There is a new camera in town, which can take 3D images using a laser from a distance of one kilometre away. Now that is impressive.

The camera uses superconducting nanowires and lasers, and sends out a low-power infrared laser beam to scan over an obejct. Some of the beams are reflected back, and that reflected light is measured by a detector, measuring the amount of time the particle of light (photon) takes to return to the camera. The camera is then able to calculate the distance from it to the object.

Gerald Buller, physicist of Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland said:

That’s the beauty of this system. Each laser pulse contains many photons, but we only need one photon to return for every 10 optical pulses.

According to Buller the technology could be placed on airplanes and used to scan the landscape below, which would aid in determining the size and the health of the plants. But the team plans to take the technology underwater allowing people to scan the depth of oceans and lakes.

Of course, a more likely application is warfare. The camera can help military drones to better see their targets. But there is one problem with the technology, infrared light cannot be reflected off of human skin, which appears as black spots in the 3D image. So if you don’t want to be detected by a drone, just run around naked.

Mark Itzler, engineer and CEO and CTO of Princeton Lightwave Inc, did however express concern that implemting this technology could be challenging as the superconductors need to be cooled to a few degrees above zero. Buller agreed but said his team were working on more conventional method of implementation.

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[Source: Wired]