Virtual Periscope can Provide Clear Images from Underwater

May-04-14 Submarines may soon be a bit more stealthy, thanks to a system modeled off technology used on astronomers' telescopes that could make periscopes obsolete.

Traditionally, the only way for a submarine captain to see what was above the surface of the water was to send a periscope up to check it out. In contrast, the new system, called Stella Maris (Stellar Marine Refractive Imaging Sensor), can provide a clear view of the surface from underwater. The system features an underwater pinhole array, which the sun's rays shine through and onto a glass image plane. When the water's surface is flat, the sun's rays create an evenly spaced grid of light; however, the motion of the waves causes the light to bounce around. A separate sensor camera monitors the movements of the waves and uses this information to recreate what the object really looks like.

Although the system would only be useful when the submarine is near the object the crew wants to view, the team believes the technology could be also be useful in marine biology research.

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[GIZMAG.COM]
[ISRAEL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY]

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