A Survey on Theoretical and Practical Aspects of Imaging Aids for Artificial Vision in Professional Environments

Temporary loss of vision linked to certain high-risk professional activities increases stress and makes subjects prone to errors that may even cost lives. There is a clear demand for better vision and situation awareness tools for those users. In this paper, an extensive review of the basic theories behind remote sensing is conducted: mechanical waves and electromagnetic waves at optical frequencies are studied from a systems perspective. An analysis covering the key design elements is conducted, from the generation and propagation of the signals involved to data acquisition and technology issues. A word is devoted to future trends in remote sensing, such as metamaterials, terahertz waves, or compressed sensing. In addition, two cases of study aiming at providing the reader with an example set of design requirements and tradeoffs are presented in order to illustrate the difficulties and possibilities of different remote sensing approaches to artificial vision.