The “femtosecond transient imaging system” is a camera being developed by researchers at MIT that uses high intensity light from a femtosecond laser to capture images from around corners. Once the laser beam bounces around the scene and returns to the sensor, algorithms are used to turn the time and distance information into a representation of the scene.

Professor Ramesh Raskar, head of the Camera Culture group, believes that a portable version of this technology could be available within two years.

(via Photo Rumors)