Lightfield, Multispectral, Real-Time Imaging Systems Adapted for Defense Applications

A program to investigate the use of Surface Optics’ commercial real-time, full motion video spectral imagers (FMV-SI) for defense applications is proposed. The FMV-SI camera is a three dimensional (spatial-spatial-spectral), compact, solid state, video rate imaging system with no moving parts. The camera uses an innovative division of wavefront approach to capture spectral and/or polarimetric imagery in real time. SOC’s primary commercial product in this line of imagers is the MWIR (3 – 5 um) imaging core of a flare combustion efficiency monitor. Products soon to be released include the VNIR (400 – 950 nm), with applications in the medical field, agriculture, image display calibration, and the SWIR (0.9 – 1.7 um), with applications in process control, illicit substance identification, and chemical analysis. All three systems have potential defense applications that include energetic material detection and identification, camouflage detection, target detection and tracking, and imaging through atmospheric turbulence. These applications, among others, shall be thoroughly studied. SOC will identify the opportunities that could benefit from the FMV-SI solution as well as the required modifications and associated risks in adapting the system for the defense application.