Universal Polarization

Universal polarization research explores how the polarization properties of light can be leveraged for advanced imaging and sensing applications. Current efforts focus on developing novel algorithms and neural network architectures, such as polarization-to-polarization networks and spectro-polarimetric fields, to extract shape, reflectance, and subsurface scattering information from polarized images, often surpassing traditional methods in resolution and accuracy. This field is significant because it offers improved capabilities for 3D reconstruction, reflection removal, and material characterization across diverse domains, including cultural heritage preservation, robotics, and medical imaging. The development of specialized hardware, like micro-grid polarimetric cameras and bio-inspired polarization event cameras, further enhances the practical impact of this research.