'Camera of the future' invented
The new camera technology could suit photography enthusiasts as well as scientists
Scientists at the University of Oxford have developed a revolutionary way of capturing a high-resolution still image alongside high-speed video which has attracted the interest of science, industry and consumer sectors alike.
By combining off-the-shelf technologies found in standard cameras and digital movie projectors, the researchers created a tool that will transform detailed scientific imaging.
In addition, the new technology could provide access to high-speed video - which can film up to 250,000 frames a second - with high-resolution still images from the same camera at a price suitable for the consumer market.
The research, funded by the British Heart Foundation and the Biotechnology and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), could have everyday applications for everything from CCTV to sports photography.
It is already attracting a lot of interest from the scientific imaging sector where the ability to capture high quality static images corresponding to high-speed video is currently very expensive to achieve.
The technology was invented by a team, led by Dr Peter Kohl, which studies the human heart using sophisticated imaging and computer technologies.
Previously the team had conducted studies using an animated model of the heart, which allows one to view the heart from all angles and look at all layers of the organ right down to the cellular level.
However, the new video imaging technology will enable them to capture minute but vital information such as rapid changes in light intensity from fluorescent molecules which demonstrate what is happening inside an individual cell in the human body.
Dr Celia Caulcott, director of Innovation and Skills at the BBSRC, praised the team's "really clever, effective way of looking at real-life biological processes".
She added: "It shows that it is possible for creative solutions in bioscience tools and technologies to lead to marketable products."
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