EECS 195/298 Computational Optics (Winter 2026): Computational Optics studies how optical systems and computation work together to achieve capabilities beyond traditional optics alone. By combining optical hardware with algorithms, it improves how systems image, sense, print, fabricate, and process information. Students learn how images and optical signals are formed, how physical optics and hardware constraints shape measurements, and how many practical problems can be formulated as inverse problems. The course Computational Optics unifies computational imaging and optical computing by emphasizing the joint design of optical systems and computational algorithms. It introduces both model-based optimization methods and modern data-driven approaches, including neural networks, for image reconstruction and system design. Topics cover applied areas such as computational photography (digital cameras), computational imaging, computational microscopy, and optical computing, as well as foundational concepts including image and optical signal processing, wave and diffractive optics, and end-to-end co-design of optics and computation. Emphasis is placed on conceptual understanding, hands-on implementation, and bridging physics with computation. Students will learn and implement core algorithms in Python and explore real-world applications in imaging, sensing, and optical information processing.

Course website: https://canvas.eee.uci.edu/courses/80134

Upcoming:

EECS 188: Optical Electronics (Spring 2026)

EECS 285C: Intro to Nano Imaging (Fall 2026)