Design of dual-channel off-axis reflective foveated imaging optical system with high speed

Wide field of view (FOV), high resolution, and multispectral capabilities have long been pivotal parameters for optical instruments used in detection. From a biomimetic perspective, this paper proposes a practical method for designing a high-speed dual-channel off-axis reflective foveated imaging optical system. The structure of all reflectors enables the system to perform wide spectrum imaging. By employing a channel-select structure in conjunction with Digital Micromirror Device (DMD, a high-speed refresh device), the system achieves an integration and rapid switching between a wide FOV with a short focal length and a narrow FOV with a long focal length. Furthermore, emulating the central fovea imaging mechanism of the human eye and using the programmable function of DMD, the system simultaneously enables low-resolution imaging over a wide FOV and dynamic high-resolution imaging in local regions of interest. To verify the feasibility of this approach, a corresponding system was designed, with a 2x zoom ratio between the two channels. The system exhibits excellent imaging quality enabling pixel-level control over the foveated imaging region, and crosstalk between channels is effectively suppressed.