Abstract

Adaptive optics (AO) is a powerful technique to sharpen images that are blurred for example due to atmospheric turbulence or aberrations of the eye. Originally developed for defense applications over a period of 40 years or so, they have found enormous applications in the astronomical and vision research communities. This paper provides an overview of adaptive optics techniques. Using principles of AO, it is possible to develop a laboratory that teaches various optics concepts, including aberration theory, at many levels. In addition, AO can teach students some fundamentals of control theory.

© 2013 OSA, SPIE, IEEE, ICO