Lens-free tomographic imaging devices and methods
A lens-free system for the three-dimensional imaging of objects contained within a sample places a sample holder between an image sensor and an illumination source, with the sample-sensor distance being much smaller than the sample-illumination source distance. Holographic images are taken at different angles as well as different lateral jogs within a single angle and are reconstructed into a three dimensional image of objects within the sample. The system may be a hand held, portable unit.
1. A hand held tomographic imager comprising:
a hand held housing containing a sample holder configured to hold a sample with one or more objects therein;
a plurality of partially coherent or coherent light sources disposed in the hand held housing, each of the plurality of light sources being coupled to respective waveguides that are mounted in a bridge wherein each respective waveguide is oriented at varying angles with respect to a first side of the sample;
a microcontroller disposed in the hand held housing and operatively connected to the plurality of light sources, the microcontroller configured to selectively activate individual light sources;
an electromagnetic actuator disposed in the hand held housing and configured to move the bridge and waveguides in substantially orthogonal directions; and
a stationary image sensor disposed in the hand held housing on a second opposing side of the sample, wherein the waveguides are located a distance z 1 from the sample and wherein the image sensor is located a distance z 2 from the sample such that z 2 <<z 1 .
2. The hand held tomographic imager of claim 1 , further comprising a color filter interposed between the waveguides and the sample.
3. The hand held tomographic imager of claim 1 , further comprising one or more batteries disposed in the hand held housing.
4. The hand held tomographic imager of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of partially coherent light sources comprise LEDs or laser diodes.
5. The hand held tomographic imager of claim 1 , wherein the waveguides comprise optical fibers.
6. The hand held tomographic imager of claim 1 , wherein the bridge is an arc-shaped bridge.
7. The hand held tomographic imager of claim 1 , wherein the bridge has magnets mounted thereon.