The polarization perception sensitivity of the human eyes affects the perceived polarized image quality. In this paper, we used polarized spatiotemporal structured images to develop a spatiotemporal age mapping of the polarization perception of human eyes. We built an optical modulation transfer function mathematical model of the aging human eyes with spatiotemporal frequency domains and introduced the Stokes vector to analyze the polarized images. The proposed model provides a testing method based on a set of polarization images with spatiotemporal frequencies varying according to the perception of differently aged viewers. Then, we experimentally validated the proposed model by performing polarization perception tests on a group of volunteers. The test method has the diagnostic potential to confirm the health of human eyes and identify potential age-related macular diseases.

Microlens array (MLA) scanning systems are used in numerous applications, such as laser radar and optical communications. Excrescent light generated by overlapping divergent beams from adjacent microlenses increases with scanning angle, thereby reducing the relative aperture and affecting the MLA system resolution. The fill factor is hence proposed to characterize the relative aperture, and its effects on the modulation transfer function are analyzed. The fill factor is calculated from matrix optics paraxial ray tracing using the system parameters. The simulated results of the MLA system and theoretical calculations are in good agreement. This work can benefit the design and evaluation of MLA systems.

To reduce keystone distortion in tilted imaging systems when the object area is much larger than the lens diameter, an optical system design using a digital micro-mirror device (DMD) is proposed. Keystone distortion is analyzed, establishing the relationships between keystone distortion and object height, tilt angle of the object plane, focal length, and object distance. A design with a DMD in a reimaging setup is analyzed, providing a solution that eliminates keystone distortion in tilted imaging systems. The method is validated by simulation and experiment; it provides an innovative method to correct keystone distortion without digital signal processing.

A panoramic annular lens optical system is important in circumferential detection. However, a panoramic annular image (PAI) has severe tangential and radial distortion. This study proposes a3σguideline-based method, which determines the unwrapping center point of the PAI, and a prediction method based on the lens design characteristics according to the intrinsic distortion of the PAL to correct, respectively, the tangential distortion and the radial distortion. The proposed methods can ensure the restoration ability and simplify the dependence on experimental conditions. The experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method, thus enabling future panoramic optical image detection.

The microlens array (MLA) scanning system is a relatively new solution for beam scanning. The excrescent light generated by overlapping divergent beams from adjacent microlenses increases with the scanning angle, and as a result, the rays do not fill the clear aperture of the MLA. The effect on the detection distance and imaging resolution of the MLA system are analyzed. Based on the principle of minimum spherical aberration, a design method for initial configuration of the MLA system is proposed. The findings of this paper can be beneficial for the design and evaluation of MLA systems.

Zoom panoramic optical systems incorporate a panoramic peripheral vision zoom imaging function, enabling swift wide-area coarse and localized precise detection. These systems find applicability in examining pipes and other internal structures. This study centers on the catadioptric zoom panoramic optical system and its associated optical design method. A mathematical model of the front mirror was formulated based on the imaging relationship. Subsequently, the bending of the image plane of the front mirror was computed and simplified through curve fitting. The object surface bending of the zoom subsystem was established correspondingly, leveraging the solution for the mirror bending curve matched correction, culminating in deriving the initial structure of the zoom. Integrating the front mirror and zoom subsystems facilitated the comprehensive design realization of the catadioptric zoom panoramic optical system. A catadioptric zoom panoramic optical system was designed to validate the proposed design method. This study introduces a novel, to the best of our knowledge, conceptual approach to crafting catadioptric zoom panoramic optical systems.