Fiber Optic Snapshot Hyperspectral Tracker

OPTRA proposes the development of a Fiber Optic Hyperspectral Tracker based on a multiple slit dispersive spectrometer. The key components include imaging optics, a fiber optic bundle, a dispersive element, and a focal plane array (FPA). The integrated hyperspectral imager allows for the simultaneous acquisition of 64x64 spatial resolution elements and 32 spectral resolution elements within a single exposure of the FPA. The benefits of this approach include compactness, no moving parts, and particularly the computational simplicity with which the hyperspectral cubes are reconstructed relative to other"snapshot"hyperspectral imagers employing coded apertures or computed tomography. The overall effort is expected to produce a complete hyperspectral tracking system prototype by the completion of Phase II. BENEFIT: Anticipated benefits of the proposed approach include the ability to produce snapshot hyperspectral cubes without the computational complexity of coded aperture and computed tomography based systems. Our system is compact, rugged, and it contains no moving parts. Applications in addition to target discrimination and tracking include chemical and biological detection on surfaces at various ranges. Commercial applications for the hyperspectral tracker include law enforcement, border patrol and search and rescue.