Cover photo by Yuka Igarashi
Smartphone cameras are entering an era where they can simultaneously record 25 color channels. A research team at the University of Utah has developed a technology capable of capturing the 'subtle differences' across the entire visible spectrum that traditional red, green, and blue (RGB) channels could not detect.
This breakthrough allows the properties and conditions of materials, previously overlooked by the naked eye or conventional cameras, to be visualized in real-time video. It represents a technological innovation that fundamentally redefines the meaning of 'observation' and 'recording' through video.
Beyond the Limits of Human Vision: The 'Spectral Eye'
The core of this new technology lies in a specialized diffraction filter with nanoscale patterns. By layering this filter onto conventional camera sensors, each pixel can simultaneously record 'spectral information of light.' This data is stored as a compressed 2D image and later reconstructed into 25 layers of data using algorithms.
Photo by ksk_1990
This enables the identification of previously invisible details, such as skin conditions, fruit ripeness, or plant health. For creators, it signifies an expansion of their 'ability to see.'
A Revolution in Filming Equipment or a Redefinition of Creative Environments?
This camera system overturns the conventional norms of hyperspectral cameras in terms of weight, cost, and processing speed. It can record approximately 1-megapixel footage in real-time, divided into 25 colors, all while fitting into a smartphone-sized device—an achievement worth noting.
Photo by yama
Currently, applications in fields such as medicine, agriculture, and astronomy are leading the way. However, the potential extends to refining look development and color grading in filmmaking, as well as creating new forms of recording media.
Capturing the Invisible
In traditional filmmaking, the focus has always been on the visible world. However, this technology makes it possible to depict information hidden in color differences, such as temperature variations beneath the skin, plant stress levels, or nocturnal color changes.
Photo by tk
This is not merely a technological innovation but a challenge to the fundamental questions of what should be 'captured' and 'shown.' A new era of visual expression, blending scientific perspectives with narrative contexts, may be on the horizon.
