Research summary
From smartphone photography to scientific imaging, digital cameras play a crucial role in capturing and interpreting the world around us. But because most camera processing pipelines—designed primarily for visually appealing photos—have changed little in two decades, their potential for scientific and medical applications is limited. Dr. Michael Brown, Canada Research Chair in Computer Vision, is reimagining camera pipeline design. He and his research team are developing artificial intelligence-driven, dual-purpose imaging systems that enhance both photographic quality and scientific accuracy.
By integrating neural networks into traditional camera processing, they are unlocking innovations in image denoising, digital zoom, and multi-frame fusion. With industry collaborations spanning Google, Adobe and Samsung—and with his lab’s technology already embedded in millions of smartphone cameras—Brown’s research is shaping the future of digital imaging. Ultimately, it is strengthening Canada’s leadership in high-tech innovation and advancing applications from medical diagnostics to space exploration.