Multispectral Imaging: Possibilities Using Prism Technology

Multi-sensor prism cameras offer significant advantages for color and multispectral imaging. Bayer, multi-line color line-scan and hyperspectral sensors featuring color filters on top of each pixel block out most of the light falling onto the sensor. In contrast, multi-sensor cameras don’t block but separate the light by use of dichroic prisms, thus almost no light gets lost.

Advantages of prism design include better signal-to-noise ratio, high color contrast, significantly lower crosstalk between color channels, lack of color interference effects as often seen in Bayer images, and lack of halo effects as often seen in images taken with multi-linear line-scan cameras. Utilizing dichroic coatings, prisms separate the incoming light into different wavebands and direct those to different sensors. With the right manufacturing technology, a pixel-perfect alignment can be achieved on all sensors therefore the physical separation is not noticeable in the final images, while at the same time, the sensors can also be controlled completely independently.

With the traditional machine vision industry merging with intricate measurement technologies, consistent, reliable, high-fidelity color and spectral imaging are playing key roles in industrial quality control. This presentation shares the key advantages of prism technology in machine vision and covers color and multispectral imaging in the near and shortwave infrared range, both for area scan and line scan applications.

About the presenter
Mihály Baki has been a part of the JAI product management team since 2021. He studied mechatronics at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics in Hungary and specialized in optomechatronics. Having worked previous positions in several countries in the field of optical manufacturing, vision systems integration for the pharmaceutical, and food and automotive industries he brings a broad perspective to the table.