So, instead of the conventional method of shining UV light or infrared lasers or x-rays through an object to be able to see what light is absorbed or transmitted through your material, they have some sort of instrument that is absorbing microwave radiation?

Is that the gist of this? The article doesn't go into much detail, but it seems like that's probably all it is. Like the object is giving off microwave radiation, the qubit or whatever it is absorbs said radiation, maybe some electron orbitals are excited, and the qubit is able to tell us what the material is.

I mean, I'd hardly say that's not seeing the object. You're just absorbing energy in 3 dimensions instead of a laser going through the material and bouncing around mirrors to give you your read-out.

Edit: typo