Source coding of holographic data: challenges, algorithms and standardization efforts

Holographic imaging modalities are gaining increasing interest in various application domains ranging from microscopy to high-end autostereoscopic displays. While much effort has been spent on the development of the optics, photonics and micro/nano-electronics that enable the design of holographic capturing and visualization devices, relatively few research effort has been targeted towards the underlying signal processing. One significant challenge relates to the fact that the data volumes needed in support of this kind of holographic applications is rapidly increasing: for visualization devices, and in particular holographic displays, unprecedented resolutions are desired resulting in huge bandwidth requirements on both the communication channels and internal computing and data channels. An additional challenge relates to the fact that we are handling an interference-based modality being complex amplitude based in nature. Both challenges lead to the fact that for example classic data representations and coding solutions fail to handle holographic data in an effective way. This paper attempts to provide some insights that enable to alleviate or a least reduce these bottlenecks and sketch an avenue for the development of efficient source coding solutions. Moreover, it will also outline the efforts the JPEG committee is undertaking in the context of the JPEG Pleno standardization programme to roll out a path for data interoperability of holographic solutions.