity gradient information of the bubble, the bubble distance along the optical path is determined. Based on the measurement data, mathematic models are developed to predict the bubble depth. In addition, depth of field analysis is suggested to compare three experimental results with different imaging setups. The applicability of the approach is analyzed and evaluated.

In film and still photography, depth of field control is often employed to control viewer interest in an image. This technique is also used in computer animation, but, in a medium where artists have near infinite control, must we rely on replicating photorealism? This research is a viable, non-photorealistic solution to the problem of directing viewer interest. Vision is directed by reducing superfluous visual information from parts of the image, which do not directly affect the depictive meaning of that image. This concept is applied to images and animations rendered from three-dimensional, computergenerated scenes, where detail is defined as visual information pertaining to the surface properties of a given object. A system is developed to demonstrate this concept. The system uses distance from a user-defined origin as the main mechanism to modulate detail. This solution is implemented within a modeling and shading environment to serve as a non-photorealistic, functional alternative for depth of field. This approach is conceptually based on a model of human vision, specifically, the relationship between foveal and peripheral vision, and is artistically driven by various works in the disciplines of painting and illustration, that through the careful manipulation of detail, control interest and understanding within the image. The resulting images and animations produced by this system provide viable evidence that detail modulation can be used to control effectively viewer interest in an image eliminating the need to use photographic techniques like depth of field.

Thesis (Ph.D.). / Written for the School of Computer Science. Title from title page of PDF (viewed 2008/05/12). Includes bibliographical references.

Cataract is a condition in the eye that if left untreated, could lead to blindness. One of the effective ways to treat cataract is the removal of the cataractous natural crystalline lens and implantation of an artificial lens called an intraocular lens(IOL). The designs of the IOLs have shown improvements over the years to further imitate natural human vision. A need for an objective testing and analysis tool for the latest IOLs grow with the advancements of the IOLs.In this dissertation, I present a system capable of objective test and analysis of the advanced IOLs. The system consists of-Model eye into which an IOL can be inserted to mimic conditions of the human eye.-Modulation Transfer Function measurement setup capable of through-focus test for depth of field studies and polychromatic test for study of effects of chromatization.-Use of Defocus Transfer Function to simulate depth of field characteristic of rotationally symmetric multifocal designs and extension of the function to polychromatic conditions.-Several target imaging experiments for comparison of stray light artifacts and simulation using a non-sequential ray trace package.

A method using a phase mask to extend the depth of field for an incoherent lens system is presented. This phase mask is designed to generate a point spread function in which the intensity distribution is invariant to misfocus. Thus, image could be retrieved by de-convoluting the misfocused one. Its application to 3D profile sensing using point white light illumination is presented as well. A fringe pattern is projected onto the inspected surface using the point white light source. Fringe distribution is then observed by a CCD camera through the presented phase mask at a different viewpoint. Phase can be extracted by the Fourier transform method or the phase-shifting technique. With triangulation methods or proper calibration approaches, depth information can be identified from the phase of the fringes. The phase mask enlarges the depth of field of the image acquisition system, while the point white light illumination increases the depth of focus of the fringe projection system. Thus, a highly accurate, non-scanning projected fringe profilometer with large depth measuring range can be realized.

Traditional laser scanning systems, such as those used for microscopy, typically image objects of finite thickness. If the depth-of-focus of such systems is low, as is the case when a simple clear pupil is used, the object must be very thin or the image will be distorted. Several methods have been developed to deal with this problem. A microscope with a thin annular pupil has a very high depth-of-focus and can image the entire thickness of a sample, but most of the laser light is blocked, and the image shows poor contrast and high noise. In confocal laser microscopy, the depth-of-focus problem is eliminated by using a small aperture to discard information from all but one thin plane of the sample. However, such a system requires scanning passes at many different depths to yield an image of the entire thickness of the sample, which is a time-consuming process and is highly sensitive to registration errors. In this thesis, a novel type of scanning system is considered. The sample is simultaneously scanned with a combination of two Gaussian laser beams of different widths and slightly different temporal frequencies. Information from scanning with the two beams is recorded with a photodetector, separated electronically, and processed to form an image. This image is similar to one formed by a system using a difference-of-Gaussians pupil, except no light has been blocked or wasted. Also, the entire sample can be scanned in one pass. The depth-of-focus characteristics of this synthesized difference-of-Gaussians pupil are examined and compared with those of well-known / Master of Science

This thesis introduces methods for adding user-guided depth-aware effects to images captured with a consumer-grade stereo camera with minimal user interaction. In particular, we present methods for highlighted depth-of-field, haze, depth-of-field, and image relighting. Unlike many prior methods for adding such effects, we do not assume prior scene models or require extensive user guidance to create such models, nor do we assume multiple input images. We also do not require specialized camera rigs or other equipment such as light-field camera arrays, active lighting, etc. Instead, we use only an easily portable and affordable consumer-grade stereo camera. The depth is calculated from a stereo image pair using an extended version of PatchMatch Stereo designed to compute not only image disparities but also normals for visible surfaces. We also introduce a pipeline for rendering multiple effects in the order they would occur physically. Each can be added, removed, or adjusted in the pipeline without having to reapply subsequent effects. Individually or in combination, these effects can be used to enhance the sense of depth or structure in images and provide increased artistic control. Our interface also allows editing the stereo pair together in a fashion that preserves stereo consistency, or the effects can be applied to a single image only, thus leveraging the advantages of stereo acquisition even to produce a single photograph.

A partir da investigação de elementos que remontam o passado de técnicas de ilusão e imersão na arte da representação da imagem, bem como teorias que condicionam a existência de uma linguagem audiovisual própria, este trabalho tem o objetivo de analisar e identificar a existência de uma linguagem própria pertinente à estereoscopia. A pesquisa toma como ponto de análise estereoscópica o filme Coraline [2009] de Henry Selick, uma animação stop motion, concebida e lançada nos cinemas 3D estereoscópicos / Through an investigation of the history of techniques of illusion and immersion in popular art and entertainment, as well as theories that determine the existence of a distinct visual language, this work aims to analyse and identify the existence of a unique narrative language exclusive to 3-D stereoscopic film-making. The research takes as its point of stereoscopic analysis the stop-motion animation movie Coraline (2009, Henry Selick) designed and launched in cinemas using the stereoscopic technique.

The image quality will degrade if the misfocusing problem occurs in the imaging system. This paper is aimed to design and analyze a phase mask for mutifocusing problem. Depth of field is the range to get a clear image. As the lens can only gather the light in a fixed range. Image will be more blurred when it is more from this range. In 1995 Dowski and Cathey proposed the wave-front coding to increase the system's depth of field so that the image will less susceptible to blur due to the mutifocusing problem. A treatment with a mask before the lens can extend the depth of field. In this paper, we extend to multi-levels phase mask. The simulation results show that multi-level phase mask has a better performance than the two-level phase mask.

<p>The company where this thesis was formulated constructs VR applications for the medical environment. The hardware used is ordinary dektops with consumer level graphics cards and haptic devices. In medicin some operations require microscopes or cameras. In order to simulate these in a virtual reality environment for educational purposes, the effect of depth of field or focus have to be considered. </p><p>A working algorithm that generates this optical occurence in realtime, stereo rendered computer graphics is presented in this thesis. The algorithm is implemented in OpenGL and C++ to later be combined with a VR application simulating eye-surgery which is built with OpenGL Optimizer. </p><p>Several different approaches are described in this report. The call for realtime stereo rendering (~60 fps) means taking advantage of the graphics hardware to a great extent. In OpenGL this means using the extensions to a specific graphic chip for better performance, in this case the algorithm is implemented for a GeForce3 card. </p><p>To increase the speed of the algorithm much of the workload is moved from the CPU to the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). By re-defining parts of the ordinary OpenGL pipeline via vertex programs, a distance-from-focus map can be stored in the alpha channel of the final image with little time loss. </p><p>This can effectively be used to blend a previously blurred version of the scene with a normal render. Different techniques to quickly blur a renderedimage is discussed, to keep the speed up solutions that require moving data from the graphics card is not an option.</p>