Multispectral Compact Personnel Tag Device

Aerius Photonics proposes to develop a design for a prototype personnel tag device which incorporates multiple technologies into a compact, portable system suitable for the warfighter. The Aerius design will incorporate both RF and IR transmission technologies such that the tags can be turned on remotely from airborne platforms. Return signals will be RF and/or IR, coded to military standards. In addition, the design will allow the warfighter to reprogram the tag in the field. In order to create a multiuse tag device, Aerius Photonics will design a device with RF technology, NIR, MWIR, and LWIR laser sources, and high fidelity optical receivers based on vertical cavity semiconductor optical amplifiers (VCSOAs). The culmination of the Phase I effort will be a final design for a prototype system that is ready for development and field testing in Phase II. BENEFIT: With the successful completion of this project, Aerius will have developed the technology to build high high fidelity multiuse personnel tags. These tag devices will be low cost and have more functionality than current single technology based devices. The multispectral personnel tag has immediate utility for current military operations, and since it is designed to work with current targeting pods, Aerius"tag device can be deployed as soon as production begins. In addition, once in commercial production, these tags have applications in law enforcement. Therefore, a key objective for the Phase II effort will be to finalize a tag design that is ready for production by the end of the program. Moreover, while this product will be targeted for the needs of our AF customer, it would have broad appeal across all branches of the military, and therefore, the volume potential for a commercial product is substantial.