Computational Optical Sensing and Imaging (COSI)
Events
Computational Optical Sensing and Imaging (COSI)
18-21, August 2025
Seattle, WA
Computational sensing and imaging are processes that tightly combine optics, sensing and processing to acquire task relevant information.
They use the strong coupling with computation to provide an operational capability that is impossible to realize using conventional means, that addresses a dimensionality mismatch or that reduces the cost of making measurements compared with conventional means.
COSI showcases the latest innovations in computational sensing and imaging, emphasizing synergistic activities in optics, detectors and signal processing, including machine learning. The topical meeting is looking for submissions spanning topics that range from theoretical advances to application of computational sensing and imaging in medicine, defense and industry.
Optica Imaging Congress
3D Image Acquisition and Display: Technology, Perception and Applications (3D)
Digital Holography and Three-Dimensional Imaging (DH)
Imaging Systems and Applications (IS)
Propagation Through and Characterization of Atmospheric
and Oceanic Phenomena (pcAOP)
Radiographic Imaging and Tomography (RadIT)
Topic Categories
Computational Optical Sensing and Imaging (COSI)
Computational sensing and imaging are processes that tightly combine optics, sensing, and processing to acquire task relevant information.
Popular Topics (in alphabetical order)
- Applications of Computational Sensing and Imaging
- Compressive Sensing
- Computational Adaptive Optics
- Computational Imaging for Point-of-Care Applications
- Computational Microscopy (including Ptychography), Digital Holographic Microscopy
- Computational Spectroscopy and Spectral Imaging
- Computational Techniques for Imaging through Scattering and Turbid Media
- Computational Techniques for Super-Resolution Imaging
- Differentiable Optics (and its Applications to Wave Propagation and Optical Design)
- Fundamental Limits of Computational Optical Sensing and Imaging
- Inverse Problems in Imaging
- Joint Design Examples
- Lensless Imaging, Coherent Diffraction Imaging
- Multiple Aperture and Coded Aperture Imaging
- Novel Applications of Holography
- Phase Retrieval and its Applications
- SAR, InSAR, Terahertz- and mm-Wave Imaging
- Sparse Imaging
- Tomographic Imaging
- Topics in 3D Imaging (Structured Illumination, ToF Sensing, LiDAR, Light Fields)
- Unconventional Imaging Modalities (Intensity Interferometry, Ghost Imaging and Mutual Intensity Imaging)
Topics of Special Interest (in alphabetical order)
- Computer Generated Holography and Computational Displays for AR/VR
- Event-Driven Computational Imaging using Neuromorphic Sensors
- Non-Line-of-Sight Imaging
- Physics Aware Deep Learning as Applied to Computational Sensing
- Quantum Imaging
- Single-Photon Imaging
Invited Speakers
- Nick Antipa, University of California San Diego, United States
Data-Driven Computational Imaging Systems Optimization - Charles Bouman, Purdue University, United States
Model Based Reconstruction for Hyperspectral Neutron Imaging - Sara Fridovich-Keil, Georgia Institute of Technology, United States
Volume Representations for Inverse Problems - Xiaoshuai Huang, Peking University, Russia
High Axial Resolution and Imaging Speeds Three-Dimensional Live Cell Imaging - Scott McEldowney, , United States
Sensing and Display Tradeoffs in Augmented Reality - Yifan Peng, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Seeing Beyond RGB: Imaging via Learning Optics and Image Processing - Rafael Piestun, University of Colorado Boulder, United States
Where Light Loses Its Way, Computation Finds It - Prasanna Rangarajan, Southern Methodist University, United States
(Mis)Adventures in Neuromorphic Image Sensing - Kelvin Wagner, University of Colorado Boulder, United States
Interferometric Multi-beam Photon-counting Fourier-BASIS Computational Imaging Lidar - Fei Xia, University of California Irvine, United States
AI-Enhanced Optical Microscopy
Plenary Speakers
Ying 'Melissa' Geng
Meta Reality Labs Research, UNITED STATES
Pushing the limits of VR displays (without breaking them)
Over the last decade, VR displays grew from early prototypes — held together by duct tape — to compelling consumer products used by millions. This talk describes the optical innovations necessary to realize this transformation, including addressing longstanding challenges in contrast and form-factor. While pursuing practical display architectures, we also built a new wave of prototypes, ones that push beyond the current generation and show the experiential impact that further breakthroughs in FOV, resolution, brightness, contrast and accommodation may yet bring. We’ll report not just the technological developments, but also our efforts to widely share this work through better-than-duct-taped public demos, beginning the cycle anew.
About the Speaker
Ying "Melissa" Geng is a research manager of “Optics, Photonics and Light Systems” at Reality Labs Research, Meta, where she leads investigations into advanced optics and display technologies. Together with her team, Melissa has explored “pancake” optics, carrying them from early incubation in 2015 to a successful transfer to product. More recently, she has led efforts to create a hyperrealistic VR demo — featuring above-retinal resolution, high brightness, and high contrast — demonstrating a step change in visual experiences that is the closest to “passing the visual Turing test” yet. Melissa’s prior research also includes studies on high-resolution retinal imaging using adaptive optics. She holds a Ph.D. in Optics from the University of Rochester.
Pietro Ferraro
Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems "Eduardo Caianiello" (ISASI-CNR), Italy
Beyond Labels: Enhanced 3D Live Cell Imaging Combined with Flow Cytometry
This presentation explores cutting-edge advancements in label-free 3D live cell imaging, integrating high-throughput flow cytometry with tomographic microscopy. We demonstrate how this combined approach overcomes limitations of traditional 2D and fluorescence-based methods, enabling detailed visualization of cellular architecture and dynamics without the perturbations of labeling. This label-free technique opens new avenues for studying cell cycle progression, cell-drug interactions and other dynamic biological processes, offering valuable insights into cellular function and behavior.
About the Speaker
Pietro Ferraro is Director of Research at the CNR Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems (ISASI), Italy. He served as ISASI Director from 2014 to 2019 and President of CNR Research Area in Pozzuoli from 2012 to 2019. Ferraro has held leadership roles in various organizations and worked as Principal Investigator with Alenia Aeronautics from 1988 to 1993. His research spans holography, microscopy, micro-nanostructures, non-destructive testing and optical sensors, with over 350 journal papers, 20,000 citations and 14 patents. A Fellow of both Optica and SPIE, he received the SPIE Gabor Award and served on the Scientific and Technical Committee for the Italian Space Agency from 2018 to 2023.
Industry Program
The Industry Program at the Optica Imaging Congress enhances the engagement between attendees from academia, industry and government.
Background
The 2025 Industry Program focuses on two key aspects in the contemporary imaging industry: human vision factors and machine learning. The knowledge of human vision factors is essential to design and optimize optics and imaging processing in consumer imaging products. It is also important to understand the potential and limitations of machine learning in the imaging process, especially for bio-medical applications.
2025 Industry Chairs
Lisa Belodoffa
Bell Collaborative, USA, Industry Chair
Francisco Imai
Apple Inc., USA, Industry Co-Chair
Human Factors in Imaging
Tuesday, 19 August 18:00 - 19:00
Moderator: Francisco Imai, Apple Inc., USA
The panel on “Human Factors in Imaging” will have experts in image quality and human vision from industry discussing about image quality in direct view and near-eye displays, key perceptual research questions, role of machine learning in visual perception, quantification of visual comfort in imaging systems and opportunities to create synergy between image visual perception research and optics.
Speakers
Alex Chapiro
Meta Reality Labs Research, UNITED STATES
Scott Daly
Dolby Laboratories, Inc.
Aaron Nicholls
Meta Reality Labs, UNITED STATES
Frontiers in Imaging - Trends in Machine Learning and Biological Imaging
Wednesday, 20 August 12:00 - 13:00
Quinault Ballroom
Moderator: Francisco Imai, Apple Inc., USA
Experts in image processing, machine learning and biological sciences discuss how machine learning can overcome limitations in optics in imaging systems, as well as trade-offs in applying machine learning to signal processing and inverse problems, potential issues of hallucinations in machine learning and on unsolved challenges in biological imaging.
Speakers
Mauricio Delbracio
Google LLC, UNITED STATES
Caleb Stoltzfus
Alpenglow Biosciences, UNITED STATES
Jérôme Lecoq
Allen Institute, UNITED STATES
