DIY hyperspectral imaging via polarization-induced spectral filters

We propose a novel design for a do-it-yourself hyperspectral imaging system which operates by taking multiple photographs through tunable, polarization-induced, spectral filters. Prior approaches in this do-it-yourself arena achieve hyperspectral imaging by selecting from a discrete set of spectra baked into existing products. In contrast, our approach is capable of generating a continuous family of broadband transmission spectra by simple rotations of stacked polarizers and waveplates. This greatly expands the potential range of representable spectra from a fixed-dimensional to an arbitrary-dimensional space. We analyze the theoretical spectral gamut of our approach and demonstrate its viability for spectral surface reflectance reconstruction both in simulation and with a low-cost physical prototype. Our prototype demonstrates that our approach can achieve comparable quality to prior work at reduced cost, while the new design space holds ample opportunity for increased quality and flexibility with professional manufacturing.