Musing over http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/ieee02-optical.pdf
Using the software-DSP approach of GNUradio project and replacing the tuner part of the hardware with the photomultiplier, we can do all the image processing - filtering, integrating - in software, greatly reducing the cost of the equipment. Applies to lots and lots of other non-radio-related problems as well. Can be used for processing any kind of signal, if we replace the tuner stage with application-specific hardware. Another advantage could be to put large FPGA chips between the ADC and the computer, which could allow preprocessing of the signal in hardware, taking some burden off the computer's CPU. The FPGAs can be reprogrammed on-fly for each application. But it's just an idle musing of one awfully tired technician. Maybe it will be useful for someone, though...
