Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed an innovative camera lens technology that allows for simultaneous focus on all parts of a scene, capturing finer details across the entire image regardless of distance. This new system, called "spatially-varying autofocus," utilizes a combination of technologies, including a computational lens with a Lohmann lens and a phase-only spatial light modulator, to enable focus at different depths simultaneously. It also employs two autofocus methods, Contrast-Detection Autofocus (CDAF) and Phase-Detection Autofocus (PDAF), to maximize sharpness and adjust focus direction. While not yet available commercially, this breakthrough could transform photography and have significant applications in fields like microscopy, virtual reality, and autonomous vehicles. This matters because it represents a potential leap in imaging technology, offering unprecedented clarity and depth perception across various industries.
