Computational Camera and Photography
MIT's course on computational photography covers the emerging field where signal processing, applied optics, computer graphics, and electronics combine to capture visual information beyond what traditional cameras record. Lectures and materials cover the complete camera pipeline, from sensor design to image processing, and examine novel imaging modalities including thermal cameras, multi-spectral sensors, high-speed capture, 3D range-sensing, and camera arrays modeled on animal eyes. Applications discussed include scientific and medical imaging, mobile photography, and human-computer interaction. Hands-on projects have students build physical imaging prototypes to understand how each stage of image capture can be manipulated. The course draws on MIT Media Lab research and is offered through MIT OpenCourseWare, with lecture notes, project assignments, and readings available for free, no certificate offered.