Wide-field color imaging through multimode fiber with single wavelength illumination: plug-and-play approach

Abstract

Multimode fiber (MMF) is extensively studied for its ability to transmit light modes in parallel, potentially minimizing optical fiber size in imaging. However, current research predominantly focuses on grayscale imaging, with limited attention to color studies. Existing colorization methods often involve costly white light lasers or multiple light sources, increasing optical system expenses and space. To achieve wide-field color images with typical monochromatic illumination MMF imaging system, we proposed a data-driven “colorization” approach and a neural network called SpeckleColorNet, merging U-Net and conditional GAN (cGAN) architectures, trained by a combined loss function. This approach, demonstrated on a 2-meter MMF system with single-wavelength illumination and the Peripheral Blood Cell (PBC) dataset, outperforms grayscale imaging and alternative colorization methods in readability, definition, detail, and accuracy. Our method aims to integrate MMF into clinical medicine and industrial monitoring, offering cost-effective high-fidelity color imaging. It serves as a plug-and-play replacement for conventional grayscale algorithms in MMF systems, eliminating the need for additional hardware.