Optical Perception System for Situational Awareness and Contact Detection for Unmanned Surface Vessels

Naval USVs have a pressing need for constant panoramic situational awareness. International Electronic Machines (IEM), a leader in multispectral imaging and smart video processing, will design the Smart Integrated Situational Awareness System (SISAS), based on patented and unique panoramic imaging technology, patented and patent-pending multispectral smart image processing technologies and methods, and leveraging prior unmanned vehicle design and situational awareness work for the U.S. Marine Corps. SISAS will provide constant 360-degree coverage of the entire seascape using a multispectral imaging system with no moving components to wear out, sealed to prevent any effect from water, salt, dust, etc., onboard processing of the images for target detection and to determine characteristics such as range, bearing, speed, height to width ratio and size, onboard stabilization subsystem, ability to take direction from remote or other onboard systems to"zoom in"on targets of interest, and transmit appropriate data to other onboard systems for use there or by remote observers as desired. IEM will be assisted in this effort by ASE Optics, a leading consulting firm in the optical field which has assisted IEM in the past with numerous advanced optical design projects.