Could a new twist on 3-D imaging technology could one day enable your self-driving car to spot a child in the street half a block away, allow you to answer your Smartphone from across the room with a wave of your hand, or play virtual tennis on your driveway?
The new system, developed by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, can remotely sense objects across distances as long as 30 feet, 10 times farther than what could be done with comparable current low-power laser systems. With further development, the technology could be used to make smaller, cheaper 3-D imaging systems that offer exceptional range for potential use in self-driving cars, smartphones and interactive video games like Microsoft’s Kinect, all without the need for big, bulky boxes of electronics or optics.
