A New Volumetric Eye: Light Field Microscopy

About the Talk
Light field cameras instantaneously capture a volume by recording both the location and the angle of photons arriving at a camera sensor. This means that each camera exposure results in a 3D structure, visualized through panning sequences, focal stacks, or volume renderings. Recently, my colleagues and I have applied this technique to microscopic objects. In this talk, I will describe our microscope and present examples from marine biology, particularly 3D neural activation patterns in the zebrafish brain (example). In addition, I will describe a concept for a classroom version which would allow interactive 3D exploration of microscopic specimens from anywhere with an internet connection.

About the Speaker
Image making is my main unifying interest. In graduate school I helped apply a new microscopic imaging technique (light field microscopy) to a model system for neuroscience (larval zebrafish), and am now working on version 2.0 of this tool. This summer I made a lot images photographing the road from Scotland to Mongolia. I love bicycling, which leads to additional imaging. I am also interested in sensory substitution (vibrating hats), science on the cheap (specifically in building a science-themed hostel in Baja), biologically-inspired design, and of course cephalopods.

About the Conference
BIL is an ad-hoc conference for people changing the world in big ways. BIL2010 was held at the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach, CA on Feb 12-14.

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