Snapshot Imaging Laser Displacement Sensor for Hypersonic Diagnostic Testing

The Air Force is interested in hypersonic (M>5) systems that enable time-critical missions for strike and Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR). Perhaps more so than for any other flight regime, precise and accurate sensing of key phenomena is difficult without contaminating the data being collected. During the Phase I program, Control Vision, Inc developed unique optical profilometry technology which successfully provided 3D imaging of various targets and their displacement while undergoing hypersonic testing, down to an error of up to 10 microns. This Phase II program will focus on maturing the optical profilometry to enable real-time, high resolution measurement of structural deformation, process-induced vibration measurements, and potentially the environmental turbulence itself. The team at CVI is experienced in developing sensors that can overcome the extreme optical, electrical and vibrational noise that typically encumber these test environments. At the end of Phase II CVI will prove the prototype system in multiple windtunnel environments and will deliver a working system.