  i-TED consists of both a total energy detector and a Compton camera primarily
intended for the measurement of neutron capture cross sections by means of the
simultaneous combination of neutron time-of-flight (TOF) and $\gamma$-ray
imaging techniques. TOF allows one to obtain a neutron-energy differential
capture yield, whereas the imaging capability is intended for the
discrimination of radiative background sources, that have a spatial origin
different from that of the capture sample under investigation. A distinctive
feature of i-TED is the embedded Dynamic Electronic Collimation (DEC) concept,
which allows for a trade-off between efficiency and image resolution. Here we
report on some general design considerations and first performance
characterization measurements made with an i-TED demonstrator in order to
explore its $\gamma$-ray detection and imaging capabilities.
