Scientists at Oxford University have developed a method for capturing extremely high frame rates by expanding on existing consumer-grade photography and video camera technologies. The new capture method works by using a single sensor to capture images simultaneously. According to Dr. Gil Bub,

“This is done by allowing the camera’s pixels to act as if they were part of tens, or even hundreds, of individual cameras taking pictures in rapid succession during a single normal exposure. The trick is that the pattern of pixel exposures keeps the high resolution content of the overall image, which can then be used as-is, to form a regular high-res picture, or be decoded into a high-speed movie.”

The most interesting aspect to this new development is the relatively low cost.  While the scientists developed the technology with medical and scientific applications in mind at macroscopic and microscopic levels, the underlying hardware is primarily what we use in consumer-grade cameras.  As a result, patent licensing of this tech could see future consumer applications but, obviously, at lower than the extreme frame rates required for use by the scientific community.

[Nature Methods via Sideways and UPI]