IIT Indore develops new technique to capture images of minute, precise details of explosions

Indore: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Indore, in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has developed a new technique to capture images of minute movements of explosions in precise details, which can bring about major changes in defence and aerospace sectors, officials said on Tuesday.

The technique was developed under the leadership of Professor Devendra Deshmukh of IIT Indore, they said.

”Imaging fast-moving particles during explosive events has long been a challenge for scientists. Traditional techniques, such as shadowgraphy, Schlieren, and X-ray imaging, offer a minimum exposure time of only about 1 microsecond to capture images,” officials said.

This is a very high exposure time (compared to the speed of the phenomena), and it often results in blurred images and loss of details, leaving researchers with incomplete information about high-speed phenomena, they said.

According to officials, to address this challenge, Prof Deshmukh and his team developed a novel imaging method using the principles of Digital Inline Holography.

This approach allows for a much sharper and more detailed visualisation of objects, even indust or combustion clouds, which was previously difficult to achieve, they said.

The captured images provide a clear picture to the researchers and make it possible to accurately extract a wealth of information about the velocity of the objects, acceleration, and distribution in space. This level of detail is essential for researchers who need to understand not just where the objects are but how they move and behave in the chaotic aftermath of an explosion, they said.

IIT Indore’s director, Professor Suhas Joshi, said, “What makes this method truly stand out is its ability to significantly enhance time resolution. While conventional methods were limited to 1 microsecond exposure times, this new technique can capture images with exposure times as low as 50 nanoseconds.” He said the system is capable of recording up to 7,00,000 frames per second, giving researchers a real-time look at how particles behave during an explosion.

“This dramatic increase in time resolution allows for far more detailed tracking of fast-moving objects, even in environments filled with dust, smoke, or other visual obstructions,” Joshi said.