KEYWORDS: Light sources and illumination, Night vision, Thermography, Buildings, Image fusion, Night vision systems, Image sensors, Clouds, Headlamps, Digital signal processing
Fused night vision systems have been available for a number of years and have matured into practical devices for use by dismounted soldiers. This paper looks at the approaches taken to achieve fused systems and looks at the real world advantages of such systems in complex urban environments with multiple light sources.
There are many applications for thermal imaging systems where low weight, high performance and high durability are at a premium. These include UAV systems, future warrior programs and thermal weapon sights.
Thermal imaging camera design is restricted by a number external constraints including, detector packaging, detector performance and optical design. This paper describes how, by combining the latest 25µm pitch detector technology, novel optical design and shutter-less image processing a high resolution imager a system weight of 100g can be achieved.
Recently developed detectors have low mass vacuum packages, in this example a 384x288 25um un-cooled microbolometer has a weight of less than 25g. By comparison, earlier 35µm and 50 µm devices were In the region of 40g.
Where cameras are used in harsh environments mechanical shutters present both a reliability issue and additional weight. The low-weight camera utilises Xti Shutter-less technology to generate high quality images without the need for any form of mechanical shutter. The resulting camera has no moving parts.
Lenses for Long Wave Infrared (LWIR) Thermal imaging are typically manufactured using Germanium (Ge) elements. These lenses tend to be designed with f/1.0 apertures and as a result add significant weight to the design. Thanks to the smaller detector pitch and system sensitivity a lens has been designed with a focal length of 14.95mm at f/1.3 where the mass of the optical components is 9g. The final optical assembly, including passive athermalisation has a mass of no more than 15g.
Modern Unattended Ground Sensor (UGS) systems require transmission of high quality imagery to a remote location while meeting severe operational constraints such as extended mission life using battery operation. This paper describes a robust imagery system that provides excellent performance for both long range and short range stand-off scenarios. The imaging devices include a joint EO and IR solution that features low power consumption, quick turn-on time, high resolution images, advanced AGC and exposure control algorithms, digital zoom, and compact packaging. Intelligent camera operation is provided by the System Controller, which allows fusion of multiple sensor inputs and intelligent target recognition. The System Controller's communications package is interoperable with all SEIWG-005 compliant sensors. Image transmission is provided via VHF, UHF, or SATCOM links. The system has undergone testing at Yuma Proving Ground and Ft. Huachuca, as well as extensive company testing. Results from these field tests are given.
Micromechanics is placing new demands on surface metrology equipment due to the fragility and small size of the mechanical components being fabricated. For research and development purposes both static measurement of component dimensions and thickness and dynamic measurements of deflection and vibrational amplitude are essential. This paper describes a new laser based non-contacting surface measurement system which is finding increasing application for these tasks. The system employs the dynamic focusing principle and has a measurement range of 1000 micrometers and a vertical resolution of 6 nm. The lateral resolution of the system is 1 micrometer and measurements may be made at up to 10 KHz. A built in observation window allows simultaneous measurement and observation of the measurement spot and surrounding region.
Micromechanics is placing new demands on surface metrology equipment due to the fragility and small size of the mechanical components being fabricated. For research and development purposes both static measurement of component dimensions and thickness and dynamic measurements of deflection and vibrational amplitude are essential. This paper describes a new laser based non-contacting surface measurement system which is finding increasing application for these tasks. The system employs the dynamic focusing principle and has a measurement range of 1000 micrometers and a vertical resolution of 6 nm. The lateral resolution of the system is 1 micrometers and measurements may be made at up to 10 KHz. A built in observation window allows simultaneous measurement and observation of the measurement spot and surrounding region.
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