Firefighters already use infrared cameras to find people in burning buildings, but the technology can't distinguish between a person's heat and that of the surrounding fire. That's because a zoom lens is needed to concentrate the infrared rays in a way that enables the apparatus to form a human-readable image. Fortunately, a team of researchers from the Italian Institute of Optics has developed a system that ditches the lens in favor of digital holography that produces detailed 3D images in the darkness. The hardware isn't out of short trousers just yet, but the team is planning to develop a portable version for field work -- and chief Pietro Ferraro hopes that the idea will be co-opted by the aerospace and biomedical industries, too. Curious to see what all the fuss is about? Head on past the break for a video.

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Source: Optics Express