Mathematical Imaging in the Service of Humanity: Task for the 21th Century (MaDaMe)

Professor David Colton
Delaware University

The importance of ultrasound imaging in medicine, synthetic aperature radar in target identification and non-destructive testing in quality control are widely known technological advancements having their basis in mathematical imaging techniques.

However in each of these cases the model is crude in the sense that multiple scattering effects are typically ignored.The crudeness of the model has led to severe limitations in the application of these techniques.With the rapid increase in computing facilities,it is now possible to use more sophisticated models which can potentially offer dramatic improvements.

However such improved models require the development of new imaging techniques! The specific example of medical imaging will be used to illustrate the above points. More specifically, progress will require new ideas in the mathematical theory of "inverse problems", an area in which Finland is already a world leader.