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Abstract: We can modify the optical properties of surfaces by “coating” them with a micron-thin membrane supported by an elastomeric gel. Using an opaque, matte membrane, we can make reflected light micrographs with a distinctive SEM-like appearance. These have modest magnification (e.g., 50X), but they reveal fine surface details not normally seen with an optical microscope.
The system, which we call “GelSight,” removes optical complexities such as specular reflection, albedo, and subsurface scattering, and isolates the shading information that signals 3D shape. One can then see the topography of optically challenging subjects like sandpaper, machined metal, and living human skin. In addition, one can capture 3D surface geometry through photometric stereo. This leads to a non-destructive contact-based optical profilometer that is simple, fast, and compact.
Edward H. Adelson (Dept. of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, MIT)
Ted Adelson is not a microscopist. He is a vision scientist who wandered into micro-scale imaging by a circuitous route involving artificial tactile sensing. He hopes to hear from experts who can help him understand the strengths and limitations of GelSight microscopy.</p> <p> He has published numerous papers on human vision, computer vision, computational neuroscience, image coding, and computer graphics. He has received the Optical Society of American’s Lomb Medal, the Rank Prize in Opto-electronics, the IEEE Computer Society’s Longuet-Higgins Prize in Computer Vision. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences.</p>