The camera can even capture images of the beating heart through the chest.

A new high-resolution holographic camera that can see through objects, and around corners including human skin, and potentially through the human skull and even fog has been invented by researchers at the Northwestern University in the United States.

In a paper published in the journal Nature Communications, the researchers have revealed that the camera uses a new method called “Synthetic wavelength holography” that scatters coherent light indirectly onto hidden objects, which then scatters again, and is captured by the camera.

The captured scattered light data is then reconstructed by an algorithm to reveal the hidden objects. Furthermore, the camera has the potential to capture images of fast-moving objects, vehicles moving at high speeds, and beating hearts through the chest, due to its high temporal resolution.

There have several studies in the field of non-line-of-sight or NLoS imaging that aim to capture images of objects hidden from the view. However, the new method used by the researchers at Northwestern University can produce images that are far higher in resolution compared to other attempts, meaning the cameras could potentially see-through skin and even capture images of the tiniest blood capillaries.

"Our technology will usher in a new wave of imaging capabilities," Florian Willomitzer, lead author of the paper and a researcher the Northwestern University, said in a press release. "Our current sensor prototypes use visible or infrared light, but the principle is universal and could be extended to other wavelengths. For example, the same method could be applied to radio waves for space exploration or underwater acoustic imaging. It can be applied to many areas, and we have only scratched the surface."

Researchers say although capturing images from around a corner and imaging the insides of the body might seem like very different challenges, they are in fact quite closely related.

"If you have ever tried to shine a flashlight through your hand, then you have experienced this phenomenon," Willomitzer added. "You see a bright spot on the other side of your hand, but, theoretically, there should be a shadow cast by your bones, revealing the bones' structure. Instead, the light that passes the bones gets scattered within the tissue in all directions, completely blurring out the shadow image."