Polarization-based Computer Vision

Polarization is a fundamental property of light and describes the direction in which the electric field of light oscillates. Polarization, as an intrinsic property of light, provides an extra dimension of information for probing the physical world. Although polarization is often overlooked, it allows for efficient geometry and material analysis beyond the conventional color images. With the snapshot quad-Bayer polarization camera being commercialized, there have been growing interests in using polarization cues to solve a wide range of computer vision problems. Recent advances have demonstrated advantages of using polarization imaging for geometry and material understanding.

In this tutorial, we will cover comprehensive topics in polarization imaging, from the fundamental physical principles to its applications in various computer vision problems. We will specifically focus on recent advances on using polarization imaging for solving the problems of reflectance modeling, 3D reconstruction, and transparent object segmentation. Finally, we will showcase applications of polarization imaging in industry settings.