Hyperspectral imaging attains increasing interest in many areas of photonic industry from satellite imagery to health care [1,2] and agriculture [3]. Hyperspectral imaging, that stands for a complete spectral resolution of a photograph, gives an extended view of the world around us, otherwise perceived only through red-green-blue composite imagery. The availability of well-defined white light sources, robust spectrometer technology, and fast image processing methods bring the hyperspectral imaging capabilities closer to impactful applications. One of the intriguing applications is studying metabolic processes in living tissues. Spatially resolved spectral information of the tissues gives a detailed insight into the state of the tissue as it provides information about healthiness of the tissue and uncovers starting pathologies of the tissues.

Goals:

The goal of the master thesis is to perform a case study of the living tissues of a plant using hyperspectral imaging. For this, the applicant will construct an imaging chamber, where hyperspectral images will be taken. The applicant will use a white-light fiber laser source for well-defined illumination conditions and construct a lens-based imaging system to capture a two-dimensional spectrally resolved image. The 2D collection of the spectral information will be achieved by scanning an input of an optical fiber over the image plane of the imaging system. The spectrum acquisition is then ensured by the connection of the optical fiber to a spectrometer.

The applicant will design the parameters of the imaging and acquisition system as well as a platform for processing the images. The evolution and presence of a pathology in the tissue will be monitored and described.

Training:

The master candidate would learn operating laser technology and will get familiar with fundamental techniques related to optics, image acquisition and processing. The candidate would have the opportunity to develop and realize own experiments to pursuit the set-up goals.