Living Optics Compact Computational

Living Optics is an Oxford-born deep-tech venture turning cutting-edge physics into powerful new vision systems. Its flagship innovation – a video-rate hyperspectral camera – can capture rich spectral data in every frame, revealing details and hidden targets that standard cameras miss. Originally devised to meet the demands of laser fusion experiments in a university lab, this technology is now poised to transform reconnaissance and surveillance.

Security forces and industry alike are testing how Living Optics’ compact device can detect camouflaged threats, trace chemical residues, and unlock insights from the invisible spectrum. The company’s emergence comes at a pivotal moment: Europe is seeking home-grown capabilities to reduce reliance on foreign sensors. By marrying advanced optics with AI-powered analysis, Living Optics offers a glimpse into the future of imaging – one where European innovation delivers strategic advantages in both defense and civilian domains.

Living Optics is a deep-tech startup spun out of the University of Oxford (2019) that builds computational hyperspectral cameras . It occupies a niche at the intersection of sensor technologies and artificial intelligence , aligning with European Emerging and Disruptive Technology (EDT) priorities in advanced optical sensing and real-time data analytics. The company’s technology provides European defense and security forces with an indigenous source of cutting-edge multispectral imaging , reducing the need to import critical sensors from non-allied suppliers.

Its compact camera delivers 96-band hyperspectral video in the visible-near IR range, enabling detection of concealed threats (e.g. camouflage, explosives) that ordinary cameras or human eyes cannot see. By integrating AI at the edge, it supports NATO-interoperable applications in multi-domain intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). As a small venture-backed firm, Living Optics has secured UK defense innovation contracts and demonstrated its system with NATO-affiliated research teams, underscoring its strategic potential.