Distributed Thermal Imaging Spectrometer for Force Protection

The chemical vapor detection/identification and situational awareness requirements for both fixed site protection missions and reconnaissance missions can now be met with a low cost, light weight/small size, standoff, thermal imaging spectrometer based on new COTS technologies. The thermal imaging spectrometer is a preferred sensor type because of its ability to detect and visualize many different CWAs/TICs without any hardware or optical changes being required.The feasibility of a 10x lower cost design approach for a Fourier transform type, thermal imaging spectrometer was successfully demonstrated in the previous SBIR effort. The keys to this success were the replacement of the expensive voice coil servo / laser positioner with a new low cost COTS piezo-electric transducer and the replacement of the very expensive cryo-cooled MCT detector array with a micro-bolometer array. A spectral resolution of 4cm-1 was successfully demonstrated.MESH is proposing to integrate the latest micro-bolometer detector array technology and then to optimize the performance.Several man-portable units will then be fabricated.These units will be suitable for both platform mounted and fixed site testing and proof of concept demonstration.