The Image Intensifier Tube (IIT) is the most critical component within a night vision device. Acquisition, production, test and evaluation of image intensifier tubes can be greatly enhanced by the application of machine vision technology. The Navy, Air Force and Army have invested over $2,000,000 in the development of a machine vision-based test set known as the Automated Intensifier Measurement System (AIMS). This paper will describe methodologies employed in the AIMS to measure Modulation Transfer Function (MTF), Dark Spots, Bright Spots, Shear Distortion, and Gross Distortion.
Objectivity, measurement accuracy and repeatability are compromised whenever the human vision system is involved in assessing the performance of optical and electro-optical components. One example of this is found in the inspection of image intensifier tubes (IITs). This paper discusses the use of an automated intensifier measurement system (AIMS), that was developed to overcome the drawbacks of the subjective evaluation methods currently in use. The AIMS offers significant improvement over visual inspection techniques typically performed by a human operator. The AIMS quantifies an IIT's performance in a number of categories including: resolution, geometric image distortion, output brightness uniformity (opaque and bright spots), and image format; measurement accuracy is traceable to NIST. Innovative image-processing techniques allow precise characterization of the entire IIT using an off-the-shelf CCD that can capture the complete intensified image without employing scanning or magnifying techniques. The system also performs a self test to ensure correct setup. Now for the first time, because all the necessary setup adjustments and measurements are performed under software control, all subjectivity is eliminated, allowing totally objective measurements to be made. System performance results are discussed.
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