Digital Multispectral Binocular System (DMBS)

ABSTRACT: The proposed DMBS System is a binocular helmet mounted imaging system that features dual short wave infrared (SWIR) cameras, an embedded image processor and dual digital displays to present the imagery to the pilot. The SWIR cameras offer high resolution and high frame rate FPAs (1280 x 1024 & 60Hz) with accommodation to 2560 x 2048 FPAs when they become available. The system has an external data interface that allows imagery collected outside the cockpit such as FLIR, LIDAR, or synthetic imagery to be fused on a pixel by pixel basis with the imagery captured in real-time ( 1 frame latency) from the SWIR sensors. The system is designed to be light weight and with a component distribution to minimize the moment arm on the helmet. The unit is intended to support sophisticated image processing with adaptive fusion, and the integration of external aircraft systems to include sensor imagery, embedded symbology and other aircraft/mission data. The system is fully digital allowing a variety of cutting edge image enhancement algorithms in addition to the image fusion. The DMBS is attached with a quick release bracket, and attached to the helmet via the standard banana clip on the HGU-55 helmet. BENEFIT: The DMBS system is being developed as a replacement for night vision goggles that will also facilitate the integration of other sensors and systems that are part of the pilot"s cockpit and mission operational environment. In addition the development approach is structured to accommodate the technology advances of the sensors and displays in order to realize the performance enhancements afforded by the technology evolution in those respective areas. These advances will all serve to promote the improvement in situational awareness for pilots in their respective missions. Introduction of the concept to other services and mission profiles has been met with enthusiasm. The DMBS will be applicable to virtually all military and government pilots engaged in night and low visibility flying. The current and near term high cost of the DMBS components will likely limit its application to non-commercial clients in until volume cost reductions occur.