Generalized imaging systems incorporating hybrid hardware-software optics

Optical imaging systems typically use hardware optical elements, such as lenses and mirrors, to manipulate optical information. These may be supplemented by virtual optics, namely software embodiments of optical elements, in which the computer forms an intrinsic part of the imaging system. Virtual optics may be used as corrective lenses for imperfections in the hardware optics of a given system. Generalized imaging systems, which make use of both hardware and virtual optics, will be developed during this project. Emphasis will be paid to developing an underpinning formalism for the study of hybrid hardware-software optics, together with computational correction of distortions in optical imaging systems employing virtual optics.