We are working on a broad variety of problems in quantitative vision and computational imaging. Our research combines teachings from physical optics, image and signal processing, computer vision, and information theory. Our goal is to invent, develop, and build the next generation of 2D/3D computational imaging and display devices that overcome traditional limitations (e.g., in resolution, dynamic range, speed) to “make the unseen visible”. These instruments and the underlying principles will represent key technologies to foster transformational technical changes in the next decades.
Current applications of our developed techniques and systems can be found in medicine, VR/AR/MR, robotics, industrial inspection, remote sensing, automotive sensing, metrology, forensics, or cultural heritage preservation. Our present research includes novel methods to image hidden objects through scattering media or around corners, high-resolution holographic displays, unconventional methods for precise VR eye tracking, and the implementation of high-precision metrology methods in low-cost mobile handheld devices. Moreover, we develop novel time-of-flight and structured light imaging techniques working at depth resolutions in the 100μm-range.
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The recent talk “Utilizing Nature’s Limits for Better Computational 3D Imaging” by Prof. Willomitzer gives an overview of our group’s philosophy and some of our current research projects. | ![]() |
TEDx talk by Prof. Willomitzer about “holographic cameras that can see the unseen.”
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see Prof. Willomitzer’s Short Bio >>
see also news archive>>
A selection of our past and present research projects. More projects will be added soon.
3D videos of fast scenes with high data quality (5 associated publications)
Imaging through scattering media or around corners at high resolution (5 associated publications)
Exploiting deflectometric information for high precision eye tracking (1 associated publication)
A novel approach to Time-of-Flight imaging based on Multi-Wavelength Interferometry (7 associated publications)
3D imaging methods accessible to a broad audience (7 associated publications)
Exploring and exploiting the physical- and information-limits (4 associated publications)
A handheld motion robust 3D scanner (20 associated publications)
Leverage DL for computational ghost imaging through scattering media (1 associated publication)
Depth sensing using thermal light sources (2 associated publications)
Synthetic Wavelength Imaging - Utilizing Spectral Correlations for High-Precision Time-of-Flight Sensing
F. Willomitzer
Book Chapter Preprint
Fast Non-Line-of-Sight Imaging with High-Resolution and Wide Field of View using Synthetic Wavelength Holography
F. Willomitzer, P. Rangarajan, F. Li, M. Balaji, M. Christensen, O. Cossairt.
Nature Communications 12, 6647 (2021)
Single-shot ToF sensing with sub-mm precision using conventional CMOS sensors
M. Ballester*, H. Wang*, J. Li, O. Cossairt, F. Willomitzer (* joint first authors).
ArXiv Preprint, 2022
Single-shot 3D motion picture camera with a dense point cloud
F. Willomitzer, G. Häusler.
Optics Express 25(19), 23451-23464, 2017
Reflections about the holographic and non-holographic acquisition of surface topography: where are the limits?
G. Häusler, F. Willomitzer
Light: Advanced Manufacturing 3(25), 2022
Exploiting Wavelength Diversity for High Resolution Time-of-Flight 3D Imaging
F. Li*, F. Willomitzer*, M. Balaji, P. Rangarajan, O. Cossairt (* joint first authors).
IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (TPAMI), 2021
[Video (YouTube)]
Hand-Guided Qualitative Deflectometry with a Mobile Device
F. Willomitzer, C-K. Yeh, V. Gupta, W. Spies, F. Schiffers, A. Katsaggelos, M. Walton, O. Cossairt.
Optics Express 28(7), 9027-9038, 2020
SkinScan: Low-Cost 3D-Scanning for Dermatologic Diagnosis and Documentation
M. A. Nau, F. Schiffers, Y. Li, B. Xu, A. Maier, J. Tumblin, M. Walton, A. K. Katsaggelos, F. Willomitzer, O. Cossairt
2021 IEEE International Conference on Image Processing (ICIP), 2021
Intensity Interferometry-based 3D Imaging
F. Wagner, F. Schiffers, F. Willomitzer, O. Cossairt, A.Velten.
Optics Express 29(4), 4733-4745, 2021
Compressive Ghost Imaging through Scattering Media with Deep Learning
F. Li*, M. Zhao*, Z. Tian, F. Willomitzer, O. Cossairt (* joint first authors).
Optics Express 28(12), 17395-17408, 2020
Consequences of EEG electrode position error on ultimate beamformer source reconstruction performance
S. S. Dalal, S. Rampp, F. Willomitzer, S. Ettl.
Frontiers in Neuroscience, 8(42), 1-7, 2014
PhD Thesis: Single-Shot 3D Sensing Close to Physical Limits and Information Limits
F. Willomitzer.
Dissertation, University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Published as book in the series “Springer Theses” in 2019
Prof. Willomitzer teaches/taught the following courses:
OPTI 536: Introduction to Image Science
Currently taught in Spring 2023
COMP_SCI 331: Introduction to Computational Photography
See course website for more information
Last term taught: Winter 2022
ELEC_ENG 420: Digital Image Processing
See course website for more information
Last term taught: Winter 2021 (co-taught with Prof. Oliver Cossairt)
ELEC_ENG 395, 495: Computational Photography Seminar
Last term taught: Summer 2021
Last updated 04/22. See also Publications>> and ‘Research’-section for recordings of contributed conference talks.
Utilizing Nature’s Limits for better Computational 3D Imaging
Center For Robotics and Biosystems Seminar, Northwestern University, USA, 2022
[Video (YouTube)] , [Announcement and Abstract] , [Slides on Request]
Utilizing Nature’s Limits for better Computational 3D Imaging
Grundfest Lectures in Computational Imaging, University of California Los Angeles & California Institute of Technology, USA, 2022
[Announcement and Abstract] , [Slides on Request]
Synthetic Wavelength Holography – Imaging around Corners and through Scattering Media at the Physical Space-Bandwidth Limit
Physics Colloquium Talk Series, University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany, 2021
[Video] , [Announcement and Abstract] , [Slides on Request]
Fundamental Limits in Computational 3D Imaging – From Novel 3D Cameras to Looking around Corners
Beyond the Patterns Talk Series, University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany, 2021
[Video (YouTube)] , [Announcement and Abstract] , [Slides on Request]
The Role of Fundamental Limits in 3D Imaging Systems: From Looking around Corners to Fast 3D Cameras
Stanford Center for Image System Engineering (SCIEN), Stanford University, US, 2020
[Announcement and Abstract 1] [2] , [Slides on Request]
Fast, Precise, Ubiquitous: Novel Sensor Concepts for 3D Imaging and Imaging through Scattering Media
Information Photonics 2020 (IP’20), Taipei, Taiwan, 2020
[Abstract] , [Slides on Request]
Three-Dimensional Non-Line-of-Sight Imaging with High Resolution using Superheterodyne Remote Digital Holography
Joint conference of the European Optical Society (EOS) and the German Society for Applied Optics (DGaO), Darmstadt, Germany, 2019
[Abstract] , [Slides on Request]
Optical 3D Imaging for Art and Cultural Heritage
Adventures in Seeing Works of Art: A COSI Workshop in Deflectometry, University of Chicago, US, 2019
[Slides on Request]
Exploiting the Physical Limits and Information Limits of Single-Shot 3D Sensing
OSA Incubator: Small Eyes & Smart Minds, Optical Society of America (OSA), Washington D.C., US, 2017
[Incubator Info] , [Slides on Request]
The 3D Motion Picture Camera - About Single-Shot, High Resolution 3D Imaging
IEEE International Conference on Computational Photography (ICCP), Northwestern University, US, 2016
[Conf. Proceedings] , [Slides on Request]
3D-Messtechnik 4.0 – Innovatives Highspeed-Messprinzip für 3D-Objekte
Infoteam Forum für innovative Anwendungsszenarien, Dortmund, Germany, 2016
[Slides on Request]
Click here to learn about the 3DIM Lab in the news.
Starting Fall ‘22, the 3DIM Lab will gradually move to the College of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona as part of Prof. Willomitzer’s transition process.
We are always looking for motivated people interested in pursuing a research project or thesis in our lab. Prospective Students or Postdocs should have a background in Optics, Computer Science, Image and Signal Processing, or similar disciplines.
Please contact Prof. Willomitzer if you are interested.
Past and Present
The work shown on this website has been generously funded by the following agencies and industry partners:
Past and Present
Florian Willomitzer
florian [dot] willomitzer [at] northwestern [dot] edu
Northwestern University
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Seeley Mudd Building, Rm 3511
2233 Tech Drive, Evanston, IL 60208