A Pico Projector Source for Confocal Fluorescence and Ophthalmic Imaging

A Pico digital light projector has been implemented as an integrated illumination source and spatial light modulator for confocal imaging. The target is illuminated with a series of rapidly projected lines or points to simulate scanning. Light returning from the target is imaged onto a 2D rolling shutter CMOS sensor. By controlling the spatio-temporal relationship between the rolling shutter and illumination pattern, light returning from the target is spatially filtered. Confocal retinal, fluorescence, and Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography implementations of this novel imaging technique are presented.